AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2021 |
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FOSTER TAILS: FOSTERING MULTIPLE BRITTANYS
by James De Knight
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There is nothing I like better than getting a call from my state coordinator asking me if I am interested in fostering. Actually, it is more of a formality now, because in all my years with ABR I have never turned down an opportunity to foster. In mid-December of 2018 I received a call about an emergency foster situation. I had to think hard before accepting this one.
My family and I had just finished decorating the house for Christmas. The stockings were hung, the Christmas tree was ready to tip over from so many ornaments and lights, and we had to wade through other house decorations when my phone rang. A foster home was needed for two young Brittanys, a brother and sister that were a little over a year old, and it had to be done right away. We had fostered many Brittanys over the years and normally wouldn’t think twice about saying yes at a moment’s notice. But two fosters at the same time was a different story, and they were young. A family meeting was called, and we discussed the pros and cons of having two fosters. There really wasn’t much debate, but we did take bets on how long it would take before the Christmas tree was knocked down and dragged through the house. We picked them up a week before Christmas and quickly nicknamed them, for good reason, the “Terror Twins.”
Buddy and Daisy came barreling into our lives like a freight train. They had been well cared for, were healthy, and as ornery as could be. There was no shyness or being afraid of the new situation with these two. They came in gangbusters and seemed right at home the moment they walked in the door. The first lesson we learned was that going to new places with a friend makes adjusting so much easier. They were also easy to entertain because they constantly wrestled with each other. Buddy and Daisy were like two teeth snapping, paws flying, growls and grunts, yelping, tumbleweeds of destruction rolling through the house at any given time. I half expected the police to show up and arrest us for an illegal dog fighting ring due to these two, but the entertainment level was priceless. I think we only turned on the TV a few times during the weeks they were here. Training was tougher because when they were together they were more prone to ignore us and do what they wanted. I remember one time Buddy and Daisy were laying on the couch and I told them to go into the kitchen. They looked at each other with a side eye like, “Should we listen to this guy or just ignore him?” (I think they agreed to ignore me.)
Overall, Buddy and Daisy were an absolute dream to have as house guests. They never bothered the Christmas tree (a huge surprise) or any decorations. From this experience I learned to embrace more than one foster at a time. We sure did miss them after they were adopted by a loving family in Rhode Island. I was surprised and delighted to find out a few months later that I would be getting another pair to foster!
In September of 2019 we were asked if we were interested in fostering two senior male Brittanys that were not from the same litter but had been together most of their lives. Their owner had health problems and thought it was best to surrender them. Since I now had the experience of fostering more than one Brittany at a time, I couldn’t wait for a new challenge.
Paska and Zeryk came into our home with just as much of a nonchalant attitude to their new surroundings as Buddy and Daisy, but these gentlemen seniors were very low-key. They came from a loving home, and their manners and disposition showed this, but they also had health problems. Zeryk was like a viking Brittany. He was big-boned and weighed in at over 60 pounds. He had a breathing problem and would get easily winded and simply collapse on the floor with labored breaths. Paska was a small-framed Brittany, but he was extremely overweight. He had a very hard time moving around, plus he had a large fatty tumor (lipoma) on his neck and one by an ear. We had Paska and Zeryk for six months. They were harder to find homes for because they were a pair and they were seniors, but we loved having them with us because they were as good as gold. Within that six months Paska lost about 30 pounds, thanks to diet and exercise, and we had the (benign) tumors removed. Zeryk was put on medication for his breathing and was able to lead a more normal life.
Having Paska and Zeryk around is what we now call our “Golden Years'' of fostering. The two old boys, along with our senior foster fail, Ruby, were in perfect sync with each other. The old girl would want to go outside, the boys would follow. When one took a nap, they all took a nap. It was a Brittany herd of elderly serendipity. We really thought we would be their caregivers until their dying days but an amazing retired couple from Delaware changed all of that. They saw Paska and Zeryk on the ABR website and thought they would be a perfect match. So we drove out to Delaware for a meet and greet and it was indeed an absolutely perfect match. Paska and Zeryk went on to live in a beautiful house with a couple that simply adores them and caters to their every need.
