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BROOKE 12/21/02

Adopted
1/18/03

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Brooke's Foster Journey

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Pertinent Information
3 year old White Female
Natural Ears and Docked Tail
52 1/2 lbs.
Stray from LI Shelter
Being Fostered Near New London, CT
Adoption Donation $200

12/7/03 - Cookie is just the sweetest. She had her 36,000 mile check up on Friday and is healthy except for needing to lose a couple of pounds. No more pre-wash cycle from the dishwasher for her! How can a dog who poops 6 times per day gain an ounce?
We fenced in the back yard for Brooke and big brother Casper to play in and they love it. Man, can she move! She still likes to go for walks around the 'hood though (despite 2 feet of snow), because of all the cuddles she gets from the other kids. I took her to work a few weeks ago to meet my special needs friends (I am a school-based physical therapist), and became more convinced that she'd be a fabulous therapy dog. The more able students took her for a walk in the woods, and the less able ones she sat with for cuddles. I was very popular that day.

5/24/03 - Well, the kids are doing great. We are all extremely excited that spring has (at least theoretically) arrived in the frozen north. Boxers do NOT like the cold. But boy do they look cute in their sweaters. The dogs are getting along very well and only duke it out on rare occasions. Casper is "top dog" and although Brooke doesn't necessarily like it, she tolerates it. When I walk them to school to pick up my kids, the dogs get many cuddles, and we need to make sure they get the same number of pats and scratches. No accidents from Brooke in a couple of months except for one when we forgot to take her out before bed and once when she was so excited to see us and I didn't open the door quickly enough. She is now able to spend time out of the crate without a human in the house. They are a wonderful addition to our family, can't imagine life without them....even with the drooling. Brooke even blows bubbles.

3/26/03 - Brookie cookie has adjusted so well. She was treated for a second UTI and currently enjoys cranberry with acidophilis daily. She is able to go from 9-5 at night without needing to go outside. She sleeps at Peter's feet. They have bonded, and she has found her human. She has built up some more muscle tone and needs to walk at least a mile a day. She will sit and down stay, walks nicely on a leash (even with her big brother) and hasn't learned to surf the kitchen counter yet. Did I mention that Casper was on top of the Dining room table the other day??? She is so soft and really doesn't mind head pats any more, but her neck is so soft I can't resist. She has finally started to get on the couch when invited now rather than just putting her front paws up. She needs to learn how to catch a treat, but has mastered the "pre-wash cycle" of the dishwasher just fine, thank you. She is a joy to live with and a great match with C-dog. She does stand up for herself (a woman after my own heart), but in a southern belle kind of way. She does not like puddles, and needs to learn the joys of peeing on the grass rather than the driveway or street, but now that we finally have some grass showing in the yard..... We love her tons!!

1/18/03 - Brooke has been adopted.  Her new family arrived at 9:30 this morning.  She and there son bonded immediately and she never looked back.  This little girl just loves kids and deserves one of her very own.

1/10/03 - Well, Brooke just got home from her spaying and what a sad little girl she is.  The operation went just fine, but then this morning at the vets, she began to vomit and have diarrhea.  They sent her home with antibiotics and she is on a diet of boiled hamburg and rice.  She came into the house and hot footed it outside through the doggie door and am I glad she remembered her housetraining!  Poor thing has been outside 3 times in the few hours that we have been home.  She is not vomiting, but she certainly does still have diarrhea.  Aunt Nancy assures us that she will be much better by tomorrow and in 3 days it will be difficult to keep calm and keep her from playing hard with Joseph and Coco.  You can tell that she is very glad to be home and is sleeping on her bed right now.  She has gained 4 lbs. in the 2 weeks she has been with us and is now up to 56 1/2 lbs. which is just about right for her.  You can't see her little ribs anymore and two days ago I had to loosen her collar.  Next weekend, Brooke will be going to her new home.  Boy are we going to miss her!

1/9/03 - Little Miss Brooke has gone to the vet today to be spayed.  We will let you know tomorrow how her experience went.

1/4/02 - Brooke is pending adoption.  After she recuperates from her spaying she will be going to her new home in NH where she will live with another BAR rescue, Casper, and 3 lucky children.  

1/4/02 - Every day Brooke becomes more and more self confident.  She holds her head up and does not cower as you pet her any longer.  And no accidents in the house for a week now!  She is such a lover and craves affection.  Wherever I go in the house, she follows, so she will need a family with time to spend with her and lots of love
She is also learning to play with our 2 boxers and it is such fun to see them romping around, boxing, and doing the things only boxers do when they play.  Last night, for the first time, she played with a toy.  She wandered over and picked up a tug rope and started to chew on it.  Today she and Coco played tug with it.
Last night we did not put Brooke in the crate as she was doing so well with our dogs and housebreaking.  Things went smoothly and she will not have to sleep in the crate from now on.  This week we will leave her out of the crate during the day when we are out for longer and longer periods of time.  She is scheduled to be spayed this Thursday so will not put the crate away yet as she will need to be kept quiet for a few days after her operation.  This little girl is one very "special" dog!

