Happy Report from Home...

Hi Karen,

I've been feeling guilty that I haven't written to you lately to tell you how things are going. Luckily, the peeing issue has been resolved. We haven't had another incident since I talked to you last...thank goodness.

The mange thing is still being treated. She is back on the ivermectin, and she continues to get a bath with this special soap once a week. I'm hoping that the vet thinks she is showing significant improvement the next time I take her in.

I can tell that Hope is getting a little bored with me now that the kids are back in school. I guess I'm just not as much fun running around the back yard as they are. Most of the time she just hangs out in the kitchen when I'm cooking or reading the paper. We are like two old women by ourselves.

I think she is doing great and she has really been so good about learning where her bed is and going into the kennel when we are leaving. The only thing we still need to work on is jumping up. Hope is so excited when Gillian comes home from school, she can hardly stand it. It is so cute to see them get back together after a long day at school.

If you're ever around this area, feel free to stop by. I think you'd be amazed at how great Hope is looking. What a comeback!

Take care,

Andrea

Adopted and fabulously happy!

Hope met up with a wonderful family at an adoption event and stole their heart.
She went home FOREVER in May.
But adoption does not make her miss her agility training class.
To everybody's great excitement, her new family attended class with her.
Hope had the time of her life!
This is a happy ending as we love to see it.
Hope couldn't wish for anything more---she's one happy girl!!!

WAITING FOR MY TURN...

I am a patient young lady...

On Saturday, I went to my first agility class. First I got to run and play with Ares and Olina (another IBR foster dog), then we got down to business. I went through a tunnel, over an A-frame, jumped over little fences, and through a tire. It was fun!

AGILITY STAR

Hope is a trooper. She did really well at agility. She's so easy going - nothing phases her.

A LETTER FROM CAMP..

Dear Foster Mom,
Who knew there were so many fun places to go and things to do? I am really enjoying my time at Camp West while you are away on business. I don't want to hurt your feelings but, I am having so much fun here, I don't miss you as much as I thought I would. I have been playing and playing and playing with Ella. She is lucky to be the West's forever dog! I also played and cuddled with the West's, especially the kids. I LOVE kids! I sure hope that when I find my forever family, or they find me, they have some kids to play with. I can't wait until we can cuddle again!
Love, Hope

WHILE MY FOSTER MOM'S AWAY...I WILL PLAY!

Well Hope-a-Dope (as my 5 year old calls her) has been soaking up a lot of love at Camp West while Karen is away. Hope deserves the 'bestest' home ever. She and Ella almost caught a rabbit in the back yard yesterday morning! Hope was half way under the fence trying to reach it. She was oh so close!

Hope doesn't seem too fond of the male dogs that surround our house. She is the first one howling and jumping at the fence when Bear wanders out.

She squints her eyes so tight when you talk to her, wagging her tail and immediately down on her side looking for anyone to pet her. She smothers the kids with kisses. Last night I had to give her a bath. She gets pretty 'stanky' with her whole mange thing going on! I called her from the top of the steps, she came wagging her tail like crazy, squinting, and then plopped down at the bottom of the steps. She is so submissive! When she gets scolded it breaks your heart. She is a counter surfer and she got a hold of a boneless skinless chicken breast last night, and when I said "No Hope No", she immediately plopped down on her side. She is killing me... she is so darn cute!

She loves the food dispensing ball, she can bat that thing around for an hour. She and Ella play great together, she is longer and taller than the hobbit, so her reach is a bit better than Ella the junk yard dog's. No aggressive fighting, just a lot of love after playtime. After breakfast Hope will save her gel cap pill and toss it around and play with it under the table and Ella looks at her like, "Are you going to share"?... I will have to follow up with photos too. Hope is adorable, I am so happy IBR brought her in.

The Staff at Camp West

LIFE IS GOOD!

Look at me now! Not only am I sweet, cuddly and playful, house and crate trained, I'm getting FLUFFY!!! I'm such a good girl in the house that I get to sleep in bed now. My foster mom says it's too crowded, but I love cuddling with her and the other dogs, so I say the more the merrier.

I'm learning about being loved, pampered, and having fun. My foster mom is teaching me some things, like sit and come. I get treats for both of these! Some things I'm figuring out for myself, like if I go over there and sit, when she opens the door where the treats are kept, I might get one just for being smart. I've learned to jump right up in the back of the car when we're going to the forest preserve for our daily walk. I love riding in the car, there's no time to waste waiting to be lifted in. I've learned that toys are not quite as much fun after you take the stuffing and squeaker out. I still love my pheasant though. And, last but not least, I've learned that if you wiggle around too much when you're laying on the couch, you fall on the floor. This has happened several times, but it just feels so good on the couch, I can't help myself!

Life is good! I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

GREEN GRASS AND A WHITE COUCH...My Foster Mom must REALLY love dogs!

Hi, it's me again, Hope. If you've been looking at the pictures from when I was sad and scared at the shelter, you may not even recognize me. It's really me, having fun with my foster family.

We go for walks in the forest preserve every day, and sometimes we go places where I can run off leash. I love playing chase with the other dogs! There's a sand pit at the high school that makes me act silly. I love running in the sand.

I noticed that the other dogs like to sleep on the couch or the bed, instead of the floor, or dog beds, so I decided to give it a try. They're definitely on to something!

I AM CAT SAFE!

Hope and Olivia (my cat) are becoming great friends. You will never met anyone more protective of their cat than I am, so I'm watching them carefully, but Olivia is the instigator. She hides under the bed, then jumps out at Hope. Hope sticks her head under the bed, with her tail wagging wildly. I tried to get pictures, but it's a pretty fast paced game!

The good news is that when they're not playing, Hope ignores her.

CAN SOMEONE PAT ME ON THE BACK?

Hope is doing great! She was fine in the crate while I was at work yesterday.

She loves to play fetch, and her favorite toy is the stuffed pheasant. Phoebe is still playing hard to get, but Lucy actually played with her last night.

I've been so anxious for everyone to be able to see how cute and sweet she is. I'm so proud of her!
-Karen

GOT HAIR?

Hello,
It's Hope again! I have been saying my prayers and asking for a little assistance in the fur department.. I guess it was better for me to have a new foster home instead. I understand, I really do. It's just that I have been doing everything that I can do to grow some hair. My coat is a million times better than it was when I was found, many months ago. I would love to be able to shed my hair EVERYWHERE! Just like the rest of my foster siblings! I've heard that IBR has some experience with helping dogs with serious skin and fur conditions. I 'll wait a few days to see what Lisa has in store for me. BUT, if I don't hear anything soon...I will need to go to my backup plan! Shhhh...I'm going to order that can that sprays hair onto a human's bald head. Think it will work?

A MESSAGE FROM HOPE!

Hope here. Saturday, March 24, was the first day of my new life in Illinois. It got off to a slow start with a long ride in the car. Then, I was put in another car without my life-long friends Strength and Courage. I was sad and scared and cried in the car. I shouldn't have worried. I made new friends as soon as I got to my foster home, and one of them is a cat! The dogs here are very nice, they share their toys, treats and dog beds. They are even sharing their mom, until I can get one of my own. I love playing with toys, going for walks and getting my belly rubbed. I even got to run inside the safety of the fence at the high school. My foster mom laughed at me because I have little bursts of puppy energy, and knock myself down sometimes when I'm running. I've met some of the neighbors, and everyone says I'm sweet and adorable, even though I'm still missing some of my hair. I'm very happy here, and am being a good girl. I haven't had any accidents in the house, and I sleep all night in the crate, without a peep.