Our Canine Family

Details

Category: About Us

Published on Saturday, 11 June 2011 22:58

Written by Chanone Sanders

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Caleb

(Caleb Alexander Sanders)

Breed: Rottweiler
Date of Birth: August 8, 2005

History:

Caleb came into our lives after I did a puppy training session with a family who decided that he was just too much work and they needed to renovate their house instead.  Caleb was a very smart boy and was getting into trouble with the lack of stimulation and training.  They asked me to find a home for him and when asked if I could have him, they happily agreed!

Caleb was a challenging puppy who used his intelligence to often get him into trouble.  He liked to see how digital cameras were put together, how to open a door knob with his teeth and what was inside those coat pockets!  I quickly learned to keep his mind occupied with training and games based on his intelligence and he has kept on surprising me with all the new things he can learn!

Training: Basic to Advanced Obedience including hand signals and distance work, Basic Agility, Backpack Work, Training for Commercials, Protection Training, Scent Detection, Tracking and Basic French Ringsport Training

Commands: Sit, Down, Come, Heel, Stay, Wait, Here, Hup, Over,Back Up, Around, Hop In (Vehicle), Leave the Room, Speak, Howl, Can you Bow?, Shut the Door, Take It, Carry It, Bring It, Drop It, Smell It, Find It, Watch Him, Attack or Bite (protection work), Out, Leave It, Don't Touch, Okay (release)

Employment: Caleb is my assistant in teaching other dogs how to have proper manners with other dogs.  He is extremely tolerant of dogs that need more social skills and helps them to feel relaxed and comfortable. Caleb will set his personal boundaries with dogs, but enforces them gently to help the other dogs learn.  His calm, relaxed but confident personaility naturally calms down other dogs and gives them the chance to learn.  Caleb also does demonstrations on obedience skills and correct canine social behaviour.

Accomplishments: Caleb played a rottweiler in a TV commercial for Jackie Chaulk, Realtor.  The full commercial can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfgfRiCBo0E

As you can see from his pictures, Caleb is a very happy guy with a sense of humour.  He loves to learn new things and is eager to show off and make you smile.  Caleb is extremely well socialized and is good with dogs of all sizes and temperaments, people of all ages and other animals too.  When Caleb is not running around having fun, he is in my lap snuggling on the couch.

Jade

(Jade Rupert Finnicus Sanders)

Breed: Border Collie Mix 
Date of Birth: October 10, 1999

History: A friend from long ago had a female dog who ran away one day and came back pregnant!  We decided to split the puppies up between the two of us to be sure they went to good homes - thank goodness there were only 4!  We chose Jade and his sister Savannah.  I was there the night Jade and his sister were born and visited with them every day until they were allowed to leave their mom.  Jade and his sister were inseperable and were the easiest puppies to raise - they never chewed on anything, potty trained quickly and always seemed to listen.  I wish all puppies were that good!

Training: Basic to Advanced Obedience, Agility

Commands:  Sit, Down, Come, Heel, Stay, Wait, Here, Hup, Over, Hop In (Vehicle), Leave the Room, Shake a Paw, Beg, Sit Up, Leave It, Don't Touch, Okay (release)

Employment: Jade is retired from being my Obedience Demo Dog, although he still likes to show off from time to time.  Even at his age, Jade loves agility and can jump, scramble and teeter with the best of them!  Jade is an example of a calm, quiet, well socialized dog that can go anywhere with you.

Accomplishments: Jade has taken every obedience class with me and has accomplished even advanced obedience such as the "Down on Recall", "Moving Sit" and heeling off leash.  His favourite command is the "Finish" (going to heel position after a recall) and whenever we practice it he gets goofy like a puppy again.  Jade is a model dog, happy and friendly with all people, including kids, and has perfect manners.  He gets a gold star for being the only non-rottweiler dog in the house and putting up with their antics!

