What Challenges Face Adult Rescue Dogs?: Update on Cash the Siberian Husky
HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!
I thought it was time to share some truly heart warming and encouraging news about a woofie rescue we helped in September this year.
Remember Cash?
He has been having one heck of a great adjustment to living INSIDE and looking OUTSIDE…
Great to be inside and comfy
…instead of being forced to live outside, rain or shine with no protection…hence his black fur became sun burnt and red; no to mention so matted and flea infested he had to be shaved.
First…let me tell you all that Cash is doing well…and he has a permanent home forever. Second, you all know that there are CHALLENGES, as with any adult dog rescue, bringing Cash into a home where there are resident dogs…Samantha is a 7 yr old female Siberian Husky, and Foster, a male Shiba Inu, brought into this home about 2 years ago now age 5.
I have kept in touch with Cash…’cuz I know you all want to know how he is adjusting…(bet you all want find out what he looks like when his FUR grows back!!) as well as how the other woofies are managing to accept him. He has now gone on a first shopping trip complete with car ride with open window!!
Arwooo!! What fun!
BUT…yes, that great big word…BUT…as with all of us adult woofie and cat rescues…we bring some unknown baggage. Our human guardians are the ones who we depend on to help us unpack that baggage.
Which is just what Cash’s human guardians are doing…and oh my cat!! What a difference even ONE session with a competent animal behaviorist can make.
Miss Liz, Cash’s new HuMom sent this update to Mom L…
“He (behaviorist trainer) was amazed how laid back and easy going Cash was while interacting with the other dogs in the house, which is true of Cash, to be a husky and a puppy, he certainly is quite calmer than most.
We worked on:
- feeding schedule
- bed issues (my bed) and a few other (hierarchy) issues
Foster and Cash were fighting for the same place in the family and I wasn’t making Foster the “2nd in command” after Samantha so there was tension.
Keeping Cash off my bed was the big one. Foster”s biggest resentment was me allowing Cash on the bed when Cash had not “earned” it.
The first night not allowing Cash on the bed, Cash paced most of the night, got me up twice to take him out, which is not like him. So the next day I purchased a new bed for him to have in my room. I laid with him on it and gave him a great treat and made him eat it on his bed.
That night and every night after, he sleeps all night on his bed and doesn’t even try and come up on the bed. If I allow him up it’s because I invited him and he has not automatically jumped up. Even with Samantha and Foster on the bed in the morning while I get ready, Cash lays on his bed..
Feeding Cash last, when I always fed him first because I had to pen him up, has been another big change. I now feed Samantha, then Foster and then Cash, without anyone being penned up. Cash eats his own food, doesn’t try and get to the other bowls unless the others walk away. I automatically pick up the bowls so he is not allowed to eat out of them. He allows the others to drink from the same water bowl as himself without even flinching.
Just by implementing a few ground rules on Cash, there is no longer any tension in the house between Foster and Cash”
And yes, Cash remains the typical Sibe, honing his escape skills…
Escape through the feeding door on inside crate
Thankfully, ONLY two sponges suffered injuries when Cash escaped and went on his walk about inside the house. Now, he is not penned up at all. No further sponges have been to emergency, only a roll of paper towels!
And then the toll Cash takes on the aerobic heath of his Sibe sister…she is 7 years old and this year old pup is making sure she never has to go on the evil d-i-e-t!!
Oh My Dog!! This kid is wearing me out!
Cash must always sleep with one eye open should anyone attempt to capture his fave bone…(notice his furs are already coming back!!!)
I can SEE you…looking at MY bone!
And of course…he always has his place on that couch…
ahhhh…chilling in my home is just fine, fine, fine
A Paw It Forward project that just keeps on giving back! So much joy to see Cash safe and so cared for. Hope you enjoyed learning how Cash is progressing…I promise to bring you a photo once he has his full Siberian coat back. Bet he is drop over gorgeous!
You do know, don’t you, that Siberians are actually CATS!…trapped in a woofie body. Anyone who knows the grooming habits of Sibes and who knows their warm, loving…yet very independent…nature…should see some of the truth in that…arwooo and play bows to my woofie pals.
Paw Pats, Savannah
Savannah's Paw Tracks 
The Story Behind My Social Media Look
HIYA!!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!
