Fostering Chester

I promised this list a week ago, but I have been digging my way from underneath a mountain of freshmen essays. Morven tried to eat some of them, to help me out, I’m assuming; but, I did the responsible teacher thing and pried the essays out of his jaws.

And I’m still not completely caught up with my grading, but I’ve decided that I have to take a half hour to update my blog, since Scott went doggy-adventuring with me today (to drop off latest Chesters Carlyle and Dewee, who are going to rescue), and he would not let me pull any additional fosters from the Richmond County Shelter, even though Allison was up to her chin in dogs, as always.

See, below, Scott’s steely expression:

As soon as Scott turned his back, Allison said, “Oh my God, don’t bring him here again! Bring Casey next time.”

Allison and I asked Scott to take some photos for us, since we were sure he’d fall for the dogs we made him view for an extended period of time through a lens. First, we tried these Cocker Spaniel/Hound mixes:

But, of course, the one on the left tried to do her best Gremlin impression when she caught Scott’s eye. Scott shuddered. Then, we asked him to photograph a sweet Jack Russell girl:

Still no sell. I walked Scott around the entire shelter, and he constantly whispered in my ear the following phrases in perfect rotation:

1. “The holidays are coming up.”

2. “You are already at your 3 foster at a time limit.”

3. “You have papers to grade.”

So, alas, I made my first trip to Richmond without bringing any fosters home. But, I promised Allison that I’d try to find homes for my current fosters as quickly as possible, so that I can make up for it next time.

1) Chester2 Lexington

Pulled: Friday September 2, 2011 from City of Columbia Animal Shelter

Update: Chester Lexington has been adopted!

Lexi is a 1-year old Norfolk Terrier. See, below, Lexi with Jack right after we brought her home. Her foster mother, Sandra, reports that she is an energetic girl, who would be perfect for someone who likes a walking buddy, and who isn’t too committed to a peaceful environment for backyard squirrels. Actually, if you’re annoyed by squirrels, Lexi is your girl.

2) Chester2 McBee

Pulled: Saturday September 3, 2011 from Melissa Ann McLaughlin-lein

Adoption commitment: None; still available.

McBee, renamed Roo by foster dad John, is a 6-month old Rat Terrier mix. John and I joke that he’s a ferret disguised as a dog, since his long legs and nimble body allow him to go just about anywhere he wants. I visited recently, and he can make it from my lap to around my shoulders with both ease and speed.

He played fetch with my then-foster Dewey. Actually, Dewey fetched and Roo jumped over him while he ran — left then right, right then left — as though Dewey were a cone on a race track obstacle course.

Here he is, below, with snuggie #1:

And, here he is with John, his snuggie #2:

3) Chester2 MorVen

Pulled: Friday October 21, 2011 from Richmond County Animal Shelter

Adoption commitment: None, still available

I adore Morven. — so much so that I will only be able to give him to someone who I know personally and who will grant me foster mother visitation rights. Maybe it’s because of the way he and I bonded that day in the animal shelter, when I stretched myself out on the floor in front of him. Maybe it’s because of the way he makes my life easier by his attentiveness to Jack. Maybe it’s because he has soft, curly hair, like a teddy bear’s.

Seriously: is it just me, or does he look like an angel with the sunlight shining behind him?

Whatever the reason, I am the ONLY person (besides the kids) in this family who likes Morven. He’s disliked to such a degree that Scott has given him nicknames reminiscent of none other than Lord Voldemort, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Half the time he’s Morfin (Voldy’s crazy uncle), half the time he’s Marvolo (Voldy’s crazy grandfather).

Scott’s reasons for not liking Morven? (1) Morven pees whenever Scott touches him, probably because he’s freaked by the guy who doesn’t know his name; and (2) Morven destroys things in the way that most 8-month-old puppies do.

See our window screen, below:

Of course, this wouldn’t have happened if Mom and Scott had let Morven inside. As a nanny dog, he has to be with Jack. Otherwise, he gets a little . . . upset.

The “last straw” for Scott was when Morven got one of his shoes. Of course, that wouldn’t have happened if Scott had picked up after himself.

That scene played out as follows:

Scott: Verbal explosion of some sort

Me: “What’s wrong?”

Scott: Throws shoe

Me: “DON’T YOU DARE HIT MORVEN WITH YOUR SHOE!”

Scott: “I was trying to hit YOU!”

Me, pacified: “Oh. Okay then.”

Apparently, Scott was madder at me for bringing Morven into the house than he was at Morven, for destroying his shoe. So, he went for the ultimate insult in the Arab world.

Since then, we’ve been trying to teach Morven the difference between acceptable and unacceptable chew toys. See an acceptable one in his mouth below:

Well done, Marvolo.

