Here's Allie...

(Allie is nothing like Jack from The Shining, it's just that it's Halloween haha.)

Yesterday morning we were excited to meet up with Petey's sister, and actual littermate, Allie. She is a darling little, eight month old, ten pound, blue and white colored, Italian Greyhound. Now, not as rowdy as her brother, Allie, is slightly more subdued, and takes a slower approach to meeting and greeting with other canines. With her personality and tiny frame, we had Allie give it a go in our Little Roll Play Area. There, she was nervous to begin with, but then got comfortable with The Fort rather quickly, as other dogs showed up and the pack grew. More of an "observer", Allie pranced around the play area with her elegant gait, which alone, is a sight to see in this attractive yet quite slender breed. Their gait is very "regal" looking, high-stepping and free. It reminds one of some type of fancy-horse trotting for a show.

Even though Allie is dainty in appearance, it's clear that she is a hardy creature. Moreover, she puts up with Brother Petey's antics on the daily! Allie enjoyed her Assessment Day, and although she didn't play much, we're pretty sure she will eventually, and know that she does. If anything, it's just nice for her to spend some time at Dog Daycare, to socialize and hangout, without brother Petey in the mix. Ya know, to have a little "Allie only time". We've heard Petey can get a little domineering with her. Brother and sister stuff lol!

Swell job yesterday Allie, we look forward to seeing you again.

On behalf of all of us here at Fort Fido, have a fun, safe, and Happy Halloween!

:)

-Grant
P.S. O, here's a good one! A Photographer’s Artful Shots of Dogs in Halloween Costumes.

Blogger drama...

Darn, we've had a lot of "technical difficulties" this week with our Blog... Today was no exception. Hopefully we will be back up and running tomorrow (Halloween), with the introduction of new Fort Fido Member Allie.


Stay dry and stay tuned!


;)


-Grant

Fall Fun/Safety Day 2014!

Last Saturday, Fort Fido had the pleasure of participating in the 2014 Fall Fun/Safety Day, put on by none other than the awesome, West Pierce Fire & Rescue. It was Fido's sixth time at the event, and he had a great time. As usual, all the kids and families that attended had a blast too.

Here are some pictures of the fun!

Be well,

-Grant

A little Angel

 

Well, this year's Fall Fun/Safety Day photos will have to wait...

I must introduce you to Angel, who had her Assessment today at The Fort. She is a seven month old, twenty pound, Puggle and Terrier Mix. Although this picture doesn't do Angel justice, her face does live up to her name lol, she's a real cutie! This kindly little dog-gal, is small in stature yet has a bit of a "wild side". We were told she plays with a German Shepherd quite regularly. Given that info, we chose to let Angel try out The Medium Roll. Once she got settled in there, she meandered, exploring the play area slowly. She soon got to meet with Bogie and Petey, who pulled out all the stops to get her to play. Being that it was her first day at Dog Daycare, Angel was a wee bit timid, and never ended up playing. You could see however, that she wanted to play. Angel got along just fine with the other dogs, it was just that she was a little over whelmed by the experience. We believe that she just needs some time and consistency, here at Fort Fido, to really blossom. Working with Angel on her slight Separation Anxiety, will also help her become, and stay, the "Dog's Dog" that she truly is. She'll definitely play here, it's only a matter of time... Especially once more of a routine is established at home, and for visiting here. Not a bad job today Angel, we plan to see you again, and see you bust out into some play soon!

Take care,

-Grant

Technical Difficulties

Sorry for no blog post today, unfortunately we are having some minor technical difficulties. We will be back up and running soon! Tomorrow, we will be posting photos from Fall Safety Day.

Stay tuned,

-Danielle

Doggy Newsy

Enjoy!

Stressed? This Dog May Help

Meet the Secret Service Dogs Who Took Down White House Fence Jumper I don't think we're gonna see too much more of that action lol!

The Original Dog Whisperer This one is a must see folks!

You Really Love Your Dog Like a Child, Study Says Yup. No doubt that this is true, however, that being so, we need to stay conscious of that, and deal with our canine companions properly... Understanding that they are not children, and attempting to communicate with them more healthily. You know, just to avoid the development of any "problems". Their language, and their interpretation of our actions, are quite different then ours. ;)

Boots the dog plays Mary Poppins to kittens Awww!

Here are some hilarious dog costumes

If You Don’t Want To Get A Dog, This Touching Video Will Break Down Your Resistance

 

How a dog modeling menswear makes $15,000 a month Dang, way to go dawg!

