The Dogs and Puppies of the Vancouver SPCA

[Scuba]

Next dog I walked was Sable, she is a Lab Retriever cross. She is said to be about four years old. She is also very smart and a good girl. On our walk, she stood still and waiting for me to pick up and deal with her number two very patiently. She also was very good at "sit and wait", sometimes even doing it without me giving the command when we come to an intersection.

She just wanted to do her own thing tonight and I let her, we were wondering around aimlessly for quite a bit at the park around the softball diamond.

There isn't a picture at the moment online but I will provide a link to her profile anyways.
http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...1516&result=12

[Scuba]

Then I went to walk an ISO dog with another volunteer.

There are currently two boys in ISO right now and we got one each. My guy was Nugget, he is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier Cross. Not sure what his age is, but he isn't that big. He was so excited to get outside, but I didn't have any problems leashing him up. Only thing was that Nugget and Duke (the other boy in ISO) kept getting their leashes tangled together.

Not far into our walk, Nugget did a huge number two. I had to use too baggies to get it all. I just couldn't figure how a little guy like him could poo so much!? Duke wasn't very helpful by deciding that whilst I was busy cleaning up it would be a really good time to play with Nugget.

After walking around for a bit, Duke and Nugget also played "bitey face" for a bit. That and chase each other around whilst there were humans attached to them on nylon straps (it is like chase but 10 times the fun for the dogs). After they got tuckered out, we just walked around for a bit. Then it was back to the kennel and off to bed for them.

Nugget's profile (no photo at the moment).
http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...82393&result=9

[Scuba]

Sorry, I didn't have time to go to the SPCA shelter on Friday evening but I was checking on their website and some of the dogs have pictures or new pictures up on their website.

Nugget (Picture online now)
http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...82393&result=8

Frank (New picture)
http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...77915&result=2

Thank you,
Scuba

[growler~GateKeeper]

Too funny about the headless snowman sometimes it's the weirdest things that freak them out

Nugget is a cutie ahh the great fun of dog chase

[Scuba]

Tonight was just crazy, I waited a little over an hour for my first bus, luckily my connecting bus arrived pretty promptly. In the end I was about 40 minutes late.

When I got there, Beckum was barking and bouncing off the walls. We (head coordinator and I) had him harnessed, leashed and out in no time at all. Beckum is such a good boy now, knows quite a few commands. I got him to sit and wait for me tonight.

I also heard the good news that he has an adoption pending!!

Beckum was such a trooper tonight, even with the amount of snow that was on the ground. He was also such a clown tonight. He kept wanting to plow through the really deep stuff, even though there were bits of pavements that had been shoveled and cleared. He also kept sticking his nose into the snow, guess he smells something he likes? The really funny bit was halfway into our walk, he sniffed a bit of shrub, cocked his leg and marked it only to repeat the exact same thing again. Like this shrub was extra special and he had to mark it twice.

He was also really helpful tonight, he backed his bum on to a snow bank to do his No.2 and I didn't have to crouch down to pick it up. That and he was really good and sat still when I asked him to as I was cleaning up.

Beckum has has come a long way since I first met him. I am going to miss the big lug.

http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...78103&result=7

[Scuba]

After Beckum, I took Daisy Mae, for a walk. She is going into foster soon.

She still gets distracted really easily and likes to look everywhere but pay attention when you need her to. She will sit and wait, but sometimes need a little bit of remedial lessons. Most of the time tonight at the intersections there weren't any issues and I got her sitting and waiting very patiently. Only a few times did she get distracted and just wanted to run across the street. Even though there were hardly any cars or vehicles out and about tonight in the side streets due to the amount of snow. What motor vehicles there were about had a hard time stopping on the snow, slush and ice. I was just afraid that a car wouldn't be able to stop in time if Daisy pulled us into the road. But luckily the few times that she wanted to just cross the road without stopping I was able to short leash her and correct her in time.