So, based on my experiences, if you are ever offered a chance to foster more than one Brittany, don’t let the opportunity pass you by. It will be double the heartache of saying goodbye to two fosters, but twice the feeling of happiness for a job well done.
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Do you have “Foster Tails” to tell?
A foster moment you’ll never forget?
A challenge you overcame?
A funny or heartwarming story?
A tale of encouragement?
A foster who made a special impact?
Whether it's a few sentences, a whole story, or a photo that speaks for itself, we would love to hear and share your anecdotes, thoughts, and experiences. Please connect with us at social.networks@americanbrittanyrescue.org.
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SUCCESS STORY: SAVVI BELLE BORCHART
Submitted by Beth Borchart
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When Ranger, our first Brittany, passed I felt a longing to adopt a rescue. I obsessively checked the ABR website looking for that perfect match for our family. Impatience got the best of me. We came into contact with a Brittany litter and Thor joined our family.
But I still could not shake the feeling that I wanted to adopt. And, I thought, why not get another one? It would be twice the fun and Thor needed a fur companion. And so the obsession of checking for available dogs began once again.
And there she was. Bella was being fostered in Illinois, a midwest girl. Her size caught my attention. At 33 pounds she was small like Thor who was 34 pounds. The other thing that caught my attention was an emptiness in her eyes. I began the task to make her ours. We learned that Bella was kept outside on a zipline with a male Brittany. She became pregnant on her first heat at around nine months of age. As far as I know, the homeowner’s adult children intervened, the puppies were rehomed, and ABR took Bella and the male dog.
We excitedly met her foster mama, Lisa, in Wisconsin to bring Bella home to Minnesota. Bella was renamed Savvi Belle. She was 13 months old, just two months younger than Thor. It was “Brittany Bliss.”
However, we did question our decision off and on for the first two months. Savvi seemed sad; there was still that emptiness in her eyes. She didn't know how to play and was most comfortable in the backyard alone. Thor wanted to play with her so badly, but she would turn on him in an aggressive way which terrified him. We took everything slowly, rewarded positive behaviors, and gave her lots of TLC. Lisa suggested that we make time for them to do some things together and others separately. So we started doing tandem walks and solo walks daily.
At two months, it seemed like the switch flipped and Savvi became a full-fledged member of the family. She is now happy and content. She loves her people, and she LOVES her Thor. She can be a girly-girl that enjoys her spa days. She sits in the tub while I scrub her, hands me her paws for nail trims, and grins from ear to ear as I brush her teeth. Then, as soon as she is dried off, she is back to being a tom-boy, freeing the backyard of any and all critters that may be invading and wrestling with her brother Thor.
This summer she loved being on the boat and tent camping on the North Shore. She also put on her game-face this fall for her first grouse hunting adventure. Her other favorites are the dog park, car rides, and being perched on the back of the sofa to monitor the yard. But above all else, she loves her brother Thor, and he loves her. Where you find one, you will find the other. They have taught each other good habits and bad habits.
She isn't as perfect as she may sound. I have some square throw pillows that are missing corners, but she is perfect for us. And now that emptiness in her eyes is filled - filled with a sense of belonging and joy.
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VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH:
SANDY OELSCHLEGEL
by Debra White
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Sandy Oelschlegel is the Board Chair for American Brittany Rescue but she wears many hats for the organization. Her main area of expertise is fundraising. She is the person behind the Giving Grid campaigns which raises funds for foster Brittanys with significant medical needs. In this role, she collects information, photos, and videos of the Brittanys in need and puts that information together in the Giving Grid software. She also organizes other campaigns such as Giving Tuesday and the spring and fall bulb fundraisers, and she recently managed the Scolton Collection of Brittany Collectibles that were sold through ABR’s first online auction. Sandy works closely with the ABR Social Media Team to reach out to ABR supporters.