Dog Complex: Analyzing Freud's Relationship With His Pets

Dog-loving trucker takes dog on 1,380-mile ride home That is one lucky-dog.

Have a great weekend,

-Grant

Bustling Barkley

 

Deja vu? We had the pleasure of assessing another gorgeous Italian Greyhound today at The Fort. Meet Barkley! He is a one year old, fourteen pound, black and white colored Italian Greyhound. Although just slightly more "mild mannered" than Petey from Yesterday, Barkley, also tried our Medium Roll on for size... It was extremely fitting for him too!

These Italian Greyhounds look delicate and can come off a bit fragile, yet the ones we've come across over the years, are anything but. They're all dog! Ready to socialize, play fearlessly, and have a good time. Physically their skin is thin, but luckily we've never had a problem with any of them "breaking it". Knock on wood lol. Scratches however, can show up more easily on skin/coats like theirs, and sometimes come with the territory of high-paced play.

Mr. Barkley entered the play area somewhat bewildered. After Lucy arrived though, Barkley's demeanor did a complete three-sixty! As the two exchanged sniffs, they went from just meeting, to playing, in no time at all. Barkley's contentment and happiness progressed throughout his visit, as he got to know, and play with, several of our pack members. We look forward to Barkley's return, and think it will really be fun, if and when, him and Petey cross paths. Good times. We'll see ya at Fort Fido again soon Barkley!

Here you'll see Barkley and Lucy in action:

Be well,

-Grant

Pumped-Up Petey

The excitement continues this week, with Fort Fido's third new "Assessment Dog", Petey. He is a eight month old, seventeen pound, blue and white colored, Italian Greyhound. Although small, Petey is a wiry and fast little fella, so much so, that his owners and I wanted to fit him in with the proper group right away. Based just on his size, he looks like he might head to the Little Roll, however, given his penchant for playing hard, and his lightning-speed, we knew that the Medium Roll would be more fitting for Petey. Fortunately we were right. After entering the play area tentatively, it wasn't long before Petey got quite comfortable... Meeting up with the rambunctious, Georgie, helped him find his groove quickly. The two canines begin to rip around the Roll right away, becoming playmates almost instantly. As more canines entered and the pack grew, Petey, continued to speak decent "Dog", and made quite a few more "friends". Petey definitely had a blast here today. Like dynamite, he is a lot of canine in a little package lol. We believe he will fit in and work well here. Welcome to The Fort Petey!

Here, Petey and Georgie run amok! They continued to do that off and on for hours.

Take care,

-Grant

Miss Nevada

 

Bright and early this morn, the Fort Fido team met up with the lovely, Nevada, for her assessment. This clever Alaskan Malamute gal, was ready to see what our place had to offer. She is quite striking, weighs one hundred pounds, and is one and a half years old. Entering the Big Roll, Nevada sniffed about while taking some laps around the play area. We laughed as she laid down shortly thereafter, acting as if she was bored, or ready for the next bit of fun (typical Northern Breed lol)... That "boredom" stopped abruptly, as other canines began to enter the Big Roll. Nevada leapt up, and proceeded to "meet and greet" with them in a kindly fashion... Getting into "dyadic play" (one on one) shortly after. She hit it off well with the other dogs, and had a particular fondness for Brix, and Doberman-Dude Reilly. You can see them playing together in the following clips:

We are happy that Nevada did so well on her first day at The Fort, and she may join us anytime. She has some darn good canine communication skills, especially for her age, and you can tell that she has been socialized well. Nice job today Nevada, you're an excellent addition to our pack.

Cheers,

-Grant

Bold Baxter!

Meet Baxter! He is a one year old, sixty-two pound, brown and white colored, Boxer Mix, that had his assessment today at Fort Fido. Baxter entered our Big Roll Play Area cautious, yet curious. He wasn't quite sure what he was here to do at first. That was until he started to meet the other canines. Right away, Baxter seemed to hit it off with Jackson and Jesse. As the pack grew in size, he continued to roll about enjoying the day here at The Fort with the fellow pack members. Baxter had an extremely great time playing with Tucker as seen in the videos below.

Below, Baxter rumbles about with Tucker, and Lucy.

 

 We are excited to see Baxter return and make even more great friends here at Fort Fido.

