Ron Manor | Northwest Samoyed Rescue

March 2024 Rescue Report

Ron Manor on March 11, 2024

Judi is a challenging girl. She has made great strides since she first came into rescue back in November. She had been bounced between owners, was overweight, and was having seizures. The last owner didn’t give her the meds she needed, but now she is stable as long as she gets her twice-daily pills. She is a gorgeous dog, with beautiful blue eyes; only the second blue-eyed Samoyed we have seen in over 20 years. As she learned she was safe in her foster home, Judi’s personality emerged. She is friendly, gets along with other dogs, and enjoys walks. She loves toys and treats and being close to her people. She is losing weight and gaining strength with exercise. It probably goes without saying that Judi needs the right kind of home, because she absolutely has to adhere to a twice-daily medication schedule. And lots of walks. There is someone interested in meeting Judi later this month, so cross your fingers.

Mochi is a 5 month old typical Samoyed puppy; spunky, sassy, energetic and super sweet and cuddly. She was surrendered to rescue because the previous owner had a toddler at home, and Mochi was too much puppy for them to handle. What we can tell you since she’s been with us is that she is very smart, picks up tricks very easily (good and bad tricks), and does all of the normal puppy stuff — barking, playing, running like a crazy dog, and being super affectionate when she stops to think about it. She is still working on potty training. She mostly is successful but occasionally has indoor accidents. She also has made a good start with crate training while she’s been with us. She will sleep through the night in her crate but doesn’t love it during the day. Mochi loves other dogs and has oodles of energy, so she would do best in a home with other young-ish dogs to play with and a yard to run around in. We think we found someone who will meet all her needs, and they get together soon.

We heard of a dog in the Seattle area living with an older woman who has dementia. The dog has been kept in a crate and not given exercise, and is generally in terrible condition. As we followed the story, Animal Control was convinced to visit, and the dog was seized and taken to a shelter. We are following closely and have been in contact, but we can’t give more information than that. If we get this dog, we will foster for a while and make sure she is rehabilitated for adoption.

Sophie and Tessa are former puppy mill dogs who have been with us for a little over six years, and are still fearful. If we can split them up, we believe either would be a good candidate for a home with only women (they are scared of men), with a yard that is super-secure.

If you see a dog you are interested in meeting or adopting, please go to our website at www.nwsams.org and fill out an application to adopt. You can also drop us a note at rescue@nwsams.org if you have questions.

February 2024 Rescue Report

Ron Manor on February 10, 2024

Judi had been through a lot when she arrived in our care in November. A previous owner had considered surrendering her to Northwest Samoyed Rescue in July, but ended up sending her to a new home that turned out to be with an animal hoarder. The animals were seized, and by the time Judi made it to the shelter, she was severely overweight, manifesting seizures and had growled at the vet. It wasn’t clear that she could be saved. We decided to take a chance.

She got cleaned up, brushed, and treated for fleas. The vet and her foster family worked together to treat her infections and got her seizures under control. The mental shock of her ordeal started to abate, and her personality started to emerge. The “real Judi,” it turns out, loves walks, and hikes and toys and treats and comfy beds and being near her people. She gets along well with her two Samoyed roomates. Her body is starting to catch up with her spirit as she loses weight and gains strength. Judi is just 7 years old and has a lot of life ahead with the right forever home.

Not just any forever home will work. While her seizures are controlled, they are a lifelong condition and require a strict medication regimen to keep under control. She likes dogs and people, but they have to be careful not to surprise her from behind or try to take a treat from her. Her new home will require structure, patience and presence. We think the ideal would be a two (or more) person household, a retirement or work-from-home situation, and a rock-solid option for Judi’s care during trips away. And of course, walks. Lots and lots of walks.

Maeve is a sweet dog who came to us from an apartment environment, where city living wasn’t really her cup of tea. She delights in the great outdoors, and loved running around the large yard at her foster home dashing after birds, squirrels, rabbits – anything that provides a good chase. If she’s already chased everything out of the yard, she’ll start nosing the bushes in the hopes of flushing something out for another round. Fortunately, her chase instinct doesn’t extend to cats, and she gets along well with other dogs as well. She’s particularly loving and affectionate with her humans, and loves to be petted, brushed and fussed over. She is quick to obey basic commands.

The noises of her previous urban environment set off rounds of barking, which could sometimes escalate Even small things could get her wound up, so Maeve is on anti-anxiety medication. When her new family came to meet her, she ran around excitedly and barked a lot, but they understood. It was obvious Maeve liked them and they liked her, and when they left she jumped in the car and wanted to go home.

Koda is a very vocal dog and eager to tell you that he wants to be a part of the family. He loves to sing along with car alarms, guitars, and likes to have conversations about treats, car rides and stuffies, which he knows by name. He loves blueberries, bananas, and treats and takes them with a very soft bite. He’s also a big snuggler and loves to curl up on the couch with his people. He was much loved, but he couldn’t go with his family on a move. We decided Koda would be a good candidate for a direct adoption.

