Peppa had the misfortune to be born deaf, thus difficult to adopt despite being adorable.
Last Updated: Dec 25, 2021
History
Peppa is one of three 12 week old puppies that were owner surrendered as unwanted and ended up at the Sevier County Humane Society. They are all adorable and her brother and sister were quickly adopted. But not Peppa, because she was born deaf and needs a home that will work with her and her special needs. SCHS reached out to Piney Mountain Foster, to get this girl out of the shelter environment. We agreed. We then reached out to A Pathway To Hope in New Jersey who found a suitable foster home and agreed to take this sweet girl once she is healed up from her spay surgery enough to travel. They will work with her to get her ready to be adopted into a loving home.
Base Info:
Arrival date: Oct. 11, 2021
Breed: Australian Shepherd
Sex: Female
Age: 12 weeks
Birthdate: July 19, 2021
Weight: 10.0 pounds on Oct 11 ………..
Spayed/Neutered: Yes, Oct 11, 2021
General Health: Good
Temperament: Playful, affectionate
SAFER Testperformed: Yes: Passed
Departure date: October 14, 2021
Adoption Information
Adopted
Progress Summary
Detailed notes are below the summary
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Undetermined
Preferred style of play: Undetermined
Is affectionate: Yes
Is good with: . Men: Yes . Women: Yes . Children: Yes . Cats: Probably
Jumps up on people: Yes she’s a puppy in need of training.
Mouths: Yes she’s a puppy in need of training.
Walks well on a leash: No
Gallery
Progress Updates
Oct 14
Dec 25
Peppa is in a forever family and has grown into such a beauty. Her Mom sent this photo of Peppa (now Zuzu) and her fur-sister. What a wonderful Christmas present!
Clearly, Elsa was once a well behaved family pet. But something happened that caused her to be terrified of people.
Last Updated Oct 4, 2021
History
Elsa was picked up as a stray in a suburb of Knoxville TN. Elsa was transferred to C.A.R.E. in Jefferson City and Sigrid became Elsa’s sponsor. At this point, Elsa was described as terrified of people. She would back into a corner and try to melt into the floor if anyone approached her. She would not walk on a lead. If picked up she would void her bladder and bowels all over the person. But she tugged at Sigrid’s heart and Sigrid determined to save her.
Elsa was spayed on September 13, then transferred to Piney Mountain Foster Care for psych rehab. All of us expected it to be a long process.
SAFER Testperformed: No – too scared at admittance
Departure date: Undetermined
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes, she loves other dogs
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
Preferred style of play: She likes to run and will tussle a little but is not fond of rough play.
Is affectionate: Wants to be – is timid
Is good with: . Men: Yes . Women: Yes . Children: Probably . Cats: Unknown
Jumps up on people: No
Mouths: No
Walks well on a leash: Does very well in known areas, balky when going someplace new,
House Dog Training
Willingly enters her crate: Yes, with bribe
Is calm/quiet while in crate: Yes, except if she needs to potty: whines.
Understands going outside to potty: Yes
Alerts me of need to go outside: Yes – goes to door or whines and looks toward the doorway.
Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
Engages in kitchen counter cruising: Yes – must keep an eye on her
Stays off people furniture: Yes
Gallery
Wants to go in her room.
Getting comfy with House Dog Gang
Elsa joins our Breakfast Club
Elsa’s encampment and toy collection
Enjoying an evening with the family
Progress Updates
Monday Sept 13
Marie and I went to Jefferson City to meet Sigrid as the van returned with dogs and cats who’d been “fixed” that day. Elsa was still little bit loopy but the shelter staff managed to move her from their transport crate into mine and we loaded her into our truck. She traveled well.
At Piney Mountain, we moved her transport box inside the kennel building before opening it. I needed to remove the toggles and take the top of the transport box off to get Elsa out of it. She is very scared, but makes no attempt to bite as I handle her.
I gave her a bowl of kibble for dinner, but she didn’t eat it. Then I put a harness on her, to avoid injuring her neck, and attached leash. Getting her into the play yard to potty was a matter of interlacing my fingers under her chest, one leg on either side of her, and trundling her along with her front legs just off the ground and her hind legs digging in to resist. Once in the play yard I released her and sat down (to be less intimidating).
She did not potty – but because of the surgery she had not eaten or drunk anything all day, so that wasn’t surprising. I offered her treats to allow me to approach her, then try to get her to approach me. That worked well. Then I trundled her back into her box, removed her harness, and got her settled for the night.
Tuesday, Sept 14
Elsa seemed to have had a good night. She kept her room clean. She has not eaten yet (I left a dish of her kibble in with her overnight) but she did eat a beef stick and several of our peanut butter cookies as well as a few Bil-Jac treats before she went to bed, so she’s not starving.
Busy day today. I had a delivery to make and errands to run in the early morning, then kennel cleaning, then a veterinarian appointment in the afternoon. Kennel cleaning took longer than usual because I did some rearranging so I could get Elsa into the Pit Bull crate (more room in there in case we need to use some form of licking deterrent) but I could not have it sitting out in the middle of the floor. We went outside for a while before I put her in her new room. She was not happy with it until I put a heavy blanket over the top and back. She seems content now. And she did eat her kibbles while I was out on my errands this morning. I left her harness on while I went to run morning errands. When I got back I found she’s chewed the harness off. I tossed that one and got out another, I’ll just be sure to remove it when she’s left on her own.
After dinner play time yielded some interesting steps. Feeling that she’s cowed by my following her around at leash length and will not potty, I put her on a 12 foot lead this evening. That didn’t really help for I was still “following her”. So I sat down and let her circle.
We got to where when I called and held out my hand she would come over to me just close enough I could scratch her under her chin. I let her drag the lead while exploring the yard. She seemed fond of Maggie and hung out near her kennel for a while. Blondie Bear was also loose in the yard and the two of them walked together for a while.
She still didn’t potty. It’s not uncommon after spay surgery to be either loose or constipated. I gave her canned for dinner, I’ll give her another can for breakfast to make sure she doesn’t get plugged up.
We also looked at her incision tonight. It looks great. No indication she’s been licking.
Wednesday, Sept 15
After breakfast, Elsa went outside and into the play yard to say hello to each of her neighbors.
Elsa urinated copiously but produced nothing solid. After some wandering, she went over and sat beside the gate, seeming ready to go back to her room. Accomplishing that was not so smooth, but it was not traumatic either. Still skittish, but doing better.
Mid-morning: We have POOP! Large quantity, normal consistency but there are live worm segments present. This afternoon I’ll start a 3 day course of Fenbendazole (SafeGuard) that will take care of them. She just needed to get ALLL THE WAY across the yard from me to get past the modesty.
Thursday, Sept 16
While I was cleaning kennels Elsa was softly calling me, “I need to Goooooooooooo”. So I rushed getting Maggie back in her room and let Elsa out. She went straight to the gate and trotted across the yard to a spot she liked and defecated. She was much happier afterward.
Elsa is an exceptionally clever girl! At the 2:00 play time I went out and Luna was dancing around inside her bedroom, seemingly enthralled by something goin on inside the building. I peeked through the roll-up door windows and saw Elsa running loose inside.
She did no damage, only got into a trash can that had a coupe of empty dog food cans in it. I took her out in the yard and when I put her back I made triple-sure the door latch was down and locked. This evening I went out to check, and she was loose again! One would think she has some Border Collie in her! I’ve wired the latch, and will see if she’s still contained when I take her dinner out in a few minutes.
Friday, Sept 17
Just finished evening yard time for the dogs. Elsa is doing well with Go Walkies, where I hold onto the handle of her harness and keep her walking beside me. She destroyed the orange harness this morning and is using a grey one now. Better design: just one buckle to mess with so it’s easy on-off which is good because I take it off after each yard time. She also got quite chummy with Blondie Bear today.
Saturday, Sept 18
I moved Elsa’s room into the back of the building next to Pearl’s bedroom. Elsa seems to like being bunked in next to Pearl, she is calmer now between yard outings. It also seems to help if I leave a light on back there. Up front the garage door windows let in lots of light, back there it’s a bit dark. The yard run we just did went well. She didn’t do anything, but getting her to “walkies” out to the yard took almost no coercion at all and just a little to get her back inside. While outside she was snuggling up beside Maggie’s kennel and they were “conversing”. Twas quite sweet.
Sunday, Sept 19
As we walk back and forth between kennel and play yard I use a standard leash and she walks along beside me BEAUTIFULLY! Loose leash. She only get reluctant when we get into new territory (like going into the house for the first time).
She is quite bright, and so much wants to be included and loved. It’s just a matter of gently introducing her to new things, building on the trust we have formed.
