Pippa (Kortney/Pippa 09-401)

Profile

From Laura K

Merry Christmas from: Byron, Larry, Brody and Betsy Bruhn

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care	Fence	Kid Friendly	Another Dog	Cat Friendly
June 13, 2013	not required	10+	large playful dog	no
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

June 11, 2013

Pippa formerly known as Kortney is a returning RAGOM girl. She is a healthy GR mix, 4.5 years old and 45 pounds. She has sleek strawberry blonde fur with an upright left ear and a right ear which lays flat. Pippa was surrendered because she woke up the 10 month old baby with her barking and the SO (surrendering owner) felt she needed more exercise and time than they were able to provide for her. She also chased rabbits and smaller dogs.

HISTORY:

Kortney/Pippa was brought into RAGOM at only 8 months old as a cruelty case along with other dogs kept outdoors. She had an old injury which didn’t heal properly on her right front leg causing her to limp. The injured radial bone stopped growing while the ulna bone grew causing a bend in her leg. At this young age, a successful surgery was performed to help slow arthritis in this leg. A lot of time and effort by so many people helped her in these early years – doctors, nurses, her first foster and adoptive families as well as the numerous generous people who helped provide funding for all of her needs. She is truly a RAGOM rescue success!

TODAY:

Pippa is living in the country with her foster family of two adults. She came to us as a shy girl who is adjusting well to our quiet lifestyle. She loves going for walks and car rides, riding in the boat and spending time in the beautiful outdoors. Surprisingly she hasn’t seen any rabbits yet.

Pippa has virtually no problems with her leg and has lots of pep and really wants to pull on her walks. Though petite, she is all muscle. She can go for long walks easily. In the house, she bounds up and down the stairs with ease and dances back and forth between the rooms. We have noticed an occasional stance of bending her paw backwards possibly due to habit or maybe just to rest.

Pippa enjoys lots of pets, belly rubs and back scratches. She generally follows us from room to room and naps nearby. She takes an occasional nap on FM in her chair. At night she sleeps on her bed in our bedroom.

We are enjoying this beautiful girl. Stay tuned for further details as we learn more about Pippa.

At a Glance #09-401

Mixed Breed	Born: January 2009
Female	40 lbs

Status: Adopted

Profile

From Laura K

Merry Christmas from: Byron, Larry, Brody and Betsy Bruhn

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care	Fence	Kid Friendly	Another Dog	Cat Friendly
June 13, 2013	not required	10+	large playful dog	no
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

June 11, 2013

Pippa formerly known as Kortney is a returning RAGOM girl. She is a healthy GR mix, 4.5 years old and 45 pounds. She has sleek strawberry blonde fur with an upright left ear and a right ear which lays flat. Pippa was surrendered because she woke up the 10 month old baby with her barking and the SO (surrendering owner) felt she needed more exercise and time than they were able to provide for her. She also chased rabbits and smaller dogs.

HISTORY:

Kortney/Pippa was brought into RAGOM at only 8 months old as a cruelty case along with other dogs kept outdoors. She had an old injury which didn’t heal properly on her right front leg causing her to limp. The injured radial bone stopped growing while the ulna bone grew causing a bend in her leg. At this young age, a successful surgery was performed to help slow arthritis in this leg. A lot of time and effort by so many people helped her in these early years – doctors, nurses, her first foster and adoptive families as well as the numerous generous people who helped provide funding for all of her needs. She is truly a RAGOM rescue success!

TODAY:

Pippa is living in the country with her foster family of two adults. She came to us as a shy girl who is adjusting well to our quiet lifestyle. She loves going for walks and car rides, riding in the boat and spending time in the beautiful outdoors. Surprisingly she hasn’t seen any rabbits yet.

Pippa has virtually no problems with her leg and has lots of pep and really wants to pull on her walks. Though petite, she is all muscle. She can go for long walks easily. In the house, she bounds up and down the stairs with ease and dances back and forth between the rooms. We have noticed an occasional stance of bending her paw backwards possibly due to habit or maybe just to rest.

Pippa enjoys lots of pets, belly rubs and back scratches. She generally follows us from room to room and naps nearby. She takes an occasional nap on FM in her chair. At night she sleeps on her bed in our bedroom.

We are enjoying this beautiful girl. Stay tuned for further details as we learn more about Pippa.

Updates

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

And now for the continuing adventures of "Pippa of the North."