Oh yeah, also with all the snow I guess Daisy some how got the idea that she was born to be a champion sled dog into her head since she was trying to drag me everywhere for the first half of our walk. She was actually really good just outside the gate, my glove had got caught when I was trying to latch the gate so I asked her to sit. Daisy just sat there patiently whilst I sorted myself out. It was only after the first few steps that Daisy really wanted to take off. Also her knee is all healed up. Still, I want her to learn to walk nicely on leash so the first half of our walk was basically Daisy trying to run a marathon and me trying to get her to heel.

After the half way mark, I guess she got kind of tuckered out and was actually walking very nicely. Daisy also didn't let the snow that was more than chest deep for her hold her back. I did notice that her poor little nose was a little pink around the edges.

All in all, I think we had a really good time.

http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...4428&result=14

[Scuba]

I was also helping to put some of the dogs into their kennel for bed and when I got back with Daisy Mae, most of the other volunteers where back or getting back with the other dogs so I got to say hi to most if not all of them.

Good News
I was browsing online about a rescue based in Vancouver, HugABull. My good buddy "conehead" got adopted! There were some pictures as well, apparently whilst in foster he liked to hang out at his local Starbucks with his foster mom. And now he has gone to his forever home.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Great news for both Beckum & Daisy Mae and awesome for "conehead"

Silly dogs they all go a little nuts in the snow

[hazelrunpack]

That is good news!

I don't always post in this thread, Scuba, but I do generally always read it (sometimes later than other times... ). I love reading about the different doggie personalities, but the best stories are the ones that end in adoption!

[Scuba]

I was running a little late tonight due to missing a connecting bus again. I watched it pull away as I was waiting for a light (probably wouldn't have been able to get on considering how deeply it was packed), that dejected feeling is not very nice at all.

First up was someone that I have never met before, his name is Scooby, I had him only for about 5 minutes however. Also, we never managed to leave the SPCA shelter courtyard. As soon as he was out, Scooby decided to take a pee on/near/by one of the benches in the courtyard. "How about some respect for the place!" but I guess when you got to go, you got to go.

Another volunteer showed up about then, and I handed Scooby over to her so that I could go walk the boys in ISO (there were two).

Scooby seems like a nice boy, I will try to walk him again if I can (a little further the next time, and maybe actually get out the gate).

http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...84311&result=5

[Scuba]

First up was a beagle puppy, Max. Actually Max is 9 months old already, but he missed the memo about having to act like a big dog now. I was trying to put a collar and leash on the guy and he just kept wanting to climb into my lap and lick my face.

I don't know if it is typical beagle behavior but Max, just wanted to stick his nose into everything and check all the stuff we encountered on our walk. He wanted to go up any stairs we encountered and go up to the front door of every apartment complex we walked by.

We were walking by the VCC and Max, got distracted by his own reflection in one of the big glass windows. He was doing this back and forth thing in front of the window (he insisted that we had to go right up to the glass).

He was pretty entertaining all by himself.

http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...83694&result=2

[Scuba]

Next up was my pal Nugget, I had walked him before and I don't know if he recognizes me or it is just because I was about to take him out for a walk but he was pretty excited.

Nugget was so good tonight, as I was putting on his collar and trying to adjust it. I asked him to "sit" and he just planted his little butt down. There is an alley that he likes to run up and down behind the SPCA but considering the amount of snow and ice still on the ground, I thought it would be a wise idea not to partake in that activity tonight.

Nugget was pretty easy to walk, no problems with the "sit and wait". I did notice some pulling on the leash tonight a few times, but I take that to mean that he is feeling better now and has more energy. Which is a good thing so I just generally let him be.

Nugget did choose an unsuitable moment to pull near the end of our walk, I just happened to be partially standing on a patch of ice and he totally took my feet out from under me. I am fine, only a few scrapes on my right hand. It happened so fast, I don't think Nugget even realised what had happened.

The funniest thing that we did tonight was that I would make some snowballs and throw them just in front of Nugget. He would want to dash forward and chase them. But once he got up to them and saw that they were just balls of snow, snow like all the other white stuff on the ground he would lose interest. He would however watch me for when I throw the next one.