We brought Elsa in the house this evening to see how she’d do, and she did beautifully. I took her back to her room for dinner. In the evening Marie was working with Blade and could hear Elsa crying because she’s lonely. I got a large wire crate out of storage and set it up in our bedroom (all the dogs sleep in there at night). We brought Elsa inside again just before we sat down to our dinner. She behaved exceptionally well: no begging. She snoozed in the den with me until bed time, went outside to potty then into her crate I set up for her.
She slept peacefully all night. Went out with the others to potty in the morning and ate breakfast in the kitchen with the other dogs, no issues at all. It looks like we have another house dog!
Monday, Sept 20
Clearly, Elsa has been a house dog before as she is doing wonderfully. The only issue we need to keep working on is getting her to walk on a leash and go willingly wherever I go. Right now she leash walks well if we’re going somewhere she’s familiar with, but new areas are met with heavy resistance. Once we have that conquered, Elsa will be ready to go home to Sigrid’s for final training and placement for adoption.
Saturday, Sept 25
Elsa has recovered from her surgery, is feeling fine, and has settled in here to the point she is getting playful with our other residents. She is especially fond of Josephine, our little Dachi-Beagle. Josie was intimidated at first because Elsa is so much bigger, but when she found Elsa to be careful not to hurt her, she joined into the play. And Callie Roo makes sure the play does not get out of hand.
We are almost to the point where I can let Elsa out into the yard to potty and play and she will come back when I call her. She will come to the point of peeking around the corner of the house, but if I’m in sight she will duck back and return to the yard. When I go after her, she evades me very little and will walk calmly with me back to the door by my loosely holding the handle on her harness.
Monday, Oct 4
Elsa is just about ready to go on to her new home. She will need some time to adjust after the move (she relies on routine and familiarity for comfort), but she has become a regular member of our family. She has started helping herself to any food I might leave momentarily unattended on the kitchen counter, so I have to be mindful of that.
She is, going outside to potty with the other house dogs, and is more often coming back with them rather than making me go out to fetch her back in. When she does not come back on her own it’s because it’s a nice day and she’d rather hang out by the kennels and chat with Pearl and Maggie.
If I take her outside around 8:30 PM she sleeps through the night and will “hold it” until around 7:30 AM.
Pearl was one of three dogs picked up for vagrancy by the pet police. No owner ever came to claim her, so she’s starting anew.
Last updated: July, 2024
History
Pearl was picked up with two other dogs: Camo; who is clearly related to Pearl, but younger, and another unrelated dog who was adopted before we pulled these two. All were classed as strays, posted on the Animal Control Facebook page but no one came to reclaim any of them, so Animal Control made them available and PMFC took them both in.
Base Info
Arrival date: June 9, 2021
Breed: Husky/Redbone mix
Sex: Female
Age: Adult
Birthdate: @ June 2019
Weight: @ 45 pounds on June 9, 2021 …………………50.8 pounds on March, 2022 ……………….. 50.0 pounds on Jan. 1st, 2023 ……………….. 54.2 pounds on Aug. 1st, 2023
……………….. 49.6 pounds on July 1st, 2024
Spayed: Yes, July 1, 2021
General Health: Excellent
Temperament: Can be rowdy at times, but has learned to express affection gently.
SAFER Testperformed: Yes – Passed
Departure date: Undetermined
Adoption Information
Start by submitting a completed Adoption Application (Now an on-line, mobile friendly form).
Contact information for your veterinarian is required and we will do a reference check.
If local, (within reasonable driving distance) schedule a meet-n-greet after your application has been processed. If you have another dog, bring it. A home inspection and interview will be done after a successful meet-n-greet. Sometimes we can bring the dog to you for a combined meet-n-greet and home inspection.
Local adoption fee is $200.00 This includes spay surgery, vaccination against Parvovirus, Distemper, Adednovirus, Rabies, and Bordatella and a thorough de-worming. This dog has been microchipped and will be registered in the adopters name. Any health issues we found were addressed and are described below.
For long distance adoption, contact a reputable rescue near you and ask them to pull the dog from us and handle the adoption to you using their policies and fees.
Progress Summary
Detailed notes and discussion are available below the summary and gallery.
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes, she relates positively to friendly dogs
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
Preferred style of play: Likes solo play with balls (video below), running and wrestling with dogs.
Is affectionate: Yes.
Is good with: . Men: Yes . Women: Yes . Children: Unknown – can get rowdy for toddlers. . Cats: NO.
Jumps up on people: Not any more.
Mouths: Rarely – doing much better
Walks well on a leash: Yes
Housebroken: Working on that.
Commands
Comes when called: Yes
Sits on command: Yes
Down / Off: Yes
Shake / Paw: Yes, but insists on making it her own (video below)
Kennels on command: Yes
Diet
Victor Classic – Professional Dry Dog Food, Purina One classic ground canned food. PMFC Peanut butter cookies given as rewards for compliance. Occasional snacks include: Milkbones, Bil-Jac
Photo Gallery
Feelin cute …LOVE the big ballHouse sittingRunning like the windMy pool is coolI saw Snoopy do thisTake me home daddyI don’t feel so good.
June 12, 2021
Pearl is coming along. She still gets excited when we are in the yard together: jumping on me and nipping at my hands. Camo was the same way at first. I’m using the same technique I did with him and it is helping, she just slower at being dissuaded from this behavior. She’s not dumb: she has learned “In Your Room” (although she does not always comply right away) and she now knows “sit” (and is compliant).
She loves her swimming pool. I put that in there because she would stomp in her water bowl. She plays in her pool all the time. When it gets hot I’ve seen her laying in the water, resting.
June 22
We’ve taken to calling her Pearl the Squirrel because of the goofy antics she gets into – she’s DEFINITELY a Husky! She rarely goes into her dog house, but she loves to sit or stand atop it. My favorite is when she lounges over the entrance part like she’s draped over a barrel (photo in the gallery above). So funny.
She is starting to move away from me when she gets play time. Sometimes she just wanders a short way away to sniff the grass, other times she takes off and RUNS in big lazy laps around the yard. But if I call her she comes right back to me.
She learning that she gets more petting if she’s calm and stays, “down”. When she insists on jumping on me she goes back to her room early. She’s learning. Not as fast as Camo DeTigger did (they are clearly related) but she is learning. She even let me trim her nails yesterday. A major step forward.
July 2
Pearl was spayed, HW tested and got her rabies and microchip yesterday. She is heartworm negative, so we can now safely make her available for adoption. While she was groggy from the surgery I trimmed all her toenails and got her into a surgical onsie instead of putting her in a cone. She would HATE the cone!
By bed time last night we managed to get a small tail-wag out of her. She tried to eat something but it came back up. This morning the tail is swinging wider and she’s in less pain. She ate the stew I brought her for breakfast but left the kibble part for later. Probably wise until her tummy is feeling better.
July 5
Pearl is back to being her spunky self again (video above). She wants to know when she can have her swimming pool back. That won’t be until next week. The incision looks good and is healing well but she needs a full 10 days before she can get wet again.
July 10
Pearl has healed up well from her spay surgery. She decided she was tired of the surgical onesie she was wearing (instead of a cone – Huskies HATE cones) and she slipped out of it and shredded it. Technically she has a few days to go but she’s leaving the incision alone so I’ll not harass her further.
July 14
I have been keeping Blade and Pearl separate because Blade was antagonistic toward Pearl. She did not return his animosity. I figured Blade was just being Blade and reacting to change. He doesn’t like change, even a pretty girl moving in next door. A few days ago I finally let them out to play in the yard together. At first Blade was being grumpy, but Pearl soon won him over and they were running and playing in the yard. See video above. Pearl does not seem to dislike any of the dogs and would be happy to play with any of them. I’ll start testing that soon.
Sept 21
Pearl gets along with and will play with all the other outside dogs. She has calmed down and is more manageable in the jumping on people to demand affection department.
Nov 17
Pearl has calmed quite a bit now. She’s still a Husky and has a lot of energy, but has learned to direct it in proper directions. She rarely jumps up on me or tries to mouth me. She has learned to appreciate some quiet time with a chew bone or toy (See “Kongs” video above). She also appreciates a spell of calm petting.
With the colder weather I have been closing the kennel dogs in their bedrooms at night. The kennel building is heated and closing the doggie doors keeps the cold out. I gave her a blanket to snuggle into on her Kuranda, she seemed to appreciate that the first night, but has since decided it’s a toy and spends the night destroying it.
She keeps her room clean every night, waiting until I let her out after breakfast to relieve herself. A good start on house breaking/crate training. I have no trouble getting her to come into her room at night, she is not averse to being confined in her room.
Dec 11, 2021
Pearl is doing MUCH better as restraining her enthusiasm and demanding attention from me. We have been closing her into her bedroom at night because of the cold. She has a perfect score for keeping her room clean and dry all night long. Well, except for those times when she goes snorkeling in her water bucket. But that is clearly drinking water not urine. What’s a husky to do when she gets bored? Shove her head into her water bucket and blow bubbles through her nose, of course!
