Happy Mothers Day, All!

Hi.....Cody here - wanted to sneak a note to you on my first week in my new home. My mom and dad are making dinner and I wanted to say Hi & Thank You.

Mother's Day wouldn't be complete without wishing the Word's Greatest Foster Mom a "Happy Mother's Day"!

They talk about the blog they are finishing and how they are trying to get a family photo to send to you as well. I hear them say it will be done soon so they can send to you.

My first week has been so much fun......exploring new things. My parents are showing me how to go potty in one spot in the yard and then I am allowed to walk and explore the yard. They are training me on these white flags that are somehow part of an invisible fence - dad says I'll be trained in no time since I'm such a smart boy.

I love to lie around on the floor with mom, dad and Billy - we kinda hang out at night as we watch TV. In the mornings, I get to go out w/Mom and then run and find Daddy. Then Daddy takes me out and we play until he has to go to this thing called a J.O.B....

I hear them say over and over how very happy they are to have me here. It's nice to get all of the hugs I get. We visited a nice doctor this weekend, Dr. Maxin. He said something that I'm good for Mom & Dad and said I'm healthy, but just underweight. He said I needed to be another 15-20 pounds and that on his scale I was 53.8, but mom and dad said I already gained some weight. He likes the food they are feeding me (something about all the protein). He was a nice man, said for me to come in anytime.

We all kinda laugh when I drool...they say it builds character (I think they are just funning with me)....

I learned to sit (some people call it whoa, but my dad is a "stay" kinda guy and I'm digging it too). So, I'm making everyone proud when I sit and stay while they open the door. I know they know better then to totally trust me, but I am really doing a great job.

I hear them talk about some sort of cousin of mine I am going to meet on Wednesday. His name is Duke (but his full name is Dukis Rielly Hamilton) he is a chocolate lab. I'm only part brown, so I hope we get along. I hear they are having pizza, but I don't think we will be allowed any. I hear Duke is a little crazy, but I have a few moments of my own. So I think we are going to be okay.

I do know I have another cousin who looks kinda like Duke and his name is Moose. In due time I hear I will get to meet him. Maybe the three of us can be buddies, I sure hope so - because it would be fun for all of us to go to Maine. I heard my Dad say by the end of the Summer, I'm going to be taking a vacation to Maine. Mom & Dad have a log cabin on this really big lake. I don't know what a duck is, but Dad thinks he can teach me how to out swim and bring one back to him. I'll let you know how it goes. He's getting me something called a camo-neoprene vest so I keep warm when I'm swimming. Dad says there is also other birds in the woods that he knows I'll like to point at. They are called grouse around here and in Maine they like to call them partridge. I don't know what they look or smell like, but Dad said he would teach me.

In the Fall around here, there is another bird called a Pheasant -- I already smelled what one smells like and I'm looking forward to going hunting with Dad around here. We don't have to go too far and Thanksgiving's the big day for us. Even little Billy will come home from College to go with us.

When I'm home inside my crate, I lay next to Dad's oldest pet, Stripes who is a 26 year-old fish. Dad's known him longer than Mommy. We look at each other all day and try to figure out what the other one is doing. We don't talk much, but I think we are pretty close.

I love to go upstairs and explore all the rooms. I look for little Billy, but Dad and Mom say he's only here every other weekend. I'm not really sure what that means. But I found him in his bed this morning. It was pretty neat to jump on top of him and lick him when he was sound asleep.

Dad thinks him and I get along really well. He said we really hit it off because Dad thinks I may be a little bit of a hillbilly from Arkansas because I'm always trying to get/drink his coffee and every time he walks me past his pick up truck, I jump right in the back. I think Dad is a little bit of a hillbilly too.

Anyway, if it wasn't for you rescuing me from Arkansas and brining me to NJ, I would have never had an opportunity to meet my new family. You are the greatest mom ever. Foster parents are the greatest thing on earth. Thank you for taking the time to see what a wonderful dog I really can be. Thank you for matching me up with my new family.

I'll write again soon......

Woof....

I'm a Busy Boy!

My first week in foster care has been really fun. There are all sorts of toys and I like to try them all - the hard ones, the stringy ones, the rubber ones, but the soft, squeaky ones are still my most favorite. I do love the stuffed red things too. My foster mom gives me those each day with peanut butter and treats and she's very impressed by how quickly I can lick them clean.

My manners are a work in progress. I'm learning not to beg, but that's a tough one because I love food. When my foster family eats though, I'm supposed to sit on a dog bed like my foster brother and sister. Let's just say, my foster mom doesn't eat with the family much... Every time I move, she puts me right back.... right now, I move a lot.

I'm also learning to wait at the door. I try to rush out any chance I get. Now I'm supposed to sit for that too. It's tough around here.