4) Chester2 DalZell

Despite the fact that the place name DalZell sounds feminine to me, Z2 (renamed Zeus) is a boy. He’s a 2-year-old Chorkie (Chihuahua/Yorkie mix). This cute little guy has a rescue that has committed to him on December 3rd, but if I find a home for him before then, the rescue coordinator will hopefully take another in need.

Foster mom, Trina, reports that Zeus is sweet with both people and other dogs. And that he is especially fond of blankets. Also, she reports that she is now able to put away the homemade male wrap (to prevent urine marking). Good boy, Zeus.

And, thank you, Trina, for being such a resourceful foster mom! If only I had met you sooner . . . the Trina-brand male wrap is MUCH less expensive than the two Simple Solution male wraps I bought for Edisto at the pet store.

5 and 6) Chester3 Ariel and Beaufort

Pulled: Friday November 4, 2011 from Richmond County Animal Shelter

Update: Chesters Ariel and Beaufort have been rescued!

Ariel “Penny” and Beaufort “Otis” are a Shepherd and Beagle mix, respectively, and both are less than a year old. See the two of them below, leaving their soft beds in Scott’s shop to enjoy the sunny day:

Otis is a sweetheart, and he has such interesting coloring: mostly brown on his head; white and black spots everywhere else.

And, like the character Flynn Rider in Disney’s Tangled . . .

Otis has nailed “the smoulder:”

How can you resist?

As for Otis’s best girl, Penny, you’ve never met a dog with nicer brows. She looks like she had a fight with black eyeliner but came out the better for it:

When I pulled Penny, she was terrified. She hid behind the car seat the entire ride to Columbia, trembling. She’s submissive, timid even, but she loves to be loved. I’ll hear her paws against the glass on our back door: her way of letting us know that she’s outside and needs petting.

Every day, she comes out of her shell a bit more. Today, she played fetch with me. She nailed both the retrieving and the relinquishing part. Here she is standing proud, below:

Let me know if you’d be interested in adopting or fostering any of these impressive dogs! As soon as you do, I’m off to pull a new one in Pam Murray’s honor. Pam, my friend Ashley Smith’s mother, donated to the Fisk Foster fund, and I was thinking of how to spend the money. Should I buy a new, taller baby gate for Morven, who has Edisto the Wonder Dog’s super jumping ability? Should I use the money to pay for Zeus’s neuter surgery (something I’ve been putting off b/c of cost)?

Nope. I’ll let Ashley’s donation go towards the baby gate and Zeus’s neuter surgery. I’m letting Pam’s go to future foster E cubed. E is such a great letter after all.

This weekend, Scott and the kids and I will be spending time with family in Charleston. Scott’s sister and her family will be visiting from Texas. Hurrah for mini-breaks! Hurrah for visiting family!

As you might imagine, though, the pet-sitting bill for a foster home full of dogs is . . . well . . . pricey: $25.00 per visit for 3-4 dogs x 3 visits = $100.

We’ll be taking Quinby, of course, because (1) she’s our handicapable dachshund; and (2) Mrs. Fisk LOVES dachshunds and anything that Scott makes. So, we know she’ll be a huge fan of Quinby and her fabulous chair.

Mom and Dad will be puppy-sitting Emma and Mr. Knightley. Thanks, Mom and Dad.

So, that leaves:

(1) Edisto:

In true Edisto fashion, poor E. keeps missing the bus to New York. Last week, there was no room for him. So, we put his racing cap and sunshades aside for another week. But, today I found out from Whitney that there won’t be a bus this weekend. That means that a very disappointed Edisto will be here another week. He may get a little cheerier if he has another less-glamorous-than-NY but still fun place to visit this weekend.

(2) Elloree:

Elloree would enjoy spending the weekend: eating, cuddling, and playing. And then playing some more. And some more. Elloree, if you haven’t figured it out yet, has a lot of energy. She may look chill in the photo, above, but don’t let her fool you. She’s trying to figure out how to swing.

(3) Hilda:

Like her sister, Hilda likes to play. Unfortunately for your pants, Hilda’s favorite game is tugging. — on anything she can get her teeth on. So, make sure that your pants are belted. Pajama pants with elastic waistbands are no-nos around Hilda, unless you’re carrying her. But, really: how can you stay mad at that half-white/half-red face.

(4) Ravenel:

Ravenel will be your best friend as soon as she meets you. She’s our newest addition. I had a momentary scare when I came home right after getting her and realized, small girl that she is, she had squeezed under the front gate. (We’ve since fixed that.) However, she was just sitting there, waiting for me to get home, and was content to follow me back inside. She’s a good, sweet and friendly girl.

