Rifle, Colorado: Our Adoption of Ozzie

We found both Lexie and Ozzie online at www.petfinder.com, a foundation that makes pictures and descriptions of adoptable animals available to those interested.  They represent over 300,000 pets and 13,000 agencies including rescue groups and animal shelters.  Lexie's adoption was through P.A.W.S. (Pineywoods Animal Welfare Society) in Beaumont, Texas.  Ozzie's agency was BRAS (Breeders Release Adoption Services) in Rifle.  Both babies had received excellent care in loving foster homes before we adopted them.

I found Ozzie several weeks ago and have been in communication with Robin, Ozzie's foster mom about adopting him.  Robin offered to bring Ozzie to us within a reasonable distance, but we've decided to go there for a few days' trial to see if he and Lexie get along.

Rifle is a quaint Colorado River town established in 1905. We camped in beautiful Rifle Falls State Park overlooking a serene blue reservoir.  Aside from a little rain we had nice, cool, sunny weather.

Our campsite overlooks the lake

Looking at the campground on the hillside from the other side of the lake.

This was a perfect setting for Lexie and Ozzie to get to know each other.  Robin brought him, along with two other rescue dogs, Mopsy and Fergie, out to visit the afternoon we arrived.  I loved all three of them but knew we could only manage one more for our total of two.

Ozzie (red halter) meets Lexie

Ozzie was reserved but showed confidence.  Through email exchanges, Robin told me that Ozzie came from an Amish puppymill in Missouri -- much the same background as Lexie had endured in Mississippi. Ozzie came to BRAS covered in matts that had to first be cut before he could be shaved.  Robin had fostered Ozzie for three months (since May) and had observed that he was playful with the other dogs but wasn't too rough. That was important to us as Lexie really doesn't seem to know how to play.

Ozzie when he was first rescued.
The matting near his bottom is not his tail. It's feces dried in his unkept hair.

Ozzie's picture as shown on www.petfinder.com
It was love at first sight.

Lexie (front) seems to be smiling.
Ozzie is looking around to see how he likes us.

Ozzie got comfortable pretty quickly.  Lexie followed him every step.
Because he's not completely housebroken, he sometimes has to wear a cumber bun (belly band).

Robin let Ozzie visit with us for the next three days to see if he and Lexie were compatible.  At first he was frightened and I could tell he was feeling a degree of separation anxiety. During Friday and Saturday, glimpses of his sweet, timid personality could be seen.  To our surprise, Lexie chased him around the coach, barking and trying to play.  He was completely uninterested in play but we didn't care, we had fallen in love with him and on Sunday we loaded our menagerie into the car and drove to Robin's house to finalize the adoption. 

Try as he may, Wayne is unable to get either Lexie or Ozzie to come when he calls.
This is a "first" as babies and dogs naturally love Wayne.  

Wayne decides he'll win them over with kibbles! 
He feeds them simultaneously... by hand. 
Lexie on the left, Ozzie on the right.
They eat this way every afternoon at 4 p.m.

The first of a zillion photos of the furkids.
Ozzie on the left, Lexie on the right.

This one is out of focus but easy to see what's important here...
Lexie in the top of the photo -- Ozzie at the bottom.

"Lexie... look at the camera. We're being photographed for a calendar, I think."

Robin's home is in a beautiful setting, high on a hill with a fabulous view.  She met us in the drive and we got to see Mopsy and Fergie again.  We also met Jackson and Piper, Robin's other two Malteses.  I begged Wayne to adopt Mopsy, a tiny little girl with lots of food allergies.  Then there was Fergie, who Robin referred to as the "lap magnet" -- a fun-filled Yorkie who was Wayne's favorite.  But Wayne said no, we couldn't take then all and Ozzie was a perfect fit for us. 

Ozzie's foster home. Life was pretty good out here in Colorado
We have a tough act to follow.

Okay, let's see if I can get this right....  Lexie in the lead, then Jackson. Fergie (the Yorkie) is next, followed by Ozzie and Piper. Mopsy was being held by yours truly.

Wayne playing ball with Piper.  She never gets tired.
Taken in Robin's kitchen (loves dogs, can't you tell).
Ozzie is relaxed on the shelf behind Wayne.

Lexie, Jackson and Ozzie romp around the patio at Robin's house.

Robin and me with Piper, Ozzie, Fergie, Mopsy (in blue) and Lexie

Mopsy, Piper, Fergie and Ozzie with Wayne and me.

After at least an hour of playing with all the rescue babies, we loaded up and headed back to the campground for our final night. We'll head east tomorrow morning.

Going back into the campground.