Zeke

(Ezekiel Cornelius Sanders)

Breed: Rottweiler 
Date of Birth: April 2009

History: Zeke came to us as a foster dog for a local dog rescue.  His previous owner claimed that Zeke was highly aggressive and would lunge and try to bite her and back her into corners and not let her move.  He was going to be put to sleep, but we fostered him and as he was just a 4 month old puppy we knew he deserved a second chance!  Zeke had a bit of attitude as a puppy and was prone to temper tantrums and severe food aggression.  But after gently imposing some rules (no biting, sit and wait for your food, share, no jumping up) Zeke turned into a beautiful boy who was just wanted to be worked with and loved.  And so we fell in love with Zeke and added him to our family.   He now prefers to give kisses in abundance!

Training: Basic Obedience, Starting in Protection Training and Schutzhund in 2011

Commands: Sit, Down, Stay, Wait, Shake a Paw, Heel, Here, Drop It, Leave It, Out, Leave the Room

Accomplishments: Zeke has no more aggression issues and is learning to be my new Obedience Demo Dog.  While he still has some learning and growing up to do, Zeke is a happy friendly boy who loves to learn!  Zeke is in training to take over from Caleb teaching dogs proper social skills, but first he has to grow up a bit more and learn some patience!  He may start training for Schutzhund in 2011 as a new-found outlet for all his excess energy!  He has a lovely full bite on the sleeve and a perfect instant out.  Such a good boy!

Fionna

Breed: French Bulldog X Boston Terrier 

Date of Birth: September 20, 2009

History:

Fionna was purchased by a family who thought they were getting a smaller version of an English Bulldog.  As it turned out, Fionna had far too much energy for them and after trying everything they could to make it work, they decided that they were just not the right home for her.

They brought Fionna to me for an evaluation to see if we could help them find her a suitable home.

Well, it was love at first sight and Fionna isn't going anywhere!  

Fionna was nervous at first, being the smallest dog of five, but she fits in so perfectly here; she thinks and acts just like one of the rottweilers and does her best to keep them in line.

Fionna LOVES to play tug, give kisses and snuggle under the covers at bedtime.  She is sweet, affectionate and full of spunk - just what our pack of four boys needed to balance things out!

Training: Basic Obedience at this time, but exploring other options in the future...

Commands: So far just sit, down and tug - more to come...

Ewok

Breed: Indian Street Mutt (DNA tests results say he is a Shar Pei X Basenji X Chihuahua - not so sure about that!)  :)

Date of Birth: Feb 2, 2009

History:

Ewok was imported as a puppy by a  family travelling in India.  The cute little brown and white bundle of fur was adorable!  What they didn't know was that Indian Street Dogs are not like your average domesticated dog.  Their personalities are often affected by their strong survival instincts.  Due to not understanding the breed and not providing Ewok with his needs, he became extremely aggressive towards the family.  Even after working with Ewok and his family, they were just unable to provide the firm boundaries and confidence that an owner of a street dog often needs.

We took Ewok in and started his rehabilitation.  After about 8 months of rehab and training we thought we had found the perfect home for Ewok on Vancouver Island in the summer of 2011.  Unfortunately, even after explaining his personality and how to deal with his outbursts, we received a call within 48 hours asking us to come and get him.  

So we brought Ewok back home and decided that he would be ours from now on.  It has taken Ewok several months to adjust to living with a group of dogs and to not chase the cat, but he has finally started to settle in and become part of the family.  He still tests his boundaries regularly and will for the rest of his life.

For those that consider importing a street dog from another country, do your research first!  Many native street dogs have genetic traits that are very different from the companion dogs we are used to in North America and they often have difficulty living in urban environments.

Training: Basic Obedience, attempting Scent Detection Training

Commands: Sit, Down, Come, Stay, Leave It, Find It, Kennel, Off

Beloved friends we miss dearly...

