On 31 August, an update on BLACKIE . . .

Nelly was able to give him a bath and a hairecut. She did his body one day and his head the next. He wasn't thrilled, but endured it. I am very impressed because BLACKIE completely freaked out when we clipped him in Phoenix. Of course, the fact that he had eight people trying to hold him down on a steel table in a small room might have had something to do with it.

Nelly was happy to be able to lift him into her tub for a nice warm bath. Her previous Airedales were 100-pounders and she had to give them baths in the yard with a cold hose.

Joe, Nelly & BLACKIE take three-mile walks every morning. He still gets startled by loud noises outside. They live in a forest area and there is some sort of beetle attacking the trees, so a lot of them are being cut down. BLACKIE hates the big machinery and the booms when they drop the trees.

He is very comfortable with Nelly and is finally starting to come to Joe when he calls him. BLACKIE is even starting to play a little. Nelly took him out to the yard the other day and gave him a little slap on the butt . . . he went into a big tuckbutt run, played hide-and-seek with her behind a tree and came out to do a few playbows.

Nelly took him to the local dog park, but BLACKIE wasn't too impressed since a huge German Shepherd kept trying to mount him and just wouldn't leave him alone. BLACKIE was trying to be a gentleman about it, but the owner of the other dog was clueless and Nelly & BLACKIE finally left. Nelly noticed some white hair in BLACKIE's mouth, so apparently at some point BLACKIE tried to teach the GS a few manners.

Joe & Nelly took BLACKIE to a car show yesterday, where he did great! He met all kinds of people, including lots of kids, and loved them all. Even the noise of a big generator didn't bother him. When they got home he went to bed and immediately to sleep!

Nelly & Joe love their boy and are happy to see the Airedale in him starting to come out.

Nelly said she would try to take pictures of BLACKIE's new hairecut, but from experience, it is not easy to get a good picture of a black dog.

. . . and a LESLIE update on the same day from Sidney:

I gave LESLIE a bath & a hairecut yesterday. I was able to clip her all the way up to the base of her head, but that was it. She just wouldn't let me get the clippers on her head or ears, so I scissor-cut her head.

I've been getting lots of inquiries about her, but the perfect family hasn't shown up yet.

On 7 September, however, Sidney has good news:

I may have a home for LESLIE. Jeanne & John drove down from Phoenix this morning and visited with LESLIE for a couple of hours. LESLIE wouldn't let them touch her, but did finally sniff a little at them and relaxed enough to lie down next to us as we were talking. They seem to have the patience to let LESLIE assimilate at her own pace.

They don't have a dog, but Jeanne is retired, so will be home with LESLIE most of the time and they have friends with dogs they will ask over for play dates and a local field where the dog people gather. John is an early morning walker and is looking forward to having LESLIE join him. Luckily, they keep the same kind of schedule I have (up before the sun), so LESLIE won't have to adjust to sleeping in late. They have a large back yard with a fence 6'8" high.

Their main concern is whether LESLIE will be happy with them, so next weekend I will drive LESLIE up for a three-week foster to see how things go. ADOPTED!!