Giving her a Kong toy stuffed with biscuits has given her something less soggy to do until she’s ready for bed.
April 11, 2022
Pearl has calmed down a lot in her relationship with me. She has been exposed to several new people recently and did well with all. She has become reactive to other dogs walking by her kennel, but that is common when a dog is confined. When it is she who is loose and walking by the other dog, she’s fine. And she plays well with most other dogs.
She does well at keeping her bedroom clean at night as long as I don’t dally too long in the morning.
Jan. 9th, 2023
Little has changed. She is getting frustrated with life in a kennel.
August 8th, 2023
It’s been hot and Pearl has not enjoyed the heat. Even on nice days, she insists on going inside to her room (where it’s air conditioned). When I release her from her bedroom to leash walk her out to the play yard she insists on taking a tour of the building, checking on each resident, looking around the kitchen, checking out the mop sink, then coming to stand by me to be leashed. So far she hasn’t gotten into anything (not even the kitchen trash) she’s just looking around. She LOVES playing with Brutus!
More will be added as care and training progress. To receive notices of updates subscribe below. It’s painless and you can unsubscribe any time you want. Your e-mail address is used ONLY to deliver post notices. That’s a promise!
A happy, easy-going hound of a feller who just wants to be loved.
Last updated: June 7, 2021
History:
Arrested for vagrancy by Animal Control in Newport TN, we know nothing about where he came from or why he was homeless. But he was a model prisoner in Doggy Jail so we sprung him and he’s here to be gentrified so he can find a loving forever home.
Base info:
Arrival date: May 26, 2021
Breed: American Staffordshire Terrier
Sex: Male
Age: Adult
Birthdate: Est: Dec 26, 2019
Weight: 55 pounds on June 1
Neutered: Yes
General Health: Excellent
Temperament: A little rowdy but a happy, playful fellow.
Contact information for your veterinarian is required and we will do a reference check.
If local, a meet-n-greet is encouraged. If you have another dog, bring it.
An adoption Contract must be signed by PMFC and Adopter. This is a legal document and an actual signature is required. If the form must be mailed back and forth, allow time for that to happen. Electronic PDF is allowed if you can print/scan.
If not local, adopter arranges transport. We frequently work with HEARTS LLC (fees are paid to the transport service) but have other options available.
Adoption fee is $200.00 This includes spay/neuter surgery, vaccination against Parvovirus, Distemper, Adednovirus, Rabies, and Bordatella and a thorough de-worming. This dog has been microchipped and will be registered in the adopters name. Any health issues we found were addressed and are described below.
Progress Summary
Detailed notes and discussion are below the summary
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
Preferred style of play: Undetermined just wants to be petted
Is affectionate: Yes, quite so.
Is good with: . Men: Yes . Women: Yes . Children: Older kids, yes. Probably to bouncy for little kids right now. . Cats: Unknown
Jumps up on people: Doing much better now.
Mouths: Doing much better now. See June 7 notes below
Walks well on a leash: Yes but see May 28 notes below
Commands
Comes when called: Yes.
Sits on command: Yes. Picked this up from watching me with Blade.
Down / Off: Doing much better now.
Shake / Paw: Not yet
Kennels on command: Yes.
Diet
Victor Classic – Professional Dry Dog Food 1¼ cups plus 0 oz. home made stew AM and PM PMFC Peanut butter cookies given as rewards for compliance. Occasional snacks include: Retriever Beef Basted Sticks Jones Beef Hooves Grillerz Pork Femur
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Progress Notes
May 27
Camo transported home from NAC well: no barking or thrashing around, no vomiting or fear voiding. It seems he likes to ride. He has met all of our gang and has no issues with any of them. Blade has an issue with Camo, but that’s because Blade resents change. Blade is harassing Camo and will nip Camo’s toes if he puts them up on the fencing between them.
Camo’s first night here was not the best, but that’s not entirely his fault. We had a full moon ( and it was orange: they call it a Blood Moon) and critters were running in the woods and other dogs on the mountain were barking. So Camo barked too. Everly got in on it, but I think she was scolding him, saying, “Shut up I want to sleep.” But sleeping was something no one was doing, so I went out and lured everyone but Blade into their inside rooms and shut them in. I moved Blades water bowl outside and shut his door too just to maximize the muffle. We could still hear them, but it was much more subdued and we did get some sleep after that.
May 28
Last night went much, much better and I did not need to sequester anyone.
Camo went on a play-date yesterday. Another couple of ladies who also do dog rescue asked if Camo would come play with their Mr. Shorty, who needs socialization. We agreed. Mr. Shorty didn’t feel like playing: maybe because Camo was still wearing his Kennel Funk cologne. So Deann and Amber offered to bathe him. He smelled much better afterward. And they fell in love with him.
Other Notes: It is my practice to put all new arrivals on a 12 foot lead until they learn the “come” or recall command. I can use it as a long leash, or let them drag it around for free play and recall training. But if they decide to play “can’t catch me” I have a better chance of thwarting their game. When the dog will come when called I dispense with the lead. In Camo’s case it was a hindrance right away because instead of wandering off he would do figure 8s around my feet, quickly hobbling me. I have a hard time getting him to wander off a few steps so I can get some photos. His favorite place to sit is between my feet. So we’re not using the lead.
But when we went out to his play-date yesterday, he walked on his leash quite well and was a perfect gentleman … err … dog, through the whole thing.
June 2
Camo was neutered, vaccinated against rabies, and heart worm tested yesterday. His HW test came back negative, so he’s all set. We just need to keep him from licking the incision. Dr. Greenen’s notes say, ” Heart: no murmur, even rhythm, Ears: minimal wax, canals healthy, Great body condition.” I also gave him his second Parvo/Distemper vax when he got home while he was still subdued.
I let him ride inside the truck cab with me on the way home from Cedarwood Veterinary. He did very well.
June 7th
Camo has done very well with his training. He is super-eager to please so he trains easily, I just need to make it clear to him what I expect and he complies.
At first I had a lot of trouble with him jumping up on me and biting my hands. He was seeking affection, but going about it in the wrong way: probably a left-over behavior from poor training as a puppy. With some dogs it’s really hard to break them of this once they are adults. Not Camo. I would just get him into “down/off” and “sit” (which he learned on his own from watching me work with Blade – that’s how smart he is) I’d love up on him.
I remembered a trick the following day: when he started jumping and nipping, my hands went into my pockets or behind my back so he could not see them and he’d get no attention from me. When he got especially jumpy he’d go right back in his kennel and was done with that play session. He learned quickly not to waste his play times by being too insistent.
Camo left yesterday evening for a sleep-over at his friend, Mr. Shorty’s, house. Mr. Shorty’s family is thinking of adopting Camo and they want to see if he will fit in well with their current pack, so Camo is in a Foster-To-Adopt situation. They say it is going well so far.
Want to help save lives? Everyone involved with PMFC is a volunteer, no donated funds go to salaries or benefits. We are 501(c)(3) – EIN: 84-3593563
If local, a meet-n-greet is encouraged. If you have another dog, bring it.
If not local, adopter arranges transport. We frequently work with HEARTS LLC (fees are paid to the transport service) but have other options available.
Adoption fee is $200.00 This includes spay/neuter surgery, vaccination against Parvovirus, Distemper, Adednovirus, Rabies, and Bordatella and a thorough de-worming. This dog will be microchipped and the chip will be registered in the adopters name. Any health issues we found were addressed and are described below.
Progress Summary
Detailed notes are below the summary
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes. Gets a little over-bearing in rough play with some.
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
Preferred style of play: She loves running & wrestling
Is affectionate: Yes
Is good with: . Men: Yes . Women: Yes . Children: Yes . Cats: Probably not, due to high prey drive of her breed.
Jumps up on people: When excited, yes. Once she calms, no.
Mouths: No
Walks well on a leash: Yes: pulls a little, working on that.
Housebroken: No
Commands
Comes when called: Yes.
Sits on command: Yes.
Down / Off: Yes
Shake / Paw: Working on that
Kennels on command: Yes
Gallery
Progress Updates
May 22, 2021
She just arrived, we’re all getting to know her. She is active and needs to learn her manners, but she it not at all aggressive toward anyone, even Blade who is doing his best to intimidate her. She just turns it into play!
May 24
Everly is loosening up a bit now and is becoming affectionate. She is not a barker – I can’t say I’ve heard her bark yet. She cry a little when I put her back in her kennel after play, but settles down quickly. She has been absolutely quiet at night – a blessing since the kennels are right outside our bedroom windows and the windows are open at night right now.
