March | 2015 | NOTaVelociraptor

I’ve decided to no longer foster anymore. I tried to refresh and refocus but what I found is that I was so much happier not being a part of that group. My stress level was down and I was happier.
But before I’m totally done I took in one more puppy. Thor is a 5 month old newfoundland/husky mix. He’s a big ol’ boy at about 42 lbs.

This boy is the first dog I’ve ever had that lost any teeth. Every other dog has been too old or too young while I fostered. I didn’t even think about it when I gave him a chewy. After a while he dropped a pebble in front of me. I pick it up , drop it, and run to wash my hands. Next thing I know there are thousands of puppy teeth all over the floor. I’m just…wading through several inches of bloody teeth nubs. It was disgusting. I’ve since burned that house down and moved to a different state.

He is also the most vocal dog I’ve ever fostered. Not vocal like “let me out of this kennel.” Thor whines and yips and barks at everything. Everything he sees. Everything he likes. Everything he doesn’t like. Everything that moves. Everything that doesn’t move. He is the most easily frustrated and excitable dog I’ve ever met. I don’t know if it’s the teething, the growth spurt, or just his personality. Or maybe it’s just het husky in him. I know they like to talk.

Also… hiccups. This dog perpetually has hiccups. They wake me at night they are so loud. Apparently large breed puppies tend to have hiccups a lot. The vet said it’s normal. Hilarious, but normal as long as he’s drinking and eating ok.

He’s a good boy, but he’s noisy and without manners. He didn’t get any manners training while he was living in a backyard and I won’t have him long enough to teach him any. Hopefully his new parents will take the time.
Check out the few photos I could get of Thor being still.

Look at those giant paws!

Trotting along, enjoying the yard

42 pounds of fluffy puppy!

I’ve decided to take a break from fostering.

It’s not that I’m fed up with the unruly dogs. It’s not that it’s taking up too much of my free time. It’s not that it’s too hard to let them go. It’s not a feeling of helplessness that no matter how many I save so many more are dying.
It’s the other people in the rescue. It’s the constant negativity. Every conversation is problem-oriented. Animal rescue brings me so much joy. I can’t understand why everyone is so focused on the negative instead of how good it feels when we change that negative into something better.

And it’s not just the negativity. Then there is the complete lack of compassion for humans. When a person returns a dog the immediate reaction is to assume they are stupid, worthless pieces of garbage. There is no moment to consider any other possibility. I am of the mind that until proven otherwise, I’m going to assume the best. Assuming the worse doesn’t change anything that has happened or stop something bad from happening in the future, it just puts mean, negative energy into the group.
Sometimes people are garbage. But even so, should we spend energy talking about what a piece of garbage that person is or should we be happy that the dog is no longer with them and focus on how to help the dog?

Is anything accomplished by wallowing in the negative or bashing other people?
I feel like I’m being dragged down into a black hole of despair every time I get on the private facebook group.

I suppose by writing this I, myself, am wallowing in the negative and bashing other people. I just don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to distance myself from the energy I don’t want in my life. I know I can’t change the people around me but I can change the people I choose to be around. But if I’m no longer around those people can I still rescue dogs?

I’m reminded of a quote from the incredible, the incomparable Amy Poehler “I want to be around people that do things. I don’t want to be around people anymore that judge or talk about what people do. I want to be around people who dream, and support, and do things.”

I know I’ll go back. I know that no matter how bad it gets, helping the dogs feels so good that I’ll put up with the humans who make me so upset that I can’t eat. I just need to refresh, reboot, and refocus. It just sucks that people have to be so mean.

If you have any advice or motivation, I welcome it enthusiastically.