Sandy first became involved with ABR through the process of adopting from ABR. She cites her interactions with the volunteers who assisted with her own adoptions as her motivation to get involved. “It was clear that the dogs came first in everything they did, and that it was a very organized and ethical organization,” Sandy says. “I completed a volunteer application and we were able to help in some transports and a home visit, but I wanted to be more integrated in the day-to-day business of the non-profit organization. When a position opened on the Board of Directors, I expressed interest and was interviewed. To my surprise - they added me to the Board!” And what a wonderful addition she is.
Sandy and her husband live in Vonore, Tennessee with their three ABR Brittanys: Taylor, Zeebo, and Liberty. When Sandy met her husband Will in 1988 he had three Brittanys and she had three Airedale Terriers. They combined their packs and over time only Brittanys remained. Sandy appreciated their friendly, easy, and devoted personalities and soon they became the only dog she would consider. Since 1988, Sandy and her husband have had some great Brittanys including Fritz, Heart, Sara, Sam, Scout, and Joy, in addition to their current pack. She shares the story of how her current pack came to be:
“When our last dogs, Scout and Joy, crossed the Rainbow Bridge only a few months apart in 2016, the silence and emptiness of our house was intolerable. Little did I know, Will was looking at the available dogs through rescue organizations. We knew we had an ideal setting for dogs with a large fenced yard at our farm in the country and hoped we would be approved to adopt. Our search connected us with the wonderful ABR State Coordinator Rebecca Rockwell Wallace. Although not on the ABR website yet, she knew of a bonded pair in Iowa that needed a home together. Knowing we had just lost our own bonded pair, she informed us of their availability. They sounded WONDERFUL and my heart began to feel just a little happier at the thought of bringing the beautiful middle-aged dogs to our home. In no time at all, our application was approved, a home check done, and we were in the van, driving north to meet Terry and Glen Mixdorf somewhere in Illinois.
Having just lost our two very elderly and infirmed dogs, Scout and Joy, I have to admit it was a shock to have two very active Brittanys in our life again. But the house was no longer empty and quiet, and Liberty and Zeebo quickly got used to the farm and to us. Now I could not imagine life without them.
Our third dog was a surprise. We agreed to foster a 7-year-old heartworm positive, owner surrender in January of 2018. When we met him, Taylor struck me as being a quiet gentleman with the most beautiful senior eyes, looking just a little sad. I won’t go into details but we had to work very hard and closely with him to help overcome his separation anxiety. I could not imagine re-homing him; I knew it would not be best for him, and well…we had fallen in love with him! So, in July, we completed the adoption papers for Taylor.”
If you are not an active ABR volunteer now and you think you want to get involved, Sandy highly recommends it. ABR needs your eyes and ears to help find Brittanys who are stray, abandoned, placed in shelters, or candidates for owner-surrender because of life changes or death of owners. The mission of American Brittany Rescue is to help these dogs, and you can be a part of that mission.
Thank you, Sandy, for being a vital part of ABR’s successful mission!
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Grayson’s Story:
The Brittany We Were Not Looking For,
But God Had Other Plans For Us!
By Terry Mixdorf
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Grayson came to us at the 2019 Nationals as a 22-month-old who needed a new home due to a divorce. Everyone in our group said we needed to take him in. We already had 6 dogs and certainly were not in need of another… so, of course, Grayson came home with us!
We have owned many Brittanys over the years, but none like Grayson! He is one of a kind! Extremely, and I mean EXTREMELY SMART, agile, light on his feet, soft mouth and knows how to work his way into the depths of your soul and never leave! Grayson showed us his agility in the yard by climbing an evergreen tree, using a tree stump to navigate a 6-foot fence and then he showed us his love for fresh chickens, much to our neighbor’s dismay!
In June of 2020, Grayson along with the rest of the pack went outside early in the morning as they always do. Within minutes we heard screaming and my husband Glen ran out to find Grayson at the back of our acreage down and screaming, with the other dogs all surrounding him. He scooped him up and brought him into our house where I examined him. At first, we thought there was a dog fight, but there were no cuts. His left leg was limp though and since he let me examine it and move it around, we thought it was dislocated. However, when he tried to walk on it, he would collapse.