Today, though, I think was my favorite day in foster care so far. I went to the Eastern GSP Club Hunt Test. My foster mom had asked this cool guy John (Staton Gun Dogs) and his son Dustin to evaluate me on birds. I guess John has a soft spot for us rescue dogs so he was happy to try me out. I was in HEAVEN.

In the morning they took me out of my crate just to get me comfortable with the area. When they started to walk me around, there was this HUGH pen with lots of wonderfully, smelly birds (quail). I couldn't believe my eyes and stopped dead in my tracks. I think I could have stayed there all day.... Well my foster parents were there to volunteer too so back in the crate I went to wait my turn.

John and Dustin took me out with my foster dad and mom. They both felt I was birdy -just like my foster mom thought. I need work, seems like I'm always working on something these days, but John said even though I have a hard bite, just learning my name better, a recall and whoa, I'll be well on my way to making a nice hunting companion. He felt with the right training, I wouldn't be that hard to teach. My tail was waggin tons, and I found two quail and a field mouse. I don't know how to point yet, but boy do I want to learn. I wondered why all those other GSPs were so excited today, and now I know.

I have a family coming to meet me tomorrow - wish me luck. My foster mom said not to worry because if it's not a match, there's a line waiting for me. Can you imagine - a line... for me??!! I'm a lucky boy!

My Busy Day !

Boy did I sleep good last night. My foster mom woke me early for our big day today. We walked for 1 hour and then off we went to the Motorcycle Run with my aunts and cousin and then my foster dad met us too.

The day started out cold and remember that I mentioned I'm so skinny? Well when Judy, a rescue volunteer, saw me and I was shivering, she hooked me up. I got to wear a cozy rescue sweatshirt for the morning and it made all the difference.

I was so well behaved today, no one could believe my owner said he didn't have time for me. There were lots of people and I was the only GSP so I got tons of attention. Since this ride was to help Beagles too, I met some of them. They didn't look like me, but we got along just fine.

It was a long day and when I wasn't outside socializing, I was riding in the crate in the car. All day I was quiet and never made a single peep.

My foster mom said after just one day, I'm very comfortable at home. I was very happy to get back to a familiar place and see my foster brother and sister again. I just found the toy box with lots of soft, squeaky toys and while everyone else is tired and trying to rest, I think I'll play for a bit. Like I said, I'm a young guy with plenty of energy.

Hold on one sec, I need to go out. I think if I stand at this door that we use all the time my foster mom might get the hint... YEP, I was right. Okay - I'm back. Still no accidents in the house and now I can tell them when I need to go out without them guessing...

Unless I get adopted first, I may be going to a Hunt Test next weekend. I don't know what that is, but with "hunt" in the name, I think I'm gunna like it. Either way, I'll send another update soon.

Allow me to Introduce Myself

I'm Ox and yes, it's true, I'm as strong as one so my name fits! I just arrived in foster care today after a transport from Arkansas.

I arrived first thing this morning and my foster family has had me on the go since. I did errands with my foster dad after he picked me up, and then since he said I was stinky, my foster mom gave me a few (yes a few) baths to clean me up before taking me out on the town.

We've been out on a bunch of walks so I learn the neighborhood and my foster mom says I'm always ready to hunt. I stop when I see birds and want to run when I see squirrels - what can I say?! I've got the hunting instincts she's certain!

I don't know much - so far I've done a bit of counter surfing, looked out the windows using the window sills, popped my head in the garbage and quenched my thirst from the toilet bowl, but she said I listen to "Eh, Eh" so she's sure she'll teach me some manners in no time. Hey - I've not had any accidents inside so how bad can I be???

I can sit for treats. I also like this squeaky toy in the yard. I have a foster brother who is amazing at catching this thing that flies through the air and a foster sister who just hangs with her ball. We get along fine.

I pull on my leash especially for the squirrels. So right now we walk with this special collar so my foster mom can hold me tight, but since I mostly walk on the left and only sometimes wander to the right this too she thinks can be corrected with just a bit of work.

I have a strong nose and I've already found a rib bone in some shrubs along the way, but when she told me NO, I could tell she meant business so I dropped it right away. That was hard, because right now I'm REALLY hungry and pretty skinny, but she said we have much better stuff at home and she's right.

I have a cozy crate that's not so bad. I bark just a bit when I go in, but then settle down and sleep. I've been riding in a crate in the car too and that's fine. When we stop and my foster parents get out, I do bark, because I'm not sure if they've forgotten about me. Turns out they haven't and I just have to wait patiently with my foster brother and sister for them to come back. It's a lot to learn, but I'm catching on quick.

Tomorrow, I'm going to my first Motorcycle Ride to benefit this great group that's taken me in. Since I'm new in town, I think I'll probably get lots of attention. Luckily I'm so tired or else I'd probably be too excited to fall asleep. It seems like I'm going to have lots of adventures while I'm here. Luckily I'm a young guy or else I may not be able to keep up.