| Eskie Scoops
The Official Newsletter for Eskie Rescuers United (ERU) |
| Issue No. 5 |
September 2008 |
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Ask the Eskie
Dear Gus:
We have had a rescue Eskie for about 2 years and we are having two difficult to control issues. First, there is white hair ALL over the house and the car and it is getting out of control. I have to turn in my lease car with the black carpeting and I am afraid that I will be socked with extra charges if I cannot clean it up.
Next and most troublesome, our spayed female is marking her territory all over anything that sits on the floor, including lint and the stray leaf and grocery bags and clothes and towels and all rugs. She was spayed after a litter if that makes a difference. We are just cleaning up yellow spots all over the house and it is getting to be a real issue when she marked the pillows and mattress on our new sleep number bed. How can we curb (pun) this behavior. She gets taken for a long run every day and she is the only pet in the house. Help please...
~~~ Tired of Cleaning ~~~
Dear Tired,
You do have some challenging issues to deal with!
Let's tackle the fur issue first: Obviously this is an ongoing issue for any Eskie owner, but there are ways to make our fur a bit easier to deal with. First, regular grooming, particularly brushing, will help with the amount of fur you are seeing. Even so, you are still going to have our beautiful white fur on just about everything. A lint brush with lots of refills is an absolute must! It will clear your furniture, clothing, and even the seats in your car. Another option that works well, and might be more cost effective, is using a damp washcloth. Run the washcloth across the desired area to gather the fur, and then it can be either vacuumed up or just picked up and thrown away. Works great! May I also suggest that you consider a different color interior for your next car?! My family found that tan or light grey conceals the majority of the fur!
Regarding the potty issue: First thing you should do is check with your vet to make sure that there isn't something medically going with your pup. Especially if this is a pretty new event you are experiencing. If you and your vet have ruled out medical issues, you may need to re-housetrain your girl. There are some tips for you to follow in the training section of the newsletter. The tips are written for a dog going into a new home, but the training will work for any adult dog.
Best of luck!
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| Contact Us |
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P.O. Box 8652
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52408-8652
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Adoptable Eskies in the Spotlight
For more information on these dogs, click on their picture to visit their complete profile.Or, visit www.eskierescuers.org to see many more. |
Adoptable Eskies Casper the Packer Fan
My name is Casper and I'm looking for a home where I can run and show you all my tricks! I'm an active boy who will give you lots of love! I'm currently living in Columbus, OH. I would love for you to take a minute and read my profile on the ERU website so you can find out how much fun I am!! I look forward to hearing from you soon! |
Hello! My name is Max and I'm a happy, well behaved boy looking for my forever home. Right now I'm staying with my foster family in Mansfield, CT. I love kids and other dogs (not fond of the kitties!) so I'm the most perfect move-in companion you could ask for!! All I ask in return is your love. Would you give me a chance to be your best friend? You won't regret it! | |
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ERU Volunteer of the Month
Heather Schriefer
Heather joined ERU earlier this year after responding to a Craigslist call for foster homes. While she couldn't fit a third Eskie into her rented condo, she was eager to volunteer with ERU in other ways. As fate would have it, Heather purchased her first home only a few months after contacting ERU and was finally able to fit that foster Eskie in her backyard!
Heather's first foster experience proved to be a challenge, but her ongoing affection and dedication towards her foster, Domino, kept everyone going until ERU found a great rehabilitation for Domino to enter. Domino has come a long way and is now available for adoption!!
A full-time professional pet sitter, Heather dedicates the majority of her time to her clients' pets and her own. Heather is mom to Evo and Echo, male and female Eskies rescued in upstate New York, as well as 5 parrots and a menagerie of rodents. All but one of Heather's pets were rescued. She has been an avid rescue supporter in addition to volunteering for Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue. When she isn't spending her spare time with her pets, Heather enjoys reading, surfing the internet, and rare visits to Walt Disney World. :)
Heather has helped the Colorado group with weekend adoption events, fundraising ideas, and coordination of the dogs coming and going through the area. Just recently, Heather took in and is now fostering Milo, a 9 week old special-needs puppy who is partially blind and deaf. He also has some coordination issues on his left side. Heather has really stepped up to the opportunity to handle this little guy with all his challenges! |
| Are you Ready to Become a Foster?