Have an awesome day and stay dry,

- Zach

A few entertaining links

Here are a few entertaining links for your enjoyment today:

34 "Babushka Dogs" That Will Make You So Happy Your Heart May Explode

This Is The Heartbreaking Story Of A Photographer And Her Dying Dog

12 Of The Best Hybrid Dogs That The World Has To Offer

15 Precious Dogs Who Are Way Too Excited For Halloween

Celebrate Adopt A Shelter Dog Month With Homemade Dog Treats

The important things to consider before you adopt a dog

Fans of German dog sport, Treibball, ask, 'Who needs sheep?'

Deaf dog learns sign-language

Ask Dog Lady: Dog’s unwavering devotion missed after his death

Adorable dog has immeasurable amount of fun in a leaf pile

Have a pleasant weekend,

-Grant

Medium Brothers Charlie & Levi

Our busy-week at The Fort continued this morning with two more new comers! In for their Assessments this morning, were "brothers" Charlie and Levi.

Charlie is a nine year old, twenty-five pound, Shih Tzu and Terrier Mix.

Levi is a nine year old, forty-five pound, Labrador Retriever Mix.

Based on Charlie and Levi's size, and the fact that they have both been Dog Daycare regulars, at various locations across the country, for years... We thought it best to put them in our Medium Roll, keeping them together. The Medium Roll is a play area with much action and fun. It also varies a lot, in the sizes and play-styles of the dogs that call it home.

Sometimes dogs from the same family are split up, and other times they aren't. We usually start dogs of the same family together, and then observe them, before making a more permanent " placement decision". Keeping them together or splitting them up, depends on how they interact with the pack, and each other, in the presence of the pack.

Sometimes, dogs of the same family, or even siblings, will "tag team play" too much, "beat each other up", or can even become possessive of each other (i.e. one protecting the other). Thankfully, that wasn't the case for Charlie and Levi. This twosome interacts very well with one another, and the pack as a whole. Their canine communication skills are skillfully honed, which is always great to see.

Both Charlie and Levi blended in seamlessly with our group. They got comfortable at Fort Fido right away. Although they didn't play too much, we believe that they will after a few visits. We were actually kind of surprised that they didn't play more, but that usually comes in time. The neat thing, was that you'd never know they hadn't stayed with us before, if you watched them interact in the play area.

Charlie and Levi, first rate job brothers! We'd like to see you again soon.

Cheers,

-Grant

The Best of Carlos

Carlos has struck gold once again, with another remarkable piece of "canine art"! Here he has captured, Brutus, in pen and ink, quite majestically I might add lol. So sweet, this may be my favorite piece yet, I don't know...

In other news, we aren't doing too shabby in King 5's The Best of Western Washington contest. So please, follow this link and vote for us! I've found it even easier to do, when you're logged into Facebook first... But you don't have to be.

http://best.king5.com/fort-fido-doggie-daycare/biz/499615

Thank you all for your support!

-Grant

A Pack Of Six - Part Two - The Gangs All Here

Yesterday we assessed half of a six-dog "mini-pack", and it went rather smooth. This morning, we were up bright and early to assess the other half. Let me introduce you to them...

Charlie, is a rocking, nine year old, fourteen pound, Chinese Crested Dog. The most "lively" of his pack, Charlie enjoyed being at Fort Fido from the start. He spoke "Dog" well, and got to gallivanting with our Little Roll Pack almost immediately.

Java, is a super-cute, twelve year old, five pound, Yorkshire Terrier. This mature little fellow, is the "grandpappy"  of his pack. He socialized well upstairs with the other small dogs, however, he wasn't too keen on romping around, or being ran-into by the more wile young-whippersnappers. Java handled himself well, but preferred to stay off to the side and relax, as expected.

Last, but it no way least, is Truffle. She is a fun-loving, about eight year old, thirteen pound, Chinese Crested Dog and Mexican Hairless Dog Mix. This awesome mixed-breed dog is also a rescue-dog, just like most of her pack members, cool stuff! Truffle pretty much likes to party lol. As the morning progressed and our Little Dog Pack grew,  Truffle was delighted. It seemed as though, Truffle grew happier, as more and more pack members entered the play area.

We were most pleased with these little dogs today. They adjusted to our joint well, and they're adequately calm and balanced, especially so, given the fact that they've all had such diverse lives. We look forward to their return, and expect them all to benefit from time spent here at The Fort.

Take care,

-Grant

A Pack Of Six - Part One - Half a sixpack

This Monday has started out with a bang here at The Fort! We have three new dogs, of the same family, all in for their Assessments this morning. They are half, of a six-dog-pack, that we are assessing today and tomorrow. Get this, today's three are all Chihuahuas!

