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Applicants: Jason and Lisa Maxfield
Date of Initial Call: Thursday, August 24, 2023
Status: The Maxfields are interested in a male dog in the age range of 1-3 years and had expressed an interest in Buck. Initially, Buck had been adopted but after shortly after I speake with them, Pat reached out to let me know she’d heard from Buck’s adopters and that Buck had not worked out for them. Both Pat and I spoke with Jason about Buck but ultimately they decided it would be best if they did not take Buck, even as a foster. They have not had a home visit but have generally been approved given the conversation regarding Buck. They took great care when considering taking Buck, having conversations with both Pat and me, and a trainer friend of theirs’s. They do want to be kept on the list for another dog, which I confirmed we would do.Jason and Lisa are both experienced Airedalers. Lisa, especially, as she grew up with them. Jason and Lisa dated for a good number of years before marrying so Jason got to know Airedales as a result of their relationship. They also have experience with a Welsh Terrier. After they were married they were in an apartment so decided to get a Welsh, Aspen, who they had since she was 12 weeks old until this past spring when they lost her at 16-1/2 YO. At the same time they had Jack Russel/Springer Spaniel mix they took in as a puppy and had until he passed this June of “a lonely heart.”
Current home: Their current home on approximately 1 acre, with about ½ that fenced. They live in home on a lake so I asked them about safety. The yard is separated from the lake by a (just over) 4’ fence with a gate. It’s a private 25 acre lake with about 15 houses on it. Because of the water issue, I discussed with them the importance of teaching their new dog not only how to swim but how to get in and out of the lake. They did feel it would be best to not have a known jumper, although when discussing training, that was in issue they would address.
Although Lisa and Jason would be the primary caretakers, the children are excited about getting an Airedale and would also be tasked with care, such as bathing and feeding. Lisa is a teacher and would be out of the house from about 7:30 to 3:30/4:00 and Jason would be gone an hour or two longer but their younger son (11) arrives home about 3:00 and would let the dog out to do business and play. They are an active family and the dog would get lots of walk/run/hike time, as well as playing with the family and going to dog parks in the area. They’ve not used a crate with their other dogs but noted to me they will definitely consider it if they feel it would be best for an adopted dog.They will chip the dog if not already chipped; their previous dogs were chipped.
They consider their dogs part of the family.
Vet: Macon Road Veterinary Clinic did not have any records at all for Champ and the only records they had for Aspen were for health issues; there were no records for flea/tick/HW or vaccines. I asked Jason and Lisa about this and they told me that they did get treatments when they lived in Colorado but not since coming to Georgia. Both Champ and Aspen were senior dogs at this point (~13 YO) and Aspen did have serious health issues. I did discuss the need for flea/tick, and especially HW, as well as vaccines, including rabies, which I noted was legally required. Jason noted they would do what they needed to do keep their dogs legal and healthy.
References: Both their references gave them glowing reviews noting the family dogs are well loved and cared for and treated as part of the family. Their families dogs’ love going to visit at the Maxfields and they both trust them without hesitation and if something were to happen to them, they would entrust their dogs to the Maxfields.
Buck: Jason had expressed an interest in Buck, however in my initial call with them, I let them know Buck had been adopted. Not long after speaking with Lisa and Jason, Pat called me to let me know that Buck’s new home had not worked out and I explained what Pat had told me about a bad introduction. They were still not sure so in addition to speaking to a trainer friend of theirs, I had Pat call them directly, after which they decided Buck was ‘probably not a good fit’ since they plan to bring a puppy into the house next summer. We had discussed fostering Buck, since they would be happy to foster a dog, but they were concerned that they would then not want to give him up and how that would affect their future plans for a second dog.
The Fleshmans’ reference, the Fogels, finally got back to me. They were at the beach and not checking email or vmail, hence not initially replying to me.
Lillian highly recommended the Fleshmans. They noted David did a lot of good training with Duncan, their puppy and were very loving and devoted to the dog, and were very affectionate. “Any dog would be thrilled to be in their household.”
They did suggest a smaller, older, calmer dog, which we know they have requested. Apparently Nancy F was a bit apprehensive of walking Duncan bc of his size and young age, although David was and likely will continue to be the primary caregiver.
