DEMPSEY
Age: 5
Weight: 40 pounds
State: NY
Small Children Under 4: YES
Children Over 4: YES
Separation Anxiety: NO
Neutered/UTD: YES
Other Dogs: YES
Cats: YES
Crate Trained: YES
Leash Trained: YES
Obedience trained: NO
Adoption donation $250
Final Dempsey Update (adopted 8/9/04-deceased 1/9/05)
We miss Dempsey very much. We received her remains today from the crematorium. Thinking of
happier times helps. Like when she flew with us to meet the family in Iowa. She was such a good traveler
and always on her good behavior. Everybody loved her. We brought her by car to visit the family in
Connecticut several times. She loved to walk on the beach of Long Island Sound, paying special attention
to the seagulls floating on the water. She also went by car to meet the family in Utica, NY. She wiggled
from person to person ensuring everyone equal greeting time. She went with us to horseshows in
Saugerties, NY, and Ipswich, MA, living with us in the RV and making more friends. But when we came
to Florida for the season in mid-November, she found her favorite place. She liked to walk along the
canal by the house. And she really enjoyed hanging around the Florida barn. She was so excited and
happy to get in the car in the morning to go to the barn. She would lay by the ring in the shade and
sometimes run in the grass field beside the horses as they were ridden. How wonderful it was to see her
grown so fit with such energy and strength. And in the afternoon, she would stick close to the car to be
sure we would not forget to bring her home for dinner! Our favorite memory is her "happy dance", which
could only be done on safe footing. She wiggled and leaped and ran fast in circles with her shoulders
scrunched down and pranced and high stepped her way from person to person, smiling all the while and
making us laugh and smile, too! Dempsey made many friends in the short five months she was with us.
She will not be forgotten.
Written at 8 AM on Sunday, January 9, 2005:
Dear Friends of Dempsey-
We are sad to report that we unexpectedly lost Dempsey on Sunday morning at 6 AM. We were
awakened at 5:30 AM by her distressed breathing and were at first unable to awaken her. We carried her
to the car and headed for the emergency veterinary clinic. She did not survive the trip. She died in the
back seat of the car in Marsha's arms while Dennis was running the traffic lights.
She had been somewhat quieter than usual and not too interested in eating for a few days and seemed to
be constipated. We had taken her to the same clinic on Saturday morning for a diagnosis and some x-rays
of her stomach and intestines. The vet had not found anything wrong and had suggested we watch her for
a few days to see if she improved. She seemed better on Saturday, eating better, wanting to go with us in
the car and greeting us with her usual "happy dance" when we returned after dinner. She went to bed as
usual Saturday night, but did get up to go outside about 2 AM then returned to her bed. Sometime
between 2 and 5:30 AM, she moved to the carpeted floor of Marsha's closet, which is where we found
her at 5:30 AM.
The same vet was on duty when we arrived at the clinic the second time. After confirming that Dempsey
was gone, she took some additional x-rays and did an ultrasound. She said that Dempsey had a great
deal of fluid in the sac surrounding her heart and that the fluid exerted enough pressure to stop her heart.
The fluid contained blood and may have been caused by leakage resulting from perhaps a small tumor on
her heart.
We are still in shock and cannot really believe she is gone. She had become such a part of our lives in just
the short time she was with us. We think she really enjoyed living with us. She knew she was at last home
and had taken possession of our hearts and property. Our beautiful fawn boxer sweetheart was with us
for exactly 5 months. We will miss her very much.
UPDATED 10/12/04 - It's hard to believe Dempsey's been with us for two months already! She's
become more fit and confident in this time, happily running about the property keeping track of everybody
and quite insistently leading us to the kitchen at mealtimes! She's taken on watchdog responsibilities,
barking importantly at strange noises until she's satisfied there is no imminent threat!
Dempsey's September x-rays showed a strong and healthy back and pretty good hips, but some wear and
tear in her knees, especially the right knee. She is taking Cosequin buried in her food twice a day for
osteoarthritis. She also takes Proin twice a day in her food, which has eliminated her "leaking" problem
completely. She's a pretty good chowhound, eating two square meals a day, but is not too interested in
between meal snacks. She does, however, like Milkbone Jerky Treats before bedtime!