First up, meet Rouge, he is a one year old, ten pound, brindle, Chihuahua Mix. Although he is the latest addition to his owner's pack, he is doing well so far. Upstairs in the Little Roll, Rouge was the most curious and confident. He got to exploring things right away, and enjoyed playing during ball time.

Coco Sophia, or "Coco" for short, is about four years old, she is seven pounds, and is beige in color. This Chihuahua gal was a bit more cautious than her "brother", when entering the small dog play area. After a bit of time passed, she began to relax into her new surroundings.

Last but not least this morning, was Fiona, she is the oldest of the three Chihuahuas, at about seven years of age. She is a lovely light cream color and weighs eight pounds. She too did a fine job at Fort Fido today, but did take the longest to warm-up to the situation.

All three of today's dogs are rescues, so their ages may not be 100% accurate. These canines are quite lucky to have found their owner, and mostly importantly, their forever home. Way to go, and way to rescue, much respect!

Fortunately for us, all three of today's new canines seemed to get comfortable here rather quickly. They are all fun little dogs, that should get much enjoyment out of our pack and facilities. Fingers crossed, that the other three members of their pack, will do as good tomorrow!

Happy Indigenous People's Day!

;)

-Grant

Links to great dog articles!

Enjoy!

No, A 'Dog Year' Isn't Equivalent To 7 Human Years

Brooklyn dog missing nearly a year reunited with owners

10 Adorable Halloween Costumes for Your Dog 

Duke graduate helps train "smartest dog in the world"

Infographic: San Franciscans Name Their Dogs After Booze

Helping your dog overcome boredom (Whatever you do, don't go to The Vet for your dog's "boredom" lol. Play with them, exercise them, and or take them to Dog Daycare at The Fort!)

Labradoodle Gracie's 200 Foot Fall: Dog Survives Terrifying Fall From Oregon Cliff

Rescued Dog Saves Sleeping Family From Fire

You really do love your dog like it’s a baby (Which can be for better, or worse, for your canine companion... Love away, but be conscious of your "canine communication".)

Hilary Swank To Co-Host Dog Rescue Special Thanksgiving Night On Fox: Video

Have a relaxing weekend,

-Grant

Jumping Jesse

Lo and behold Jesse! This handsome looking Mixed Breed is eight years old and weighs about seventy pounds. With a large and confident demeanor, Jesse walked into The Fort's lobby quite ready for his Assessment Day. We had him give our Big Roll Play Area a go, where we assumed he'd do great, given that he has been a Dog Daycare regular for most of his life. Jesse's first "meeting" was with the extra large and fun, Theodore, and to no surprise, Jesse met with him graciously. The pack continued to grow and things continued to go well... However, as soon as Brix got into the mix, Jesse busted out with him, into some high-energy "wrestle play". The two dogs played hard together off and on for a few hours, allowing other canines to join in as well. It was pretty much non-stop socialization-action for Jesse, up until he finally laid down for a rest, after about three and a half hours lol. In the end, we assumed right, Jesse did awesome! Over time, he should prove to be a key player in our Big-Dog Pack. Rest up Jesse, because we plan on seeing you again soon.

In this clip, Jesse shows off his "tough" canine playin' skills:

Take it easy,

-Grant

Luck of the draw...

Meet Mr. Lucky! He is a charming, eight year old, thirty-one pound, white and light-brown colored, Cavachon... Which is a lovely mixture of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Bichon Frise. This Dog Daycare and Overnight Boarding Veteran, stayed with us in our Medium Roll. There, Lucky, wagged his tail and sniffed about while leisurely getting to know the Play Area. As we introduced him to members of our pack, he seemed delighted to "meet and greet" with them. For the majority of his stay, Lucky carried with him, an easy-going and comfortable attitude. Although he didn't get into much play, his actions implied that he was pretty comfortable here at The Fort. We enjoyed Lucky, and we hope that he will enjoy staying with us. We would like to see him get involved into some more physical play, and believe that there is a good chance he will... Especially, after he spends some more time here at Fort Fido. Lucky, you had a tremendous first day, good on ya bud!

Cheers,

-Grant

Carlos on Chalk...

Is on point! What a fantastic and "spooky" piece of art. Happy Halloween Everyone, and thank you Carlos! I particularly like the ghost dog "Zero" from The Nightmare Before Christmas, too cool!