May 1st of this year, Pippa moved north with foster dad to the summer home in the country, just outside of Tower, Minnesota. And Pippa couldn't be happier. FD is around the house all day, either working remotely on the computer, or working on the house and yard. So Pippa gets company 24/7, which is OK with her because she loves her people.

Since moving up here, Pippa has been working on walking with the Gentle Leader and is doing great. She doesn't pull much at all now and seems to be more relaxed and enjoy her walks. Pippa loves rides in the car, but especially loves the truck. Something about dogs and trucks. She is supposed to stay in the backseat, but when we make a stop at the store or something, she sneaks up front and watches for my return. When she sees me coming, she hops back and acts all innocent about being in the front seat.

One thing about the north country, there is lots of wildlife. We have deer come around all day long, often very close to the house. Pippa is really interested in them and would love to chase them down, but FD won't let her off the lead. There is a big picture window in the office where FD works during the day and Pippa spends a lot of time watching out the window. She goes a little nuts when she sees the deer go by, sometimes as close as 10 feet from the window. Not sure why she wants so much to chase them; they are 4 times her size and I don't think she would know what to do with a deer if she caught one.

Besides the deer around, we have bear, wolves, and the occasional cougar (or so the rumor has it). Have seen one or two bears, not close to the house, so when Pippa is outside in the yard, she's closely watched. When going out at night after dark, it's especially important to turn on the lights, make some noise, and check the yard before taking her out. The property is large, about 7 acres, so there isn't a fence. Pippa spends her time on a tie-out just outside the window of FD's office. She seems to enjoy being outside and frequently spends time out, especially when FD is working on something outside.

FD has noticed that Pippa is a little startled by loud or strange noises. Lots of work to do on the house and yard after a long winter, so FD is out with the power tools a lot. Pippa isn't loving the noise the power tools make. She also doesn't like a stern "no" when she is getting into something. Could be a hold over from her first owner abusing and injuring her. She responds much better to kinder, gentler correction when she's getting into something, like the garbage.

Pippa has been kenneled a few times, for practice, while Dad is out running errands. She does well, but whines a little about not getting a ride in the truck.

FD is looking forward to getting out on some of the area lakes when the ice finally goes off them, and wants to see if Pippa enjoys the boat and fishing. Her previous foster had her out in a boat, so I am hoping she enjoys it.

About other dogs, Pippa has a reputation for not liking smaller dogs, probably not cats either. However she does get along with larger dogs. Last weekend, some of the family came up for the weekend and brought the "grand-puppy," Raven. Raven is 7 months old and already a little larger than Pippa. After a slow introduction outside, we took both of them inside and the multi-hour playtime/wrestling match began. Not sure where they get all that energy, but we all got tired just watching them play. By the end of the weekend, they were BFFs. I'm sure Pippa is looking forward to her next visit from Raven. We took a lot of pictures of the two, most came out blurry because of the constant motion. But it was great to see her enjoying herself.

Well, that's all for now. Pippa is snoozing beside me as I write this, getting that pre-bedtime nap in. Let me say that despite the few small faults she has, which are correctable when some love and training, Pippa is a real joy to have around. Some lucky family is going to enjoy adopting this little ball of energy. If you think you are that family, contact your placement advisor. Don't worry about needing to take a trip up north because Pippa comes back to the home in the cities every week or two for a few days while FD takes care of business.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Pippa is enjoying spring, like the rest of us. She has been getting out and seeing the world when she goes to the RAGOM "Meet and Greet" activities.

Everybody who meets her is charmed. She enjoys meeting people. I am learning what she likes, what she tolerates and what she does not like.

She fell in love with a young toddler who came to visit her last week. She was so gentle and loving toward this particular little girl. Everybody who saw this had to smile. Still Pippa does resource guard and we want her in a home without small children. This photo just shows her very best most loving nature.

