Tinsel's Journey

I am so enjoying all your updates on Tinsels progress. Thanks for documenting all of this. I am sure it will be very helpful to many who come to the forums after adopting or fostering a rescue pup. great learing experience for all of us.
 
Whole lot'a Love!

Gosh, I'm in awe of all that you have been accomplishing. :yes: I'm loving reading the updates and hearing about Tinsel's new journey ( although it was unfortunate that it happened at all) ... a wonderful "second chance" to have a quality life. Hats off to everyone involved from the rescue forward. Forward is a great direction to go .... This is very moving.
Thank you for having the courage to care for and love Tinsel as he is trying to learn to accept the security and love you are offering .
 
Oh oh, too many goodies yesterday I expect. He has loose stools this morning. If he has another one today I will run a sample down to the clinic for a float. I wish I still had my microscope so I could do it myself but I gave it away when I stopped breeding. I just gave him lacto and hopefully that is all it is. Of course I didn't realize that he was loose until after he had his breakfast or I would have reduced his morning feed. Oh well. I'm excited to say that he gave me his second bark in 37 days this morning and it sounded more like a dog and less like a cartoon character. I didn't reward him for it but inside I was doing a happy dance. I've been worried that something had been done to his vocal chords by the horrible people that had him before his rescue.
He's started to pick up toys and carry them to whichever bed he decides to lay on. He has 4 to choose from. He's also learned to chew them until he can get to the stuffing and then proceeds to pull it out. Needless to say, I have to watch him with that new trick. No blockages for Tinsel please.
So, today will be a quiet day for him. Don't want to tax his digestive system. We'll do our walking and grooming session and otherwise he can help me clean another room. After all, the paper towels are not safe in his presence. I'm sure he just wants to help, right??
 
Thank goodness that you came into Tinsels life. So sad that he had to go through this before you adopted him. Those damn(sorry for language) make me livid! They should put the owners in cages. Again Tinsel is so lucky that you have him. Please keep us updated about Tinsel.

Terry&Blysse
 
You know I think we are lucky that Tinsel came into our lives when he did. I lost my beloved mare Kassy to a horrible and unexpected death in August. She was fine at 4:30 grazing with Thomas and Arial and by 7:30 she was dying from a sudden and severe colic which resulted in torsion. We had been together 22 years and I still feel her loss deeply every day. Then Tinsel came and I had to focus on his needs which took a lot of attention away from the sadness that would overcome me especially when I would return from the barn and had again been faced with Kassy's empty stall. Just hours after Tin arrived the call came in that my mom had died unexpectedly. Regardless, I had a severely traumatized dog in my house that needed me to help him. In working with him, talking to him about all the things that I needed to say and that only a furry friend could be trusted to hear, I feel some of the sadness lifting away. So I think we are blessed with the gift of a little grey dog with a funny little grin that came into our lives when we needed him most.
 
Tinsel's bowels are back to normal but I think I will let him have a second day of no stress living. In the meantime I am getting some good info from one of the forum members, Ontario Sheltie, on places to look into for assistance.
I'm going to start carrying most of his breakfast in a bait pouch and use it as his rewards. He's walking fairly well on lead so it's time to do some exploring off the property - we'll probably have a blizzard now! So, Saturday will be day 1 of Tinsel's journey into the next unknown. Wish us luck.
 
Poor Tin Man, loose bowels are such a pain. My three are doing better since I started rotating their food but they aren't very tollerant of anything processed so I'm going to have to make sure to only give them all natural treats.

Sweet Potatoes are great for the bowels and so healthy. They can help cure diarrhea but also soften things up if you have a constipated dog. And best of all, dogs LOVE sweat potatoes. Crumps makes a great dehydrated sweet potato chew that my dogs would tight rope walk for if they could.

Here are some treats that are healthy but I've found were easy on the tummy of my three

http://www.crumps.ca/products/sweet-potato-rawhide
http://www.purebites.com/ProductsDogEng/products_beef.html

What kind of food are you feeding? Just curious.
 
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He's on Purina Pro Plan Salmon & Rice. When he first came I put him on GO Natural which is what the Belgian is on but after a few days he was getting itchy and I didn't know if it was the food or just his filthy coat. Since most of the sheltie breeders feed this Purina food I bought him a bag and he isn't itching anymore. The lacto worked and he is back to normal. I had bought him some different treats but I am still not convinced that he doesn't need to be dewormed again and of course there is the question of his thyroid. He's been here for 38 days now and yesterday was the first soft movement he's had so I'm not worried about it. I'll just watch it.
What I am concerned about is he is regressing and I don't know why. He no longer wants to visit with strangers and he growled tonight when my hubby was carrying a stool into the family room where he was relaxing. It was definately a fear response but the first time he has done it or shown any sign of fear aggression. Hopefully it will not be a recurring thing.
Fingers crossed that this is just a set back.
 
I have never had a rescue dog, but it makes sense that there are backwards steps on the journey forward. Persistence and consistency are key. I just love reading Tinsel's story and your journey with him.

Melissa recommended Purebites. I had the Purebites chicken once for my dogs probably over a year ago. All I have to do is say chicken and they come running, they loved it so much. I also use Mother Hubbards treats - the small ones which are only 8 calories.
 
Tagg said:
You know I think we are lucky that Tinsel came into our lives when he did. I lost my beloved mare Kassy to a horrible and unexpected death in August. She was fine at 4:30 grazing with Thomas and Arial and by 7:30 she was dying from a sudden and severe colic which resulted in torsion. We had been together 22 years and I still feel her loss deeply every day. Then Tinsel came and I had to focus on his needs which took a lot of attention away from the sadness that would overcome me especially when I would return from the barn and had again been faced with Kassy's empty stall. Just hours after Tin arrived the call came in that my mom had died unexpectedly. Regardless, I had a severely traumatized dog in my house that needed me to help him. In working with him, talking to him about all the things that I needed to say and that only a furry friend could be trusted to hear, I feel some of the sadness lifting away. So I think we are blessed with the gift of a little grey dog with a funny little grin that came into our lives when we needed him most.
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I think you're an absolute inspiration. My heart goes out to you for your losses. Yet you still opened your heart to Tinsel. I think I wish you lived next door!

I am consistently impressed with the character of the people I've met through Sheltie Nation! You all inspire me!
 
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