Take care,

-Grant

Good Deal Della

 

Today the Fort Fido team spent time with Della. She is a spry, eleven year old, sixty-five pound, Black Labrador Retriever Mix. This Dog Daycare Veteran did outstanding here! From the moment she entered the Big Roll Play Area, you cold tell that it was not her "first day at the rodeo"... Della is quite social, and more than comfortable around a pack of dogs. She communicated with, and fit in with ours effortlessly. We were happy, albeit a bit shocked, when within minutes, Della was playing hard with some of our most rowdy and young canines. It was a delight to see! Della continued to have a good time throughout her stay, and she even rested a bit after lots of vigorous play. She is welcome to hangout at The Fort anytime. How neat it was today, to visit with a more "mature dog" that has "still got it" lol! Way to be Della, who says "you can't teach an old dog new tricks"?

Here's Della wrestling with Reilly:

Be well,

-Grant

Sheltie Power!

 

Man, it has been awesome around these parts lately... We've had quite the influx of one of my favorite dog breeds, The Shetland Sheepdog. This morning marked the fourth "Sheltie" that The Fort has assessed in the last two months. Woo hoo! It's funny, because after eight years of being in business, we've only seen three other shelties before the current four. So including my dog, Gibson, there are currently six Shetland Sheepdogs here at Fort Fido. Maybe their popularity is on the rise once again? They were definitely most popular in the 80's/early 90's, and were Japan's most popular breed for years up until recently. I'm chalking it up to celebs getting them... Thanks Miley lol!

Ok, now in all seriousness, meet our latest recruit, Augie! He is a energy-filled, seven month old, fourteen pound, Sheltie. We had Augie try out the Little Roll upstairs, just to see how it'd go, knowing that he'd most likely graduate to the Medium Roll... Sure enough, he was too much for the tykes up there. He did nothing wrong, he just needs more room, more stimulation, and more rough and tumble types of playmates. So after a couple of minutes upstairs, Augie headed to the Medium Play Area. Waiting there, was the absolutely perfect dog to meet Augie, and match his energy level, it was none other than, Georgie. The twosome sniffed each other for about ten seconds, before the sprinting and chase games ensued. Augie's owner was not joking when she said he was a "wild one". All in good fun, Augie continued to make new canine buddies and play hard throughout his stay. Although quite a live-wire, Augie, did a great job here today. With time and consistency, Augie and his owner can get quite a lot out of Dog Daycare. It will sharpen his social skills, and will most definetly take away "some" of his energy. Hopefully he's "down a notch" after today's visit, haha!

In the following clip, Augie and Georgie, meet for the first time:

Have a nice weekend,

-Grant

Big-time Bodie!

Feast your eyes on this fine specimen, Bodie. He is a handsome, four year old, fourteen pound, Shih Tzu, that had his Assessment at Fort Fido today. Lucky for Bodie, he's found a wonderful forever home with his owner, Janet... Who just so happens to have been a long time Fort supporter. She used to bring her fun-loving, Wildman-of-a-dog, Hunter, to us for years, before he passed, R.I.P.

Now back to Bodie! We trekked upstairs to the Little Roll with him in tow. After letting him get his bearings inside the Play Area, we unleashed some "beasts" for Bodie to meet lol. He met with the others in a kindly and gentle fashion. It was clear from the get-go that he has palled around with other canines before. Once more dogs arrived, Bodie continued to meet and greet with them. He socializes well, but his true love is toys! Bodie particularly liked the orange colored, rubber, Chuckit! balls. All in all, Mr. Bodie may attend Fort Fido whenever he'd like, and we can't wait to see him again.

Here is a little clip of Bodie playin' ball.

Cheers,

-Grant

The Need For Speed

Meet Speed, she is a pretty, two year old, sixty-two pound, Brindle, Greyhound, that had her assessment this morning. Due to the fact that, Speed, although large and fast, is a bit of a "couch potato", we had her try out the Medium Roll Play Area lol. Once therein, Speed sniffed around a bit, then graciously met with the other canines. We were told that Speed would most likely play in short bursts and then just lounge around... That's pretty much what she did. We didn't see too much play out of her, however, she seemed interested. She especially perked up, when her outside-The Fort-dog friend, and Fort Fido regular, Sophie, showed up. As the morning progressed and the Medium Roll's pack grew in size, Speed, continued to act cool, calm, and collected. She is a very sweet dog that is welcome here anytime. We hope to see her get into some more "play-action" in future visits. Good job today Speed, you gorgeous creature you!

Take care,

-Grant