Part 1 of a 3 Part Article
Written by Melissa Bahleda, M.A.T, C.B.C
(This article will be continued in the October and November editions.)
Because I have been fostering shelter dogs for more than 20 years, I am often asked the same questions: "Why do you foster?" "How do you find the time?" "How do you choose the right animal?" "How do you know if they'll get along with your pets?" "How do you keep from getting attached?"
Fostering a dog, cat, rabbit, horse, or any other animal in need of shelter, love, and guidance is a time-consuming effort, but it's also one of the most rewarding ways to help homeless pets. Providing a "stepping stone" for animals in search of permanent homes saves lives, alleviates the strain on animal shelters, helps set the stage for successful adoptions, and teaches you the skills that will enable you to help other animals in need.
I have found that dogs and cats who are fostered in positive, nurturing environments by people with basic training and behavior knowledge are more likely to be adopted; less likely to be returned to the shelter; less likely to suffer from behavior and training problems; and less stressed and more able to adapt to life in their new homes.
With that sort of introduction, you may have already picked up the phone to call your local shelter or rescue group to ask about fostering. But as with adoption, the decision to foster pets is not one to be made lightly. If you're considering taking a foster pet into your home, first investigate your local shelter or rescue's fostering policies and application requirements; then ask yourself these important questions.
Does Fostering fit your household and your life?
The health and welfare of all individuals in your home - human and animal - must be considered before bringing another creature into the mix. Fostering a homeless pet should never be considered unless your home environment is happy, safe, healthy, and spacious enough to nurture the foster pet adequately and retain sanity among the existing members of your home. If any of your family members are contending with allergies, excessive stress, other physical or mental health issues, career instability, financial difficulties, or housing or space restrictions, fostering is not a good option for you at this time.
But if you believe you have the ability to foster, and the entire household agrees that fostering would be a positive experience, your next question should be "Do I have the time?"
Fostering a shelter or rescue pet is a 24/7 job. Although you may not be physically interacting with the animal every second of the day, you will be responsible round the clock for the pet's safety, comfort and general well-being, and this responsibility alone can be exhausting.
If your work or family schedule is already so hectic that adding another time-consuming responsibility will only create more stress, do no consider fostering at this time. If that new foster dog will spend long periods of time in his create - periods that frequently approach or exceed the eight-hour threshold - or if you've killed your umpteenth house plant because you just haven't had time to water it, you'll want to put those foster dreams on hold for now.
The amount of personal attention needed will vary greatly from animal to animal, but you can expect to spend anywhere from three to seven hours a day interacting with a foster pet, and even more if you're planning to foster puppies or kittens. Teaching dogs or cats the lessons they will need to becoming happy, thriving, lifelong members of another family is the essence of fostering, and this takes time and patience.
Next month we'll take a look at the question, "What kind of foster animal would be best for your family?" |
Rainbow Bridge and Rescue Dogs
Author Unknown
Unlike most days at the Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and dark and dismal. All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to think, as they had never experienced a day like this before.
But the animals who had been waiting for their beloved people know exactly what was going on and started to gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge to watch. It wasn't long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for a while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often.
He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with no sign of injury or illness. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again. As he walked toward The Bridge, he noticed all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be.
But, alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of a guard who apologized and told him that he would not be able to pass over The Bridge. Only those animals who were with their people could pass over Rainbow Bridge. With no place else to turn, the dejected dog turned towards the fields alongside The Bridge. There he saw a group of other animals like himself, elderly, infirm and so very sad. They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass, forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway and waiting.
One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for a while for an explanation. "You see, that poor animal was a rescue. He was turned in to the rescue just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding, sad and confused. He never made it out of the rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer to comfort him as he left his earthly existence. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him across The Bridge."
The first animal thought about this for a minute. Just as he was about to ask what would happen next, the clouds suddenly parted and the gloom lifted. A solitary figure could be seen approaching The Bridge and walked among the forlorn animals. The whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were all young and healthy again, just as they were in the prime of life. "Keep watching," said the second animal. A second group of animals approached the pathway and bowed low as the person neared. At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. The newly restored animals fell into line and followed her towards The Bridge. They all crossed The Bridge together.