We took Grayson to our vet where x-rays showed he had a compound fracture. It was a clean break and our vet tried to set it but could not get the bones to align. She worked on him for hours and when everything failed, told us he needed to go to the Iowa State University (ISU) Small Animal Hospital in Ames, Iowa where they could set it correctly. We wanted to cry. The cost at ISU was going to be through the roof!
Sure enough, after looking at Grayson’s leg, they needed to put a plate in as that was the only way to hold the bones together and the total estimate for his surgery was nearly $6,000.00! We left him there knowing he would get what he needed, but wondered how we would pay for it all, as the ISU requires payment in full before you leave. A Minnesota volunteer, Bobbie Pomeroy heard about our dilemma on Face Book and came up with a fundraising idea to help offset our costs. We were so incredibly humbled and blessed by the amount of donations that came! An amazing 95% of the vet bill was covered!
Grayson had a few setbacks that cost several thousand dollars more, including the amputation of his pinky, as it also had been broken, but no one knew it at the time. Grayson is now completely healed and back to the special antics that make Grayson... GRAYSON!
Because of what we went through and knowing others have gone through this as well, we wanted to give back the blessings that were bestowed on us by setting up this special fund through ABR. Grayson’s Fund is a grant available to ABR adopters to help defray the cost of orthopedic surgeries. The initial seed money for the fund comes from the proceeds of the ABR auction as well as the ABR spring bulb sale. Click Here if you would like to donate to Grayson’s Fund, and select Grayson’s Fund from the options. For more information on how to apply please contact your state coordinator.
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LUKE'S RUFF YEAR
Submitted by Luke Warren, with the assistance of his dad Charles Warren
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Well, everything started out just fine. The usual walks in the park and hills. The usual good food. Love all around, but… things started to change. Strange people started coming over. They were nice enough, but, well, strange.
Then all the familiar things started going into cardboard boxes. Finally the big car got stuffed with all sorts of things. When my master brought me over and helped me in, I had never seen it like this. At least he brought both my beds and my toys, but why? Then we started to drive. We had never driven so long and far. Yes, we stopped from time to time. He always got me out to walk around and sniff, but it was never any place I knew. And at the end of the day we hadn’t gone home. Nor had we even gone to the mountains for camping. We stopped finally at something called a motel… and it had stairs I had to climb. I don’t understand stairs. I don’t like them. And so it went for days. I had no idea the world was so big! I was happy I got to ride in front. One of my beds even fit there. But I couldn’t just stretch any old way or else the car noise changed and my master got busy for a few moments. Then he put his hand down just in the way of my stretch. Anyway, the driving just seemed to go on forever and lots of the places we stopped had stairs. None had the smells I was used to.
Finally we got to a different little place. It was pretty small but it wasn’t a motel. It was surrounded by other houses and had a lot of trees. The trees had squirrels, but they were quicker than the squirrels I was used to. There were also other dogs. One lived right next door and she was always trying to sneak in and snitch my stuff. My master always got it back, though. Once or twice I noticed she had left nice big bones around, so I borrowed one or two. That seemed to be ok. She got cranky about me sampling her food though. And all this time the other human was nowhere to be found.
Well we emptied the car one day and on another day got in and drove quite a while. And there was my other human! Well, that was better. Then another day and yet another house. It seemed nice enough, but too empty, and the floors are slippery. A bit later a BIG truck came and unloaded LOTS of cardboard boxes. They sort of smelled familiar.
Finally, it seemed we weren’t going to do any more long driving. Where we had arrived was nice enough. Lots of trees. Lots of grass. Lots of new dogs. Some just wanted to get acquainted, but one barked, carried on and even chewed his chain link fence he was so upset to see me. Then there are these really large and different creatures. My people call them horses. Sometimes they will lean over their fences to smell me, but they’re so big I wish they wouldn’t. So, I’ve decided to relax a bit and stick with my humans a bit more closely. They seem to know where we are and what to do. Who knew you could go so far? Maybe this is far enough. Christmas. I seem to remember others… and other squeaky toys. I still have last year’s and it even still squeaks, and I even got a new one this year which squeaks even louder. So, ruff year. Even a bit scary. But here we are.