They don’t have a dog, which they told me when I asked if they would be comfortable taking their dog should anything happen to them, but told me if they did, they would happily let them take on the care of any dog they did have should something happen to them.
Applicants: David and Nancy Fleshman
Interview Date: 5-8-23
Status: Move to home visit.Dog: The Fleshmans are looking for an adult (2+ YO) male dog weighing no more than 40-50 Lbs. I would recommend a calmer dog, perhaps even a ‘middle-aged’ male of 4 or 5+ years. The dog would also need to be okay socializing with other dogs.
Special Note: The Fleshmans have already identified someone to take their dog (and previously, Duncan the puppy) should something happen to them. That person is Shannon Davis, one of their references. I explained that in the adoption agreement we stipulate the dog be returned to ARG should the adopter no longer be able to keep the dog. When I spoke to Shannon, I explained this and suggested that she participate in the HV so the ARG representative could meet her and give “pre-approval.” She responded enthusiastically; I mentioned her willingness to do this when I spoke with David shortly after speaking with Shannon. Shannon herself has two dogs – a dalmation mix and a pittie mix. She kept Duncan during his lifetime when the Fleshman’s traveled.
Excellent conversation with both David and Nancy. Growing up as a boy, David’s family had friends with a pair of Airedales. He and Nancy adopted their first Airedale. They found her to be more “cat-like” – indifferent and not very snuggly – so the next time they got a dale, they got a male, who was much more affectionate and “dog-like.” Got him from a breeder in Mississippi. Their most recent Airedale was a puppy, Duncan, from Lynda Jarvis at LynAire Kennels. He told me he still speaks with Lynda periodically.
Duncan passed away at about one year because he got hold of a wine cork from the trash after managing to open the doors to the cabinets in which the trash was stored. Duncan was fine for a couple of days but then they realized something was wrong so took him to the vet. Vet couldn’t find anything in the x-ray so he had to do surgery – that’s how they found the problem was a cork. Unfortunately, after removing the cork, the incision ruptured and Duncan got peritonitis. I talked with David and Nancy about ensuring this would not happen again, suggesting they get some child-proof cabinet locks so their next dog couldn’t get into the trash. I also felt they would be much more careful this time around as they were clearly very devastated by what happened.
Both Fleshmans are in their early 80s but are very active walking and cycling. They sound much younger on the phone. David brought up the topic of their age before I got to him, noting he understood that could be a concern. That was when he told me they already had someone identified to take the dog should something happen to them. Duncan, the puppy, they got in their 80s about 1-1/2 years ago and they handled that well given their age so an older dog shouldn’t be a problem so long as we provide them with a smaller, older (calmer) dog.
They spent a lot of time training Duncan, particularly to get rid of bad puppy habits. They do have an e-fence and spent a lot of time working with Duncan to not go past the flags identifying the e-fence perimeter. He quickly learned and never tried to get past the e-fence.
Vet: The woman at the veterinary clinic with whom I spoke was very enthusiastic about the Fleshmans and excited to hear they were looking to adopt another ‘dale. Duncan was kept up to date with all vaccinations and was on Simparica Trio. He was clearly treated very well and was a happy dog. When Duncan ate the cork and stopped eating/drinking, as soon as they knew there was a problem, they took him in and then when referred to a specialist, they immediately took him to that vet. “They’re very sweet and took very good care of him. I would recommend them, for sure.”
References:
Shannon Davis: Shannon was very enthusiastic about the Fleshmans: “most wonderful. They were devastated [after losing Duncan].” They socialize and walk with their dogs together. As noted previously, should something happen to the Fleshmans, she would take their dog into her family. I spoke with her about the adoption agreement noting the dog would be required to be returned to ARG but asked if she could participate in the home visit so the ARG representative could meet her and she responded enthusiastically. Shannon is a recently retired teacher and her husband is retired from The Citadel so they are both home quite a bit for the dogs.
Bob & Lillian Fogel: I have not heard back from the Fogels and when David followed up with them to ask them to get back to me, he was unable to reach them via their home phone or cell; cell wouldn’t even go through. He told me he’s not sure what is happening with them. Should I hear from them, I will update the record.