Koda is all about his humans, but not so much about sharing his household with other dogs. He’s not neutered, so once he’s neutered (which was a condition of adoption), his reliability with other dogs will likely improve. He has some separation anxiety, so we looked for a family who was home most of the time. While we were waiting, Koda moved to a great new foster home for a couple weeks. He was adopted on February 3, after 15 days in foster care. Shortly thereafter he had a trip to the ER vet, where he was diagnosed with gastroenteritis. Rescue reimbursed the adopter for costs.

Chalky continues to have severe skin problems. If his cone is off he immediately begins chewing on himself. We are on the waiting list to see a dermatologist, with no real idea how long it will be. We expect another month. We found a vet who does house calls, who came to visit Chalky, Sophie, and our dogs Rowdy and Lily. We can’t have Chalky on Prednisone (the only drug that helps him) for a month before his dermatology visit so we are going to try Apoquel for a while. We already tried Cytopoint, which didn’t work, so we can only hope the Apoquel has some effect on the problems. He already set a record for the longest any foster dog has worn a cone. Chalky is such a great old boy, and so sweet, we want to help him.

We asked the vet to check out Sophie because she was diagnosed with a perianal fistula last year and it never healed properly. The mobile vet’s advice was to get him to a specialist surgeon as soon as we can; it’s another vet we know in Olympia, and we’re waiting for an appointment. Meanwhile we are giving her a laxative to make her life easier. Her cousin, Tessa, is physically healthy but mentally she is so fearful of everyone we haven’t had any luck trying to place her. This month marks six years since Sophie and Tessa arrived. Tessa turned 8 last October, and Sophie will be 8 next month.

Tessa and Sophie in their “safe spot” in the shower.

December 2023 Rescue Report

Ron Manor on December 10, 2023

In July, Kathleen answered email about a dog named Snow. It came from a man who had her only six months and wanted to let her go to another home. Shortly after that he wrote that she found a new home. On November 9, Jackson County, Oregon, animal services asked us to help with a female Samoyed named Snow. A year ago they seized 34 animals from a property and the owner was prohibited from having any animals in the future. They went back and found nine cats and one dog, and that was Snow. The man we heard from in July had given Snow to them.

Snow is seven years old. The new development is that she was said to have seizures during the previous year. She also growled at a vet in the shelter, and that put her on a euth list. Our board spent several days debating whether we could take her, but ultimately, we decided to take a chance and we said yes. They took Snow to Salem, where she was met by Melissa, who took her home for the night. Kathleen drove to Melissa’s house and took Snow back home with her to foster. Considering the risks of the new dog virus, she is staying in a separate area.

Snow had a seizure, so she went to the ER vet, where she had more. She is on anti-seizure meds, which we understand she didn’t get when needed. An x-ray also showed she had pneumonia. They wanted to have her go to a different emergency vet, but Kathleen elected to take her home and see what happened. That was a good choice. The seizure meds seem to be working, and the vet said her lungs are sounding good. From this point on, we will cross our fingers and hope she gets better. So far, vet bills have exceeded $3,000.

(Because of an error, I missed a dog in last month’s report.) Quinn came into rescue as an outdoor dog, and after a six-hour grooming session he quickly decided he would rather live inside. Quinn is a handsome guy. He got along well with the resident girl dogs, but we found he didn’t like other boys. Fortunately, we found a perfect home for him where there were two females, and he has a long, happy life ahead of him.

Just after last month’s report was written, Boi was adopted to applicants from Eugene. For the first time, we did a virtual home visit, and it went very well. They spent some time with him on a Sunday, then came back Monday to take him home. He really liked them, and we’re confident this is a good placement.

Lorek is a dog we agreed to list on our website so he could stay with his current owner until adopted. About a week ago we heard that he found his forever home.

Nearly six years ago, we got three Sammy girls from a backyard breeder just east of Vancouver. They came originally from a notorious puppy mill, and were incredibly fearful of everything. We worked hard to socialize them, mostly just by sitting with them, and eventually one found a home with a wonderful woman who was willing to invest her time. That was Fena, and she is doing very well now. Sophie and Tessa, the other two, have remained here because we have been strict about the requirements a new home must have. Both are sweet girls who would do well in a home with no men, which seems to be the source of their fear. They also feed on each other’s fear, so we would like to separate them. Please, if you know anyone who might be interested in either, they each need a home of their own.

Chalky is still having serious problems with his skin. The vet put him on Prednisone once again, and he is doing well right now, but he needs routine medicated baths to get better. That’s something Kathy and I just can’t do anymore, so we have been searching for a mobile groomer. A few days ago we touched base with one who said he can help us, so please join us in hoping it happens. Chalky is one of the nicest old guys we have fostered, and he deserves to have an itch-free life.

November 2023 Rescue Report

Ron Manor on November 21, 2023

Boi is a neutered male, about 4 years old, and incredibly sweet. He loves people, other dogs (large and small), and even cats. He’s house trained, crate trained, and knows quite few tricks. Boi seems particularly quick to win the hearts of those who spend time with him (that includes dogs and people). On his path to rescue, everyone was quite concerned that we be sure to not forget his favorite stuffie.