We had a great time and when we got back to the SPCA, I had him sit for me whilst I checked his pads for salt. We walked passed a stretch of sidewalk just as someone was putting more salt down. Then I sat on a bench waiting for the coordinator to open the door to ISO for me and Nugget decided he wanted to join me on the bench and snuggle right up to me.

http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...82393&result=6

[hazelrunpack]

Nugget's a cutie! Too bad you can't copy your posts to his profile--his profile makes him sound like he's the most unmannerly fella around, but your posts sort of belie that. He seems like a little lovebug, hungry for attention.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by Scuba

As soon as he was out, Scooby decided to take a pee on/near/by one of the benches in the courtyard. "How about some respect for the place!" but I guess when you got to go, you got to go.

Maybe he wanted to claim that as his bench

Originally Posted by Scuba

I don't know if it is typical beagle behavior but Max, just wanted to stick his nose into everything and check all the stuff we encountered on our walk. He wanted to go up any stairs we encountered and go up to the front door of every apartment complex we walked by.

He was pretty entertaining all by himself.

Sounds like a typical hound dog, just followin' his nose


Nugget is a cutie how nice to get some cuddles too.

[Scuba]

First walk of the New Year!!

I was running a little behind again last night, about 10 minutes, and no one was left in the kennels. But there were still two guys in ISO so I headed over there.

It was Max & Nugget again.

Max was bouncing off the walls so I took him out first, that and I wanted to walk Nugget last so that I could have a little more time with him.

It was pretty easy putting the harness on Max (too easy), the problem was attaching the leash to the harness. Once the harness was on, Max just figured it was time to go and wouldn't hold still for me to clip him in. Kept wiggling around wagging his tail.

Once we were out, it was pretty much the same as our previous walk. He just wanted to check everything out. We did do some basic obedience stuff like "sit" and "stay". I tried to do "down" with him as well, but I guess it was a little too much in one go and Max just got confused. His face was hilarious, cant to one side and looking at me.

But his "sit" was a lot better then our previous walk on Monday so I am happy already. Also, Max was really good about me reaching into his mouth to remove stuff. Some dogs will literally fight you tooth and nail all the way but Max was pretty relaxed about the whole thing. The first item of the evening was a piece of cardboard from a pizza box (I think). Then it was a foil wrapper off a granola bar. I just said firmly "sit", got Max sitting and reaching into his mouth and removed said items.

When we got back to ISO and I had to put Max back into his kennel, he seemed pretty sad and was very vocal about it.

[hazelrunpack]

Scuba, why are the dogs in ISO? Is that short for Isolation? As in 'quarantine on intake' or something similar?

[Scuba]

Next up was Nugget!

Max must of told Nugget about the fun games that they can play called "Try to leash me if you can". Getting the collar on Nugget was easy as cake, come leash time, it was like pulling teeth. Next time, I am going to clip the leash to the collar/harness first.

The sidewalks were very icy and I remember my fall from before so I was taking it slow with Nugget. He is such a little dynamo though. Also, he was pulling a little again so I worked on that with him. I did the change direction as soon as there is pressure on the leash plus go around random obstacles with him. That and also the stop and don't walk or praise until the leash is loose and they are back by your side. Nugget was working pretty hard and he was paying a lot of attention by the end. Good thing was that he took it in stride and didn't go all sulky. His tail was wagging like crazy the whole time but his little doggy face was all scrunched up in concentration.

He reminds me of a wind up toy. Get him up and going, then his little legs will go scrabbling away like mad. But once he winds down, he stops and is more than happy to just chill and relax.

When we got back to the SPCA, I had to wait for someone to open the door to ISO for me so I sat on a bench and Nugget hopped on to join me again. I was petting him and giving him scratches. As soon as I stop, he would butt my arm with his head or look at me until I started up again. At the end he also just decided to climb right onto my lap.

http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...82393&result=9

[hazelrunpack]

I think of all your regulars these days, Nugget is my fave

[Scuba]

There was a dog that I walked before, her name is Roxy. There is a new and in my opinion, much better picture of her on her profile now.

http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...82103&result=1

[growler~GateKeeper]

Sounds like good walks despite the slippery sidewalks. That is a very nice pic of Roxy too bad about her ears :sad:

[Scuba]

Some great news, Max, the beagle that was in ISO got adopted. I didn't think that dogs in ISO were up for adoptions but whatever. He was such a fun guy, I wish his new parent(s) all the best.