(5) And, finally, Lexie:

Normally, friend and colleague Sandra fosters Lexie, but she’s going out of town this weekend too. I’m surprised that I’ve had NO emails of interest about adopting Lexie. — especially since she’s the most well-behaved of the pack! If I were the one offering to puppy-sit, I’d choose Lexie. I can’t promise that E. won’t lift his leg to urine mark (though I’ll send his wrap with him), nor can I promise that the pups won’t have potty accidents (though I’ll send wee wee pads with them). BUT, I’ll bet you $10 that Lexie will be among the most perfect, well-mannered house guests you’ve ever had. — canine or human.

Let me know if you’d be willing to puppy-sit any of the above for us, from around Friday afternoon till Sunday afternoon. We’ll happily pay you in baked goods (which Scott will bake, since we want them to be edible). Plus, we promise to return the puppy-sitting favor, no baked goods required. After all, what’s one more dog at our house?

“Where’s Gertie?” you ask. She’s going to her new home tomorrow! Yay for FrankenGert! And, no, I have not yet fainted while administering the salve. — though I’ve not yet really administered it either. I close my eyes and squirt it. Thank goodness it’s of a runnier consistency that Neosporin.

1) Chester Edisto, the Wonder Dog: a 2 year old male Beagle

Pulled: Thursday June 2, 2011 from local rescue

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, neutered, microchipped, and on heartworm/flea preventative.

To read more about E., visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester-edisto/

Just make sure you go to the oldest entry and start reading there, because E. is tagged in A LOT of posts.

I thought a local rescue was reclaiming E., but I think they changed their mind. 😉

Update: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2001 by Last Chance Animal Rescue

2) Chester Abbie Faith, the Mama Dog: a 2 year old female Pit Bull mix

Pulled: Wednesday August 10, 2011 from the Marlboro County Animal Shelter/Middle Mutts

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm positive (undergoing treatment), spay scheduled, and on flea preventative.

To read more about A squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-abbeville-hilda/

Abbie Faith and her pups have a rescue commitment in New York, but, if I find a home for them here, we’ll send other needy dogs in their place.

Abbie Faith loves to be loved. And, now that her pups are weaned, she has only one request: a home, free of pups.

Update: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Dog Tags

3) Chester Duncan, the Laid Back Pup: a 6 week old male Pit Bull mix

Pulled, in utero: Wednesday August 10, 2011 from the Marlboro County Animal Shelter/Middle Mutts

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, neuter scheduled.

To read more about D squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-abbeville-hilda/

Duncan is the laid back pup of the group, who LOVES his naps. Some friends came over to see the puppies. Duncan came to say “hi,” but then managed to sneak off. When we found him, he was snoozing in Arina’s playhouse. Too cute.

Update: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Dog Tags

4) Chester Elloree, the Go-Getter Pup: a 6 week old female Pit Bull mix

Pulled, in utero: Wednesday August 10, 2011 from the Marlboro County Animal Shelter/Middle Mutts

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, spay scheduled.

To read more about E squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-abbeville-hilda/

Elloree is the go-getter of the group, so she’s also the chubbiest, which is unsurprising. — since she “goes and gets” the food.

Update: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Dog Tags

5) Chester Fairfax, the Sweet Pup: a 6 week old male Pit Bull mix

Pulled, in utero: Wednesday August 10, 2011 from the Marlboro County Animal Shelter/Middle Mutts

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, neuter scheduled.

To read more about F squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-abbeville-hilda/

My new friend Trina took this photo of Chester Fairfax. She’s fostering both Duncan and Fairfax for me. You’ll see Duncan on the right, no doubt looking for a place to nap. Seriously. Here’s the next photo Trina sent:

Fairfax, on the other hand, would much rather be staring at his person with puppy dog eyes, begging for a cuddle. I’m sure Trina obliged.

Update: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Dog Tags

6) Chester Hilda, the Smart Pup: a 6 week old female Pit Bull mix

Pulled, in utero: Wednesday August 10, 2011 from the Marlboro County Animal Shelter/Middle Mutts

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, spay scheduled.

To read more about H squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-abbeville-hilda/

Hilda is always the first pup to figure things out. She figured out how to push the playhouse door open, letting out herself and all of her siblings when we were trying to contain them. She figured out how to climb stairs and immediately climbed the stairs on the wood deck and stole the adult dogs’ food.

Hilda is just like her Uncle Edisto. *sigh*

Update: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Dog Tags

7) Chester Kincaid, an 8-month old male Pit Bull/Basset Hound mix

Pulled: Thursday August 25, 2011 from City of Columbia Animal Shelter

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, neutered, microchipped, and on heartworm/flea preventative.

To read more about K squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-kincaid/

Kincaid loves toys, and takes equal delight in playing with and destroying them. And he loves kisses. And pretty much everything else you can think of.