- Luke
PS - As to the humans’ kerfluffle, the really bad part of that has been going to the vet. First, of course it was a strange vet. And they insisted on taking me on a leash from the car and my people into the office. Oh! I was scared witless and unimaginably worried. Where were my people? Well they about had to carry me back outside. I guess they were worried about ME. I heard them talking about quality of life, end of life care… and the only problem was I was in a strange place without my people! I’m more relaxed about it, now, and a nice vet even took the nasty lump off my face where it had been growing forever.
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HEALTH CORNER
Prevention is the Best Medicine for Periodontal Disease
by Christine Brennan
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When ABR volunteer Melissa Tapply DiLello brought her most recent foster — a seven-year-old Britt named Olivia — into her home, she already knew Olivia would need a date with the dentist. Her breath gave it away but a peek inside her mouth revealed brown teeth as well as some that were loose. Olivia was seen by the vet right away and they scheduled a dental cleaning appointment for two weeks out, but within a few days Melissa began noticing small drops of blood coming from Olivia’s nose when she sneezed.
“We went back to the vet who thought it was probably related to her dental issues so we moved the dental surgery up a week,” Melissa said. “But on the night before her surgery, we rushed her to the ER because her canine tooth was bleeding profusely. The ER vet gave her a tranquilizer to lower her blood pressure which stopped the bleeding for the night. During her surgery the next day, they confirmed she had an oronasal fistula — essentially a hole from her mouth to her nose — caused by the diseased canine root.”
While oronasal fistulas aren’t commonplace, the most frequent cause of them is periodontal disease, and this was the culprit in Olivia’s case (other causes include trauma to the dog’s mouth, a stick or bone or other object penetrating the space along a root, tumors, or a congenital abnormality).
In fact, periodontal disease is so prevalent that some experts believe the vast majority of dogs — perhaps upwards of 80-90% — have it to some degree by the time they are three years old. And the effects of periodontal disease can go far beyond the mouth. “Studies have shown that dogs with severe periodontal disease have more damage in their kidneys, heart muscle, and liver than dogs without periodontal disease,” according to VCA, a network of more than 1,000 veterinary hospitals.
As periodontal disease takes hold in a dog’s mouth you may notice:
● Bleeding or red gums
● Bloody saliva
● Loose teeth
● Lumps in the mouth or under the eyes
● Receding gums
● Nasal discharge or sneezing
Given its potentially significant consequences, periodontal disease is the big kahuna when it comes to your Britt’s dental health. Other dental conditions to be on the lookout for include:
Fractured Teeth:
This fairly common condition can be caused by anything from trauma to your Britt biting into unyielding sticks, bones or deer/elk antlers. Depending on the severity of the fracture, it may be very painful, something dogs can be good at hiding. Even more worrisome than our loved ones being in pain is the risk of infection (see below). Without treatment, many fractured teeth can go on to become infected. Signs of a fractured tooth include a visible break in the tooth, a red or black hole on a crown, facial swelling, or a decrease in appetite. “The most important thing to remember with regards to fractured teeth is that it’s not a ‘wait and see’ situation,” according to a blog post by Animal Dental Care and Oral Surgery in Colorado. “The sooner a fractured tooth is evaluated by your veterinarian, the better.”
Tooth Abscess:
A tooth abscess is a severe infection that typically occurs after some kind of break (such as a fracture) has permitted bacteria to enter the exposed root canal of the tooth. Once the bacteria takes hold, it kills the tooth and the infection can then spread to the bones in the mouth. The abscessation of the tooth and surrounding bone is a very painful process that, left untreated, could even be fatal.
Another cause of abscesses? You guessed it: good old periodontal disease.
Sadly, many dog owners forego dental care, mistakenly thinking it’s not necessary for our canine friends. The truth is, it couldn’t be more important.
Celebrate National Pet Dental Health Month by making your Britt’s next (or first!) dental appointment today.
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COPPER, California
Hi everyone! My name is Copper from California, and I’m looking for my forever home! I’m three years old and weigh in at around 62 pounds! I was surrendered by my previous family because they were moving to an apartment and could not meet my needs. I spent most of my time living in a kennel in their backyard, but I'm perfectly house trained.