May 28
Everly really wants to play with the others dogs. All the other kennel dogs, but especially Luna. Everly will go to Luna’s kennel and shove her snout through the fencing to lick Luna’s nose. It’s so sweet. they’d probably be fine together but I want to wait until I have someone else here to help with “introductions” and managing their play until we see for sure.
June 20
Everly is doing well after her spay surgery. When she was first released from Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital, P.C. she was one pitiful pup. And she soon began licking at her incision, so I had to cone her, making her just that much less happy. At one point she walked over to the fencing between her room and Blades, pressed the cone up against it and implored, “Help me Blade!”. He came and sniffed out the situation but wasn’t able to offer a solution.
Over the past few days Everly has steadily regained her energy and perkiness. Today she wants to show you how well she now obeys the “come” command (video above). She goes back for her post-op exam on Wednesday then will be available for adoption or rescue placement.
June 28
Everly is doing well with her surgical recovery and was de-coned today. She is everly so grateful.
July 10
Everly has had several meet-n-greets over the past week. For the first one, Everly got all excited about someone new being here and was jumpy. I had her on a lead and controlled her as best I could, but she was determined and the woman beat a hasty retreat. Not interested.
Two more came days later and Everly greeted each enthusiastically. But they persevered and Everly calmed down. She let them pet her, she gave kisses and she even went on a leash walk around the yard with each. They both pronounced her a sweet girl and are both interested in adoption. She has a couple more people interested in her. We’ll see how those go before Dennis makes a final determination.
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Maggie was a member of a loving family until the situation with their landlord changed and he demanded they get rid of their dogs. No fault of the dogs, but they lost their home … or they decided to move to Alaska, whichever.
Return date: August 23, 2021 (from Newport Animal Control)
Departure date: undetermined
Adoption Information
Start by submitting a completed Adoption Application (Now an on-line, mobile friendly form).
Contact information for your veterinarian is required and we will do a reference check.
If local, schedule a meet-n-greet after your application has been processed. If you have another dog, bring it. A home inspection and interview will be done after a successful meet-n-greet.
If not local, adopter needs to contact a reputable rescue in THEIR area and request that rescue pull the dog from us after performing a home inspection and investigation of their own. You will then adopt the dog from them.
Local adoption fee is $200.00 This includes spay surgery, vaccination against Parvovirus, Distemper, Adednovirus, Rabies, and Bordatella and a thorough de-worming. This dog has been microchipped and will be registered in the adopters name. Any health issues we found were addressed and are described below.
Progress Summary
Detailed progress notes are listed below the summary and photo gallery
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes, eagerly greets other dogs
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Doesn’t bother her, but she’s piggish: will get into other dogs dish
Preferred style of play: Likes to frolic and jump on play mate. Great at playing fetch! Learning Tug
Is affectionate: Yes
Is good with: . Men: Yes . Women: Yes . Children: Yes . Cats: No: plays too rough.
She did excellently last night. I brought her in around 8:30. Marie played with her for a bit then I settled her in her crate. We fiddled about for a while getting ready for bed, then slipped off. Both of the new girls remained quiet and slept through the night. I got up once around 3:00 to greet John and they stirred, but did not fuss. I went back to bed and so did they. I got up at 4:00 (as is my habit) and took each of them outside to potty, gave each a drink, and began my study time. Both behaved splendidly!
I have taken her outside to potty several times today and she always produces. No bashfulness here. Has kept her crate clean today and been a very good girl.
April 4
Maggie is settling in well. after a couple of the other dogs snarled at her for being a pest she has reigned in her exuberance and is better about inviting others to play rather than demanding. She’s also developed patience when I leave the room with her crated, she knows I’ll be back and does not fuss.
April 11
Maggie is getting big! She’s only gained 4 pounds but she’s 50% bigger than she was when she arrived. Longer, lankier, leaner. Looking like a dog not a puppy. I’m feeding her at plus 50% of her recommended rate for weight because she is a puppy and growing fast. Also adding cheese for the added calcium she needs.
April 14
Maggie was spayed yesterday. While she was out we also had her chip implanted, heart worm test done, and brought all her vaccinations up to date. She did well with this procedure and is heart worm negative (a good thing). She did not feel well last night, but that’s to be expected: spaying is major surgery. She did not feel so bad as to refuse dinner last night though!
This morning she’s looking really thin. Gaunt even. Can missing ONE meal do that to a puppy? I’ll increase her feed amount to get her filled out properly again. This morning is is wanting to lick at her incision. We cannot allow that. I tried a wrap, she defeated it. I tried a cone, she hated it. So I switched to a donut. She’s doing better with that.
Maggie will need about a week to recover, then she’ll be ready to adopt.
April 18
Maggie had an excellent meet-n-greet this afternoon with a lady who wants her as a service dog (she’s hearing impaired), and the trainer who would turn her into a service dog, and a fellow who will help with it all. They all loved her, and she loved them. We submitted our observations to Dennis, our Adoption Coordinator (who was out of the area this weekend) and we’ll see what he decides.
Maggie is undergoing a growth spurt. She is 50% larger now than when she came in a couple of weeks ago and the growth is mostly in her legs. I am over-feeding her, and adding extra cheese for the calcium she needs, to keep up with her nutritional needs. As you would expect, she’s a bit awkward as she learns to use her new stilts.
April 26
Maggie has been adopted by a woman who is going deaf. She has been searching for a suitable candidate as a service dog for two years. Both she and her service dog trainer think Maggie is just perfect. So Maggie has a new home and a new purpose in life. We’re so happy for Maggie!
Maggie’s new Mom, Tracy
Snoozing on Tracy’s feet
All worn out!
Maggie in her new home
August 23
Maggie was surrendered to Newport Animal Control on August 7th, but not by the person we adopted Maggie to. It’s a confusing, conflicting story and we’re sure we’re not getting all of it or maybe not all of it is true. Whatever. Maggie was stuck at NAC while we finished rebuilding our kennels. That was completed at 2:00 this afternoon. At 4:00 Doug went into Newport to fetch her back here.
When she left, her step-sibling (Baby) was twice Maggie’s size, now Maggie is twice Baby’s size! Baby seemed to recognize her despite the shelter stink she wore. Maggie definitely recognized Baby! Blondie says she needs a bath.
So Maggie’s story starts anew…
Sept 21
Maggie loves to play with all the other kennel dogs. She is pretty rowdy, but the others are big enough to play along. Maggie will play both the dominant and the submissive roles in play, and will allow short rest breaks when her companion requests it. Blondie Bear is a senior and does not play much. Maggie respects that and does not press the issue. Maggie should get along well with any non-aggressive dog of similar size.
Nov 5
Maggie has learned to play with all her neighbors. Each one has a different play style and Maggie adjusts to suit their style. She comes (enthusiastically) when called and will go right into her room. I no longer have to remind her not to jump on me, and she has stopped “mouthing”. Occasionally when we’re playing tug she’ll nip me, but that’s an honest mistake: I just need to be careful. She’s getting more affectionate too. Still a little aloof, but seeking short periods of petting more often.
Nov 16
The past few nights have been getting down into the low 30’s: too cold to leave Maggie in her outside kennel. She does not have one of out in-out runs where the dog can come inside to escape bad weather. So I’ve been walking her around and bringing her inside at bed time. She stays in our Mega Crate at night. I expected her to resist this, but she seems to remember her crate training.
After the first night, every time I let her out of her kennel she runs to the gate leading to the front of the building and paws at it, “Let’s go in, I want to be inside.”
I put her to bed at 8:30 pm. When I get up (4:30 am) I go outside and bring her into the play yard to pee and poop. She quickly takes care of business and is ready to go back inside. She crates right up and settles in to rest until breakfast.
Breakfast for the kennel dogs is around 6:45. Each dog eats in their room, then gets let outside to attend to their “needs”. Most come right back and want to be back inside. Maggie is no different except that eating is a poop trigger and she needs to go out as soon as she finishes her meal.
If it’s real cold I’ll bring her back in and crate her until 8:30 when I start cleaning kennels. Then she gets a play session in the yard with one of the other dogs while I’m cleaning their kennels.
So far, by this time it’s starting to warm up and she can stay outside.
After kennel cleaning they all get a special treat. Today I handed out Kong toys. Maggie is quite bright and figured out ho to get the biscuit very quickly.
Nov 29
We’ve spent a couple of weeks doing the inside-in-a-crate-at-night thing because it gets cold at night and Maggie is not equipped to handle cold. She has short fur and is lean, so she has little to insulate her. Fortunately, she does not mind going indoors and sleeping in her crate. On the contrary, she is eager to get inside! I use a short slip-lead to walk her to the kennel door because we have to go outside the play yard perimeter fence. After she goes potty, she will often come back to me and place her head inside the loop of the lead, then start walking toward the gate, “I’m done. Come on, let’s go inside.” She makes me laugh.