Serra

(Serraphyn Angel Sanders)

Breed: Rottweiler 
June 15, 2008 - April 14, 2011

Training: Basic Obedience, Herding

History:  Serra came to us in April 2009 after being in 4 different homes and abandoned by her breeder due to health issues.  She was born in June of 2008 at an unethical breeders who cared more about money than the health of his dogs.  She was abandoned at the vets by her first owner at just a couple of months old and the breeder ordered her destroyed.  Thankfully the vet would not do what the breeder wanted.  Serra went through 3 other homes by 10 months old and came to us in April 2009 when her last owner just couldn't handle her arising aggression due to her medical issues.    After a lot of blood work, ultrasound and changes in diet, Serra has turned into a very healthy happy girl!  She is on a special custom blended raw diet and supplements that are easy on her kidneys and she is fluorishing.  Because she was not handled or loved as a puppy, Serra came to us as a fearful, mildly aggressive dog that did not understand human affection.  Human touch used to make her freeze and stiffen, and sometimes growl.  She was sullen, quiet, and didn't want to be near anyone for almost a year.  But over time, she was slowly desensitized to her fears and in the Spring of 2010 Serra wagged her tail for the first time!  Ever since that moment, she has been a happy and goofy girl who craves affection and human touch.  She will always be our sweet little girl!

Accomplishments: Serra has come a long way since we got her.  We noticed some obsessive circling behaviour in Serra when we first got her.  She loved to run rings around our goats! On April 6, 2010 Serra took her Herding Instinct Test and passed with flying colours!  Serra is a natural herding dog and will continue her herding training as that is what she likes to do best!

April 14, 2011:

Today we mourn the loss of our beautiful girl Serra.  She was born in June of 2008 at an unethical breeders who cared more about money than the health of his dogs.  She was abandoned at the vets by her first owner at just a couple of months old and the breeder ordered her destroyed.  Thankfully the vet would not do what the breeder wanted.  Serra went through 3 other homes by 10 months old and came to us in April 2009 when her last owner just couldn't handle her arising aggression due to her medical issues.

Serra was diagnosed with congenital kidney disease which led to other health problems such as calcinosis.  In the end, despite weekly vet visits and the best in medical care from Dr. Marlow at Brookswood Veterinary Hospital, Serra's kidney's failed due to an infection that her body just couldn't fight.  She passed away peacefully in her sleep last night, April 14, 2011 at almost three years old.

Serra was a beautiful girl, who taught me ever so much about the rehabilitation of damaged dogs.  When she arrived at our home, she was emotionally distant and quick to snap when touched.  With love, time and slow rehabilitation, she learned to relax and trust people again.  Within about six months, we were able to handle her, cuddle her and hold her - things she never understood or accepted before.  And about a year after she came into our lives, she wagged her tail for the first time.  It was at that moment that we knew she was done with her reahbiliation and begun to really live.

And live she did.  Everything Serra did was with enthusiasm and joy.  The day she learned to run in the field for the first time, she kicked out her legs and danced around like a crazy baby deer, almost falling over in her happiness.  When her "brothers" Caleb and Zeke would play, she would jump in and nip one of them on the side and bark at them, telling them to play with her instead.  And the day she went to have her herding instinct test - what a wonderful day!  She smiled and grinned from ear to ear as she ran circles around those sheep like it was what she was born to do.  She would watch the cat, with an impish grin and then dance after her playfully when she ran by.  And when she wanted to cuddle, she would climb deliberately up on the couch and flop against me, looking backwards and upside-down into my eyes with a stare that melted my heart as I massaged her head and rubbed her tummy, until she fell asleep in my arms.

Serra lived just under three wonderful years - but the joy she brought to us will last a lifetime.  Love your pets each and every day with all of your heart, because you never know how long they will be with you.  The kindness you give to them can make all the difference.

Run free, darling Serra, our little angel...thank you for the precious time you gave to us...with all our hearts we miss you...

Tundra

(Tundra-Belle Demon Sanders)

Breed: Chow X Lab
November 1997 - January 24, 2010

What can I say about my Tundra.... (to be continued soon...)

Savannah

(Savannah Banana My-Little-Pony Coyote Sanders)

Breed: Border Collie X
October 10, 1999 - September 29, 2008
Born with Megaesophagus, not expected to live long, but her spirit kept her going for almost 9 years...

