Ricco!!! He's Here! L@@K at this Handsome boy! (oh that's right, you can't see him like I can!) I am fostering Ricco for 2nd Chance Animal Rescue based in NYC...It was after lots of prayer and planning that I decided to apply to foster for them & I am so grateful they have blessed me by allowing me to help in their quest to save the dogs most in need; especially those on death row in NYC shelters....That is where Ricco came from- he was brought there as a stray...anyways that's all History!
Today is the first day of Riccos new happy and healthy life! Upon arriving here this is what i noticed; black and white lab-like face and floppy ears. slender for his size, no direct eye contact, slinkish body gestures, he had been car sick on way here (transporters van showed the evidence)...Ricco had some really bad dandruff and fleas, his first stop was the crate i set up for him where he drank some nice VT well water; 2nd stop was out to do potty; then 3rd stop was in the tub to get him treated for his dandruff and fleas.
Oh, did i mention right from his arrival here I began teaching him sit and stay with treats to re-enforce? this also carried over to the bath etc...
He was a good boy in the tub, very passive and non resistant to entire process. I wet him down, shampooed him up, let the shampoo sit a bit to work, and then a good rinse. He was a good boy about getting out of the tub (his fave part i'm sure) and let me dry him off with towels after a good shake or three!
Then Ricco spent some quiet time to dry further and rest in his crate. There was some crying at first, but that didn't last long as i just went about my business where he could see me (in kitchen) and didn't give him any (reward) attention for his crying; a couple of Ricco NO's and he caught on. He sat in crate and i noticed him checking out the room and noticing him watching my parrot taking a splashy bath in next room...I made sure i re-directed his attention with a NO, and Sit, and then a treat (diversion from parrot as pray)...Finally laying down and resting...ah, rest....After a rest/quiet time to settle in I put a dish of doggie food in his cage (along side the water already in there...
Ricco ate fast and furiously...and was ready to go out and explore our fenced in yard (on leash) and he smelled around a lot and did his business...after that I took him for a short walk down my dirt road...and of course every little bit he was told to sit, and then given heal command when it was time to walk again...Ricco pulls on the leash, I think he had little to no leash training, but after a few sit stay heal mini lessons along the way I noticed after we turned around to walk back to the house he was less frantically pulling and seemed a bit more relaxed.
Back inside the house and into his crate, now he is resting there peacefully...
So that's all for now, I'm off to do some 'people' stuff....
Thanks for reading my blog entry about Ricco; Please pray for him- he needs to put on some weight, learn some 'manners' and 'meet' and co-exist peacefully with the rest of my 4 legged family...
Today is the first day of Riccos new happy and healthy life! Upon arriving here this is what i noticed; black and white lab-like face and floppy ears. slender for his size, no direct eye contact, slinkish body gestures, he had been car sick on way here (transporters van showed the evidence)...Ricco had some really bad dandruff and fleas, his first stop was the crate i set up for him where he drank some nice VT well water; 2nd stop was out to do potty; then 3rd stop was in the tub to get him treated for his dandruff and fleas.
Oh, did i mention right from his arrival here I began teaching him sit and stay with treats to re-enforce? this also carried over to the bath etc...
He was a good boy in the tub, very passive and non resistant to entire process. I wet him down, shampooed him up, let the shampoo sit a bit to work, and then a good rinse. He was a good boy about getting out of the tub (his fave part i'm sure) and let me dry him off with towels after a good shake or three!
Then Ricco spent some quiet time to dry further and rest in his crate. There was some crying at first, but that didn't last long as i just went about my business where he could see me (in kitchen) and didn't give him any (reward) attention for his crying; a couple of Ricco NO's and he caught on. He sat in crate and i noticed him checking out the room and noticing him watching my parrot taking a splashy bath in next room...I made sure i re-directed his attention with a NO, and Sit, and then a treat (diversion from parrot as pray)...Finally laying down and resting...ah, rest....After a rest/quiet time to settle in I put a dish of doggie food in his cage (along side the water already in there...
Ricco ate fast and furiously...and was ready to go out and explore our fenced in yard (on leash) and he smelled around a lot and did his business...after that I took him for a short walk down my dirt road...and of course every little bit he was told to sit, and then given heal command when it was time to walk again...Ricco pulls on the leash, I think he had little to no leash training, but after a few sit stay heal mini lessons along the way I noticed after we turned around to walk back to the house he was less frantically pulling and seemed a bit more relaxed.
Back inside the house and into his crate, now he is resting there peacefully...
So that's all for now, I'm off to do some 'people' stuff....
Thanks for reading my blog entry about Ricco; Please pray for him- he needs to put on some weight, learn some 'manners' and 'meet' and co-exist peacefully with the rest of my 4 legged family...