Dempsey completed her SCBR obedience training requirement in September. In addition to obedience
training we received coaching on feeding, grooming and healthcare. She enjoys her new rubber
currycomb and natural bristle brush, but really loves her new special dog treats used as rewards for
responsive behavior. She seems to be somewhat hearing impaired, so we are testing a "silent whistle" to
see if she can hear that better than our voices.
Dempsey did very well staying with friends while we were out of the country for a week. She may have
thought she was away at camp as she was taken on excursions by car to explore new places and spent
some time at another riding stable meeting all kinds of new people and animals. Still, she was happy to see
us when we returned and we were happy to see her! All in all things continue to go well!
UPDATED – 09-06-04 We love Dempsey! She's a real sweetheart!! She fits very well into our lives
and seems quite comfortable with her new life.
We flew to Buffalo to pick her up on August 9th and she traveled back to Saratoga with us on the plane
as though that was her usual method of transportation. She goes almost everywhere with us, traveling in
the back seat of our vehicles, and has been to the Farmer's Market and out to lunch at outdoor cafes and
to the Grand Prix at the Vermont Summer Horse Show and to PetSmart. She just spent a week at the
HITS Horse Show in Saugerties living in our RV, riding around on the golf cart or tied with Rocket in the
tack room of the show barn with a good view of nearby activity. If we do leave her at home, she waits
patiently in the kitchen and then performs her happy dance to welcome our return. It is true that this dance
cannot be done on wood floors, but rather is done on the driveway pavers where there is good traction!
Dempsey meets and greets adults, children, other dogs and even cats very amicably. She's interested in
her surroundings but remains generally unobtrusive, although she does bark when, in her opinion, the
occasion warrants, for instance, when her nap is disturbed by a sudden sound. She walks well on the
leash and behaves well off the leash when loose on our property. She seems to have had some very good
training as she knows Come, Sit, Down, Stay, Wait, Let's Go, Okay and waits for permission to exit
through a door! She is scheduled for an obedience training evaluation when we get back from the Boston
Jumper Classic Horse Show in mid-September to determine the best approach for her required SCBR
obedience training.
Dempsey seems pretty healthy, eats well, and takes her required medications buried in her meals. At first
she seemed to need a lot of sleep, but now she seems more fit and able to keep up with the pace of her
activities. She still sleeps well at night, but now has more energy to run and play during the day. She met
her local vet for a baseline physical and then was microchipped before we went away to the horse show.
She is scheduled for x-rays mid-September to get a better fix on the seeming weakness of her back legs.
Although most of the time in the house we use the elevator to get her from floor to floor, she now has a
pretty good way with stairs, and, with practice, was able to get herself in and out of the RV (five very
steep steps) under her own power!
Dempsey takes all the horse related activity in stride. She is not afraid of the horses, nor does she bother
them. She is learning to stay out of the riding ring and, if she enters it, responds to "Out" by heading for the
nearest open gate.
All in all, we think this new relationship is working out very well for all concerned. So far so good!!
UPDATED 8/7/04 - Dennis and I brought a new boxer home today. Like Stella, Dempsey is a rescue
boxer, who we found through Second Chance Boxer Rescue. She is 5 years old, fawn with some white
markings and very petite, about 40 pounds. She has natural ears and a cropped tail. She gets along with
other dogs and enjoys eating. You can read her history and see her photo at secondchanceboxer.com.
Select "Available Dogs", find Pending Adoptions and select "Dempsey". She is even prettier than her
picture!
We met Dempsey for the first time today at 3:30 PM in Buffalo, NY. Her foster mom met us at the
airport with Dempsey in her SUV. Dempsey traveled well on the plane to Albany, by limo to the Saratoga
airport and in the back seat of our car from there to her new home! She checked out the house and
nearby grounds, sampled only a bit of dinner and is now sleeping soundly on the rug in the office with us at
our computers. We hope that she likes us as well as we like her! We know we can never replace Stella,
but we think that Stella would be happy to know we are sharing our home with another rescue dog.
UPDATED 8/7/04 - Dempsey has been adopted!
7/14/04 7/14/04 Hi everyone it's me Dempsey. My foster mom is busy getting ready for a BRAD so I
decided to take matters into my own paws and tell you a bit about myself. I have settled in very nicely
here. I love my foster brothers and sister all us fur kids get along extremely well.
