I meet Emma! (Finally!)

I met Emma!! While visiting Southern California and spending time with family for the holidays, I went to my sister's house and met Emma. Daisy and Biscuit greeted me at the door, while Emma hung back. She followed us into the kitchen and continued to stay a few feet away. When I bent down to have Daisy and Bisuit run up to my lap, I pet them and Emma inched a little closer. I threw a cookie to her and she got excited searching for it.
Her face really lit up when my sister said, "Come on Emma, Let's go to bed." Even though it was only 3:15pm my sister walked upstairs with me, my nieces, Daisy and Biscuit following her. Emma finally brought up the rear. We all climbed on the bed and when Emma saw us, she jumped on the bed and let us (me included) snuggle up next to her. We hugged her, pet her, kissed her nose....she is absolutely the SWEETEST dog ever!

I hugged her, pet her, looked at her darling face and wondered what would have happened to her if my sister hadn't adopted her. What if I hadn't seen Mary's post on Facebook about Emma (then Goldie) being up for adoption in Tennessee? What if my sister had given up and told herself that Tennessee was too far away from California to rescue a dog?

It doesn't matter now. Emma's home and loved.

Rescued Dogs need help!

The Solano County (California) SPCA needs help! Close to 100 abused and sick dogs were rescued from one location. This has overwhelmed the mid-sized facility and they need help!
I am heading up there today with towels, blankets, money and food. Please, if you can help, here is their website:

http://www.solanospca.com/

Move over, Emma's Sleeping!

From my sister:

Emma loves to run upstairs and get in bed with me. She loves to snuggle and have her belly rubbed. When (my husband) comes to bed after I am asleep, he says that I tell him not to move Emma. So, basically, Emma sleeps in his spot and he has to fit in around her. What silly dog owners we are. You should see how happy she is when I tell her we are going to bed.

Emma's First Playdate

My sister (B.) and her husband (G.) have ignored Emma and the dogs for a week now. The dog trainers told them to ignore the dogs at first, then call the dogs when they want them to come to them. Emma hasn't been coming around adults.

Today, my mom took her neighbor's Golden Retriever, Audrey, to my sister's house to visit Emma. The dogs played and played and played in the backyard for an hour. Then Audrey came into the house and sat next to B. B. pet Audrey. Then Emma walked up to B. for the first time and let B. pet her!! Huge accomplishment!

Dog Whisperers Meet Emma

B., my sister, has frequently said, "Emma is the sweetest dog. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body. We adore her."
So, as Emma still runs away from adults after being a part of the family for a few weeks, B. decided to let the dog therapists meet Emma.

We learned a lot. The therapists believe Emma was definitely abused in the past. She's a good dog, but even more scared because the family is trying to accommodate her too much. The therapists said that since B. and her husband are coddling her, Emma thinks she has to be the guard dog. Emma gets scared, while the other two dogs are on guard, trying to protect the family.

B. and her family are now in training. They must ignore the dogs when they first come home and then call the dogs to them later. Basically, B. and G. (her husband) have to be the Alpha dogs. This allows Emma, Biscuit and Daisy to relax because they know someone else is in charge.

Hopefully, Emma will trust adults soon.

Coincidence? Dog Whisperers

Emma is still afraid when people come up to her. She's skittish and runs when an adult walks up to her. My 12 year old niece is the only one who gets close to Emma. My sister was talking to our mom about how to help Emma overcome her fears. Later, my mom happened to strike up a conversation with a couple who were missing their black lab who recently passed. Mom told the couple about Emma. The woman replied, "They may seem odd, but we're dog therapists."

This couple is visiting Emma to see if they can help her become a whole member of the family.

We'll keep you updated.

Anyone Want to Play?

The kids are at school. Daisy and Biscuit are inside. Is there anyone to play with me?...wait...who is that across the pool and is that thing called a camera really a toy? Maybe she has Wheat Thins!

The Whole Dog Gang

Daisy and Biscuit, Emma's new brother and sister, are posing to have their photo taken. Emma's still shy with people, but she always wants to play with Daisy. Somehow my niece (in the background) can concentrate on homework.
Hopefully, I'll meet Emma myself over Thanksgiving weekend!

Emma's New Backyard

Here's a photo of sister Daisy showing Emma around the backyard. There was a growl or two from Emma when she first met Daisy, but they get along now.

News Flash : Emma loves Wheat Thins! Everytime B. opens the box of Wheat Thins, Emma rushes into the kitchen. She's still a little scared and won't come up to B., but she stands a few feet away and longingly looks at the Wheat Thins box. She'll eat one if B. leaves it on the floor for her or if she throws it to her.

Emma is bonding with my nieces. She lets my younger niece come up to her and pet her. The adults need to sit and wait for Emma to come to them. At night, Emma finds a bed to jump on and sleep. Wonder if my younger niece hides dog biscuits in her bed?

Tailwagging with a Toy

Emma in her new home wanting someone to play with her.

Emma the Rescued Dog-Update

I’m happy to report that after 6 days in her new home, Emma (Goldie) sleeps on the bed with my nieces, she licks my sister's hand, and yesterday she rolled on her back and loved the attention she got when B. (my sister) rubbed her belly.

Here's Emma on Day two.

Check out my friend Sara’s blog: Sara In Vermont. Every Friday, she’ll post a dog that needs rescuing.

Saving Goldie The Dog

I have a story to share that’s not about teaching. It’s about dogs. Actually one dog in particular - Goldie.

Back in July, I was on Facebook reading the status updates. Mary, my friend from Lake Tahoe, Ca. posted a photo of Goldie, a dog up for adoption at the Rhea County Animal Shelter in Tennessee.
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Goldie’s face in the photo captured my heart. I went to the site, Save a Dog and posted Goldie’s information to my Facebook page. The shelter had to euthanize dogs because they had too many. Goldie’s time was limited. She had a family that loved her, but they lost their house and had nowhere to live. They sadly left Goldie at the shelter.

Two months later, Mary again posted Goldie’s photo on her Facebook page with the caption,

“Goldie’s still here! Hurry, someone get her before it's too late!”

I reposted Goldie to my Facebook page. This time, my sister in Southern California and my friend Paige in Lake Tahoe, both saw it.

My sister,("B." I'll call her), and her family decided they had to have Goldie. Through phone calls and e-mails, dog lovers from California to Tennessee plotted how to get Goldie to California. My flight attendant friend, Paige, contacted B. through Facebook. (They’d never met before) and offered help in getting Goldie to California. She provided valuable information and offered to fly to Tennessee, get Goldie on a plane and fly to Orange County with her! (Paige is now on the dog-sitting list.)

The Rhea County Animal Shelter’s volunteers and veterinarian, Ashley, worked with B. and got Goldie ready. They picked up a traveling crate, made sure she had food and water for her flight, had her travel papers ready and drove three hours to the Atlanta Airport to put Goldie on a Delta flight to Orange County, CA.

The day Goldie flew to California, I was so excited I couldn't think of anything else. I called Mary, my mom, and my sister. I texted my nieces at school. (I'm so sorry teachers!) I tracked her flight online. My sister, my brother-in-law, my two nieces and my parents met Goldie at the airport.

A scared Goldie hid under the table when she arrived at her new home, but she slowly let my nieces (ages 12 and 14) pet her. They sat very still on the sofa and quietly waited for Goldie to come to them.

Goldie has a new home and was saved from euthanasia!

Thank you Facebook, Save A Dog, my animal-loving friends, the Rhea County Animal Shelter, Delta Airlines and my sister!

Goldie’s new name is Emma. Here she is hiding under the table that first night.