She likes the attention of people coming up to pet her. She is gentle and behaves appropriately. She tolerates the other dogs who are at these activities. Some of them she seems to like, just not all of them. I think she picks on dogs who are smaller than her. Pippa likes to ride in the car. She will wait patiently if left alone. However, please do not leave her for too long..she does not like that. Pippa does not like strangers approaching the car. She gives a protective bark if they get too close. Pippa is also protective of her house. She will bark at strangers coming to your door. Here is a photo of Pippa being cute at a recent Meet and Greet.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

I’ve visited Pippa twice in boarding and she is this sweet, puppy-like dog with the cutest ears I have EVER seen. Although she is five years old, you would never guess! She acts like she just turned one, a forever young dog. She has the SOFTEST coat (it’s very deceiving – it looks like a short lab coat but when you pet it it’s as soft as a goldens) that has a really nice soft texture. Her ears are so adorable - the one-ear-up one-ear-down thing just gets me. And she’s just SO attentive! She had her eyes on me the entire time I was with her.

She is a camera model; she would tilt her head (I kid you not!) and would look straight into the camera with those big, brown eyes. Probably the best dog model I’ve ever shot. J Her size is perfect, she’s a pint-sized golden. Not too big, not too small with a curly tail going a million miles an hour to top it off. She LOVES human attention and really stuck near me. She did GREAT with me (13 y/o girl) and my mom. She really just needs someone to give her a chance. I really don’t know how she hasn’t been snapped up yet, she’s young, cute and just the right size. If you think you might be a match for Pippa then email your placement advisor – Pippa is waiting for you!

Monday, January 20, 2014

It has been a long time since anybody has heard about Pippa. She is well and still looking for her forever home. The previous entries gave folks a lot of info about Pippa. A little new info. Pippa is affectionate. She also has the most beautiful soft fur. I really loved the texture of her coat. She enjoys attention and will just settle right into you for pets. She has made progress learning how to walk like a lady. We walked her on a flat leash and she did not pull. She is a great size. Not too big, not too small..just right for a medium sized dog. She does not need a huge house and yard. As long as she is given regular exercise, she could adapt to a smaller home, a townhouse or apartment.She is also a good age for anybody looking for a younger adult dog. She still will play, can swim and do other outdoor activities. She needs daily exercise and she needs somebody who can spend time with diligent consistent training.Pippa really in a cutie. One ear up and one ear down just like Gizmo. She is ready to learn how to be the best dog she can be while giving and receiving love, direction and your acceptance.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Playful Pippa had a furry visitor while out on her tie out. A puppy just under Pippa's size came running free into our yard. Immediately the 2 dogs met, sniffed and began bouncing around in play, chasing and generally having a great time. Recognizing this neighborhood dog, we watched as the puppy came by another time this day and both enjoyed more play. We are so happy to see Pippa playing with another dog.We are teaching her a bit with fetching a stick. She does bring the stick back to us at times but she'd rather keep it and chew it up.Pippa has had another exciting two weeks with the addition of 4 more people at our home - 2 adults and 2 teenage boys! Arriving at 2:30 amwe provided a slow and easy introduction after springing Pippa from her kennel. She warmed up quickly to additional feet moving about and enjoyed the additional pets and treats that humans provide.When we were preparing for this visit, we noticed her perception of things to come. All that cleaning and bustling around gave her suspicion that something was up. She kenneled herself in her open kennel without a word from us long before we were ready to leave to pick up our house guests at the airport. FD noticed that she kennels herself also when she hears the hairdryer. Maybe it's a signal from her past that people are about to leave.She is a very good watchdog as she hears any footsteps on the porch steps and of course the doorbell. She doesn't get onto furniture unless invited. She loves garbage cans especially if meat wrappers are present. So best to keep those behind fixed doors. She likes to get up on low window sills to check out the outdoors. Her favorite laying spots are either at FM's feet, between FM & FD or beside the french doors looking out. She will trust you implicitly not to step on her wherever she lays.Pretty Pippa is quite settled here and has calmed down considerably since her arrival. Pippa still gets very excited about extra activity around her but will behave so well to "lay down" or "kennel up" which settles her down.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

This sweet little lady is the model house guest. Pippa is so easy going and really wants to please. She comes up for pets and stays by your side without demanding a lot of attention. Those big brown eyes just look at you as if to say "I'm here for you!"

One exciting evening this week, Pippa escaped to have her first and hopefully last rabbit chase. FM left the front door unlatched as she went outside to chase away a rabbit. Pippa bolted from behind her and went down the heavily wooded hillside chasing that rabbit. After calling "Pippa Come" for about 2 minutes, we ran for the house, got some treats and yelled "Pippa Treat!" several times. Up the hill came Pippa straight for that treat. We had her back inside the house within about 5 minutes total time. Thankfully she gave up on the rabbit and came to our calls. We have resolved to quit feeding the birds at the bird feeder so there won't be any more bird seed underneath to feed the rabbits which tempt Pippa. And FM will be more vigilant about having a completely latched door. Two things come to mind here:

1) How important it is that Pippa learned the words Come & Treat and is responsive to those.