1/01/03 - Happy New Year!  Our little visitor has quiet a New Years Eve.  We had a few close friends in to celebrate and they all thought she was a doll.  Everyone, including the dogs ate very well!  Brooke still needs to eat more often than my other dogs.  As I was washing out the dogs dishes, I found her with her head down in the food storage compartment underneath the bowls eating the dry food.  So I put a bowl of dry food out so she could free feed.  Only trouble is that my big boy, Joseph ,who is already 5 lbs. overweight thinks that he has to eat every time she does! So I'll have to separate her to feed her more often so I don't end up with porkers!  Our grandson stayed with us overnight and Brooke just loves him and wants to play with him all the time.  I hope she gets adopted by a family who has children as she really loves them and is so gentle with them.  She is getting her antibiotics daily, her ear medication and just had her second hookworm medication administered.  One more week of medication and then she will be spayed on Jan. 9th.  After a few says recuperation she will then be ready for her new home.  Will it be yours?

12/29/02 - Brooke is settling in to our home very nicely.  I think we have licked the housebreaking issues by constantly reinforcing that she must go outside every time she gets up.  She also needs to urinate less frequently now that she is on the antibiotic and her urinary tract infection is much better.  She has become a pro at going out the doggie door and doing her business!
Since foster Daddy retired a few months ago, has developed a routine where he takes the dogs out every morning for a ride to the coffee shop.  Today he took Brooke for the first time and she loved it.  She jumped right up into the Expedition (which is rather high) without any hesitation and settled into the back seat with our other two.  She is obviously feeling better and is playing a little more with our dogs.
We had a prime rib for Christmas dinner and the ribs were removed, but packaged with the roast.  I cut them into 3 individual ribs and cooked them yesterday.  Today we let all 3 dogs out onto the deck and gave each of them each a nice meaty bone.  They had a ball devouring them and were all very well behaved.  When all the meat was off the bones, they brought the bones into the house and continued to chew on them.

12/26/02 - A very Merry Christmas was had by all including our sweet foster girl, Brooke.  Today she went to the vet for a check up and she has respiratory and urinary infections, ear mites and hookworm which are all minor aliments and easily treatable.  We will be religiously dispensing her medications over the next 2 weeks and, when she is nice and healthy, she will be spayed.  Of course everyone at the Animal Hospital made a huge fuss over her!
Another great thing happened today when we got home, Brooke ran into the house, greeted everyone and then ran outside through the doggie door all by herself and went to the bathroom.  Before this she has been waiting and only going out with the other dogs or on leash when we took her out.  This is a major step and I think that now she has gotten the idea, she will be all set in the housebreaking department.  Yesterday she also decided to crawl up into a ball and sleep on one of the dog beds which we had been trying to get her to do - all in her own good time I guess!
Opening Christmas presents was such a joy with Brooke.  My own 2 had to be leashed and secured so they would not get into all the gifts as we opened them.  But Brooke was the perfect lady and calmly laid down.  She just loved our 4  year old grandson and his  yr. old friend and the feeling was mutual.  She was sooo gentle with them.  She does not jump up on people at all (wish I could say that about my own) which is particularly good with younger children.   The day before Christmas, she was outside playing in the yard with them having a ball.  So, if you are looking for a very gentle, calm, loving Boxer girl who is good with other dogs, cats, and children, get your application in ASAP.

12/22/02 - This little girl is one of the cutest, nicest Boxers I have ever seen!  She has the most expressive face and cocks her head with that inquisitive wrinkled brow.  We have had a very pleasant calm day at the Canine Castle.  Brooke did get up once during the night and wanted to go out, and barked for a few minutes after I put her back in the crate, but then she slept until 7:30.  I introduced her to my big male, Joseph, this morning and he just loves her.  Later we introduced our female, Coco, who is a bit of a "B...." and that went better than I had expected.  I went out shopping and left the dogs all loose with my husband.  Coco taught Brooke to go in and out the doggie door and they have just hung out together all day with no altercations.   And Brooke is just great with the cat too!!
We are not sure if she is just coming into heat or not so I will have to call the vet on Monday and see if she can be spayed now or if we will have to wait a little while.  If you are looking for a real Boxer Angle who will give lots of love and affection, this girl may be the one for you.

12/21/02 - Brooke has arrived at Covey's Canine Castle and what a little doll she is.  She caught a ride with Boxer Angels Director of Finance, Gary, from LI to New Haven, CT.  I picked her up there and  she rode beautifully in the car.  As long as I had my hand on her she was content. 
When we got home she went into the yard, did her business and ran around enjoying her new found freedom.  She went into the crate with only a gentle nudge and took a little nap until Boxer Angels Director of Fostering, Nancy, and Aunt Janice came to visit.  They made a fuss over her (they both have white boxers) and back outside we went for some play and exercise during which time we all gave her the once over and temperment tested her.  She passed with flying colors, but  does cower a little particularly when inside.  She met our 2 boxers through the gates and will be introduced formally tomorrow to them.  She also met the resident cat and paid absolutely no attention to her and did not chase her when she ran up the steps.
We missed another visitor this evening, Boxer Angel Director, Karen (who also has white boxers) when foster Mom and Dad went to a Christmas Party for a few hours.  Brooke stayed in the crate while we were gone.  When we returned home, she got a much needed bath and was very well behaved. She has been excellent going outside and has not had any accidents in the house.  She ate 2 small meals, is drinking well and is quiet as a mouse in her crate hopefully for the night. 
We will take pictures tomorrow as the ones from the shelter do not do her justice.  Brooke is a very classic looking boxer and she has the nicest gate when she runs and struts.  She is very poised and elegant looking and is just looking for the right family to share all her love with.