My little girl has gone. We took her to emergency on Sunday because she was having trouble breathing and hadn’t been able to keep her food down. After blood tests and x-rays we found that her megaesophagus had gotten so bad that her esophagus was pushing down on her lungs and hindering her breathing. And because the esophagus had stretched out so large, the food was unable to reach her stomach. She had been losing weight all week and I couldn’t figure out why – we thought it was just another one of her bad spells that she always recovered from. But not this time. To make things worse, she had a congenital heart condition where her heart was growing around her esophagus and also constricting her ability to eat. Nothing could be done.

We took her home that day to let her spend time with her brother Jade and her family and in our hearts we hoped that this was just like every other time she got sick, that she would power through it and go on with life as she always had. But after I fed her her special liquid diet her breathing was more sluggish and she regurgitated her food in the middle of the night. She was suffering so much, but didn’t want to give up. She would have kept going on until she wasted away, but that wasn’t fair to her.

Monday night we took her to emergency again and said goodbye. I held her in my arms and she peacefully closed her eyes and fell asleep. Up until the end she snuggled in my arms, nuzzling her head under my chin. On the ride to the hospital she begged me to pet her by nudging my hand. I sang her favourite song to her and held her and we said good bye.

She was almost 9 years old. Almost unheard of for a dog with megaesophagus. Most dogs with the condition end up dying within a few months of birth or succumb to pneumonia or other conditions within a few years. She was almost 9 years old. And if I had let her, she would have made it to 9, but I couldn’t let her suffer any more.

She had a heart of gold, a sweet puppy dog face and an iron will that kept her going when other dogs would have given up. She lived for her next meal and for her snuggles with her brother and me, her mommy. For 7 years she slept under the covers next to me curled up in my tummy or my back. She kept me warm on cold winter nights and I miss that. The last two years she couldn’t sleep in the bed because she kept getting sick from the confinement and had to sleep in her own bed. But every night I covered her up in her blankie and tucked her in.

In her younger more healthy years she loved to play ball with a tiny tennis ball made for cats. She would pounce on it and bring it back for hours, until I couldn’t throw it anymore. She loved chewing on bones and stealing them from our obnoxious rotti pup. She taught him so many manners and she was the only dog Caleb truly respected. When she said no, she meant it! She was the fastest little dog I ever saw. When she let her legs go, she could outrun her brother who was at least double her size. She loved to run.

I miss the smell of regurgitated food in the house, as she always regurgitated a meal at least once a week for the last little while. I miss walking into the bedroom and seeing a pee puddle on the carpet because she was too tired to ask to go outside. I miss the smell of stain and odor remover in the air. When we steam clean the carpets, we won’t have to do it again for a while and I will miss that. I miss washing her bedding every few days because she peed or regurgitated food on it. I miss the sticky crusties in her hair from the drool she dribbled all over the place. She stained our living room couch so badly that it has permanent rings of drool, slobber and other excretions and I can’t live without them. They remind me of her. I miss her little coyote yip in the morning that meant, hurry up, I have to pee! I miss hollering at her outside to stop her from eating things off the ground. I miss the extra time I had to spend in the kitchen preparing her meals in whatever way she was able to eat that month. I miss seeing her sitting beside me staring at me because she wanted to tell me something. I miss her warmth on my toes as she was always sleeping under my desk. I miss everything about her.

When I think that the day is too hard or the task too daunting, I just think of her. She had a horrible birth defect that didn’t allow her to eat properly and her heart was constricting her life as well. Her esophagus was so large that any other dog would have died long ago. But not my little warrior. She kept going even though life was difficult. She kept going even though life was hard. She kept going even though she was hungry every minute of her life. She just kept going until I had to help her go.

I love you Savannah. I miss you so much. You will always be my little baby. My little pony. My little coyote. My precious one who taught me so much. Thank you for being in my life.

I was there and held you the day you were born and I held you the day that you died.

And I will always hold you within my heart. I love you. See you soon, Savannah. See you soon.

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