2) How important it is for our children (and yes, us adults too) to mind the doorways and be careful to keep our pets from escaping the safety of home. I'm sure there are a few that have had this experience.

Pippa is not afraid of storms we learned. However the Carbon Monoxide detector beeped loudly with a brief electrical outage which sent her up on our bed for a bit of comfort. And after the very loud 4th of July fireworks on both sides of our home, Pippa got through the extra noise without too much concern.

Recently she had a wonderful summer treat - a cup of ice cream. Oh boy, did that go down fast! And she enjoys trying to figure out how to get the treat out of her red Kong. Sometimes she just rolls it around with her paw until the treat falls out. Such a smart Cookie!

Saturday, June 29, 2013

A Day in the Life of Pippa -
Well, it's morning already! The sun is up and these foster people won't get out of bed. But I wait somewhat quietly until about 6 am and then start pestering FD to get me outside. I have to stop at the outside doorway and look both ways to see if any little creature is moving about and then again at the deck steps surveying the land around me. FM sleeps in. So it's up to me to get her up and please, please feed me right away. Then I have a little nap. If anyone is moving around though, I'm sure going to follow to see what they're up to as I may be of some help.
About 10 am it's time for FM and me to take a walk. She puts this strap over my snout and I can't even yawn with it on but at least I can open my mouth a little and pant. That's attached to the leash. This is called a Gentle Leader. I'm supposed to stay right by FM's left side and not walk too far ahead. I'm doing pretty good with this. We might walk down to the beach where I can dip my paws in the cool water. We haven't met many people or dogs yet though . Where are all the children? They must swim later in the day. We walked down to the cul-de-sac where the big Lab lives and she was out loose protecting her turf. She looked a bit scary and I just stared. So FM and I turned around and walked home.
I love laying around on the grass while my human buddies are working outside. I get lonesome and start barking though when they wander too far away. When they bring the ball out, they can't figure out why I won't go play with it but I never learned to fetch. It really doesn't interest me. Sometimes I pounce on the ball on all fours like a fox and even have a shrill yip like a fox especially when I've spotted a rabbit. Hence FD has nicknamed me "Foxy".
I'm always checking for rabbits and striped chipmunks. I'd really love to chase them but this tie out keeps me from going very far. I'm not too interested in all the birds. And there aren't any cats around here. Time for another nap or two.Sometimes we go to town. That means a car ride - yippy! I don't like it when they leave me alone in the car though. Will they ever take me inside one of those big buildings?

After napping much of the day, I finally get fed again in the evening and then I really wake up! I've heard the word "nocturnal" to describe me. I do a little 'play bow' to indicate my eagerness. I love to race around the house and try to get someone to chase me but these old folks just won't participate. Then comes the window watching. You know, I see more critters in the evening! And I want to be outside all evening long which doesn't please my foster parents too much. Sometimes we take another walk if it isn't too buggy. After lots of barking while they're trying to watch a little TV, I finally settle down and go up to bed when they do. That doesn't mean I'll sleep all night. I'm quiet though so FM and FD can sleep. So that's a pretty typical day for me.

I'm crossing paws for a loving furever family to bring me home!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Pippa has become very relaxed in her new setting. She knows the routines but gets quite excited when something different happens. She wants to be included in anything that her people are doing. Whether it's going for a ride to town, watching FM attend to her gardening or supervising FD's fix-it projects, she's there quietly by your side.One evening Pippa thought she'd go exploring upstairs and we couldn't figure out where she had roamed off to. She normally stays right with us. When FM found her, Pippa had just finished the "prize" that her nose led her to - a very small piece of doggie treat tucked deep into FM's pants pocket. Needless to say, the pocket now has a couple of extra holes.Pippa is indeed Miss Curious! She can't figure out what is on the top of this post with an open tray and roof (our bird feeder). Numerous times she has tried to climb the post and we have seen the "two legged Pippa dance" also. She does this same dance when trying to find those predators.Speaking of predators, we were all out on the family deck enjoying the evening when suddenly Pippa noticed a striped chipmunk go under the air conditioner unit a few feet from the deck. The gaps between the deck posts measure about 6 inches and she took off between them to go after this critter with the tie out line attached to her. She jumped down and it was a good thing that she had plenty of cable to reach the ground or she would have been hanging there. And oh, what a barking followed! But of course, the chipmunk was safely hidden.Pippa is at war against bugs, particularly ticks! We try to keep her away from the taller grass but inevitably on our walks she has to investigate something in the roadside ditch. It only takes a mere brushing and she's covered with 5-10 ticks at once. Good thing she's on Frontline! She and FM work fast to pick the nasty ticks off and we give her a thorough working over when she returns home. Thereafter she is constantly inspecting her legs for the creepy crawlers even jumping up in the middle of night to check out an itch.We know she loves the water. Taking her down to the beach, we watched her in the waves where she fetched sticks. And she also doesn't mind getting baths. Afterward of course she sun dries and takes another nap.Pippa is becoming sweeter by the day. We very much enjoy having her with us.