Since October 1 when I launched my Paw It Forward Commentathon and Blog Hop, a few of you have been curious to learn the “who” behind my new look.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
There is a story actually…more than just one “who” and it all started with one of my first ever Paw It Forward actions. It sometimes feels like I have been headed to this moment, with this social media look and this mission to Make A Difference almost from the beginning of my blog.
But, Mom L can tell this better than me so I am going to turn this blog post over to her.
Savannah: “*meows loudly* MOOOOMMM!!!”
Mom L: “Yes Nana, I’m coming. I was just trying to find some facts to share but I guess I hit the delete button once too often a year ago…LOL”
Hi everyone, Mom L here. I know several of Savannah’s readers have been guessing ‘who’ created the look Savvy now has branded across all her social media. But I believe it took this paw blogging, Tweeting, Face Book animal rescue social media community to get us where we are now.
The image of the cat is actually Savannah herself. The image is from a very poor photo I took of her when I first started blogging…but I have always thought it represents Savannah’s persona…even today after she has made so much progress recovering from who knows just what trauma in her life.
Original Photo: May 2012
Recent: September 2014
Her blog is sometimes fun and funny, but her story and reason for blogging has always been to give voices to those who don’t have social media as Savannah does; and to share her struggle with being an adult shelter rescue cat who is still afraid to explore like other cats; her curiosity is subdued because she is so anxious, cautious and it’s like she was never played with as a young cat and she is relearning how to play with abandon.
In 2012 I participated in probably my first or perhaps second blog auction ever. I don’t recall who the funds were going to help, but even before I thought of the phrase Paw It Forward had meaning for Savannah, there we were…bidding to win a hand painted portrait of Savannah to help animals in need.
We WON! The artist was none other that Barb Kowlik, Queen Penelope’s (Nellie) Mum…the talent behind Cat From Hell. You can view the initial work Barb shared with me as she progressed HERE.
This is the color study Barb sent us to preview:
Already looking way better than my original photo, right!!
And the finished product…Savannah’s two portraits we purchased from Barb:
In 2013 I was getting ready for my first Blog Paws conference and learned that people had business cards for their blogs etc. I was nonplussed as to what to do until I saw somewhere that Glogirly Design,, aka Debbie Glovatsky… could do business cards. WOO HOO!!
I got right to Debbie and we kicked around some ideas, most of which were created using stock images to begin with which she then added some magic to and those images came out resembling Savannah. I liked one very much, but then thought…”I think I will send her the image Barb did for Savannah’s portrait, I just love it”. So I did. I said to Debbie I am sure you can’t use this but I thought I would send it as I so love this look, it is Savvy’s persona.
Debbie was excited as she saw possibilities. But it would take some redrawing, illustration work etc. to make the image usable for creating business cards.
And then in my email I found this file from Debbie…
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Dad P and I were both “gobsmacked”!!! We loved it!! And off I went very proudly to Blog Paws.
Flash forward to this year, Summer of 2014. I decided Savannah’s Paw Tracks was at a point where Savannah and I needed to take a risk, step forward and try even more to truly become a voice for those animals who do not have access to social media the way we do.
I reached out again to Glogirly Design, aka Debbie Glovatsky, and asked “can you help me brand Savannah’s Paw Tracks across all her social media?”. Of course I heard a very loud and confident ‘YES”.
And with Glogirly Design’s expertise and coaching we decided to have a launch event. I would never had tried this without the coaching and counsel from Debbie. And I had incredible writing and event coaching from Dash Kitten staff…meaning Marjorie Dawson, as well. I tried hard to keep it under wraps so not many were aware of the changes to come. I am sure I failed to thank all who listened to me, please know Savannah and I could never ever have made this event a success without all of you.
Every day every one of you Make A Difference in the lives of your own rescue companion animals and the lives of those awaiting rescue.
Savannah is honored to be called ‘furriend’ by you. Hope you enjoyed learning the birth story of Savannah’s Paw Tracks social media branding. And it all started when Savannah put a bid on a self portrait to help raise money to help a furriend…Paw It Forward!
Be well, Mom L
and Paw Pats, Savannah
peeEss…as you know Meoowz ResQ is the winner of Savannah’s commentathon donation. Savannah’s Paw Tracks will be making that donation in honor of the blogger who nominated them, Christy Paws and her furr siblings; sisters Fontana and Philly; brothers Echo and Ocean…and her human Miss Ava.
Sharing Is Appreciated: