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LACEY 2/1/03
#083

Adopted
4/10/03

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Lacey's Foster Journey

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Pertinent Information
2-3 yrs. old
60 lb. Brindle Female
Cropped Ears & Docked Tail
Spayed and UTD
Shelter Surrender
Being Fostered near Scranton, PA & Binghamton, NY
Adoption Donation $200

12/11/03 - Lacey is doing great. She learned to open the latches on her crate. So I secured one of the latches with a clip. She somehow managed to get out of the crate with it still latched without bending anything or moving the crate. We have nicknamed her "Houdini". Her first Christmas with us so far has been uneventful. The Christmas tree is in the area where she normally plays with her toys, but she has had no accidents with the tree and seems to ignore it. Our last dog would try to eat the ornaments. We are so pleased with her good manners and gentleness. She does require a lot of loving, which of course she gets. Happy Holidays to all and thank you BAR.

10/12/03 - Lacey is still doing well on her diet. Recently she learned how to open the sliding latches on her crate. The first time it happened we thought it was an accident, but she repeated the feat twice more. We have now added a catch that she cannot open with her tongue. She demands her share of loving each day and gets it! She sits by the hour with her chin on the window sill watching the squirrels bury their acorns. We have tricked her into going potty before bedtime with the help of a few treats.

9/14/03 - Lacey has become part of our every day life and therefore there is not much to report. She had a small problem with diarrhea when her special low residue dog food was not delivered in time, she is fine now that she is back on the enzyme and low residue food. She is a little stubborn about going out to do her chores when we think she should. She goes when she thinks it is time. We are both very pleased with having such a gentle loving dog without any bad habits.

8/9/03 - Lacey is doing well. She has completely adjusted to her new home and parents. Her low residue diet has got her GI tract functioning normally and we are all happy about that including Lacey. The side benefit is a great reduction in boxer gas attacks. Who will I blame now! Lacey did well during her five day stay at the kennel while we visited our new granddaughter in MI. She came home tired from all the exercise with the other dogs.

7/12/03 - Lacey continues to be a wonderful pet. Especially well suited for my wife who uses an electric wheelchair in the house. I am working on building her confidence to walk on our docks. She will go reluctantly if I use her training collar, but if we are walking with the harness on she refuses to go on the docks. We are still working on her loose stools with some progress. We switched to fish and sweet potatoes with some improvement, but she slowly slipped backward. Dr. Kathy has prescribed Prozyme to be given with her food and we are going to try a low residue dog food. Hope this works or the next step is more extensive tests. Her weight however is up to 68 lbs.

6/10/03 - Lacey is doing well. She spent 3 days in a kennel while we went to MI for Mother's day. She received high marks from the kennel staff. She had her first shower with me and did fine. Our 22 month old granddaughter spent the weekend with us. Lauren and Lacey had a good time. Lacey was very careful and did not knock Lauren over once. Lauren now thinks all dogs are called Lacey. Lacey completed basic obedience training Sunday. She did fine, but I need a little more practice. We took Lacey to the vet yesterday to determine why she was having frequent diarrhea. She was given an antibiotic and put on a strict diet of rice and ground turkey for two weeks. I am getting dirty looks when she was use to getting treats. If all goes well we will switch to a non lamb and rice food, trying to determine if she is allergic to a component of her food. Hopefully we will not have to do more extensive tests.

5/8/03-Lacey is doing fine. She almost has us trained. Her favorite place is with us, either on the couch in the den near the computer, in her cage with the door open in the evening when we are watching TV or in the kitchen under the table. Her appetite is good, but her bowels tend to be a little on the loose side. We have tried a couple dry dog foods (Nutro and fish & sweet potatoe). Of course what works best is fresh cooked rice and ground meat. Mixing rice with the dry food is marginal at best. Lacey went to the vet for an insurance exam. All was fine, except she had whip worms, which she is being treated for. She was accepted for pet insurance. Her people skills are great and seems to get along with all ages. Her dog skills need a little work. She growls (with tail wagging) when she meets other dogs. This usually passes, but when she met Major at obedience class she tried to be dominant and the growling escalated. No showing of teeth, but enough to make you a little nervous. At first she was on her good behavior and we left her barricaded in the kitchen when we left for short errands. This went well for about three times. The fourth time on a very short trip she took a loaf of whole wheat bread off the shelf and ate it. This was our mistake for tempting her. Easter we were gone for about 5 hours and Lacey got bored. She decided to read East of Eden in paper back. She tore off each page when she was finished reading it. She also read some of the Sunday paper in the same manner. After her reading she jumped the barrier and left a present on the living room rug. Since then she spends her alone time in her cage, which she dosen't mind. She is a closet player. She has a grand time with her many toys, throwing and running with them. As soon she sees we are watching she stops. She will not play with us yet, but we are working on it. She loves to ride in the van and is very well behaved. She is great on walks with no pulling and follows commands well. Someone did some training with her. All together she is a perfect dog f

4/11/03 - We had a good ride home with Miss Lacey bonding with Carol in the back seat. She seemed very relaxed. I walked her at a rest stop, but she was only interested in sniffing. When we arrived home she ate with no hesitation, must have been that secret topping. She spent the evening sniffing and exploring.