Applicants: Janet and Fred Broling
Call date: April 24, 2023I enjoyed speaking with the Brolings but I still have concerns about their lack of a physical fence. They have 10 acres, with ½ acre e-fenced. The house is on a main 5 lane divided highway with a speed limit of 55. It is somewhat separated from the road as it is on a slight hill with a lot of trees blocking the view. I discussed the Airedale’s prey drive. They told me that their previous Airedale, Izzie, never escaped the fence but I did note that just because Izzie didn’t want to escape, didn’t mean another dog would stay contained.
In addition to their total 10 acres, it is in a fairly tree-covered area and they told me there is lots of wildlife around them, including deer, and likely raccoons, possums, squirrels, etc. They are not willing to put in a physical fence as they feel they don’t need it.
They have an indoor pool and I discussed that with them. It is generally closed off unless they are in there so they would not expect to have any issues with the dog getting in the pool and drowning so do not feel that they would need to do any training, such as teaching him to swim and get out of the pool at the shallow end.
They enjoy walking with their dog on their property, and trails beyond and Izzie pretty much went wherever they went.
Because their answer to the question as to what they are not willing to deal with seemed to cover a lot of things, many that come with age, I wanted to clarify this with them. It was still a bit confusing – first they included not being willing to take a dog that needed training but then they said they would take a dog as they could train it. They did note that if they got a dog who then had medical or behavioral issues, they would seek medical help or work with a trainer. They just don’t want to walk into an issue.
They want to meet the dog prior to accepting him. I explained how the dog may be coming from a distance so that might be difficult but they said they would travel to wherever the dog was to meet it.
References
They did not include contact information for their vet or references so I had them send those to me.
Vet: They actually have two vets: one in Tennessee and one near their second home in Florida. Mostly they go to the TN vet so they provided me with that number. Their previous dog, Izzie, was up to date with vaccinations and always looked well cared for. She told me that she didn’t see a record of HW meds but that they had had tests done previously, which were due in 2022. [I suspect, the vet in FL either provided the HW meds, or they got them from Chewy, but the Brolings did tell me Izzie was given HW meds.]Rob McCleland: Rob said the Brolings spend an “incredible amount of time, finances, love, and goodwill towards their dogs…everyone of their dogs has been loved, well cared for, and made to be a member of the family…this couple will become your poster child for those who want to adopt pets.”
Ann Fredericks: “The Brolings had a wonderful relationship with their dog Izzie and took excellent care of her!! There were never any issues of Izzie going beyond the invisible fence line. Izzie was the best trained dog and they are the ones who trained her…..They are in excellent financial status to provide the best of care needed for their pets, which they always did for Izzie!! Izzie had a super blessed life with Fred and Janet!!”
Preference: The Brolings are looking for a 4-5 year old dog; they do not want to deal with another puppy. They are looking for a Male, that would ideally be about 80 lbs, the same size as Izzie. They dog must be housebroken, more or less leash-trained (basics), have no current medical or behavioral issues and they do not want one straight from a breeder. (I told her we rarely get dogs straight from a breeder as they prefer to place their dogs themselves. Their worry is getting a mill dog that’s been used to breed and has not social skills.) They want a trainable dog with a good temperament (don’t we all!).
The dog will need to be okay with children as the Brolings have a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren – from 25 all the way down to 6 YO.My thoughts: The Brolings seem like an ideal home for a dog, with the exception of the lack of physical fence and their being located on a major highway with a 55 mph speed limit. If it were just the lack of physical fence and they were on a side road, I wouldn’t have a problem with moving them to HV status. Although Izzie never left the e-fenced area, there’s no saying whether their next dog will not see a critter and run past it.
Remove from applicant list.
I contacted Cammie to schedule a call to discuss her application and received this reply:
From: Cammie Rowe
Date: Thu, Apr 13, 2023 at 10:23 AM
Subject: Re: Airedale rescue adoption application
To: AiredaleThank you so much for contacting us. We really appreciate it, but we’ve chosen to go with another direction.
