TRUDI MAHN
On 7 March 2003, Christine Votel-Sheffer writes to adtlovershome list members: I got a call that there is a Rescue Airedale 30 minutes from me, can I do the foster? Well, Bristol just had surgery on her ear, CeCe is coming into season, the outdoor separate run is full of snow, it is cold, I am tired . . . my first thought was this is not a good time. Tim comes home and says, "Christine, there is never a good time to get a foster dog, only a right time." We agree to take the dog. I call the woman who has the dog for more information. She adopted the dog and brought it home. Her older Brittany mix went after the Airedale. As Airedales are known for, Trudy Adeire did not back down. There was a fight. The dog cannot stay. They take her back to animal control. Meanwhile the woman is worrying about the fate of this 'dale. She had never heard of rescue but she found ATCA rescue on the Internet. (Good job ,web-keepers!) She will readopt the dog and bring it to me. Animal control is cooperative and wants to work with NY Rescue. We set up a drop off time for 4:30 Thursday. At 4:20 they are in my driveway. Trudy's paperwork from animal control says she was picked up "recumbent and hypothermic. Unable to walk.' She was infested with fleas and started on Advantage, but not given a bath. She was with us 20 minutes before we packed her off to the vet. Two hotspots, some shots, a laceration on her neck treated and a good checking over later we were back in the car. A car she could not jump into herself. Into the house, to find she does not know how to do stairs. Into the bathtub for what may have been her first bath. I could not watch, but Tim reports the yuck and dried blood ran off her for two shampoos. Trudi gets her first bath She got out of the tub and actually wagged her tail and hopped around a bit. I would not exactly call it 'play'. Being ten pounds underweight, she got another special meal complete with meat. She was frightened of the bowl. She did not know how to eat a dog biscuit; instead she crumbled it and licked it off the floor. (I had the vet check her teeth and they look good.) She slept soundly in her crate right next to my bed with Bristol lying right against the side of the crate. She had a warm bed, good food, and a friend. Is this the first time? Tim was right. There might not be a good time to foster, but this was certainly the right time. Trudi with her foster mom, Christine and CeCe & Bristol The next day, Christine continues: Trudy, Day 2 Trudy Adeire becomes more of a dear each day. Things we now know about her: 1.  I came home and put her in the run. She did her business and I was pleased. Let her back in and she promptly peed on the oriental rug in the dining room. Why is it always the good rug? Two rolls of paper towels later, I can tell you she is not house trained at all. We are working on it. 2.  She likes Bristol but cannot speak any Airedale language - not even play signs. CeCe is still being introduced on lead and in small doses. 3.  She learned to eat out of the bowl and I did not have to put food on the floor to tempt her. Funny how quickly they learn things like food and cookies. I think she will always need to eat well-separated from other dogs.
4.  She went up half the steps and got stuck - cried in typical Airedale fashion. I helped her and she looked so proud. Later I went to answer the phone and could not find her. After a small panic, I found her upstairs sleeping on my bed. Indeed she is an Airedale.	Trudi discovers the bed
5.  Tim got most of her head groomed. She actually has a fairly decent ear set. Her dewclaws have been removed, and her tail has been docked. You have to wonder if she was some bright-eyed puppy that lost her cute puppy look and was tossed away.	Trudi's first grooming - Tim took off two bags of hair!
Hopefully we will find out about the spay on Thursday, doing the operation if necessary and then she can go to her forever home in a couple of weeks. If she stays her very long, she won't be able to leave. I'm in love with her. Then I'll no longer have a foster spot for the next needy 'dale. She needs a family of her own.
Trudi & Tim, her foster dad	On Friday, 14 March, Trudy herself "writes" Thanks from Trudy Christine printed out all the letters and put them in my scrapbook. She is making a book so that my forever family will know about my journey. ('Cause after all, no one has any pictures of me as a puppy - so they have to take a lot now.) Those humans "worked on" my head last night. Took a bag of hair off of me. Oh my gosh, I could not believe how pretty I am now. I have a correct ear set, or so Tim says. Also small beady eyes which they seem to think is a very good thing as well. I just think I am the prettiest new Airedale. I'm walking with my head and tail up just prancing around.