"What happened?" asked the confused first animal.
"That was a rescuer. The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who found new homes because of her work. They will cross when their new families arrive. Those you saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are allowed to perform one, final act of kindness and humanity. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that they couldn't place on earth across The Rainbow Bridge."
~Anonymous~ |
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Sponsorship Opportunities Look for our stories and how you can help us at www.eskierescuers.org under the Sponsor Eskies tab!
Apple Julia
 
River Heidee Jewel
Sadie Sam the Man Hero
Baylor Sasha Mitzie
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Re-Housetraining Your Adult Dog
Many adult dogs adopted from animal shelters were housetrained in their previous homes. While at the shelter, however, they may not have gotten enough opportunities to eliminate outside, and consequently, they may have soiled their kennel areas. This tends to weaken their housetraining habits. Additionally, scents and odors from other pets in the new home may stimulate some initial urine marking. Remember that you and your new dog need some time to learn each other's signals and routines. Even if he was housetrained in his previous home, if you do not recognize his "bathroom" signal, you might miss his request to go out, causing him to eliminate indoors.
Therefore, for the first few weeks after you bring him home, you should assume your new dog is not housetrained and start from scratch. If he was housetrained in his previous home, the re-training process should progress quickly. The process will be much smoother if you take steps to prevent accidents and remind him where he's supposed to eliminate.
Establish a Routine
1. Take your dog out at the same times every day. For example, first thing in the morning when he wakes up, when you arrive home from work and before you go to bed.
2. Praise your dog lavishly every time he eliminated outdoors. You can even give him a treat. You must praise him and give him a treat immediately after he has finished and not wait until after he comes back inside the house. This step is vital, because rewarding your dog for eliminating outdoors is the only way he will know that is what you want him to do.
3. Choose a location not too far from the door to be the bathroom spot. Always take your dog, on leash, directly to the bathroom spot. Take him for a walk or play with him only after he has eliminated. If you clean up an accident in the house, leave the soiled rags or paper towels in the bathroom spot. The smell will help your dog recognize the area as the place where he is supposed to eliminate.
4. While your dog is eliminating, use a word or phrase like "go potty," that you can eventually use before he eliminates to remind him of what he is supposed to be doing.
5. Feeding your dog on a set schedule, once or twice a day, will help make his elimination more regular.
Supervise, Supervise, Supervise
Do not give your dog an opportunity to soil in the house. He should be watched at all times when he is indoors. You can tether him to you with a six-foot leash, or use baby gates, to keep him in the room where you are. Watch for signs that he needs to eliminate, like sniffing around or circling. If you see these signs, immediately take him outside, on a leash, to his bathroom spot. If he eliminates, praise him lavishly and reward him with a treat.
Confinement
When you're unable to watch your dog closely, he should be confined to an area small enough where he won't want to eliminate. It should be just big enough for him to comfortably stand, lie down and turn around in. This could be a portion of a bathroom or laundry room blocked off with boxes or baby gates. Or you may want to crate train your dog and use the crate to confine him. If he has spent several hours in confinement, when you let him out, take him directly to his bathroom spot and praise him when he eliminates.
Oops!
Most dogs, at some point, will have an accident in the house. You should expect this, as it is a normal part of your dog's adjustment to his new home.
1. If you catch your dog in the act of eliminating in the house, do something to interrupt him like making a startling noise (be careful not to scare him). Immediately take him to his bathroom spot, praise him, and give him a treat if he finishes eliminating there.
2. Do not punish your dog for eliminating in the house. If you find a soiled area, it is too late to administer a correction. Do nothing but clean it up. Rubbing your dog's nose in it; taking him to the spot and scolding him; or any other type of punishment, will only make him afraid of you or afraid to eliminate in your presence. Animals do not understand punishment after the fact, even if is only seconds later. Punishment will do more harm than good.
3. Cleaning the soiled area is very important because dogs are highly motivated to continue soiling in areas that smell like urine or feces.
Other Types of Housesoiling Problems
If you have consistently followed the housetraining procedures and your dog continues to eliminate in the house, there may be another reason for his behavior.
