12/11/03 - Baby Duke is pending adoption.
Duke here, I just wanted to let everybody know that I am back at foster mom's after my surgery. That's what she is calling it, I just fell asleep for a long time and woke up with people wanting to play with me, but I know I wasn't at my foster moms. Anyway I FEEL GREAT! I was sooo happy to see Diego, Sam and Delilah again. And even they said them missed me too. But I don't have much fun traveling in cars, I want to bark and play a lot. My foster sis Stephanie kept telling me to behave and finally I calmed down, but you know I can't wait to get to where we are going! And I can't wait to go home with you! I'll have lots and lots of kisses and want to you play with my toys. I love to chase my pink fuzzy rabbit all the way down the hall. The cats think I'm after them, but they're no fun, too many claws! I run back to give you my toy to throw more and more. Foster mom says I have to learn to settle down a little more, but Di and me just have so much fun playin, and we can get a little loud and rough, but once she steps in we calm down nice. She give us treats inside a chew kong and she can't even find us we are so quiet! Well I hope we can go home soon so I can really get settled in to love, kiss, cuddle and play with my Forever Family! P.S. Do you have a warm lap for me? I love to be cradled like a baby sometimes, especially when I missed you!

12/8/03 - Sorry it's I'm few days late doing Baby Duke's update, but so much is going on with holidays and allergies, etc. We found out on Friday Duke is allergic to pigs ears. Had a bunch of bumps (hives) on him, but nothing affected his loveable personality. He is learning to behave and not to nip and has more kisses for you. This nipping his forever home needs to work a little on, but he responds very well to corrections (what a fast learner). He has also learned that the cats eat first and he cannot go near them or their food until they are done. It's so cute as he waits patiently under the kitchen table watching each kitty eat. Because he knows, not soon after their done it's the doggies turn! Although he cannot wait for the top dog to finish so he wines a little until his turn. What a fun puppy he is.
Duke cannot wait to go out into the snow. This was his first experience with snow. At first he didn't want anything to do with this white stuff, but then his foster sis Delilah said, "Come on, come on its fun to run in it and stick your face in as far as you can!" Its almost hard to bring him in! Oh and throw plenty of snow balls, he'll try to catch them. We tried putting a sweater on for cooler weather, but he spent too much time spinning in a circle trying to tug it off!
Duke is responding so much better to voice commands and comes to "Here Dukie" and pat your leg too! He is learning off (finger pointing to ground) with reluctance; the chairs are toooo comfy.
He is eating really healthy Science Diet puppy food and enjoys that so much. He is getting a nice build to him and has grown at least one to two inches since being here. He is a late sleeper, so you have to coax him out of bed, then after a few stretches (two or three) we go outside and do our thing. He loves to play fetch and, oh my, did you ever see a three dog tug-of-war with puppy jumping into the middle? It's so cute, he thinks he's one of the big boys. He wanted me to tell you I want to go to my forever home soon, so he can spend the holidays having fun and he has so much love and kisses to give! 
P.S. he is quite a lap dog too, better bring him home to you before he outgrows your lap!

12/2/03 - Baby Duke here (well that's what they call me but I'm not such a baby) so you can call me just Duke. Foster mom says its a teenage thing, I'm getting a little bigger and filling out looking more and more like a charming boxer should. I went to the vet the other day, and I do not like standing still when everybody is trying to weigh me, but I have gotten to a good 33.5 pounds. I love my new puppy chow! Tastes much better and the doctor told me I'll develop nice strong bones and muscles and look even more handsome for my forever family. Just look at how much I love other animals! We even share the same furniture sometimes, when nobody's looking. Well I went for my first hike on Thanksgiving and I was tuckered out because I can keep up with the best of the guys, sniffing and checking out who was in the woods before me. Oh yeah and I met a lot of people too!!! Two little boys wanted to take me home! Can I go home to you? I love everybody and play and play a lot! Well foster mom says I have to go now and practice playing nice, not too nippy, but Diego has some tasty ears though!