As long as I get her out at 4:30 am she keeps her crate clean and dry all night. I take her out every two hours during the day until it warms up enough to stay in her outside kennel. Once the sun comes over our mountain (about 10:00 am) she likes being outside.
Dec 18
Maggie has a meet-n-greet today. It’s raining now, but that may abate before her guests arrive. She’s being considered as a playmate for a full sized (120 pounds) GSD named Rascal.
Rascal is looking for a best friend and playmate.
Dec 19
We got word from Maggie’s potential new Dad about progress: “The drive home went very well, she’s a good traveler. She actually fell asleep on Pat’s feet.” He included this photo to show how the two are getting along.
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Baby and Maggie were members of a family who loved them, but were neglectful, until the their landlord decided they were a nuicance and he demanded they get rid of their dogs. No fault of the dogs, but they lost their home.
Last updated: Aug 28, 2021
Base Info
Arrival date: March 30, 2021
Breed: Border Collie
Sex: Female
Age: Adult
Birthdate: @ 03/25/2019
Weight: @ 40 pounds on March 30 ……………..42.8 lbs. on May 12 ……………..37.7 lbs on June 11
NOTE: Baby has tested Positive for Heart Worms. We cannot adopt her out until that is treated. Treatment will take around 120 days, and it will be EXPENSIVE! We will need to raise the funds to pay for it before we can begin treatment. Baby will not be available for adoption for several months.
Contact information for your veterinarian is required and we will do a reference check. We do not adopt to people who neglect their dogs.
An adoption Contract must be signed by PMFC and Adopter. This is a legal document and an actual signature is required. If the form must be mailed back and forth, allow time for that to happen. Electronic PDF is allowed if you can print/scan.
Adoption fee is $200.00 This generally does NOT cover what we have invested in medical care and room & board. But it helps.
Progress Summary
Detailed notes are below the summary
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes. Gets territorial about her crate, but relates well when in the open.
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Oddly, she is guarded when in her crate, but not when eating or taking treats in a loose group.
Preferred style of play: She likes to run in the yard and gentle tussling.
Is affectionate: Yes, very much so.
Is good with: . Men: Yes . Women: Yes . Children: Yes . Cats: Unknown
Jumps up on people: Yes – but doing much better.
Mouths: No. Does nose-bump my hands
Walks well on a leash: Yes
Commands
Comes when called: Yes
Sits on command: Yes
Down / Off: Yes
Shake / Paw: Yes
Kennels on command: Yes
House Dog Training
Willingly enters her crate: Yes
Is calm/quiet while in crate: Yes
Understands going outside to potty: Yes
Alerts me of need to go outside: Yes, goes to the door.
Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: Bedding no, plush toys: yes but not terribly so.
Engages in kitchen counter cruising: No
Stays off people furniture: Most of the time. See notes for May 10 below.
Diet
Victor Classic – Professional Dry Dog Food 1/3 cup kibble and 2.5 oz home made stew, AM and PM (needs to lose a little weight)
Baby arrived this morning. All new intakes go into a kennel for evaluation and dog-dog testing with our “staff”. Most stay in their kennel for a while because most intakes are wild-eyed, hooligan, street dogs pulled from a shelter. Baby and her sister, Maggie were beloved house dogs. They should progress well.
This is raw, unedited footage. I’ll replace it with a cleaner version when I get the chance.
March 31
She did excellently last night. I brought her in around 8:30. Marie played with her for a bit then I settled her in her crate. We fiddled about for a while getting ready for bed, then slipped off. Both of the new girls remained quiet and slept through the night. I got up once around 3:00 to greet John and they stirred, but did not fuss. I went back to bed and so did they. I got up at 4:00 (as is my habit) and took each of them outside to potty, gave each a drink, and began my study time. Both behaved splendidly!
This afternoon I was baking dog cookies. I moved crates for Baby and Maggie from the den to the living room where they have a good view of the kitchen. Baby is reliably house broken and a pretty calm girl, so I let her out of her crate to wander the front part of the house while I worked. She found a comfy spot in the kitchen with a better view of the stove and lounged on a blanket.
After a few minutes, Maggie got lonely and started fussing. Baby got up, went back into her crate (beside Maggie’s crate) and laid down. Maggie stopped fussing.
How sweet is it that Baby cares that much about her little sister?
April 2
Baby has been with us three nights now. Each night she has retired to her crate for the night around 9:00, after her last potty run, settles in quickly and sleeps the night through. I hear her stir if I get up in the night to use the bathroom. but she settles again when I do.
I was told that she’s never been crated and would resist being crated. It found it is just the opposite. She finds comfort in her “room” and prefers to be in there when not playing or being petted. If she has toys, treats or food in there, she will be grumpy toward other dogs who approach her crate, warding them off. But if I cover the crate with a blanket – just on the side where another dog might be – she is calm and mannerly.
I have not noticed any aggressive behavior in her at all when out of the crate. She is friendly and playful with everyone, but at the same time respectful. If the other dog does not want to play, she will withdraw her attentions and seek entertainment elsewhere. I have not tried giving her toys or treats outside the crate with other dogs present. Not yet. I’ll give her some time to get more comfortable with The Pack first.
April 11
Baby is doing really well. She is super-sweet and smart as well. She loves to cuddle – can get a little pushy about that sometimes, but I’m working on that. She plays well with the other dogs – mostly. She sometimes gets a bit rough with our “delicate little flower” Josephine. But Callie Roo is good at reminding her to be gentle.
April 13
Baby is at the clinic to be spayed and vaccinated against rabies. We also have them implant the microchip and do the Heart Worm test while the dog is unconscious. Unfortunately, Baby tested POSITIVE for Heart Worms. We are proceeding with the spay surgery, microchip, and vaccinations. We will have to get a quote from our vet on treating her for the Heart Worms, but it will delay any adoption while she undergoes treatment. We know it’s expensive. We will need to do a fund-raiser for her treatment.
April 20
May 4
Baby is progressing very nicely. Her major annoyance for me was her habit of greeting me by standing up and raking her front feet down my belly and legs. This is just poor training: something that was cute as a tiny puppy, so it was allowed, maybe even encouraged. When the dog gets older it’s no longer cute. Being a Border Collie, she instinctively wants to be “touchy” with her forelimbs. I’ve been working with her on channeling this and we’ve compromised.
May 10
Baby is scheduled to begin heart worm treatment on May 12th. That should be completed 120 days after that.
Baby has been good about staying off the people furniture, except that she and Marie have decided it’s okay for her to come up on the bed for some bedtime belly rubbing.
Baby was insistently affectionate when she got here, often interrupting my work at my desk by crawling onto my lap and punching my arms with her nose (making it impossible to type), demanding petting. We’ve been working on that. Now when she wants petting she comes over, stands on her hind legs and places one paw on the back of my chair and one paw between my shoulder blades. If I don’t respond in a few moments she will start tapping my back gently with that foot, “Sir, please sir, may I have a moment of your time?” It’s very sweet, and it never fails to get her some snuggle time — as soon as I get to a stopping point. She is one bright dog (Border Collies are) and she’s willing to compromise to make everyone happy.
May 14
Baby has begun heart worm treatment. The initial phase is to kill the microfilaria in her blood and reduce inflammation and risk of infection with Doxycycline and Prednisone. Typically this goes for 30 days then she gets the first Immiticide injection. This process will take months and is expensive (typically runs around $1,600.00 for a dog her size). If you want to help us pay for her life-saving treatment, please do so below — and we Thank you!
May 30
Baby’s energy level has declined quite a lot. She no longer goes out to play with the others in the yard. Most times she will not leave the walkway, but insists she stay right beside me. She pees and poops on the gravel then wants right back in the house to lounge in her crate. Whether this is due to her medications or the worms chewing on and clogging her heart I cannot say. We elected to save $300 by opting out of the x-rays and blood panel prior to treatment. She seems in good spirits and still has a healthy appetite.
She eagerly anticipates snuggling with me in bed while I read before lights-out. When I go in to change into my PJs she repeatedly peaks around the corner to see if I’m ready. If not she ducks back into the den where her crate is. When I’m settled into the bed with my big reading pillow she comes in and sits beside the bed, her little tail stump wiggling madly, until I say, “okay” then she leaps up on the bed and flops down beside my legs. It makes her SO happy.
June 11
A quick update on Baby.
She spent the day at Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital, P.C. to get her first Immiticide treatment. They say she did very well and all of the staff (and everyone in the waiting room this evening) think she is the SWEETEST most loving dog. And, of course, she is!
When she got home she trotted up the walkway, in the back door and straight to her room, her sanctuary, until I had dinner ready to serve. Eat, go out to potty, then right back to her room, with her toy treasury. She’s sleeping now, glad to be home.