Update: Rescued! Saturday October 16, 2011 by Nuts for Mutts

8 ) Chester Lexie, a 1 year old female Norfolk Terrier

Pulled: Friday September 2, 2011 from City of Columbia Animal Shelter

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, spayed, microchipped, and on heartworm/flea preventative.

To read more about L squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-lexington/

Friend and colleague Sandra is fostering Lexie and reports that she’s never had such an affectionate dog. And I’m guessing that she’s never had a dog with such pretty eyes either.

9) Chester McBee, a 4 month old male Rat Terrier

Pulled: Saturday September 3, 2011 from Melissa Ann McLaughlin-lein

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, neutered scheduled, and on heartworm/flea preventative.

To read more about M squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-mcbee/

Friend and colleague John is fostering Mac, nicknamed Roo, and reports that he is the easiest foster of the three he’s had to date. That’s mainly because Roo thinks he’s a human, so he doesn’t like any of those doggie thinks like leashes and obligatory walks. He would rather run outside off leash, use the bathroom, and run back to jump on the couch. Actually, he’d probably rather use the toilet, but he hasn’t figured that out yet.

10) Chester North, a 3 year old male Shih-tez, or maybe a Tibetan Spaniel

Pulled: Monday September 12, 2011 from City of Columbia Animal Shelter

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, neutered, microchipped, and on heartworm/flea preventative.

To read more about N squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-north/

My mother is fostering North, nicknamed Harley, for me. Yay for Mom! She reports that he is a loving, playful little guy. And that he prances.

Update: Adopted! Friday October 21, 2011 by Frank and Dianne Plyler

11) Chester G. Olar, a 6 year old male Beagle

Pulled: Friday September 16, 2011 from Marlboro County Animal Shelter/Middle Mutts

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm positive (undergoing treatment), neutered, and on flea preventative.

To read more about O squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-olar-and-powdersville/

Poor Olar, nicknamed George. He looks so much older than he is that I aged him to be 10-11 originally, like Gertie. We noticed that he seemed awfully spry for such an old man, though. He LOVES to eat and has a definite pep to his step.

Then we found out from his eye doctor that he’s only 6 or 7. Oops. Now that his cherry eyes have been fixed (those two red bulges in the corner of each eye), he looks much younger. He still has the ulcer in the left one, an old scar, but that’s okay. I think we should get him a patch and pretend he’s a pirate.

He’s being fostered in Charlotte by a wonderful family. They adore Beagles and George met them and his two Beagle foster brothers today.

Update: Adopted! Monday October 17, 2011 by Jacq McConkey

12) Chester G. Powdersville, a 10-11 year old Collie (?) mix

Pulled: Saturday September 17, 2011 from Scotland County Humane Society/Middle Mutts

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, spayed, and on heartworm/flea preventative.

To read more about P squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-olar-and-powdersville/

To be honest, I have no idea what sort of dog Powdersville, nicknamed Gertie, is. Because her thick, luxurious fur reminds me of a Collie, I’m going to say Collie. — although I would be interested to hear any guesses.

What I do know is that she’s a super sweet old girl who is curled up at my feet while I type, snoozing away.

Update: Adopted! Thursday October 13, 2011 by

13) Chester Quinby, a 5 year old Miniature Dachshund

Up-to-date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, and on heartworm/flea preventative.

To read more about Q squared, visit: https://fosteringchester.com/category/chester2-quinby/

We adore Quinby. She’s sweet. She’s happy. She’s one tough pup. And, now that she’s on wheels . . . look out world.

Quinby didn’t just try to jump in the video. She did jump.

My favorite comment about Quinby: I introduced her on facebook and friend and colleague Chris gave her a big thumbs up, and then explained:

“I will always ‘like’ cyborg weiner dogs.”

Me too, Chris. Me too.

Update: Rescued! Sunday October 16, 2011 by Dachshund Rescue of North America

***

If you, or if anyone you know, is interested in adopting any of the current Fisk Fosters, send me a message!

Chester Lexington; Pulled: Friday September 2, 2011 from City of Columbia Animal Shelter

and

Chester McBee; Pulled: Saturday September 3, 2011 from Melissa Ann McLaughlin-lein

Adoption commitments: None; still available.

Sweet Norfolk Terrier, Chester Lexi (see above), is currently being fostered by colleague and friend Sandra Keller. I was anxious to get Lexi into another home not because she’s too much trouble but because she’s much too sweet to have to deal with Chester Mac’s shenanigans (see below).

Yes, Mac seems to be cute and calm and free of all shenanigans. But, he’s a crazy man. He’s 4 months, which must be adolescence in dog time, because he is an 8 lb bundle of hormones. He can’t see Lexi without jumping on her back and bouncing against her obnoxiously.