Sincerely,
Cammie Adams
Additional note from Lauren Groves: Suzanne goes above and beyond for all of her animals. The best way to describe how amazing of an animal parent Suzanne is…is to tell you that if I needed to rehome my horses, dogs, or goats, I would choose her.
I’m sure she’s mentioned it, but she runs her own business from home which allows her a very unique opportunity to really help a new dog adjust in the best way possible. She won’t hesitate to book a vet appointment just to make sure everything is ok with her animals or to push work/meetings to do what needs to be done for her dogs. She’s admirable.
If you need anything else from me, please don’t hesitate to reach back out.
Initial Phone Interview: Donovan, Suzanne and Dave – February 5, 2023
Status: Previously approved by ARG to adopt while in former home. Need home visit for their new Pinehurst home.
Dog: Both their current dogs are female so they are looking to adopt a male. They don’t want a puppy but any male aged 1 YO and up would be ok, although they don’t want a “senior-senior.” Sadie is 8 and quite active so probably up to 9 or 10 would be okay. I’m thinking a 1-5 or 6 YO because the want a dog that will play with Rosie and help keep her young.
Excellent conversation with the Donovans. I began by looking at the Welsh Terrier FB group pages because I knew there had been a Loki (their WT who passed not too long ago) that had been posted about there. Sure enough it was Suzanne doing the postings. Great photos of Loki looking happy and relaxed and seemed to have lots of affection.
I then looked up their home address on Google Earth. It shows a post and rail fence and knowing they moved there recently, I thought perhaps it had been replaced. It has not been replaced but is actually a secure wire-weld fence. Dave says it is at least 4’ – it comes up to his chest – and it definitely looks from Google Earth that it’s at least 4’. The yard is a decent size for running around.
Suzanne works from home and Dave works part-time. They walk them regularly and also hike on weekends. We discussed dog parks – they haven’t gone to one yet. They looked at one large one but won’t go their because it is not fully fenced and know that with either a Welsh or Airedale, that is not a viable option.
Their Welsh, Sadie, they adopted through WT Cares, and they told me they had actually been previously approved by ARG but then found Rosie, their ADT, through another rescue. I looked up their previous application, which was approved for their former home outside Charlotte.
Sadie is chipped but they are not sure about Rosie. I recommended they make sure Rosie has a chip, and if not get her chipped, and make sure they are registered ASAP as it is the best way to ensure a lost dog is returned home.
Money is not an issue for them – Sadie had pancreatitis that became pneumonia and they spent $10,000 to get her past that.
I haven’t called the vet since Kelly got their references for the initial adoption application. I do have their new vet’s information but they (Vanguard Veterinary) have not seen Rosie yet and I would not expect there would be a change in how they care for the dogs. They did note they generally groom every 6 weeks, a bit less often in winter:
VET:
12 y/o WT is up to date with labs, rabies and exam. Tech related that they prefer a more wholistic approach.
GROOMER:
Have been clients for 10-12 years. WT’s were groomed monthly. WT’s were spoiled and well kept. Active owners.
They note in the question as to what they were not willing to deal with that incontinence/leaking urine would be an issue so I asked what they do about that with their older dogs. Suzanne told me they adopt for life and that isn’t an issue. They just don’t want to adopt a dog that is already having that issue.12/18/22
From Susan Casson – HV for Imbrogno family:
Hello Mary,
We believe Marci & her husband will be great candidates for an Airedale rescue. Their suburban clean and tidy home is already a dog friendly home. Their furniture and rugs are nice, but not priceless antiques. They have a large room that they can place dogs in should they need to. The room has a couch with coverings on it, a large container of dog toys & 2 large wire dog crates. It will be a good transition room for a new dog. Their medium sized dog, Max, is gentle, calm and obedient. He got along well with Poppie. (Marci stated that they would want to make sure Max & a new dog would get along before fully committing to a dog. )Their backyard is large and fenced, free of debris, basic landscape and grass…perfect for pets. Marci & her husband are very kind and caring people. They go to great lengths and expense to keep their animals healthy. Highly recommend!
