Jill is coming today. She is a 4 year old black lab. This is what I have heard about her so far. She was wonderful in her first foster home, they had 2 male labs. She got adopted, and the adopter refused to crate her. When they left, she did some damage and she came back to the rescue. She went to another foster who was a new foster. He had kind of a makeshift crate, and when they left, she broke out of it and did some damage. Lab Rescue found them a crate, but they never picked it up. Instead, they reinforced it with wallboard. :rolleyes: Needless to say, it didn't work, she chewed up the wallboard and got out. So instead of getting the crate that the rescue had for him, he said that he couldn't foster her anymore. So she is at the vet now, and on her way here as I write this.

They decided that they need to put her with an experienced foster for now, one who isn't afraid to crate her. Apparently they are short on experienced fosters right now. I have no problems crating her when I leave, I figure it is either that or my house. And she will be confined for a shorter time with me than at the vet. The rescue also told me that once she is comfortable, a week or 2, she doesn't need to be crated when you leave. So I will take her and see how she does. She is supposed to be a wonderful dog when you are home, the vet staff just loves her. I hope Gus likes her.

:hugsmiley Poor girl. It is so sad when they are good dogs and have that problem when the owner leaves. Is it hard to find a family that is home during the day? That sounds like what she needs.

My friend owns and just loves her Lab but he has chewed up the crates to get out several times. She had to call the fire department to get his head from being stuck in the crate. I met the dog and can say that everything about him was wonderful but that. I wish you and her lots of luck. They have that fear for some reason.

We'll have to take is slow with her. Nobody is home all of the time. My crate is secure, and I went out for a little while last night and she did fine in the crate. Supposedly, once she settles in, she will be fine, she has been bounced around several homes and has to be confused about that. She is a really sweet and loving dog, very cuddly. She wants to be a lap lab. She has rolled on her back and showed her belly to me for belly rubs. She has been a very good girl in the house so far, and is starting to play now, which I take as being more comfortable. Gus seems to like her, he hasn't played with her yet, but he isn't grumbling either.

Right now, I feel like I literally have her life in my hands. She needs to succeed here. She reminds me a little of Eddie, she is black, tall, leggy, and skinny. I almost feel like if I let her down, I am letting Eddie down. I know I shouldn't put pressure on myself like that that, there was nothing I could do for Eddie, he was too sick. But Jill will do great in the right home.

I feel like I literally have her life in my hands. She needs to succeed here

I know what you mean about feeling you have to be the one that can hopefully change her life right now. I would feel the same way and would do like you, the best I could. That is all you can do.

Its so sad. Someone out there, I pray will have the patience to stick to it with her. I sure would be picky about who I gave her too though. They have to really understand whats happened to her.

You didn't let Eddie down. You did everything you could to save him. We always do this to ourselves. I've done and said the samething. If only I could have done this. Even if you had a million dollars we can't save them from cancer. Maybe for a short time but not for the years we wanted them to stay.

What you can say that you are doing for Eddie is, continuing to help the Labs behind him. He would love you for that. :hugsmiley

Jill is doing well so far. She is very sweet and has been really good in the house. Gus likes her, but as usual with him, he hasn't played with her yet even though Jill really wants to. She has a bit of the runs now, I'm not sure if that is because of nerves or if it is the change of food, but I opened a can of pumpkin for her. I'm hoping that it will clear up.

Jill's new name is Houdini. I went out to get my hair cut today, and I left Jill in the crate. When I came back a few hours later, Jill and Gus greeted me at the door. :unsure: While I was gone, she had knocked some things down, and took a loaf of bread off the counter and polished it off. I'm glad that she is reliably housetrained. The top latch to the crate was still latched, but the bottom one was not. I don't know if the door wasn't latched on the bottom when I left, or if she actually somehow unlatched it. Whichever, she must have wriggled out the bottom of the crate door. :ph43r: At least she didn't do any damage. I will try again tomorrow and made sure that the crate door is really latched tomorrow, and see what happens.

Sunday is an adoption day, and they want me to bring her and make sure that anybody who is interested knows what has gone on with her, and that she should go with another dog. Gus hasn't played with her yet, although they are close to it, but they get along well. And I think that Gus makes her feel secure. That Gus is just a wonder foster whisperer. :laughingsmile

Having heard many bad stories about dogs getting caught and chocked to death that really scares me.

Is there any way you could tape her and Gus during the day and leave her out of there. Maybe he would keep her from freaking out and stay calm.

That might be the answer. Her having a friend to stay with all day. Of course you would have to put up everything. I know you are gringing right now. :laughingsmile :hugsmiley

Thank GOD for Gus. He is such a good boy.

She has done some damage before in former foster homes, and my "job" is to get her ready to be adopted. It isn't that she doesn't like to be crated, she does fine when she eats in the crate or if it is just for a very short time. But she will have to be crated at a new adopters house at least until she settles in.

