8 State Hurricane Kate

About a week and a half ago, I was contacted by a local all breed rescue about a red female Australian Cattle Dog that needed a new home. The rescue was overloaded and couldn’t take her, but wanted to find someone who could help. I was having one of those weeks that started with an unplanned trip to the vet, my truck was in the shop, my uncle was in the hospital, and I was just trying to get through the week. After some conversation, I vowed to try to help, but I couldn’t do anything right away. And after further conversation, I realized that this was the same dog I had been contacted about a few months ago. After all, how many ACDs named “Dora” are there around here? 

I had been called by the previous family in August. They had adopted Dora, who is about 2 years old, from the Animal Humane Society a while back. They had children and another older dog. The problem was that Dora pestered their other dog to the point that fights broke out and they didn’t know how to resolve this (no leadership there, apparently). It seemed like a situation where the family meant well, but wasn’t dog savvy enough and didn’t pay enough attention to her. They seemed to be past the point of accepting coaching. The dad was trying to re-home the dog and the mom was having real trouble letting her go. When I told the guy that I would check around for a good situation for Dora, he apparently didn’t want to wait. I found out this week that he put an ad in the paper, then pushed her off on this other family without being really forthcoming. 

In her latest home (since August) Dora was at home with a mom and 3 and 5 year old boys all day. The 3 year old loved her and apparently the only way she could get a break from him was to snap at him. The mom loved Dora (her Velcro dog) and said that she is a very good dog who followed her around all day. The only issue with her was that she was afraid for her 3 year old boy, who had been bitten (I’m sure in self-defense on Dora’s part). I think that with better management, this situation could have been turned around, but by the time they called for help, the decision to re-home Dora had been made. 

They didn’t use a crate with Dora and didn’t even have one set up for her. A crate had come from the previous family and it was stored in the garage. Dora was let out loose in an unfenced yard and stuck around and came when called. She was walked on a leash sometimes, but probably didn’t get enough exercise. She got along with the neighbor dog, but otherwise wasn’t around a lot of other dogs in this last home.

I was able to work out a foster home for Dora with a local rescue group. Yesterday, I met the mom and Dora at the Stillwater Vet Clinic. We had her microchip scanned to make sure there was nobody else in her past who would claim her (like a breeder). The microchip was registered to the humane society that she was originally adopted from and the first family, who had adopted her from that humane society. The Mom said her goodbyes and I drove Dora to the rescue group. She is a beautiful and very sweet dog.

Poor Dora has been passed around without any real training or stability. Still she seems fairly calm and seems like a very nice dog! IMO she needs someone who understands dogs, who will train her, pay attention to her, and give her enough exercise. I think she would like other dogs to play with too.

I received some good news today. Dora is doing well in her foster home. She is with a couple that works at home and has a big yard. If she does ok with the cats, she may just stay there. The couple has dog experience and a strong willingness to provide Dora with obedience training and exercise. Fingers crossed here for Dora, that she has found her forever home. But if you are interested in Dora and can give her the stability that she deserves, please let me know.