On Sunday, Christine tells us: Trudy Update: very funny Trudy had a meeting with some potential forever parents this morning. We met them about half way so about two hours from home. The whole time she road without a peep, sleeping in her crate. We met the people and their lovely dog. She was polite to both people and pup. She was very interested in their homemade dog biscuits and liver treats. Tail up and happy look. She even ate the biscuits which she usually will not do. When we started people talking, she grew bored, jumped up in the van and lay down on the back seat. Eventually their dog joined her in the van. was as if to say, well no more cookies I might as well catch some sleep. When it was time to go, she had to be encouraged to come out of the van and say good-bye. The first meeting at Niagara Falls with Christine Votel-Sheffer, Trudi's foster mom. Trudi on the left; Teddy Mahn, adopted from ATRA in September 2002, on the right However, all the way home, she sat up in her crate looking around and making little noises. I think she was trying to tell me that we forgot some people and hey what about that other dog. I think she liked them. When we got home she immediately took four toys and put them in her crate. Now as you know, she doesn't actually play with toys; she was merely collecting them. I have to wonder if she is packing. It was so funny. If this works out, I will have to say for sure that Trudy has won the doggie lottery! <
Trudy here again. These hoomans never cease to amaze me. We went for a long ride and met a nice dog friend and two nice people. Then we drove off and left them in a parking lot. Go figure - why did't we just bring them home? My foster mom keeps putting me up on that table and brushing me. She cut my nails, which got me lots of liver treats. Now those were delicious for sure, but did I really need my nails cut again? Twice in one lifetime seems like too much. She calls me pretty girl and hugs me and fusses. That is great, but yesterday she started crying while she was brushing me. The foster mom said, "Trudy, Trudy, I sure am going to miss you when you go to your forever home." Christine seemed happy and sad too all at the same time. What is a forever home?	It's a bird . . . no, it's SuperTrudi! Keeping the backyard watch
I got a bone filled with meaty stuff last night. Wow was that good! Even Bristol and CeCe enjoyed them. No one was growling or fighting. We were just all lying together chewing on bones. Christine said that was to keep us busy during her meeting. I'm not sure what a meeting is but there were lots of people around and all kinds of food we were not allowed to eat. How rude! The bones must have been our bribe. Tim took me out walking really early this morning. The sun was coming up and the air was fresh with the smell of deer and squirrels. It was dog heaven. I like being an Airedale. On Wednesday, Christie writes: Today we got a box in the mail. It was fun to watch the 'dales try to open it. Looked like CeCe was playing soccer. In this box was a package of delicious salmon cookies for the 'dale trio. Also delicious people treats for Tim & me. Finally a toy for Trudy which we are saving for her to take to her new home. I still don't know which Aireangel donated their cookies to Trudy but I do know the angel who so kindly sent the additional gifts. Thank you, Aunt Lydia. Thank you all who have supported this very special rescue girl. You will be happy to know that tonight she learned the "Chase Around the Coffee Table" game. When she figured this out, boy did she have a real Airesmile. On Thursday, Christine tells us: Trudy's Mirror Image This morning Trudy whimpered softly in her crate next to my bed. Assuming that she had to go potty, I got up and took her out. She did not really have to go in a hurry. She wanted instead to track where the deer had been overnight. She was bouncing around and smiling but definitely in no hurry to go potty. Finally she went and we went back inside. Looking at the clock, it was 4:30 a.m.; I figured I had another 30 minutes to rest. Trudy for the first time gave me a little resistance to going in crate. I figured I would not fall back to sleep so I said ok stay out and let's see what you will do. It took her exactly 30 seconds to decide that she was going to get in a chair in the sitting area. It is attached to the bedroom. She was, however, distracted by her reflection in the mirror! She spent the next 30 minutes standing in the chair looking at herself in the mirror. Every once in awhile, she would duck down and see if there were any Airedales at floor level. She jumped up and pawed the mirror. She made soft noises at the mirror. I don't think she ever figured out there was not really an extra Airedale in the room. She is at the vet's for her spay surgery. One step closer to going to her forever home.

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