Lexi has tried running away from him, growling/snapping at him, and simply ignoring him. But he’s been driving her and all of us crazy.

My vet recommended getting dogs spayed/neutered at 5-6 months. But, if I bring in Mac and put Lexi in front of him, I think he’ll agree to a 4-month old emergency neuter.

In the meantime, Lexi is getting the peace and quiet she deserves with Sandra, who she adores. Sandra came to get her this past Monday, and Lexi happily followed her to the car and jumped in, without a look back.

When I called Sandra to see how Lexi was doing, Sandra gushed about how well she was settling in. “But, she misses you, I’m sure,” she said, seeming to think that my feelings may be hurt otherwise.

No, Sandra. I KNOW that Lexi is right where she should be, and she knows it too!

And Arina is enjoying Mac, because she can carry him around so easily.

And I know that’s not the best photo of Mac, but he’s almost impossible to photograph. Sometimes I think he has more ferret in him than dog. His long legs enable him to run so fast and jump so high that, more often than not, he somehow ends up around your shoulders or on your head rather than in your lap.

Luckily, he’s a devoted little guy and doesn’t even have to be on a leash. He will stay beside you wherever you go. And we can let him outside and trust that he’ll sit, sunning, on the front porch. And I say “luckily” because with his energy and those legs, he could easily be in another state if he so chose.

And, in puppy news, Bradley has been spoken for! He’s the brown sweetie with the chubby cheeks. See him, below, giving still available sister, Hilda, a kiss. Bradley’s the sweet one, and Hilda’s the social one. She’s in the most puppy photos, because she’s the one who goes from pup to pup, cuddling and playing with ALL multiple times a day.

So, our four still available pups are:

From left to right: Fairfax (male), Elloree (female), Hilda (female) and Duncan (male).

Fairfax, my favorite, plays with a toy fox in the photo below. He’s the chatterbox of the bunch, vocalizing via whine whenever he wants something. — “something” being, most of the time, food or a cuddle. He has a super cute small brown spot where his tail starts (not pictured).

Elloree, often referred to as “the cow one,” is the go-getter. She plays to win, nibbling ears if the need arises in games of puppy wrestling. If we hear Hilda (Elloree’s favorite playmate) screech, we say, “play nice, Elloree” without even looking.

And Duncan is our laid-back pup. He rarely whines, and he’s the pup who can sleep anywhere, whether he’s surrounded by brothers and sisters or not. One day, I found him curled up in Scott’s toolbox, perfectly content. Unsurprisingly, here he is, giving in to Elloree’s bullying. “Whatever,” he seems to say.

If you’re interested in Lexi, Max, Duncan, Elloree, Fairfax or Hilda, contact me!

Update on Bradley: Adopted! Wednesday October 5, 2011 by Bryan Germann and Catherine Eisner

Update on Duncan, Fairfax and Hilda: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Dog Tags

Update on Elloree: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Last Chance Animal Rescue

Today, we let the pups crawl around the backyard. They LOVED it. Edisto was super curious about them, and seemed to like them very much . . .

. . . until Elloree tried to nurse, and then he decided that he should be scared (or at least wary) of them all. Here are the boys, Kincaid and Edisto, trying to round them up, while Abbie Faith makes a break for it. — sort of the same way Scott and I do when a potential baby-sitter shows up.

For once, Kincaid looks more panicked than Edisto.

Scott thinks the panic comes from realizing that his legs are only slightly longer than the legs of the 4-week old pups. Poor Kincaid.

So, to recap: Current foster are (1) Chesters Edisto and (2) Kincaid. E. is 2 years and K. is 8 months. Both are neutered, microchipped, up-to-date on shots, and on heartworm and flea preventative.

Update on Edisto: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Last Chance Animal Rescue

Update on Kincaid: Rescued! Saturday October 15, 2011 by Nuts for Mutts

(3) Chester James (aka Mickey) is being fostered by John, a colleague and friend of mine. James is 2 years, neutered, microchipped, up-to-date on shots, and on heartworm and flea preventative.

Here’s a recent photo, below, which John posted on facebook and captioned “Mickey and snuggie.” This prompted mutual friend, Josh Brewer, to write, “Dear Facebook: John Muckelbauer’s account has been hacked. There is no other way to explain his post of a cute dog and the words ‘Mickey and snuggie.'”

Update: Mickey has been adopted! Friday September 9, 2011 by Amy Bolger

Renamed: Murphy

(4) Chester Lexie is a sweet 1 -year old Norfolk terrier, also spayed, microchipped, up-to-date on shots, and on heartworm and flea preventative. In the photo, below, she’s snoozing in a sun beam, on Scott’s Citadel blanket. And she’s such a little charmer that S. doesn’t even mind.