Susan & John Casson1/21/23
I received a text from Kristen Shaw. Previously approved but they decided to hold off until her husband was back to working in town. They are now ready to adopt. Their Louie will be 7 in May and they are looking to adopt a 2-4 YO, preferably female but would consider male if we know for sure it would get along with Louie
She is aware we currently have no available Airedales posted and would like to be added to the list of those ready for a ‘dale.
CORRECTION: Her husband is still working out of town by they have figured out the logistics of it all so are ready to adopt. She does travel with Louie to visit so a dog who can handle car rides would be beneficial.
Next step: Home visit
(The Casson’s look to be just 15 or so minutes from them so perhaps Susan or John could do the HV.)Marci grew up with Airedales; both she and her family are Airedale experienced. The lost their previous Airedale this past August; she was 14 years old. They never did identify the actual cause. In trying to figure it out, they began seeing a vet at NC State; laser therapy and water therapy – seems like no expense was spared. They made her as comfy as they could, carrying her when she needed to go out.
Vet reference: Monroe Animal Hospital confirmed that Annabelle, and their remaining dog, Max (lab mix), were kept up to date with all vaccines, HW, flea and tick. Annabelle was spayed and Max is neutered.
Groomer reference: Marci has been using this groomer for about 20 years. She said the family is devoted to their dogs and consider the dogs to be members of the family; she noted they provided “excellent care.” Annabelle was always in good condition and happy, obviously well cared for.The dogs eat quality food.
The initial reference she provided was her brother so I asked for another non-related reference. She gave me the name of her neighbor, Sheila, who had nothing but excellent comments about the family’s care of the dogs: “Never seen anyone so devoted,” “she takes care of her dogs when the need it,” “wouldn’t leave the house” when Annabelle was not doing well. Sheila confirmed they had a nice fenced in yard. She said they dogs get long walks regularly and Marci would plan her days around the dogs, and that Marci was the best neighbor and very devoted to the dogs.
The Imbrognos are definitely dog-people; Marci’s original reference, her brother, has 5 dogs of his own and they also foster.
Marci noted she would like another female; so far all her dales have been female, but she would take a male. She needs a dog who gets along well with other dogs because of their current dog, and Marci’s daughter has 2 small dogs she often brings when she visits.
It’s a lucky dog who will be adopted into this family. I recommend moving her to the next step of home visit. I told her the process; that someone would be identified to do the HV and then someone else would reach out to the two of them so they could then arrange the visit.
Sara Videtto
Status: Initial approval
Next Step: Move to HV
I had an excellent call with Sara Videtto. Three of the 4 family members were allergic to their previous dog so they explored breeds for their next dog to be sure that they wouldn’t have allergy issues with the next one; this is how they discovered the Airedale breed. They seem to be very proactive in this search, hence their desire to foster an Airedale first so they can be sure the breed is right for them.
I asked about the fact that they don’t have a fenced yard and they do have a pool (which itself is fenced). The house does have fencing on 2 sides but in the past (including when they lived in CT), they didn’t have fencing and they trained their dogs not to go beyond the property. They do have 4 acres so it is a lot of space. Until the dog is trained, it will not be allowed out without being on leash. The dog will never be out on its own without someone being with him/her.
There are numerous dog parks in the area. Sara noted they will ensure the dog is comfortable and safe in the yard and not go back if there are concerns.
RE: the pool. We discussed how they would ensure the safety of the dog when in the pool area. The dog won’t be in the pool area without someone being with it. They will likely deter him/her from going in the pool but will teach the dog how to swim and how to get out should it fall it. They did this in the past with Oliver.
They no longer have cats or another dog but they still have a tortoise. The tortoise doesn’t run around on its own but we did discuss working with the dog to ensure it knew the tortoise was a family member and neither a toy nor prey.
The dog will not be alone for more than an hour or so daily, up to a few hours on days their boys have soccer games. She writes childrens’ books so works from home.
When the family goes on vacation, they have always had one of their children’s babysitters staying in the house since they know they are trustworthy.
Sara commented on how she really likes that we are as thorough as we are in asking questions about the welfare of their past dogs and the home situation.
I clarified that there is no fee to foster but if they decide to adopt, there will be a fee, amount being based on age of dog. She was fine with that.