Friday, June 14, 2013

OK, it's time to give you some further details.
Health - Pippa was in for her wellness check this week. She was rather scared at first hiding under chairs but she did quite well with the exam staying close to FM and FD (that's Foster Mom and Foster Dad). She is UTD (up to date) on all vaccinations and preventatives. I have to amend her weight as she weighed in at 49.5 pounds which is a great weight for her according to her vet. She's a very healthy girl! She did however test positive for the Lyme Disease bacteria. Thankfully she does not have any symptoms of Lyme Disease. Most dogs never get the illness even though they may be exposed.

Housebroken - yes and no accidents! Pippa barks, nose nudges or goes to the door when needing to be let out.
Fences and leashes - Did I mention that Pippa pulls hard on the leash? Well we, along with many other foster families, have used a Gentle Leader with great results. Pippa is getting used to this and she hardly pulls at all now. It's so pleasant to walk when your doggie isn't pulling you all over the country!!! We have her on a tie out in the yard and she stays close to us when we use the extra-long one. Previously she was in a fenced yard and was known to be quite an escape artist with climbing a 4 foot fence or digging her way under a fence to go chase rabbits. She has quite the prey drive, we're told. We have only experienced her pull hard on the leash when she saw some squirrels. She would do fine with a supervised and strong tie out and daily walks.
Cats - We don't have any cats. In her former living arrangements Pippa has not done well with cats.
Dogs - She has lived with at least one other dog larger than her. She will chase dogs that are smaller than her according to her SO (surrendering owner).
Children - We are undecided at this time as to what to recommend. She has lived with two children 4 & 6 in her first foster home several years ago with no problems. She was protective of the 10 month old in her SO's family. However, we are finding that Pippa is a rough player in play. She really loves the chase game but it soon escalates and she enjoys nipping or open mouth bumping. We are trying to discourage this behavior and redirect her to a quieter activity.
Home alone - We have not tested this but we understand that she is best crated during times home alone. She has had some separation anxiety in the past which she was taking meds for but has not been on anything recently.
Travel - She can ride crated or loose. She does fine with either. She will whine briefly as you leave to go shopping but quickly lays down in the car. She loves to ride with her people.
Noises and storms - She is very tuned in to any doorbell sounds even on TV. She barks loudly. Her papers say that she does not like firecracker or gun sounds. And we've noticed her total dislike of printer/scanner noises - She whines and barks fiercely. Sudden noises do sometimes spook her. We may find out soon how she does during a thunderstorm. Vacuum cleaners don't seem to bother her. She just moves out of the way when it comes her direction.
Resource guarding - We have not noted any issues with this. The SO told of one time that Pippa guarded her bone when the baby crawled near her. I would protect my treasure too!
Grooming - she enjoys. Brushing anywhere is welcomed. Touching is quite welcomed though she prefers butt scratches rather than head pets we've noticed.
Bad habits - She is a counter surfer. We are keeping temptations away from her and when she gets curious we simply tell her to get down.
Known commands - Come, sit, stay, down, up, lay down. She follows hand signals pretty well. She is learning to sit before being leashed to go outdoors and she is learning to heel.
Temperament - Pippa is an affectionate little gal who enjoys people's company. She'll stay right with you and follow you around. She has a very easy going personality. She's inquisitive and wants to investigate everything. Following commands pretty well, she just wants to please you. Pippa has gained a special place in our hearts!