# Our New Foster Dog



## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

He looks extremely intelligent. So terrific of you to rescue him!


----------



## mojosmum (May 20, 2005)

What a cutie he is!!!

Remarkable markings..... he DOES look like the coyote  

Thank you for saving his life.


----------



## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

jeffreyzone said:


> His name is Wiley, and he appears to be a Golden/German Shepherd mix. This year-old handsome fella is definitely heavy on the Shepherd side. He was in a kill shelter in north Georgia, and his time was running out. We decided to spring him, and we're currently working without a group. This is a first for us, but hey, there wasn't time to think about it, really. Wiley has been with us for eight days.
> Wiley (named because his markings are reminiscent of Wile E. Coyote) is learning all kinds of things. I have a special "Thank you" to Katie for all of her clicker encouragement; Wiley is not motivated by treats, but he responds extremely well to the clicker. I am new to using a clicker, so we are both learning as we go.
> He is very good about staying connected to his person. Wiley walks on loose lead even when there are deer and squirrels present. He's quite phenomenal in this regard, and I think it's because we are the first people that he feels he can trust. He is also very good with Dottie and Barrington. All in all, I'd say he is an excellent companion dog.
> Cheers!
> View attachment 1258


It is great of you to have rescued him...poor guy, I know how you feel, we currently have a rescue from a kill shelter as well, this little guy is only 4 months old, I just dont understand how these people can do this to these poor animals?


----------



## megan_kat22 (Apr 25, 2006)

Aww that is awesome you rescued him!

He looks very smart and thankful.

Resuces are such sweet hearts!


----------



## greg bell (May 24, 2005)

that is neat... thanks from all of us.. you did good..


----------



## Dilligas (Jun 17, 2005)

He's gorgeous! What a unique pup!


----------



## shaneamber (Apr 20, 2005)

Hey Jeffrey,:appl: :appl: :artydude :woot2: Wow,I'm glad to hear that you saved such a dynamite dog. Good looking and smart,sounds like you should keep him.
Are you north of Atlanta ? We're down in Warner Robins,not far from I-75. We have goverment run kill shelters here also,but more and more no kill groups are popping up.
Adopt A Golden Atlanta is looking for foster homes. They have a lot of Goldens to place and could always use an extra hand. Here's a link, 
http://www.adoptagoldenatlanta.com/
There are others,but I've know some of these people and you couldn't ask for better.
All the best to you and Wiley,


----------



## jeffreyzone (Feb 8, 2006)

Thanks everyone. Wiley continues to astound us with his progress. He watched his first tennis practice last night, and when he had the opportunity to explore a whole crate of loose tennis balls, he proved his German Shepherd heritage. The tennis balls were not as interesting as the girls who wanted to pet him. 

Thanks for the info, Shane. I live in Norcross, and I've done foster work with Adopt A Golden. They are an excellent group for sure. I'd be lobbying to get Wiley into their program if he were a full Golden. As it stands, I won't bother them in this case because as you said, they are continously maxed-out with shelter Goldens. As you probably know, they don't limit their efforts to the metro Atlanta area; they've saved Goldens from all over the state. They've established some impressive connections. Anyone who is looking to adopt a rescued Golden in Georgia should take a look at Adopt a Golden Atlanta.

I would keep Wiley in heartbeat, but we always hold the third slot open for a foster dog. We live in a wooded neighborhood, and we haven't fenced our yard, so Dottie and Barrington are always helping out with walking the foster dog; they are offleash, but any foster must always be onleash. 

Also, we don't own a vehicle large enough to carry three dogs together. This could be solved, of course.  But the botom line is that Wiley will go to a home better than ours, and we'll be open to help another dog.

I will admit that I am getting attached, though.


----------



## ron (Sep 16, 2005)

Beautiful dog! It's so good to rescue Good Luck


----------



## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

He's a beauty, and in more ways then one. Thank you for saving him and getting him out of the shelter. I've always wondered if these dogs could talk our language, what would they say about there new lease on life and those that have saved them. But I think that smile he is wearing kinda says it all!

Somebody is going to get a beautiful dog!


----------



## jeffreyzone (Feb 8, 2006)

It seems like the message I am getting from him again and again is that all he needed was someone to trust. At first, he was afraid that I was going to throw whatever I was holding at him. Now, he has learned that we don't throw things at our house...well, OK, he hasn't seen the frisbee demonstration that Dottie and Barrington will gladly put on for him. I'm saving that for a little later.


----------



## jeffreyzone (Feb 8, 2006)

Here's a quick Wiley update: He has hit the jackpot! On Memorial Day, he was adopted by Lyle and Diane Strickland, owners of Spin Lite Cycling in Hiawassee, Georgia. They have given him a more appropriate name for a bicycle-shop dog: "Spoke." He's having a great summer. 

I've visited them a couple of times during the past several weeks, and it's so pleasing to see how well Spoke has adapted to his environment. It's also great to see how much his new parents love him. He is with his people 24/7, whether at work, at play, or at rest. He has the perfect demeanor for a shop dog; curious and glad to see customers, but laid-back and happy to chill out in the mechanic's area. 

So, if you find yourself in the Georgia mountains, be sure to stop by Spin Lite and say hello to Spoke. And if you ever need custom wheels for your bicycle, you should talk with Lyle. He is a true craftsman who builds and ships wheels all over the world.

http://www.spinlitecycling.com/

Cheers!

-Jeff


----------



## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

That's wonderful news! And it's great that you can continue to visit him.


----------



## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Fantastic!!!!! Sounds like a great place for a permanent home!!!


----------



## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

Great news! He's so cute!


----------



## jeffreyzone (Feb 8, 2006)

Thanks, y'all. Katie, I have a special thanks to you for encouraging clicker training. When Wiley first came to live with us, he was very nervous and afraid, and he was not interested in treats. We started with the clicker, and it was excellent reinforcement for him, because we couldn't go nuts with a lot of praise when he did the right thing.

So, we were using a somewhat different approach with the clicker, as we were not associating it with food. He responded almost immediately, and that clicker was a powerful tool in building Wiley's confidence. After he was adopted, I walked around for a few days clicking Dottie and Barrington, and hey, they responded, too! It was like therapy for me, because I missed Wiley so much, and I still do. But that's the way it goes with rescue!

I recommended the "Click to Calm" book for his new parents, but I think they are skeptical about the clicker. Even after we put on an impressive demonstration, I don't think they were convinced. I guess that sometimes people don't want to try something that is not readily understandable. That's OK; I want them to do whatever works best for their new dog, and he has settled in nicely. I won't preach at them (very much). But I was so glad that I'd read your posts about clicking; otherwise, we'd have had a slower time with Wiley's progress. I'm a believer! Thanks!!!


----------