(5) And, last but certainly not least, Chester Mac is a 4 month old Boston Terrier/Chihuahua mix. He’s up-to-date on shots, on heartworm and flea preventative, and will be neutered in the next week or so.

Here he is, trying to untie the drawstring on my Capri pants. And succeeding.

And here he is, being uncharacteristically calm and more of a gentleman, with nearly all of his ears in the frame. — quite a feat.

Let me know if you’d be interested in adopting or fostering any of our current 4-legged house guests.

Oh! And don’t forget Chester Abbie Faith and 5 of her pups; 1 is spoken for. They aren’t ready to go yet but will be in a couple of weeks.

Update on Abbie Faith, Duncan, Fairfax and Hilda: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Dog Tags

Update on Bradley: Adopted! Wednesday October 5, 2011 by Byran Germann and Catherine Eisner

Update on Cayce: Adopted! Sunday October 2, 2011 by Lauren Eyler and Dawn Perry

Update on Elloree: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Last Chance Animal Rescue

Well, Scott found the dog I hid in the backyard. — not because he saw or heard Chester Kincaid. He snuck up behind me while I was writing Kincaid’s blog post and said, “Where’s that dog?!” I just looked at him. He said, “Oh. In the backyard.” Then he asked if I cared if he “vegged out” for a bit. “I got a new dog,” I reminded him. “That’s right!” he said. “I’m going to veg out for a bit.”

So, Scott took it amazingly well as always. He got more upset about the cheap pencils my mother got Arina from the Dollar Store, because they kept breaking when he was trying to help A. with her homework. As soon as A. walked away, S. issued a string of curses, broke all the pencils in half, looked up “The World’s Best Pencil” and bought a bunch of them from Amazon. Seriously. They’re called “The World’s Best Pencil,” and he’s so ridiculously excited that he’s told me about them five times.

He gets stressed over pencils. Not dogs. And that’s why I married him.

He did say, though, that we’re at the “we have to find homes for our dog pack” part of dog rescuing. So, here are our current available fosters. Please email me at fisknp@gmail.com if you’re interested in any of them.

Foster 5) Edisto. 2 years. Fully vetted and neutered.

Poor Ed is the only foster out of my first 26 who hasn’t been rescued or adopted. “What’s wrong with him?” I’ve had people ask. And I don’t really know what to say. There is much that is right about Edisto: he’s a young, healthy, neutered and microchipped Beagle. He doesn’t bark unless provoked (he’s not the initiating type), and he’s great with children and other dogs.

But, he’s afraid of butterflies, and he urine marks when he’s anxious. When is Edisto anxious? On the 4th of July and whenever his dog friends disappear from our house. Ed thinks we send dogs “to the farm” and is always worried both about the ones who leave, and about himself. This makes Edisto not the best foster dog for us but probably a great dog for anyone who could offer him a more stable environment.

Warning, though: Edisto will try to charm any female dog in your house. In the photo, below, he is trying to give pretty Isla a toy rabbit but somehow manages to fall asleep in the process. Because he’s also a Goober.

Update! Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Last Chance Animal Rescue

27-33) Chesters A-H, squared. Chester A. is 2 years, and her pups are 2 weeks.

Technically, Chesters Abbie Faith and her pups Bradley, Cayce (who has an adoption commitment), Duncan, Elloree, Fairfax, Gaffney, and Hilda have a rescue commitment. — the life-saving Last Chance Animal Rescue. BUT, going to a forever home is better than going to a rescue, and I know my friend Whitney would appreciate having less dogs to find homes for, so that she can rescue others. — because she’s like the superwoman of dog rescue.

I tried to get a good photo of Abbie Faith, but the puppies are getting bigger by the day, which means they’re also getting hungrier and more mobile. She looks tired.

“You look tired, Abbie Faith!” I said. “Let’s try again.”

Then, I gave up taking photos of Chester Abbie Faith and gave her a nice, relaxing bath instead. She enjoyed it very much.

Here are some close-ups of some of the pups:

Duncan, below, was the first to open his eyes. Yay for Duncan!

And here’s my current favorite, Fairfax. I think he’s striking in appearance now that his eyes are open.

Below is Elloree, who wins the distinction: chubbiest in the litter.

And, because the previous photo is so flattering, here’s another of her with sister, Gaffney, so that you can appreciate how chubby Elloree really is:

Now, granted, Gaffney is TOO skinny. She’s the runt, and my next door neighbor, Miriam, told me that she read puppies 1/2 the size of their litter mates should be removed from the mother and hand raised. And then Miriam found someone willing to hand raise Gaffney for me. Because I have the most awesome neighbors ever. Here is sweet Gaffney swaddled in a washcloth.