4/10/03 - Lacey has been adopted.

4/9/3 - Lacey is pending adoption.

4/3/03 - Bit by bit, spring is trying to make it's way to Boxer Camp. And oh boy, does Lacey love to be outdoors. I guess coming from the city, this is really a big deal for her. The snow is almost gone and new things are being uncovered for her to investigate. She really likes playing in the creek. She and Mikey are having the best time. And what a pretty, pretty girl she is. Her dancing lessons have really paid off . . . she does the cutest bean dance I've ever seen. Her whole body goes! She hasn't quite got the hang of the dog door yet, but that's this weeks lesson plan. I just can't say enough about this sweetie . . . she's a girly girl, but still goes out and isn't afraid to get her feet wet and muddy. She loves to go for rides, cuddles on the couch if you like, but is also content to sleep at your feet. She plays well with the resident pest without being as rough as he is. When she's had enough she just walks away. All in all this is one special lady that deserves only the best. Do you think you qualify?

3/28/03 - Lacey is becoming quite the country girl. The ice is off the pond and she loves to play in the water. She and Mikey have been spending lots of time investigating new things that had previously been covered with snow. There's still some snow in spots and when she likes to eat it now that it's softer. Since I've gone back to work, she and Mikey stay in their crates for that time. She's much better about it than Mikey. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't need to be in the crate, but Mikey isn't trustworthy at all, so they both go in. We really love this little girl and she looks great and is at just the right weight. Loud noises and quick movements still scare her and she doesn't really like to be brushed, but we're working on her confidence level daily. She also grumbles some when she meets new dogs. Not really a growl, just a low grumble. She's fine with the two boys here so again, I think it's her lack of confidence in her surroundings. She's a real sweetheart and will make some family very happy.

3/18/03 - Lacey is so very happy that spring seems to be coming to PA after all. She enjoys playing outdoors and is showing promise in Mr. Mikey's Boxer Play 101 course. She can't keep up with him yet, but is practicing daily for the test at the end of the session. She's certainly going to get the clean plate award as well. Her appetite has improved 100% since she came to camp and her ribs are no longer showing. Her house training is complete as well. We still see signs of skittishness that I'm pretty sure she will overcome as her self-confidence increases. All in all, this is one very special girl that will make someone VERY happy.

3/12/03 - After a rough couple of days, Lacey recovered very nicely from her spay and cosmetic surgery. She's up and about and learning just what a pest Mikey can be. I don't believe this girl knew much about the fine art of boxer play before coming to Boxer Training Camp. If there ever was a master, it's Mikey and he's doing his best to bring her up to speed. Most of the time she's running to get away from him and his enthusiasm. Giving me one of those looks that only a female can. Her social and domestic skills are becoming better and better. She even went to a Sunday morning brunch at the local fire station, where she was quite the star. She's a bit of a princess sometimes and I find that quite endearing after the boisterous and rambunctious Mikey. We hear there's lots of interest in Lacey and that one lucky family will soon be adding her to their home. How lucky are they! 

3/7/03 - Lacey was spayed today and also had a "bled" (my term, vet called it a nevus) removed. She's not a happy camper this evening. Poor girl just can't seem to get comfortable. This morning she was really, really angry with me for not giving her breakfast and tonight she's turned her nose up and everything. Dr. Bob was very happy with the progress she's made now that she's feeling perkier. She was up to 60#! Of course that was before the surgery and I expect she'll be losing a few pounds until the effects of her surgery are gone. It won't be long before Lacey's ready for her new home. Will it be yours?

3/1/03 - Well, I guess we're going to have to add a music department here at the Boxer Training Camp. The first tune we'll be working on is "What a Difference a Day Makes." Our Lacey girl has decided that it's better to join in the festivities than be sick and sad. It's almost like she got up Tuesday morning and said "I like it here and I think I'll try this boxer thing." She's eating like a farm girl AND keeping it down. She much more interested in her surroundings and fellow campers and shows signs of being a real smart cookie! She's now eating about 10 cups of kibble a day and has put on 9 pounds. She had a re-check with Dr. Bob and he feels she's well enough to be spayed next week. She did have a few worms and a skin condition that we'll need to clear up. This week her assignments were Boxer Play 101 and House training Refresher and we're happy to report she's catching on to both subjects. Since we don't know what her name was in her previous life, we're also doing a lot of positive reinforcement when she responds to her "new" name. I call her "girlfriend" and she gets all wiggly and silly. Due to her being so sick since she's arrived, we haven't had much chance to get her out and around to test her social behavior. I'm happy to report that she was very well behaved while at the vet and other than some "grumbling" (a female thing, I'm sure) we're certain that she'll do well with a few more outings. With all the progress Lacey's making it won't be long before she's ready to move on to her "forever" family.