My favorite toy is a squeaky ball and my foster mom assured me I can take it to my forever home with
me. I am no longer crated at all. I was fine in the crate but mom found out that there is no reason to keep
me in it. I have proven myself to be very reliable in the house. The 2 year old skin kid here leaves toys all
over the place but I never, ever touch them. Why would I bother?? I have a HUGE basket of dog toys to
choose from. There is never a lack of things to do here. Foster mom always says a busy dog is a happy
dog.... and I tired dog doesn't get into trouble!
My leg is feeling better with each passing day. My foster mom and I have reached an agreement....my
morning pills gets mixed with some canned food and served with my breakfast. My evening pill gets put
"down the hatch" no added bonuses :o( but I know it's for my own good. My foster mom also tells me in
a few more weeks I go to one pill a day and she promised it will be in some yummy canned food. I can
deal with that. You will see I am pretty easy to get along with! Well, that's all for now. I am going to rest
up for my BRAD. Wiggles and Kisses Love, Dempsey
7/1/04 It's been almost 2 weeks with Dempsey and she is such a great little Boxer Girl! She moved right
in as if she has been with us forever. She started playing with toys yesterday and had a great time tossing
the stuffed Hippo around the house. She tries to play with the other dogs in the yard but isn't quite sure
how to get in on the games. She usually dances around and barks. It is very cute.
Dempsey is leaking a little bit of urine mostly when she is laying down. She was "leaking" when she was
returned to rescue, then it stopped for almost a week, now it has started back up again. So, to the vet we
go. Chances are she will need DES hormone replacement which is an inexpensive pill given once a week.
Dempsey is not crated at night and is fine. I have also been leaving her out of the crate if I am only leaving
for a short while and again she just hangs out until I come home. If she is put in the crate she just settles in
for a nap. Her knee is a bit stiff in the morning, but it seems to be getting better. The rainy days we had did
not seem to bother her much, I was expecting the worst but she was fine. She feels well enough to do
squirrel patrol and run off any pesky little critters that enter the yard. Dempsey has lots to offer and just
needs someone to give her a permanent loving home.
6/20/04 Dempsey has been returned to SCBR. Her new family was not able to deal with her arthritis. I
think the biggest problem is the Cosequin (arthritis meds) she was on was not being given consistantly. A
double dose is needed for 4-6 weeks, then it is taken down to the regular dosage. It works on a residual
effect in the dogs system. Simply giving it to her when she is limping does absolutely nothing. She takes her
pills very easily and I purchased some supplements today. Her left hind leg is stiff, but she put weight on it,
does down stairs and does a happy dance. She is VERY active and is great with my dogs. She is also
VERY good in the crate. She settles down on her big comforter for a nap. Dempsey is an absolute doll,
she has settled in as if she has been with me forever. I am going to go to the Pet Wellness Center
tomorrow and see if we can find some holistic supplements to help her. We will also be going to see the
Boxer Doctor to get his opinion on what will be best. I will update her pictures soon!
UPDATED 5/17/04 - Demy has been fully adjusted to our life here at Fort Drum. My husband finally
came home and now Demy has met the whole family. She is doing Great with Barkley (7yr old Male
Fawn). Her health is doing better. We now have her on an Arthritis treat form of meds so it's easier for her
to take. She has also put on some weight and her hair is finally growing in good now to cover up her scars.
Our Obedience training has finished. She did great and is now adjusting to walking on her GL. She is also
showing my male Barkley how to behave and walk nice. Their favorite thing to do besides go for walks is
to catch the Peanut Butter flavored bubbles. They both go crazy for them. Also she has become very
attached to the my kids. She even sleeps in their room at night. But we are all doing great and are finally
enjoying our warm summer months
now. So until our next update! Take care!