She goes back in a month for her second round of shots, then begins a 30 day recuperation period with strictly limited activity. Basically this is crate rest to keep her from forming an embolism in her lungs. That would be bad: she could die.
July 31
On most evenings it is Doug’s habit to take a shower then sit in bed and read for a while. When he comes out of the bathroom Baby (Bae Bae) is generally lounging on the people bed ready for evening snuggles. Last night, as he was heading for the shower, he stopped to grab his PJs and heard a soft “whump”. Looking beside him he found Baby already in position, “I’m ready for snuggles.” “They’d be stinky snuggles, let me shower first.” “I like stinky stuff. I’m a dog.” “I’m going to shower first anyway.” “Whatever. I’ll be here waiting for you.” And she was.
Baby is doing really well with her heart worm treatment recovery.
She is becoming a bit of a nuisance with her habit of stepping in front of me as I’m walking down the hallway, flopping down on the floor and rolling up on her back to demand a belly rub. Normally I just step over her and keep going, then come back to offer a belly rub when I’ve accomplished my task. I want to discourage her from trying and trip us.
August 21
Baby has gone on several home visits with her prospective adopters including two visits where Marie and I left her there with them. The latest one was for two hours. Baby did well: no anxiety over us leaving her.
The next morning, Marie was readying to leave the house and Baby was dancing by the door, “Let’s go, let’s go, I want to go see my other family again.” She was disappointed to find that Marie was going to work.
Baby is scheduled to begin her Foster-To-Adopt phase next week. Here a quick look at this cutie being silly.
Aug 28
Baby (now going by Babe) is on a two week trial, or foster-to-adopt, session in her new home. She has visited several times, so these people were not strangers to her. Martha sent this shot this morning: Babe seems to be settling in well. She and Dick spend their days hanging out together, going for walks and taking naps. They snuggle up together at night. She even gets along with their cats. Looks like a success story in the making!
More will be added as this sweet girl progresses. Subscribe for notification of updates.
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Want to help save lives? Everyone involved with PMFC is a volunteer, no donated funds go to salaries or benefits. We are 501(c)(3) – EIN: 84-3593563
I met this sweetheart Monday March 15th. We’ve been watching her for a while but didn’t have an available apartment for her. Now we do. She is skittish, but willing to be friends – once she got used to me and as long as Lee was there. She gets along great with the NAC staff now. She’s four years old and until Newport Animal Control rescued her she had spent her entire life in a dog box. Not a kennel, a hunter’s dog box! She was terrified of everything and everyone at first, but she’s learning to like this vast new world.
Last updated: Sept 27, 2023
Base Info
Arrival date: March 22, 2021
Breed: Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Sex: Female
Age: Adult
Birthdate: Jan 2017
Weight: 70.4 Pounds on Jan 15, 2021. ……………. 57.8 healthy pounds Aug 1 2023
Spayed/Neutered: Yes
General Health: Good Temperament: Shy, skittish, easily frightened, but affectionate
SAFER Testperformed: No
Available for adoption? YES | Rescue? YES
Departure date: Undetermined
Adoption Information
Start by submitting a completed Adoption Application (Now an on-line, mobile friendly form).
Contact information for your veterinarian is required and we will do a reference check.
If local (within @50 miles), schedule a meet-n-greet after your application has been processed. If you have another dog, bring it. A home inspection and interview will be done after a successful meet-n-greet.
If not local, adopter needs to contact a reputable rescue in THEIR area and request that rescue pull the dog from us after performing a home inspection and background investigation. You will then adopt the dog from them according to their policies.
Local adoption fee is $200.00 This includes spay surgery, vaccination against Parvovirus, Distemper, Adednovirus, Rabies, and Bordatella and a thorough de-worming. This dog has been microchipped and will be registered in the adopters name. Any health issues we found were addressed and are described below.
Progress Summary
Detailed notes are below
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes. She avoids aggressive dogs, but will play rough with a dog who is not out to hurt her. She is also happy to just “hang out” with another dog.
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes, she and Blade often enjoy a meal near one another. She also shared a kennel with Pearl for a while and they both ate in the kennel together.
Preferred style of play: She likes to run and bump and mouth-wrestle. She does this cute ninja spin to bash her opponent with her butt.
Is affectionate: Yes
Is good with: . Men: Yes . Women: Yes . Children: Undetermined. Too rowdy for small kids. . Cats: No. Cat aggressive.
Jumps up on people: No
Mouths: No
Walks well on a leash: Yes
Commands
Comes when called: Yes
Sits on command: Yes
Down / Off: Most of the time
Shake / Paw: Yes
Kennels on command: Yes
House Dog Training
Not yet applicable
Diet
Victor Classic – Professional dry and Purina Pro Classic Ground canned. PMFC Peanut butter cookies given as rewards for compliance. Occasional snacks include: * Milkbones * Bil-Jac liver treats * peanut butter stuffed bones
Getting to know DougLoaded and ready to rideNot sure she wants to get outI’ll just watch from here, thanksBut I don’t WANT my room cleanedShe loves having a blanket
Progress Updates
March 23, 2021
Luna’s first full day here has completed successfully. She stays in her bedroom on her Kuranda dog bed. Partly because her next door neighbor, Blade, likes to cow her by throwing himself against the tin privacy panel between them. NOISY! I’m going to replace that with plywood. That will take the fun out of it for him.
She has been out in the yard with me for walks several times. Trees creaking in the breeze and loud trucks rolling by on the hard road spook her at first, but she learns to ignore them. She walks well on the leash when using a Martingale collar so she can’t pull out of it – which is her first inclination when she gets spooked: pull out and run away. But some petting and soothing words calm her down quickly and we resume the walk.
March 26
Two big steps taken today. First, while we were on a walk I dropped the lead and let Luna wander freely. In the past she was circling around my legs all the time, today she was going off a little ways to check out interesting smells in the grass. She stayed within 6 feet of me as I canvased the yard doing a poop pick-up. Then I got the pruners and did some tree trimming. While I was focused on that, Luna wandered off. She was way over by the fence, looking out toward the road out front. But she glanced back to be sure I was still where she left me.
When finished I called her. At first I got the tilt-head of confusion. But I started slapping my knees and calling her in a high pitched voice and she came trotting back to me. We walked back to her kennel. I bribed Blade to not scare her, and she went right inside and on through to her bedroom.
Later, while cleaning kennels, I gave Luna a bath. I used a bucket of soapy water and a wash cloth, not a hose, then towel dried her. She did really well with this, even licked my face to let me know she wasn’t mad. She smells better too.
April 12
Luna has made a good deal of progress. She is no longer afraid to come out of her bedroom and is not afraid of other dogs coming up to her kennel to chat. She reacts well to friendly dogs. If one goes aggressive on her she will return the same.
She now responds enthusiastically to the “Come” command, (see video above) galloping all the way across the yard if need be. Just in the past two days Luna has mastered the “sit” command.
Her appetite is also much improved. She generally finishes her bowl of food within 20 minutes of receiving it instead of taking many hours.
April 21
I moved Luna from Apt 3 to Apt 1 yesterday. She took to the move well, no pouting or cursing like Blade did when I tried to move him once. Being in Apt 1 will help to socialize her because it brings her out of the back corner and into the Lime Light kennel. She needed the seclusion at first. But she’s doing much better now. If things get overwhelming, she can always retire to the privacy of her bedroom. And she truly likes having a patch of sunshine to lie in in the afternoons. She never got that in Apt 3.
May 5
Luna has done well in learning her commands and is becoming more social. Not really friendly with anyone but me yet, but at least she is curious – wanting to come out and visit when we have guests who are playing with other dogs.
July 17
We have had a number of guests come through here lately – human and canine – and Luna has reacted to them in mixed fashion. Some she accepts readily, others she is quite fearful of. I’m not sure what determines her reaction as there is no common denominator that I can see.
Oct 5
Luna is still insecure around strangers, but she warms up quickly to those who will persist and allow her to get to know them on her terms. Once she’s comfortable, she is quite affectionate and obedient. She is good at amusing herself with a chew toy, but has not chewed up her bed. She plays well with the other kennel dogs and Blondie Bear but HATES Callie Roo (one of our house dogs. I do not know why, but I suspect Callie stirs the pot with Luna. Callie is known to do that.
Dec 18
One of our Board members, Jennifer, has been coming in weekly to work with Luna. At first, she was skittish but once Jen sat down (to reduce the apparent threat she represented) Luna warmed up to her and quickly became affectionate. Luna’s last name (Luvpitt) is appropriate because she is quite affectionate once she gets comfortable with someone.
I’m going to try various calming agents to see if we can’t get her settled enough to the veterinarian for spaying.