Vet: The family moved to Roswell in February so they haven’t been with Mabry Animal Hospital for too long but the clinic noted both Oliver and the one remaining cat were up to date with vaccines, dentals, bloodwork,etc. They were definitely familiar with the family so clearly the animals have been regular visitors since moving there in February.
Groomer: The person who used to groom Oliver in CT no longer works there but they were able to confirm the dog come in 4X/year. (Sara did all Oliver’s grooming once they moved to Roswell since they didn’t find a groomer they like and she also bathed the cats and cut their nails!
Personal Reference: Courtney Canhao said they were “an amazing family and Sara is one of the best moms to her humans and pets that I’ve ever met. [The animals] were so loved and cared for. They are such a special family and any human and/or animal would be so lucky to have them in their life.”Great visit with Dan Lovell and his son and recommend they be added to the approved list.
Dan and his (part-time) son live in a great walking neighborhood, although he is very close to a very busy road. However, he has an at least 6′ wood privacy fence enclosing a good sized back yard. I’m not sure his lot is actually 1/2 acre – it’s just about as wide as my property but it was hard to see to the far end because of a stand of bamboo so could be a lot deeper.
Their WFT, George Remus, is a super happy, healthy, and friendly boy; at 11, he’s still pretty spry. Travis, Dan’s son, is a pretty responsible young man – turns out that he is the person the Ormewood Dog Yard is paying to lock up at night; this is the dog yard that I manage. This was arranged by a friend who has a pre-school that is also on the same church property; Travis locks up the school’s chickens every night after the school lets them out in the AM. I texted my friend after I got home and she had good things to say about them.
Dan is doesn’t have a preference for M or F, and he would prefer a puppy but knows that we don’t get a lot of puppies in. He is okay with a dog aged up to 6-7. He wants a playmate for George Remus, who is 11. George tried to dominate Maddie while we were there by humping her so I would recommend a dog who doesn’t need to be alpha, just to prevent possible problems.
Dan and Travis will be traveling to Ireland on 7/29 for a week. Travis is a button accordionist and he is competing in a global competition so second week of August would really be the earliest they could take a new dog.
Santa Ho
Call date: Friday, 6/24Good call with Santa (Sahn-tuh) Ho. I asked how she was familiar with ADTs; she told me her vet suggested they look into the breed because they were looking for a mid-size dog. Her Yorkie, who died of liver failure at an impressive 19 YO, was just 5 lbs. and the dog she had before the Yorkie, was a 90 lb. Doberman. I asked more specifically about size since ADTs can be anywhere, generally, from 50 or so to 85/90 lbs, even larger. She’s okay with a dog up to about 70 lbs. Her husband prefers to stay under 70 lbs, but 50-60 would be ideal.
Her previous dogs were from breeders but she worked with street dog adoption in Serbia and wanted to try adopting an ADT.
Santa’s fence is under 4 feet. I discussed Airedales high prey drive and how easy it would be to jump a fence of that height. She told me she and her husband, Minh, don’t ever leave the dog out alone but would be out in the yard with the dog. She told me they dog-sit a shepherd. Santa generally walked Xerxes in the AM and her husband, a nurse, generally walked him in the evenings, plus they would get out in the yard and play. They also want to take the dog camping with them.
She noted having a dog chipped in addition to posting on social media, checking with animal control, etc. if the dog is lost.
We discussed training. She had previously hired a trainer to work with her dogs and would do the same. I asked what she though about Cesar Milan. She’s not familiar with his training style but told me her sister loved him. I discussed the issue I had with him and how he is a negative trainer. I recommended she look for a positive focused trainer, and recommended she check out Victoria Stillwell’s style. Santa manages logistics for 2 US cricket teams and also does a lot of team building with them, which I think would be a benefit for understanding and training a dog.Because of Xerxes liver failure, the last few years Santa made his food for him. I spoke with the vet’s office and because of the liver failure, the vet chose not to vaccinate Xerxes. Prior to his getting very sick, he had been on Frontline for fleas and Heartguard for HW.