When I got to the shelter, no body was left except for two guys in ISO. So, I went to walk the ISO dogs. It was my old buddy Nugget and a new resident Houston. As soon as I walked in to the ISO kennel area, Nugget got all crazy.

I was going to take Houston out first, just in case anything unexpected came up on our walk since I have never walked him before. That and so that I could spent more time with Nugget. However, Nugget had made a mess in his kennel. He had tipped his food bowl over (I guess he knocked it over playing), the food (canned and kibble) was on the floor with the upside down bowl over it. I got him out and into an empty kennel so that I could clean up the mess. Since I had rinse, scrub, rinse and squeegeed I decided to take Nugget out first so that his kennel could air dry for a bit whilst we are out.

I was using a lupi harness on Nugget tonight (couldn't find the buckle one) and he just wouldn't sit still for me to put it on him. It wasn't that he was being naughty and difficult. It was just that he was too excited. In the end, I just played with him for five minutes and once he had calmed down a bit. I got him sitting perfectly and slipped the lupi on no problem. Then it was the LED strap light. For some reason, Nugget kept wiggling around when I first tried to put that on (we had used it together with no issues before numerous times). I guess he figured since we had spent so much time with the lupi, time was of the essence and we needed to get going right away? In the end, I distracted him with a vigorous belly rub and just clipped the light around his neck.

As we finally got ready to go, Nugget grabbed a green rubber bone off of his bed. I tried to convince him to leave it at the shelter, but he gave me big sad eyes so I let him take it in the end. Not five minutes into the walk, as soon as he takes a pee, he leaves his bone behind. I had to point at it and remind him to pick it up. Then we got into our walk proper, it was quite funny watching him walk around with a great big rubber bone. Half way into our walk, he drops it to sniff something and when I pointed at it to remind him to pick it up before we took off again but he just noses it for a bit then ignores it. In the end I had to carry it around for him pretty much the rest of our walk. Pretty much, because once it a while he would look at me with big sad eyes and nudge me with his nose for the big rubber bone. However as soon as I give it to him, he would either give it two chews then drop it or carry it for a few steps and drop it.

Nugget's leash manners I did notice was coming along much better now, hardly any tension in the leash as I was walking him tonight. Also, I got him sitting without any treats now on command. We also worked a bit on his "down" and they are coming along pretty well.

We were out for almost an hour.

http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...82393&result=6

[Scuba]

Next up was Houston, he jumped up on me as soon as I got into his kennel. He was just too excited to see me, once he calms down though I found him to be a really easy going guy. Houston had really good temperament, I was pulling on his jowls and mushing up his face and he didn't care at all. He has such a cute and squishable face.

I used the lupi on him as well, when I went to put it on him, he just kept wanting to lick my face. In his enthusiasm, he managed to head butt me in the face quite a few times.

Houston has this really cute pink bit on his snout. His nose is all black, and he has this tuxedo looking coat with white socks on all four paws. Very handsome fellow. He walks well on leash, only thing was that he doesn't seem to know any basic obedience commands. We did work on "sit" and made some progress. I also noticed that Houston gets distracted fairly easily, but you can get his attention back fairly easily as well.

Houston didn't get as long of a walk as Nugget, but we did manage a good 40-45 minutes walk. Back at the kennel, getting the lupi off was a non-issue. As soon as it came off though, he was all over me. Licking my ears and everywhere he could get his tongue on or in. After my cleaning session, we played for a bit in his kennel as well.

http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...3830&result=11

PS. The vet tech/assistant at the hospital who opened the door to the ISO kennels for me also commented on how cute Houston is. He just has this dopey look.