I benefit from a lot from exercise and am slowly building up to longer and farther walks and runs. Foster mom is working on leash training, as I love to pull when I see cats and birds or when I smell trash on the sidewalk. Going on walks makes me much more mellow in the house, where I spend most of my time napping in my crate or bed, asking for scratches from my fosters, or destroying my toys. Occasionally, when I get the “zoomies,” my energy level escalates very fast and it can turn into rough play, so I need someone to help me redirect some of this energy! My previous owner mentioned that I resource guard, but my foster family has not witnessed this yet. My foster mom does say I can get stubborn sometimes, especially when I don’t want to come inside after a walk!
I prefer a house with a backyard and a secure fence as I love being outside watching the birds. I have taken a long time to be comfortable with the other household dog and would like to be introduced to any potential “roommates” prior to deciding on my new family.
I am adorable, and I love to learn new things! But I do need my exercise. What I love the most about my foster mom is that she takes me for runs and walks and I am not left in the back yard by myself anymore. I didn't like being by myself, so I try really hard to be a good boy.
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CHARLIE
Is agility or frisbee your thing? Looking for an active, crazy companion to share in the fun? Then Charlie might be your guy. He's a healthy 1½ year-old boy in Illinois looking for a home where he can be included in lots of activities close to his human companions. Charlie is on the energizer bunny side of the spectrum, well beyond the normal Brittany active. He’s gorgeous, sweet, and affectionate but stubborn. And when he is “forced” to do something he does not like or is fearful of he can be reactive. He likes to play rough. He gets frustrated when play is terminated, and he will bully the male Britt in his foster home. The bossy female he respects.
Charlie needs an experienced dog owner. He is not a dog for a novice. He needs a lot of attention to channel all that energy in a positive way. Runs in the dog park are not a good idea given his reactivity. Walks alone are not going to be enough for Charlie. He will need both exercise and mental stimulation. He is a boy who needs a job! At this point, no kids or felines in his household.
This boy needs to be included in an active family’s day to day life. Crated for long hours will result in a wild man with excess energy to burn. No long distance or sight unseen adoptions for Charlie. We feel it is important that all family members (human and canine) meet to assure that we have a good fit.
Charlie is a sweet dog, and a wonderful Brit who is anxious for your forever love and companionship. If you're looking for a constant companion, Charlie may be the dog for you. Interested in learning more about this wonderful guy? Complete the adoption application.
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Are you looking to adopt a Brittany but don't see one available in your area? |
We welcome you to complete an adoption application to start the approval process, so you will be ready to adopt when the time comes!
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ABR Masks are now for sale at the Brittany Boutique for $5
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Keep up-to-date on dog food and treat recalls on DogFoodAdvisor.com. You can also sign up to have recall alerts delivered to your inbox! |
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ABOUT THE AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE
American Brittany Rescue, Inc. is an organization that was formed in 1991 as a cooperative effort of Brittany owners, breeders, trainers, and fanciers who ABR believes have a responsibility not only for their own dogs and the dogs they produce, but for the breed as a whole.
THE AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE MISSION
ABR's mission is to provide the leadership and expertise via a network of trained volunteers to take in stray, abandoned, surrendered and/or impounded purebred Brittanys, provide them with foster care, health and temperament screening, an opportunity for any necessary rehabilitation and to assure their health and placement into new homes. In order to fulfill this mission, ABR's volunteers remain flexible and adaptable to current and future business environments and they remain dedicated to the organization.
ABR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Terry Mixdorf, President
Terrie Johnson, Vice President
Michelle Falkinburg, Secretary
Debbie Clark, Treasurer
Diana Doiron, Co-Treasurer
Sandra Oelschlegel, Chair
Nancy Hensley
Bobbi Tolman
AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE E-NEWSLETTER TEAM
Brittany Boler
Christine Brennan
Jeannine Connors
Judie Cutting
Kristin Davis
Autumn Fenton
Lori Gartenhaus
Patricia Gillogly
Linda Joyce
Melissa Tapply DiLello
Debra White
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