Santa’s personal reference, spoke highly of Santa and her care of both her dogsSanta is 7 months pregnant so they will need a dog that is okay with children. They also have young children coming to their home. They would like a dog that gets along with other dogs as they have friends with dogs who come over, or they go to visit. She noted a preference for a male between 1-5 YO, but would consider a female and/or older. She told me that when the Doberman was still alive, the two were roommates. She told me the dog was well trained and cared for, as was Xerxes, and that the dogs were ‘her children.’
Next step: I recommend moving Santa to the next step of a home visit
Full report:
Call date: Wednesday, June 22, 2022I had an excellent call with Ron Krom, with his wife, Lynn, also joining us in the background to make sure he didn’t forget anything.
Ron is an experienced Airedale owner having had his first while growing up, and recently having lost his second, Brownie, about 4 months ago due to cancer. The last few years, Brownie was not vaccinated but this was due to his having had kidney disease since 2018. He also had a thyroid issue. The vet told me that he was regularly in for bloodwork, HW, etc. He had been in Trifexis. Callie, the Welshi, was up to date on wellness exams, bloodwork, rabies, HW, fecals.The Krom’s vet, groomer, and personal reference all gave them glowing reviews. All three have known the Kroms for more than 10 years.
Ron did a lot of training with Brownie including nosework, CGC, and therapy (through Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs. Brownie was a therapy dog with 1300 hours under his belt and working with the elderly, and autistic (from kids up to 52 YO).Ron mentioned that Brownie had trained with many well known trainers so I asked him what he thought about Cesar Milan – a good indicator of what a person considers acceptable for training – and he dislikes him a lot and thinks he’s a phony.
The Kroms split their time between a place in the Catskills and their place in SC. The Catskills place is a community of 250+ acres, including a 50 acre lake. He does not allow the dog into the water unless someone was there with him. Everyone in the community has been there for at least 8+ years and he trusts them; there are only about 20 people/13 cottages. The SC place is in a gated community. Although there is no real yard to speak of, there is a dog yard.
Since both Ron and Lynn are retired, the dog won’t generally be alone more than 2 hours/day. They currently have an 8 YO Welshie (female) named Callie.Ron is very interested in Tucker, although I let him know that Tucker is under consideration by another applicant. He would consider an older dog, including Patton or Huey.
For some reason, my emails didn’t get through (possibly went into spam) so I replied to a post of his on FB in the ADT club of Charlotte group. Ron really made an effort to connect with me, replying on both FB and then via text, clearly showing how much he wants another Airedale.
Ron and Lynn are currently in the Catskills but he told me he would drive down for a HV in SC but would need a couple days notice since it’s a 12 hour drive. I let him know that we would connect him and the HV volunteer so they could arrange it. He did send me pictures of both homes in case that would be enough for a HV in hopes to avoid traveling back and forth from the Catskills twice, although he said he would do what he had to.Next steps: I will forward the photos he sent via email. Recommend moving him forward, whether it is for a HV, or direct to adding him to the list of being ready.
I spoke with Megan Long. She is clearly Airedale experienced and her dogs are both kept up to date with vaccinations and well groomed and in good condition when they have been at the vet. She also provided additional care for the dog as needed, beyond the vaccines and monthly treatments.
She noted an interest in another female but I did discuss possible issues with too many females.
My biggest concern is her hours and the fact that she has a doggie door that the dogs can use when she is on shift at work for 10 hour shifts. I asked what happened with storms and she told me the older dog gets nervous and stressed but not so bad she needs drugs. The younger isn’t bothered. I think any dog would need to be carefully vetted him/herself so as not to put it in a position of freaking out if there is a storm.
Another concern is wild animals. I asked about that and she told me she’d only ever seen turkeys , however, while she may well not have seen other animals. I am doubtful there aren’t other wild animals in the area. Her home looks to be very rural and from Google Earth, it shows to be surrounded by both open and wooded land. I live in the heart of the city of Atlanta and we have turkeys and coyote, and deer have been seen. In Roswell, GA, which is closer to Atlanta than where Wendy lives and much more suburban, there have been bear sightings! I’m not sure a 5-8′ fence would be enough to keep a wily wild animal out, or a terrified dog in, or one intent on chasing.
If Megan had more regular hours, I wouldn’t hesitate to move her forward but those long hours away from home make me really uncomfortable.