[Scuba]

As I was playing with Houston, Nugget got very vocal. I guess he wanted some one on one time as well.

Nugget kept bringing me different toys. He would bring me a blue rubber ball, go back then bring the green bone, change that up for a red kong and then a rope toy.

Also I guess, he didn't feel that Houston did a good enough job of cleaning my face (or myself for that matter, I washed my hands and faced between the dogs) since he climbed into my lap and gave me another tongue bath. We also just chilled out on his little bed for a bit. I just petted him while he stretched out across my lap.

I also noticed that whilst I was out with Houston, Nugget had ate all his food.

[hazelrunpack]

Nugget was just remindin' you that he was your special buddy, not Houston...and dad-rat-it-I-get-special-lovin-time-too!!!!

It's gonna be bittersweet when Nugget gets adopted...I'm gonna miss him and I've never even met the little bugger in person!

[growler~GateKeeper]

for Max

Sounds like you had a relatively calm/uneventful visit this time, except for the headbutting *ouch* & who doesn't enjoy puppy cuddles

[Scuba]

First dog that I met tonight was actually just by the SPCA parking lot, a girl named Thelma, she is still a puppy. She was kind of shy and didn't want to walk and was just sitting on the sidewalk with her volunteer. Since she was so cute, I decided to go and say hi. Once I got up to her, she leaned right against me and I just had to give her a cuddle.

Here is her profile, in the picture there is two dogs. Thelma and Louise, the puppy on the right is Thelma. Louise is currently at the Burnaby SPCA.
http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...82681&result=5

[Scuba]

Then I ran into an old friend, Sadie. I don't actually know if she remembers me. But I decided to say hi anyway, after a few pets she just rolled over and wanted belly rubs. Of course being the sucker that I am, I promptly complied with the lady's wish.

Here is her profile.
http://bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/a...82335&result=1

[Scuba]

Since there were actually quite a few volunteers and not that many dogs. I talked to the coordinator quickly and headed right over to the ISO with another volunteer (she has been doing this a lot longer than me). We have walked together quite a few times and with ISO dogs as well.

In the end I took Nugget and she took Houston.

Nugget was his usual self, too excited at first, meaning I had a hard time trying to put a harness on him. He kept running around with a tennis ball and wouldn't hold still for me. I would get one foot into the harness leg hole and then Nugget won't cooperate with me on the other one. Finally I would get the other one on, but by then the first leg would have slipped out of the harness.

Finally we did manage and the walk was uneventful. Nugget did keep wanting to climb the big piles of snow that is still around in the Lululemon parking lot. I don't quite know what was all that about, it was cute though up until he decided it was a good idea for me to join him as well.

We had a good 30-40 minute walk and then I swapped him for Houston with the other volunteer in the SPCA parking lot.

I only managed a 20-30 minute walk with Houston. I did try some obedience stuff with him. It appears however that we are back to square one but I am sure he is going to pick it up eventually. Back at the shelter I got into the kennel with Houston to play for a bit and it was good. He did get a little too rowdy at the end and managed to rip my t-shirt. After that I had to leave him to calm down a bit.

Whilst Houston was having his time out, I went and visited with Nugget. My little buddy had a new toy, this purple/pink octopus stuffie. Nugget in his haste to say hi to me managed to headbutt me in the face again. It was quite a good hit, I was kneeling down to say hi to the guy and he managed to shove me back on my heel hard enough that I hit the back of my head on the cinderblock wall.

Then it was like last time, he kept bring me his different toys and we chilled out on his little bed. I would pet him for a bit and he would be chewing away on his little tire then all of a sudden he would give my face a wash. This went on for quite a bit. The funniest thing was watching Nugget running around with his octopus. He went to get a drink of water and didn't want to leave his stuffie and yet he wanted a drink of water, so in the end he dropped the octopus into the bucket of water by accident. I had to fish the octopus out for him. Silly boy.

[hazelrunpack]

Well even Nugget knows that an octopus is a marine animal!

[Scuba]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

Well even Nugget knows that an octopus is a marine animal!

That was exactly what I was thinking.