11/24/03 - Well it is been one week with Baby Duke here and he is doing so well with everyone. Plays a lot with Diego and the cats but has a great time. He does really well when he needs to go into his crate. I found the perfect calming companion to both Diego and Duke, KONGS!!! They help so much, you would never know they are in the house, so quiet, concentrating on getting whats inside. Baby Duke loves them. Amazingly he does not counter surf! He does sniff about the kitchen floor looking for dropped stuff, but nothing much more than that. He is so well behaved for a puppy as I said before. His hearing seems not as bad as originally thought, since he responds to come and has learned the sign for come as well. He looks at you when you call his name and will happily wiggle over to you too! He is such a little LOVE! No accidents in the house since last Monday!! He is doing better on the leash, the more we work with him. He told me he can't wait to get to his forever home where he can have a fenced in yard to run and run and run til he's tucker out like puppy's do. Oh and he wanted me to tell you he wants to give lots and lots of love and kisses too! Could he be the one for you?

11/22/03 - Baby Duke is such an EXCELLENT puppy so mellow yet so playful and full of lots of love for everyone. He met some new people this week, except for his jumping all over them (for just a minute), he is so happy to greet any new person. He is doing well waiting his turn to eat here, whining because he can't chow first, and is so happy when he finally does - he'll stop eating for a second to give you a kiss or wiggle! He will be going to the vet soon for an evaluation as to when he can be nuetered and check out his hearing since he has been doing well. He even responds to his name! He knows the sign for "come" and also when you call him and say "come". He also knows to sit and is learning "settle". We always prefer to talk to our deaf guys as well as signing because sometimes they don't want to "talk to the hand" they will look up at you. Duke does not too bad on lease, he likes to play tug of war with the lead, but when you stop him enough he starts to enjoy his walk. As far as the accidents in the house we have not had any since Monday, and got through Wednesday without a hitch! Duke is such a love he will make ANY home a happy puppy home! He is getting along better with the cats, they let him sniff them then he's done. But my "Old Man", Beau doesn't want any dog near, so he's tougher and Duke learns just to wait until he's gone.

11/17/03 - Well it has been 24 hours since Baby Duke bounced into our foster home. If you want a great puppy, Baby Duke is the guy! At first we had a couple of small tinkle accidents, but nothing since early yesterday. Diego and he love to play together, we have to separate them after a while because of the noise and Di forgets he's the BIGGGER puppy! Sam and Delilah are just okay almost as if he's not here. Although Sam breaks it up when the horseplay gets rough. Duke met the cats and they all ran for cover, except our Maximus (who thinks he's a dog anyway) who plays with him, no claws thankfully.
As far as temperament he is a sweet, loving pup with lots of energy and very intelligent. So he will learn fast. What I most love about him when I met him was the eye contact, which is so important for a little deaffy to learn! He is actually more mellow than Diego. Just when I thought he was somewhere getting into trouble (as puppies do), there was the sweet boy, just napping on his bed. He is learning "no" quickly. Next is down and boy can he jump! He is a most excellent new puppy - you would never know he is deaf! And oh the kisses, nothing like puppy kisses, he's going to make one great family addition.

11/15/03 - Today we got in a 4 month old deaf white male pup named Duke. He is up to date on all his shots. and will be neutered soon.

He will be going to Sue for fostering since she did such a wonderful job with Diego.

Duke is an owner surrender from a wonderful man who decided that it was best for Duke to go to a home with a family a little younger then his. Duke is a rambunctious, typical boxer pup. He does know a couple of signs. He also does seem to hear you if you yell loud enough.

He rode great on the trip to my home and was playing with my guys in the yard for a couple of hours and is now happy and resting quietly with them in the house.

Sue you will love this boy and I am certain you will do a super job getting him ready for his forever home. Thank you for stepping up to help him.