January 2022
In January our resident manager was down with COVID and PMFC Board of Director members (and spouses and friends) came to pitch in and care for the dogs so Doug could heal. This experience proved quite beneficial to Luna as she was exposed to a variety of people repeatedly.
March 2022
A while back we moved Luna to Apartment 4, which is a split unit consisting of a mega-crate indoors and a good outside kennel (tile floor, not dirt). I did this because Luna is best suited to sleeping in a crate. And in fact she loved her new bedroom with a thick blanket folded up to snuggle into. But she did get jealous of Zoey being in her old home and would go over to harass her through the fencing, “Why are you in my house? Get out of MY house! That’s MY house!” then she’d wander off. She’d had her say and was done.
As things evolved, Luna got her old apartment back and seems happy to be “home” again.
April 7, 2022
Luna was spayed today. She did really well. As she recovered, and was still a little drunk on anesthesia, she noticed a tiny newborn goat in the kennel across the hall from her. She kept the staff in stitches watching her try to figure out what kind of puppy that was.
Luna also passed her heart worm test. All results on the 4Dx text were negative. vaccinations are up to date and she’s been microchipped as well.
August 15, 2023
Luna is a lovey, affectionate girl with those she has gotten to know. For most people earning her trust takes only a few minutes if done properly. She plays well with most other dogs but gets skittish with those who get too rough or demanding.
Luna should NOT be given plush toys. She ate one recently. I don’t mean she tears them up I mean she CONSUMED it. That caused a bowel blockage and we almost lost her. But with IV fluids and prayer she moved it through and was fine once again.
She does enjoy having a blanket to sleep on at night, I just pick it up in the morning so it does not become a toy and get torn up (and the scraps eaten).
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This little fella may have once been well cared for, but that changed and Rambo required intervention by Animal Control to abate an Animal Cruelty situation.
Last Updated: May 18, 2021
Base Info
Arrival date: Feb 2, 2021
Breed: Shih Tzu
Sex: Male
Age: Senior
Birthdate: July 3, 2007
Weight: 14 pounds on Feb 2
15 pounds on Feb 8
Neutered: Yes
General Health: Fair
Temperament: Mild, calm, friendly, bossy
SAFER Testperformed: Yes – Passed
Departure date: May 18, 2021
History
Newport Animal Control was called in due to a reported case of neglect/cruelty. They found Little Rambo wandering around the house with his fur so matted they could not find his eyes or feet. He had feces caked in his fur and had a tumor the size of an orange hanging off his anus. And he STUNK! The owner agreed to surrender Rambo rather than facing a cruelty charge. Animal Control took Rambo to Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital.
C.V.H. staffer Amy Huff volunteered 4 hours of her own time to work with the A.C.O. to shave out the mats and get him ready for an examination. Dr. Sandra Manes removed the tumor and set up his wound care schedule.
Piney Mountain Foster stepped in to get Rambo out of the shelter environment and take over his medical care.
Adoption Information
Rambo has been adopted
Progress Summary
Detailed notes are found below.
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes
Can eat food/treats near other dogs: Yes
Preferred style of play: He wanders
Is affectionate: Yes
Is good with: . Men: Yes . Women: Yes . Children: Yes . Cats: Yes
Jumps up on people: No
Mouths: No
Walks well on a leash: Yes
Commands
Comes when called: Yes with Stacey, No with Dennis
Sits on command: Not yet
Down / Off: Not yet
Shake / Paw: Not yet
Kennels on command: N/A
House Dog Training
Willingly enters his crate: Not yet
Is calm/quiet while in crate: He was at first, now NO.
Understands going outside to potty: Yes, but if its raining or really cold he will not go willingly.
Alerts me of need to go outside: Sometimes
Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
Engages in kitchen counter cruising: Ha, that’s funny!
Stays off people furniture: He can’t get up there by himself, but we (foster parents) built him some stairs so he can get up if he wants to.
Diet
He was accustomed to eating table scraps. We’ve tried various wet and dry foods. He will eat one for a while then wants something else. You’d think he is a cat! His foster home has him free-feeding on Purina Pro Small Bites.
Gallery
Progress Updates
Feb 2
Rambo’s ride here and first day have been uneventful. The plan is for this little fella to reside in a foster home, but he will stay here until that’s all arranged.
Rambo has a fairly involved wound care regimen, but he tolerates it well.
He did fine in his crate. I took him outside for a potty run every 3 hours. 8:30 rolled around and I included Rambo in our bed time potty run routine, then I went to sit in bed and read. Rambo was having none of that, he started barking.
Short version: I went to sit with him in the den. Not good enough, he wanted OUT of the crate. Eventually I caved in. He came and laid across my legs to get pets for a while, then began touring the dog beds in the room. Around midnight he settled on his favorite. I took the other one (the smaller one of course) and that’s where we spent the night.
Feb 3
Rambo had a good day with me here today. He spent some time wandering the yard with the other house dogs. Everyone was quite civil. Dennis and Stacy came by on their way home from work to pick up Rambo and his gear. I will post updates from them as I get the information.
What lies ahead? Once Rambo is healed up from his tumor removal he will need a blood panel done to test for cancer and organ failure, and a heart worm test, and if all that is good he will need to be neutered. When that’s healed up we’ll get the poor feller a good grooming so he looks nice. He’s pretty patchy-looking right now because of the neglect he suffered and subsequent matted fur removal.
Feb 5
Ah got mah hair did.
Rambo’s foster mom, Stacey, had Rambo groomed. He looks better! She says, “I think he feels better too. Most definitely smells better. I pulled into A&W to get a root beer float. You should have seen the happy dance he did. He knew where we were! I thought maybe he would eat a cheeseburger, but he didn’t. Picky little thing.”
Feb 8
Rambo went to Cedarwood for a rabies vaccination, a complete blood panel, and a surgical follow-up exam. The bloodwork looks good except for being anemic. He has a grade 3 heart murmur. He has a couple more nodules coming up on his butt. We will do a needle aspirate of these for biopsy to see if these are malignant or benign, and go from there.
Mar. 8
It has been a month since my last check-in. Rambo is doing well with Dennis and Stacey and they are quite fond of him. He gets along great with their whole pack, including the cats. He seeks out one kitten in particular when he wants to snuggle for a nap, and his feelings toward another cat are, lets say, more of an amorous nature. He’s confused, obviously!
When outdoors he will ramble off a ways, but when he gets beyond his comfort zone he just stops and waits for someone to retrieve him. Being a senior dog, his eyesight is weak. He can navigate well enough, but not see distance. Rambo is due to be neutered next week. Once that is done he can go up for adoption.
April 11
Rambo has been groomed a couple of times now and it looking great. His foster parents say “He is such a hoot!” Although he can’t see really well he’s always up for an adventure.
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Sasha is a Husky, just being a Husky, but seemingly she got a bum rap.
Last Updated: Jan. 31, 2021
Base Info
Arrival date: Jan. 09,2021
Breed: Husky mix
Sex: Female
Age: Youth, Adult, Mature, Senior
Birthdate: Dec 2019
Weight: 45 Pounds on Jan. 9
. 50 pounds on Jan. 26
Spayed: Yes
General Health: Excellent
Temperament: Mild, low key for a husky. Affectionate.
SAFER Testperformed: No
Departure date: January 30, 2021
History
Sasha’s owner refused to crate Sasha while away at work all day, so their house got torn up. Her biggest issue was that she’d bolt out the door and once out recall was iffy. She liked to wander along the highway (very dangerous). Owner gave up on trying to keep her safe and a friend of the family picked her up (after a skunking) and took her in, then contacted us. She loves to chase skunks and has been skunked twice. Her friend, Kate cleaned her up both times. She loves car rides.
Sasha’s Progress Summary
Detailed notes on this foster dog’s progress are posted below the summary.
Relational Behavior
Relates well to other dogs: Yes. Standoffish at first, but gets along fine once she’s acclimated to them.
Is affectionate: She’s loving and cuddly and follows her people around all day.
Is good with: . Men: Yes . Women: Yes . Children: Yes . Cats: No violence or even teeth baring, but she grumble/growls at them. Loves to chase skunks so probably best to avoid black cats with white stripes.
Jumps up on people: Yes but she’s just wanting to cuddle and is gentle about it. Still … I’m discouraging it.
Mouths: No
Walks well on a leash: Excellent!
Commands:
Comes when called: Yes
Sits on command: Not yet
Down / Off: Yes
Shake / Paw: Not yet
Kennels on command: Yes, with a bribe.
House Dog Training
Willingly enters her crate: Yes, with a bribe and as long as she hasn’t been crated too much.
Is calm/quiet while in crate: Yes, mostly.
Understands going outside to potty: Yes
Alerts me of need to go outside: Yes, but it’s subtle, unless she’s crated. Then she yells for me.