This dog really is a houdini. I went out to dinner last night, I put Jill in the crate and made sure that I latched it securely, then I had my friend check to make sure it was latched. I was putting my coat on, and my friend said that she was already pawing at the latch and it was flipping up. So we put a caribiner on the latch to keep it closed. When I came back, Jill and Gus were at the door to greet me, and Jill had eaten my breakfast for today. I checked the crate, and the latch was still in place, but she had popped it out So I stayed with them for a while, and had to run out to the store to get something for breakfast. I put Jill in the crate, and put the caribiner on and made sure it hit the crate door and the crate frame. When I came back, Jill and Gus were at the door to greet me again.

When I checked the crate, she had broken the caribiner. She didn't get anything that time because there was nothing left to get. I really don't know what to do with her. We went to adoption day, and she didn't get adopted. I was painfully honest with people. She got tons of love and pets today. She was a very good girl, very calm, and very quiet. I think she only barked once. Everybody loved her. This one couple came really close, but Jill curled her lip up at their dog. I haven't seen her to that to any other dog yet, just to the dog of the people that wanted to take her, even after I told them what she was like.

She is sound asleep now, it was hard work getting all of those pets.

Well, I don't know what to say. I just know that I have never crated a dog in my life. Even when we went somewhere like now we seperate the dogs that might fight..

We put them in a room with the door open and a gate in front of them. But not in a crate. I have never trusted crates. Maybe if you put Gus in a room with her with a gate on the door that might work for her.

I feel that they do well with each other when not crated but then that is just our case. Each one has taught the other how to act in the house and that is what Gus did the other day. I think she could have done worse if he wasn't there.

I can see by what you have said that she might need a friend when she gets adopted. Something to think about too when you adopt her.

I found a way to keep her in the crate, a little $2 clip from Home Depot. So now she is still in the crate when I come home. Jill is a great dog, and very loving. Now that I have found a way to contain her, her chances of adoption have gone way up. I am still keeping my bread in the microwave now, just in case. Jill is just a lover, and a good cuddler.

I've never used a crate, even though I have one. I also have a lot of destruction to show for it over the years! One thing that has surprised me is that now that I have gotten a second dog, My first one, Remy isn't near as destructive as he was. He got the nickname "four legged paper shredder"! Now he is too busy playing with Kota to care about getting into stuff.

Here are some Jill pics. She really reminds me a lot of Eddie.

:love: :love: Wow, she is just beautiful. Such a lady. Love that picture looking out the window. The head shot is wonderful. THose eyes, very sweet.

DON'T GET MAD why don't you just keep her. Sometimes things happen for a reason. Maybe she was sent to you. We never know why. I think she reminds you of Eddie for a reason. :hugsmiley

Says the lady with 8 soon to be 9 dogs. :laughingsmile I am not ready, and Jill does have some issues. Jill is a really sweet girl, but it has been a hard foster because she reminds me so much of Eddie. Adoption day is Saturday we'll see what happens.

YYYYYYEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS. I was looking for a puppy. I feel selfish sometimes but now I made a deal with this lady I can't go back on my word. That picture fooled me but that was my fault. She was a darling puppy.

Every dog I ever got was already grown and was someone's dog they didn't take care of. So they got the puppy and I got them grown. Not that I don't love them all I do. I just wanted a little puppy. So again, no puppy breath. She is very pretty and I liked her NEW picture. I think you understand what I mean because you foster. Maybe I should just foster puppies for a while and get it out of my system. Also, my 4 dogs may not be with me next year because of their ages.

Anyway, I think Jill is so pretty. She should have no problems finding a great home. :hugsmiley Good job.

I get in that puppy mood, so I foster one, a young one. It gets me over it quick. :rofl: Fostering a litter is even worse, they are a gang and you don't get to know them as individual puppies. Those are usually short and sweet, and it cures me for a while. :laughingsmile

She is stunning!! I am sure she will get adopted really fast. :clap

Hows Jill doing.

Jill is still with me. She is doing fine, but she is getting really attached to me.

That can happen. I know I feel like that right now. The more you teach them things the closer you get to them. One on One :hugsmiley

She is a lot more attached to me than I am to her.

Jill got adopted today. Yay for Jill!! I didn't go to the adoption day today, I asked my friend to take Jill. This couple lost their yellow lab about 10 days ago, they just fell in love with Jill. The husband works from home so it is a good situation for her. They have a lot of property and a creek that runs through it, and there are about 30 dogs in the neighborhood for Jill to play with. They were told about all of Jill's issues, and they didn't have a problem with it. She drove off in a Mercedes SUV. I really hope this works out for Jill, she deserves a good home.

Hooray for Jill! I hope she's happy in her new home - it sounds great. You did a great job, Mel (and Gus, of course).

I really hope it works, I have my fingers crossed that she doesn't come back. Gus never did play with her, but they were very comfortable together, and Gus seems to miss her now that she didn't come back.

:coolpartysmiley

Do they call you and let you know how things are going. I still send Debbie pictures of Chloe. They miss her a lot.

I hope she was wagging that tail all the way home. :hugsmiley

I got an email about her and a few pics. Sounds like things are going well.