1. Medical Problems: House soiling can often be caused by physical problems such as a urinary tract infection or a parasite infection. Check with your veterinarian to rule out any possibility of disease or illness.
2. Submissive/Excitement Urination: Some dogs, especially young ones, temporarily lose control of their bladders when they become excited or feel threatened. This usually occurs during greetings, intense play, or when they are about to be punished.
3. Territorial Urine-Marking: Dogs sometimes deposit urine or feces, usually in small amounts, to scent-mark their territory. Both male and female dogs do this, and it most often occurs when they believe their territory has been invaded.
4. Separation Anxiety: Dogs that become anxious when they are left alone may house soil as a result. Usually, there are other symptoms, such as destructive behavior or vocalization.
5. Fears or Phobias: When an animal becomes frightened, they may lose control of their bladder and/or bowels. If your dog is afraid of loud noises, such a thunderstorms or fireworks, he may house soil when he is exposed to these sounds.
6. Surface Preferences: When a dog has been trained to eliminate on only one type of surface, such as newspapers, or has not been offered a variety of surfaces, such as being confined to a run with a concrete floor, a surface preference may develop. This can be difficult to change but is often managed by ensuring that their preferred substrate is unavailable indoors, and is available in an outdoor location only.
2004 Dumb Friends League. All Rights Reserved. RHYA_R04 |
Memorials to Those Who Will Live in Our Hearts Forever
Casey
Casey came into ERU rescue after being saved by a Corgi rescue that pulled her daughter, who is a Corgi mix, from the shelter. The Corgi rescue just could not leave her behind and we are so glad they did not!
Casey was with a temporary Corgi foster before coming to ERU. Her original Eskie foster home was in Ohio, but she spent the remainder of her time at her foster home in Tennessee. It did not take long to realize that Casey had been horribly neglected. Her fur was mated to the skin and full of feces. It took three grooming sessions to clean her up, and it was only then realized that Casey also had sores on her skin underneath her fur.
Casey did not bond with the people that handled and cared for her. She had pretty much given up on trusting the human race. We can only imagine what neglect and abuse she endured.
Casey did have a passion, however: food! She constantly scrounged around looking for anything edible (and some things not so edible!) 
One scrounging episode ended up with a five pound bag of flour being drug from the kitchen to her big dog pillow. This magnificent find (from her perspective) included a ½ box of Corn Chex, some baking powder, and for dessert the frosting off two cupcakes. She and her accomplice had such fun with their treasures!
When Casey arrived at her permanent ERU foster home, her foster parents, Susan and Frank, wrote:
"I feel that she is not yet sure she is safe. She will though, because I will make sure of that. Because she is an older gal we think the likelihood of her being adopted may be slim to none and we are prepared to open our home to her for life. I am hoping though that someone will need her as much as she needs them and she will get her own home. If not, my home will be her home for life."
Susan and Frank upheld their end of the deal, and Casey passed in her sleep next to her food bowl, her favorite place in the world. Hopefully Casey left this world finally feeling loved and cherished for who she was. She is no longer in pain and can enjoy a life of trust and peace at the rainbow bridge until a rescue angel arrives to take her across. |
DONATIONS * MEMORIALS * SPECIAL GIFTS
If you would like to make a contribution to Eskies Rescuers United (ERU) rescue group to commemorate an occasion, in memory of an individual or pet, or to sponsor a pet, please complete the fields below and mail to ERU, P.O. Box 8652, Cedar Rapids, IA 52408. You can also simply click on the PayPal link and make your donation and special request there.
This gift is:
___In Memory of (Animal) ______________________ (Human) __________________________
___In Honor of (Animal ) _______________________ (Human) __________________________
___For the special occasion of ___________________________
___Sponsor a pet (Pet name) _____________________________
___Enclosed is my Monthly Pledge _________________________
Name: _______________________________________________________
Street: _______________________________________________________
City: ________________ State: _____________ Zip: ________________
Phone: _______________________ Email: ___________________________
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We would love to have your contributions to the newsletter! If you have an article (or an idea for an article) you would like to contribute to the newsletter, please contact Chris at ChrisB@eskierescuers.org. | |
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