UPDATED 4/15/04 - Well Demy has adjusted fine with Barkley(7yr old male fawn). It was pretty much
love at first sight. They met with no problems and at the end of the
first night they were sleeping together already. Now they even share the same bed to sleep together. She
does great with the kids too. My daughter is in love with her. She isn't as hyper and doesn't smother you
like my male does. She has started to play more with
Barkley and the toys as well. She wasn't too fond of the rope and tennis balls. So we gave her a stuffed
animal and she is thrilled. She is also doing great with the Pedigree food now and has put on some pounds
oo. So now she is filled out and looking great. She does have some arthritis on her left knee. It's pretty
much bone on bone now so we have her on Cosequin to get her up and around. They seem to be working
great for her. She was actually jumping around with Barkley yesterday. I had gotten them Peanut Butter
Bubbles and they both go crazy for them. We do have some issues to work through with our training that
will be starting on 25 April. She has been snapping at Barkley lately.
Especially when i'm in the middle of them. It's like she is jealous when I give him attention. Also she was
caught digging through my trash for hotdog wrappers a few times now. And she is also pulling on her leash
too. She didn't at first but now she is alot more. So it will be nice to get her into some training. The best
things I love about her right now is that when you sit with her to rub her down and massage her. She like
to paw at you so you give her more and never stop. Also the way she is with Barkley when they are all
snuggled up together. He has been so happy to have her here. He has put his weight back on and isn't
depressed being alone anymore. No more howling from him! YEAH!! Well that is about it for now. I'll
update again next month after we get into our training. Thank
you again to everyone who helped bring her into our Family. She has helped make us whole again.
UPDATED 3/20/04 - Dempsey has been adopted!
2/11/04 Hi friends, Dempsey here. I am
taking things into my paws to give you an update. I am doing good here
at my foster home. I romp around and play and have a good time here.
I am not dond of this cold weather, though. I have figured out that my
role here is as a referee for the resident boxers. When they get crazy
and I think they are playing too rough I get up in their face and bark
to tell them so! I really want to go to my forever home soon. I would
like to be spoiled, I don't ask for much, a cozy bed to sleep on, a
bone to chew, and food to eat. I don't need any brothers or sisters of
the furry type because I really don't play with them directly. Won't you
please take a look in my beautiful eyes and try to imagine loving me
forever!
1/1/04 - Sorry it has been so long since Dempsey had an update. We are not sure where time has gone
but one thing is certain, we truely enjoy having Dempsey here. She is so loveable and gentle. Her
personality has started to blossom and her surgical incisions have healed. Her mouth is like new and she
can enjoy a good chew on a bone. We are waiting for the fur to grow back in around the incisions
(shaved for surgery). Dempsey is good with people, children, dogs and is not aggrevated by the site of
cats any longer. She still is confused about their purpose, but tolerates them. Dempsey does the cutest
dance and performance when you return home that it makes you forget anything unpleasant. This dance
cannot be done on the wood floor but on the rug only! Her appetite is great and she is filling out nicely.
Dempsey loves when she is invited on the sofa to cuddle. She would do great as an only dog. She does
get along with other dogs but has not yet showed any need to play with them. Not to say that this just has
not happened yet. Dempsey just shows no need to have other dogs around as some dogs do. I am sure
Dempsey is eager to have her own family to share her love with. Dempsey will give you an update next.
12/19/03: I would like to introduce myself, I am Dempsey and I am going to be 5 years old on
Christmas. I have been at my foster home for since December 8. My foster mom thought if she did not
put me on the website she would get to keep me, but I know I need my own family because she has so
many more boxers like me to help.I am a little girl, I prefer petite. When I was picked up from the shelter
I had a broken canine tooth with exposed nerves. My teeth were in bad shape. I also had three growths
that needed removed. A week ago today I had two teeth pulled, my teeth cleaned and polished and then
the three growths removed-one from my right side, one from the left side and one from my neck. I forgot
to mention the one from my eye lid is gone now, too. They left me with some shaved patches and stitches
that are coming out just before Christmas. I have been learning how to play and get so excited when
everyone comes home, even if they were only gone for a few minutes! I can really run around and dance
for you on the big rug, but not the slippery floor! I think I am starting to LIKE being with the other dogs
instead of just not minding. I will tell you that if one of them goes to check out my food or bone before I
decide I am done I will get in their face and tell them, I have to be vocal since I am so petite compared to
the rest of the gang. Today I am going to try harder to keep a good pose to have my picture taken, so far
I haven got the hang of it! I am fawn with a black mask. My foster Mom will fill you in some more later
with things she thinks important. I really do want my forever family to come soon, thats what I asked
Santa for this year:))