And here’s another of Gaffney, with a full belly at last.

Miriam’s friends report that she loves her bottle and is thriving. Today, she opened one eye! — so she looks a little like a pirate but will hopefully open the other one soon.

Having a petite daughter who is always behind on the growth charts means I’m not as anxious as I should be about too-little pups. “She’s just petite!” I thought. “Like Arina!” Or, at one point, I thought, “I’ve heard that a mother can have a litter sired by different fathers. Maybe Gaffney’s father was a mini dachshund.” And I just tried to make sure she was able to nurse unmolested by siblings while I was around.

So, in short, a special yay for Miriam and friends, who were better able to tell the difference between “petite” and “in trouble.” Gaffney’s foster parents, Sandra and Mark, are the best. Mark lets Gaffney sleep around his neck and sets his alarm to feed her a bottle every few hours. So, yes, it’s like having a newborn in the house. — except for the sleeping around the neck part.

Update on Abbie Faith, Duncan, Fairfax and Hilda: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Dog Tags

Update on Bradley: Adopted! Wednesday October 5, 2011 by Bryan Germann and Catherine Eisner

Update on Cayce: Adopted! Sunday October 2, 2011 by Lauren Eyler and Dawn Perry

Update on Elloree: Rescued! Friday October 21, 2011 by Last Chance Animal Rescue

34) Chester I, squared. 6 years. Fully vetted and spayed.

I adore Isla. I’ve loved all my fosters, but there’s something about Isla. I think part of it has to do with the fact that I was so horrified by her leg when I first met her. I knew that she had a hurt leg, but I just assumed it could be fixed. I didn’t know that it was an old break, past the point of fixing.

I didn’t know that she’d look like Sophia from the Golden Girls and that she would hobble, rather than walk, with one front leg flopping about uselessly. One of my neighbors said that she’d be more adoptable with an amputated leg. 3-legged dogs are common enough, and charming to boot. As Isla is now, she makes most people, including me when I first saw her, want to look away.

But amputations are traumatic, and her leg doesn’t seem to bother her, only others.

And, now, as Henry Higgins would say, “I’ve grown accustomed to her look . . . accustomed to her face,” and I wouldn’t have her any other way.

What’s so special about Isla? She’s so smart, and so eager to please that the dog has yet to do a single thing amiss. — not that I wouldn’t love her if she did, but it’s uncanny. She’s like the doggie version of Jesus.

She hasn’t had a single bathroom accident. She doesn’t bark or whine. She doesn’t run away.

We’ve let her outside before and have forgotten about her, since we’re so used to our spoiled mini dachshunds screeching whenever they want to come inside. (Someone on the phone once asked me if I had a parrot; yes, Emma’s bark is that shrill.) Isla, on the other hand, sits patiently at the door until we remember her.

She expects nothing and is grateful for everything.

And, most admirably, she doesn’t let her disability get her down. She’s not handicapped; she’s “handi-capable.” Thank you, Sue Sylvester. Example: she clearly wanted to walk with me to pick up Arina from the bus stop, and I wondered: Will it be too far of a walk? Will it be too much for me to have to carry Isla and A.’s bookbag? Isla seemed to sense that I hesitated, and as if she was proving her worth, she lifted her useless leg as high as she could manage and hopped not beside me, but, at times, in front of me. When A. got off the bus, Isla outstripped me in her eagerness to greet her.

I LOVE listening for her distinctive footsteps every morning, because the first thing she wants to do when she wakes up is to come and see me.

Best. dog. ever.

Update: Adopted! Saturday September 3, 2011 by Krystal Branch

Renamed Lucy.

36) Chester J, squared. 2 years. Fully vetted and neutered.

Because I have a house full, I rescued Chester James and then took him to John, who was suffering from empty nest syndrome now that Chester PaXville is adopted.

John decided that James looks like a Mickey, as in Mickey Goldmill, as in Burgess Meredith. So, Mickey it is. And now I have to watch the Rocky movies.

I’m assuming, though, that Mickey must be a scrappy little guy. — like Chester J. squared. When I dropped him off at John’s he had a busted lip and a scratched ear, because he tried to challenge Chester Abbie Faith, even though we told him that lesson #1 at the Fisk house right now, and in life, is: Do NOT mess with any Mama Dog. Mr. Knightley, Emma, Isla, Edisto, and new foster Kincaid understand this well. But, after winning a puppy wrestling match with Edisto, Mickey thought he had progressed to Round 2 with Big Mama. That’s so not how it works, Mick.

Needless to say, Mickey’s better off at John’s until Chester Abbie Faith goes to rescue.

You can tell that Mickey is a bundle of energy, because I literally had to hold his head to get a not-blurry shot.