2/23/03 - Lovely Lady Lacey slowly is showing progress towards wellness. This nasty bug has certainly wiped her feet out from underneath her! The entire staff here at camp works daily to getting her up and around. The dietary department, the physical therapy crew, the domestic instructors, social services, as well as the resident campers diligently spend time with Lacey to help her prepare for her forever home. She is a very sensitive little princess, however. Since she is a smart girl the investment in time is certainly well worth the effort. It would be oh so helpful if only she could tell us of her past which we feel was probably not as good as she deserved. We feel that with a healthy body the rest should fall into place and we are enjoying seeing Lacey develop into the boxer girl she was meant to be. Keep tuned for further updates as Lacey blossoms!

2/16/03 - Lacey is starting to show a little more interest in eating today. In fact, she stop eating her special preparation and make the rounds tasting what the boys might have. We have to walk a fine line between feeding her enough to start gaining some weight and what might be too much for her stressed out system. She's also starting to get the hang of going potty outside. Considering how cold it's been, we think this is a big accomplishment. Of course, now they are predicting 16+" of snow for tonight into tomorrow. On top of the two feet that's still on the ground, that should make things interesting around camp. Guess we should trek out to the market and pick up a few necessities just in case. Lacey has even started to show some interest in playing, and we think that is a GREAT sign of how she's feeling. She still does a lot of sleeping, preferably on the couch, but rest is important to her recovery too. We're just taking one day at a time with this baby doll, tiny steps forward are best.

2/12/03 - Our Lovely Miss Lacey just wasn't progressing as well as we would like to see, so we bundled her up and took her to Big Bad Dr. Bob for a look-see. He's not really bad, but he's pretty big. Like everyone else who has met her, he was so impressed with Lacey's sweet temperament despite how bad she must be feeling. He discovered that she was dehydrated, so we did a top off on the fluids while we were there. He gave her a quick once over, then got us some medicine to start, gave us advice for the chef and suggested we keep on lavishing her with TLC. That shouldn't be too hard. Despite how caring the workers at the shelter Lacey came from were, this is another example that boxers just don't do well in confinement. She got so run down with the stress of being there that she just couldn't fight off whatever virus she picked up. So it was just a bad cycle that we're hoping to break real soon. She does seem to be a bit perkier today and showing some more interest in eating. Keep good thought for this sweetie.

2/8/03 - Lacey is slowly, but we hope surely, recovering. She's seeming a bit perkier each day, but still has a long road ahead of her. Lots of good food, love, patience and rest are the prescription for this girl. We've noticed she doesn't appreciate the chef's gourmet preparations, so we're working on finding just the right combination to get Lacey interested in eating. Watching your figure is one thing, but Lacey is too thin by any standards. Her personal trainer, Mikey, has told me he thinks Lacey has lots of potential in boxer play once she gets stronger. This girl has the softest coat imaginable despite her poor condition. This is a very special lady that deserves special treatment and we intend to give it to her.

2/7/03 - Lacey joins us here at Boxer Camp for the rest of the winter session. She comes to us by way of NJ, and you know those Jersey girls . . . not exactly the outdoor type. So Lacey will be concentrating on indoor activities initially. She spending the first days in the infirmary recovering from a nasty tummy bug. The camp chef has been working on a special diet to help her get better and to put on some much needed weight. Something not many of us here at camp are acquainted with. We've noticed that Lacey just loves Mikey, so he's been given the job of teaching her her boxer play skills. She likes to boss Dino around and is not quite sure about Boo, nor he her. Lacey hasn't made any fuss over the kitties, and we're sure the kitties are happy about that. She seems to like people and just soaks up attention, we're guessing that she hasn't had much lately. Even though she's feeling poorly she still manages to wiggle her butt. This is one pretty little girl. Keep checking back often and watch Lacey blossom into one beautiful boxer.

2/1/03 - Transport Tidbits
Hi all - Lacey is absolutely gorgeous - she does need quite a few pounds but her spirit shines through.  I'm sure Robin will have her back in shape in no time.  She was great in the van and walked nicely on leash.  She did appear a bit shy at first - but she warmed up quickly - she's a bit cautious (of course after what she's been through who wouldn't be?)  - but not fearful. She has the most beautiful markings I've ever seen and combined with those soulful boxer eyes she's a beauty.  If I thought I could sneak her past my husband - her final destination would have been MY house.   But alas until I convince the husband that 3 boxers would be even more fun then 2 - I'll just keep moving them along to their loving foster Moms & Dads.