Is destructive of bedding and/or toys: No
Engages in kitchen counter cruising: No, she has not done this so far.
Stays off people furniture: Sort of. She has not gotten on our sofa except when I’m on it, then she wants to be on my lap.
Diet
💕 Victor Classic – Professional Dry Dog Food . 1 cup + 3 oz. home made stew AM . ¾ cup + 3 oz. home made stew PM 💕 PMFC Peanut butter cookies 💕 Retriever Beef Basted Sticks 💕 Jones Beef Hooves 💕 Pig Ears or Oinkies as weekend treat.
Gallery
At parking lot church
At parking lot church
After parking lot church
Enjoying fireside petting
Hanging out with Callie Roo.
Sasha enjoys resting in her crate even when she doesn’t have to.
Breakfast comfy
My belly hurts: see?
Progress Updates
Jan 9
Sasha just arrived. We went for a walk in the yard and she came inside for a tour and meet the other dogs. She’s a little wary of the “strangers” (dogs) though they are all reacting well to her being here. She went willingly into her crate and has been resting there while I process her intake. We’re in the same room. If I leave for a few minutes she calls me, but is remaining calm.
Sasha walks well on a leash. Kate, her former caretaker, says she could drop the leash and Sasha would continue to walk alongside her.
Jan 10
Saturday afternoon, Sasha spent most of her time in a crate getting used to our other 4 house dogs. After supper Sasha came out and hung with me at the sofa while most of the rest gathered around the fireplace.
Sunday morning we went to Liberty Church of Cosby, and took Sasha with us. We can do that because we are currently meeting as Parking Lot Church, using an FM transmitter so we can listen on our car radios. Sasha loves to ride, and she was deeply interested in parking lot church. So many cars, a few people milling around, stuff going on up front, and she watched it all.
All that paying attention was exhausting, so on the way home she took a snooze.
When we got home, Sasha took a potty break, we all had lunch, and as I’m writing this up she is sound asleep on the carpet next to my desk chair. Blondie Bear is napping a few feet away.
Jan 11
On her first night here we left her crate in the den. She did okay with sleeping in there by herself, but did “call” me 4 times during the night to go outside. Each time we went out, she did pee but I got the distinct impression that this was incidental.
Last night I wiggled her crate into the bedroom and she slept with the rest of us — and slept through the night. When I got up at 4:30 she watched me go, but made no fuss. She slept until Marie got up at 5:30.
Also, she has lost her wariness of the other house dogs. They are now getting along fine. She is not fond of Timmy or Blade (outside dogs) but likes Scout. And he likes her. If he would come out of his kennel, I think they’d play well together.
So far she has shown no inclination to play with the house dogs, although the other night Josephine hid behind a tree and jumped out at Sasha as she passed, dropped into a play bow, then scampered around her in an attempt to get Sasha to chase her. Sasha was tempted, but refrained. Maybe later. Josephine is half her size, but I don’t think Sasha would hurt her while playing.
Jan 15
Sasha has been a full-time house dog, mostly free ranging it for almost a week now and she has done excellently! She does have some separation anxiety issues, but has learned to control those well. Yesterday we needed to go away twice for a couple of hours each time with a little over an hour between sessions. Sasha crated easily each time. The first session she remained calm as we left and was excited to see us upon our return, but not frantic. The second time we left she cried as we headed to the car, but upon returning we found her still in her crate and no damage to either the crate or her bedding. We think having other dogs in the house (and some of them in crates) relieves her loneliness.
Because of her reported wanderlust and escapism traits I have been taking her outside for potty breaks on a leash. Yesterday I started letting her accompany me outside without the leash. Most of the time she stayed near me, took care of her business and headed back to the house. After being cooped up so much yesterday, and it being a pleasantly warm sunny afternoon, Sasha engaged in some zoomies around the yard, but always in big circles around me. When she’s worked out the pent up energy she zoomed back to the back door of the house and waited for me. Inside she was well behaved.
She has been sleeping in her crate, in our bedroom, at night. She has behaved extremely well. Tonight I will take her crate in there in case it’s needed, but will invite her to sleep on a dog bed like the others.
Jan. 26
Sasha is home from her surgery. They say she did really well and everyone thought she was just the sweetest girl! As would be expected, she is in pain. But she did eat dinner and she is walking around, slowly. Even went outside for a potty break. Right now she’s tucked up under my chair so close it’s hard to get in and out without stepping in her. But if it maker her feel better to be close, that’s fine. It does make it easier to reach down and give her scritchies often.
Went straight to her crate
That’s too cramped
She’d rather be by me
Jan. 27
Sasha is a sensitive gal. She’s not dealing with the pain well despite giving her a Tramadol (pain reliever). She’s not crying, just fidgeting a lot because she can’t get comfortable. So we were both up most of the night as she needed lots of comforting.
She’s sleeping now (of course) 🙂
She did eat dinner last night, so that’s good. She lost part of that due to anesthesia induced nausea. It takes a while for that to go away. Today will get better for her. The first 24 hours are the worst. Dogs (animals in general) have amazing recuperative powers.
Did you know that giving a dog a good, deep ear rub releases endorphins in their body that make them feel good? It’s true! https://www.cesarsway.com/why-do-dogs-love-to-have-their-ears-rubbed/ And of course you know that petting a dog releases endorphins in us, so it’s a win-win situation.
At breakfast this morning I brought Sasha’s favorite bed out to the kitchen so she could be comfortable yet near us as we ate our breakfast.
Jan. 28
Miss Swingtail’s tail was swinging again by yesterday evening. She spent a good part of yesterday outside lounging in the sunshine. After dinner last night she decided to snuggle with Marie and Josephine.
You have to look close to even see Josie! But she was quite comfy down there.
We had a better night last night. I was up a few times to get her to stop licking. She has discovered the fabric is stretchy and she can get her nose in there to lick the incision. Sometimes she’s just licking a foot. But I have to check just the same. So I keep a small flashlight on a cord around my neck, Sasha sleeps next to my side of the bed, and I seep lightly. Listening. At least I got to be in the bed last night.
I gave her that last name because of what she does with her tail: it’s a long tail to start with. Instead of wagging it the way most dogs do, hers sweeps around in a full arc, touching her ribs on both sides on each stroke. It’s a slow motion too, just a relaxed, comfortable swinging motion. Swingtail.
Special Notes
Sasha likes to hold hands. She finds this soothing, and will come and ask for it when she needs it. If you stroke the top of her paw with your thumb, it is especially soothing. She is not highly anxious, she just gets nervous.
Sasha does not shed like normal huskies do, but she enjoys being brushed. She has an itchy spot on her right rear leg. I don’t see any issues with her skin, but when she starts chewing on that spot I get her brush and work on the leg for a minute or so an that seems to take care of the issue. I use a slicker brush (like THIS ) but you can find one locally, and other brushes may work as well.
Sasha is reliably housebroken. She will go stand by the door to the outside (once she knows which one that is) or will come get me and lead me there. Most of the time she will insist that I go out into the yard with her or she won’t leave the porch. But I need only be where she can see me. She will wander off to do her business, but keeps an eye on me, then comes running back to go inside. Unless it’s nice weather, then she sometimes want to linger. As she becomes confident in her surroundings (see the 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 Months rule) she will probably go out without accompaniment.
She likes to ride in the car and will sit in the back seat or the front. She does not jump around or get crazy, but I recommend using a harness and seat strap for safety. The strap buckles into the seat belt buckle and the harness prevents breaking her neck (as a collar would) in the case of a sudden stop.
Sasha is a talented escape artist and has more than once slipped past me, without my knowing, as I’m closing the door so that I turn around and she’s sitting there grinning at me, “Where are we going Dad?”
She is now comfortable enough here that I can go into the kennel building or into my workshop (the old trailer) for a short time and leave Sasha in the play yard with the other dogs and not worry that she will go over a fence to come looking for me. If I’m planning an extended work session, Sasha, Buddy and Callie all get crated to prevent issues.
Sasha uses a 36″ wire crate. These fold down for ease of transport. I line the bottom with a soft blanket and a pillow. I leave the door open so she can go in there to rest when she wants to. Sasha does not tear up her bedding. She crates easily when I give the “In your room” command and poke a dog cookie though the bars so she goes inside to get it. She prefers to sleep in there at night. With no other dogs around she may not feel as strongly about that.
Sasha is wary around new dogs. Once she is assured she is not about to be eaten, she gets along with calm dogs fine. I can even hand out treats to them as a free-range pack and she waits her turn. Sasha has become a well behaved, sweet, gentle, reserved little lady.
ADOPTED
This is MY Hooman, Geoff, and I’m gonna keep him!
January 30, 2021: Happy tails, Sasha! We will miss you, but we’re happy you’re launching into a life with Geoff where you will be loved and well cared for. Drop us a note when you can!
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