And, then, I managed to get another. I’ve since trimmed his beard, so he won’t become a canine mop for dust and dirt after he drinks water. And, I’ve also trimmed his bangs. But, I love his straight-from-the-shelter shaggy dog look too.

John’s discovered that, like Mickey Goldmill, Mickey the Chester dog has a soft side too. He loves to nap on John’s chest nearly as much as he loves walks and puppy-against-John wrestling. And if John is ever too tired to walk him or to wrestle with him, he just imagines him saying, “Get up you SOB ’cause Mickey loves you.”

And then, he gets up.

Update: Adopted! Friday September 9, 2011 by Amy Bolger

Renamed Murphy.

37) Chester K, squared. 1 year. Fully vetted and neutered.

My friend, Lillian, described Chester Kincaid well when she said that “he’s the best mix unimaginable.” He is part Pit Bull Terrier (the head part), part Basset Hound (the body part), and part tiger (the striped part).

We think Kincaid would be perfect for a Clemson fan, since he was born to be a tiger mascot. We have to say, though, that he also fits in well with what is obviously a Gamecock household. — mainly b/c he flops over on his back and licks Abbie Faith’s feet whenever she takes a break from her pups.

He’s spent the past two days playing with Edisto, charming the kids, and trying to make friends with the small dogs who turn their noses up at him. — especially when he tries to lick them affectionately.

His zest for life is contagious, most notably in Edisto, who is always smiling when Kincaid is around. But E. may also be smiling, because K. is so darn funny-looking. Maybe Ed’s laughing on the inside, because he thinks we’ll have a harder time placing K. than we’ve had placing E. After all, at least E. looks like a dog. Welcome to the Island of Misfit Pups, Kincaid.

Update: Rescued! Saturday October 15, 2011 by Nuts for Mutts

Now: If you’ve made it through this entire post, you MUST have seen a dog that you, or someone you know, wants to adopt!

Pulled: Thursday June 2, 2011 from a local rescue (Edisto), and Thursday August 18, 2011 from Vance County Animal Shelter/Middle Mutts (Isla)

Adoption commitments: Friday October 21 2011 by Last Chance Animal Rescue (Edisto), and Saturday September 3, 2011 by Krystal Branch (Isla)

Scott and I have had a revelation about Chester Edisto, the Wonder Dog. Those of you who are fans know what an . . . um . . . interesting foster he’s been. At first, he seemed perfectly house-trained. For weeks, we let him have free reign of the Fisk house with no upsets. Then . . . he began marking his territory and having to be carried outside. We resorted to buying him a male wrap, and, well, carrying him outside.

We assumed that Edisto’s traumatic past as an abused hunting dog was coming back to haunt him. Now, we’re considering that his anxiety isn’t anxiety at all; rather, it’s depression after being dumped by his girlfriends.

Our troubles with Chester E. started after foster Chester Florence, who E. adored, went to her new home. Edisto, not understanding such an unceremonious and unwarranted breakup, began acting out. Then, he finally allowed himself to love again when foster Chester PelZer, the Peck family’s super cute redhead, entered the scene. She went to her new home this past Sunday. Yay for Chester Z., but heartbreak #2 for Chester E.!

And, now, enter Chester Isla. I’ve watched Edisto interact with her. Just like a preteen boy yawns, stretches, and slips his arm around his girlfriend, Edisto yawned, stretched, and moved his paw in Isla’s direction (see photo, above). Smoothly done, Edisto. The paw touch then led to this:

Score for Edisto!

Clearly, Isla’s Golden Girls’ style hairdo, crooked leg, and limp do not bother Edisto in the least. All he sees is a slightly older lady (Isla is 5-6 to Edisto’s 2-3) and A LOT of potential.

And, since Edisto is probably the first dog to look Isla’s way since her leg break, she’s responding pretty favorably, I’d say.

So, currently as Fisk Fosters we have a not-very-attractive-to-anyone-but-Edisto poodle and a lovesick beagle who pees on himself and has to be carried everywhere when he endures a breakup. (Incidentally, Casey and I imagine USC colleague Matt Simmons would behave the same way if his longtime love of a wife Meredith was ever zapped to another dimension. So would Scott, though he’d never admit it.)

We’re on, according to S., the Island of Misfit Puppies.

But, as Rudolph reminds us: “We’re all misfits too.” — in one way or another.

Personally, I like how the Island of Misfit Toys is described, and I think it would be pretty cool to be King Moonracer, slightly revised. Who is King Moonracer? Here’s my revision:

“She rules here. Every night she searches the entire earth. When she finds a misfit pup, one that no little girl or boy loves, she brings it here to live on her island until someone wants it.”

Yep.