Boi has had almost no training and it shows. He’s pushy, impatient, and demand barks a lot. He’ll jump up on people to ensure his demands aren’t missed. He has some clear separation anxiety, but we’ve seen it lessen within just a couple weeks within a foster environment. The best fit for Boi would likely be an adopter that works from home or is retired so that they can help him work through the separation anxiety. Experience with Samoyeds is also a plus, as Boi will need someone who can handle his barky/stubborn Samoyed personality and give him the guidance he’ll need to truly thrive.

We had an app from Eugene that looked excellent, and we tried for over a week to find someone in the area to do a home visit for us, without success. Finally we decided to ask for a virtual visit with Zoom, and Kathleen handled that, since she is fostering Boi. A meeting is planned soon.

Every so often, someone who wants to surrender a dog also insists on making the decision who gets it. That’s the case now with a dog named Lorek. We agreed to publish him on our website and send interested people directly to the woman who still has him. She can meet the people and make her own decision, and Lorek will get a home with someone going through the rescue process. He looks like a very nice dog, and we hope for the best.

Chalky is a wonderful dog who appears to have some sort of skin infection. Or perhaps it’s an allergy, Or it might be something serious. At this point, we just don’t know. A week ago he had oil rubbed into the bad spots (mostly his belly), followed up with a medicated shampoo bath. Afterward he looked remarkably better, and his skin was actually soft instead of rough and scabby. We are going to work on getting a referral to a veterinary dermatologist. Fortunately there is one fairly close.

We have been asked to help with a Samoyed at the Jackson County shelter in Phoenix, Oregon. That’s a very long way from any of us, and we had to ask if they can help with transportation. If there is anyone driving north from that area, we would very much like to hear from you.

There is a “Husky/Samoyed” in the Portland area, still with his owner. It’s difficult to tell if this is a Samoyed whose owner doesn’t know the difference, or indeed a mix. At the time of this writing we haven’t made contact yet.

October 2023 Rescue Report

Ron Manor on October 21, 2023

Chalky was found as a stray in the Sultan area in early July, and was taken in by a woman in the area. She took him to her vet, where they found a microchip, but the vet reported not being able to connect with the owner of the chip, either by phone or email. He was in bad shape, with hair loss all over his body and a belly that was licked to the point the skin had turned almost black. Her vet ran a lot of tests, and determined the urgent problem was a staph infection. He went on an antibiotic, plus a thyroid supplement, but he was slow to respond. We contacted her then, but she wasn’t ready to surrender him. She wrote to us again at the end of August, asking about sending him here, and we started looking for a possible foster home. We knew it would be a hospice-type foster and he likely wouldn’t move again. Although we told our team we probably wouldn’t be able to take more dogs, Chalky ended up coming here. We have, unfortunately, a lot of experience with senior and hospice dogs in rescue.

On September 17, Tom and Erin transported Chalky south to us. He is a sweet old man who didn’t deserve being abandoned by his owner. The woman who found him tried very hard, but without Samoyed experience she didn’t know what to expect. Since coming here he has been able to live inside, and spends most of his time snoozing close to one of us. By luck, we had a vet appointment scheduled for the day after he got here, originally for Balto, who had been adopted. They ran more tests, without many new results, and we scheduled a follow-up two weeks later. His antibiotic was changed, and they cultured his skin to determine the best antibiotic. In the meantime, we put a cone on him so he couldn’t lick, and his skin began getting better. The culture came back showing Doxycycline would work best, so we switched to it, along with a Gentamycin spray to work on the fungal problem. Chalky is improving but probably has a way to go before his skin is better and his poor tail has hair. He has a lot of life left in him. When he comes out in the morning, he is literally prancing. The day of this writing, we added Prednisone to his meds and we’ll see how much it helps.

Quinn is still with Melissa and Terry. He is such a delightful dog that she says she would keep him there except for one problem. He just hates other males. Quinn and their boy Boomer have been in at least five fights, with each prompting new measures to keep them apart. Quinn is spending more time in a crate than anyone likes, and there is a door between them most of the time. It’s not easy to live that way. We have been trying to schedule home visits for applicants who don’t have other male dogs, but it’s slow going. Quinn would fit in wonderfully as an only dog or if there is only a female already there.

Tessa and Sophie have been here more than five and a half years. Kathy is able to approach them, and they seem to enjoy being petted by her, but only by her. In all this time, the only way I can get close is when they are confined. Their “safe place” is a shower in our bathroom. When they need sometime and I need to be close, we wait until they are there and close the door. Sophie accepts it, but Tessa shakes when I am too close. Kathy and I will have to downsize in the coming years, and we don’t have an option for the two girls. They need a home with no men, plus a super-secure yard. After they got here, we poured a concrete curb under our fence in the vulnerable spots, and we have an electric fence we can turn on if they begin testing things. If anyone knows a home that meets the necessities, we would sure love to hear from them.