EXCERPTS FROM PAT ARNOLD'S DAILY DOG LOG - First published on www.straydog.org 06/10/2001
Thank all of you who continue to give your moral and financial support to our Happy Home for Strays. Your support enables us to continue to care for many abandoned, homeless dogs and puppies. Without your help this just wouldn't be possible. The dogs and pups thank you too!
Through your help we found a wonderful home for Silver week before last and one for Dusty last week. They both are now very pampered and much loved house pets.
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This space is dedicated to the Dog of The Week who most needs a loving family
TOOTSIE:
Tootsie is a beautiful female Saint Bernard with short hair. She is approximately three years old and weighs close to 100 pounds. Tootsie is spayed and up to date on her vaccinations and is on heartworm preventive. She is also house trained.
Tootsie is a very loving, affectionate dog and is also very gentle and laid-back, even though she is an extremely strong dog. Tootsie loves people and kids. She is not a barker or a chewer. Tootsie had been a house pet for all of her life, until her former owner had to give her up.
Tootsie is not fond of most other dogs, and we don't know if she likes cats.
TOOTSIE NEEDS TO BE A HOUSE PET, as she had been for three years before she came to our Happy Home for us to take care of until she finds a wonderful new mom or dad or family to adopt her. She wants to be loved and pampered and well cared for, and will become a loyal companion to her new mom or dad.
Do you have room in your heart and your home for Tootsie?
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MONDAY JUNE 4 2001 Dusty went to his new home yesterday
Last week we wrote about Saturday's adoption day and the young woman named Ginger who came to Petsmart (Preston at Alpha in Dallas) to see the dogs we had taken for adoption, and she fell in love with Puppy-dog Dusty and was seriously thinking about adopting him. We made the home visit with Dusty, which turned out beautifully, and because she knew the adoption of any pet is a life-long commitment, she wanted to think more about adopting Dusty before making the final decision, and she said she would be in touch.
When we arrived home Saturday evening from our adoption day, there was a message from Ginger saying she had made up her mind and very much wanted to adopt the little fellow.
Puppy-dog Dusty went home with his new mom yesterday (Sunday)
Ginger and her friend, Blain, came yesterday morning to take Dusty home. They wanted to take the tour of our Happy Home for Strays first, so we made the rounds visiting all of the 59 dogs at our shelter. As Ginger and Blain walked by the kennels the dogs came running up to their fences welcoming our visitors with happy barks. The couple was delighted to see that all the dogs here are so healthy and happy.
The camera was all ready for taking pictures of Dusty with his wonderful new mom, but we were so busy visiting with all the dogs and then filling out the adoption papers that I totally forgot about taking any photos of this happy occasion.
Monday evening phone call from Ginger: Dusty loves his new home!
Ginger called to let us know that Dusty is such a sweet little dog, and also "very smart," and that he is very happy in his new home and is adjusting beautifully.
Ginger says he has learned to "sit" already and has had no potty accidents in the house. Dusty went on his first trip to visit some friends of Ginger's and their dog, and Ginger said that the two dogs had a fun time playing together.
This is wonderful news! We hope all the dogs at our Happy Home for Strays will find their wonderful, forever moms and dads soon, too.
TUESDAY JUNE 5 2001 Misty and Fritz go for their yearly checkup and vaccinations
These two fellas (who are kennel companions) had been due for a bath for awhile. They always look so dirty because of lying in their cool, sandy scoopy holes, which during hot weather they are always digging for themselves in the shade. They also roll around a lot in the cool wet sand, which we keep damp for them in their shady areas to keep them cool. The white hair on Misty and Fritz never looks quite white, and for some reason, just on these two dogs, their black and brown fur always looks sandy colored too!
Bath or no bath, they had to go to the vets for their doctor appointments for their yearly checkups and vaccinations, so I put these two "sandy" fellas in the van and off we went.
They are both doing just fine, said the doctor after their checkups. And after we arrived home they got their much needed baths! Such pretty dogs they were--for about five whole minutes--until they took to rolling in the cool, damp sand again.
THURSDAY JUNE 7 2001 We received a cute email from Retriever mix, Stevie, the blind dog who was adopted last autumn (along with his seeing-eye buddy, Pete) by Mike and Ann
Three-year-old Stevie and little mix/mix Pete were adopted last October by a wonderful couple, Mike and Ann Nicholson. These two adorable dogs had been at our shelter for nearly two years before they found their loving, forever family and became very happy house pets. Since the time Mike and Ann adopted Stevie and Pete, Mike has been in very close touch with us, emailing us cute pictures of these two happy fellows, and filling us in on "life at the Nicholson Home for overly pampered pups."
The notes are cute and funny and are usually "written" by the dogs. This week Stevie wrote this little message, and since so many of you ask about Stevie and Little Pete, we'd like to share the email with you too. (Keep in mind that Stevie is sightless, and new experiences can often scare him or can often be very upsetting to him--such as a bath at his new home:
"June 4, 2001
Dear Momma Pat,
I had my FIRST BATH yesterday, the first at my new home, and we all came out with all our arms and legs intact and NO blood letting of any kind, i.e. no BITING of my dad. Actually it went really well, better than my dad expected. I am soooooooooo pretty now and smell just wonderful. Just wanted you to know. Little Pete is fine too!
Love, STEVIE"
These fellows are two, very pampered house pets, and we love hearing from them!
An old photo shot when the two boys were still living at Straydog
FRIDAY JUNE 8 2001 New employee leaves--takes her "computer skills" with her
One fairly new employee, who took great care of the dogs and was extremely knowledgeable with office (and especially computer) stuff, quit her job here today. The work outside caring for the dogs in this hot late spring sun is hard, there is no doubt about it, so we all understand. We will miss her because she was wonderful with the dogs, and they all loved her, and her computer skills really came in handy too, and she had just started to do a beautiful job of updating our Dogs for Adoption page on our website yesterday. Now that the project of updating our dogs for adoption page is left unfinished, it will probably take forever for Bill and me to get it done.
I'm out with the dogs in afternoons now
I think that being out with the dogs for the "afternoon shift" from 12:30 till 6:00 p.m. is the most enjoyable part of the day here for me. Now that the employee has left this position, I'll be the one to help fill it again (on Crystal's days off), and as always, I load up my big apron pockets with the grooming brushes, toe nail trimmers and treats, and go out for the afternoon to visit with each pair of dogs, brushing them, trimming nails, playing ball with the ball players and just petting the fellas who want love and attention.
SATURDAY JUNE 9 2001 Our Adoption Day is again canceled due to having no dog van driver
With the sudden, unexpected cancellation of our scheduled driver, we had to cancel the trip, and because of such short notice it was much too late to try and find another driver for today.
We will certainly try to make it to next week's Adoption Day, and cute little Black Lab pup, Jay Jay, will be coming along with hopes of finding a wonderful mom or pop to adopt him, along with several of the bigger dogs. Jay Jay is a sweet, cuddly, adorable little eight-month-old pup.
Jay Jay with Pat
SUNDAY JUNE 10 2001 Question about Michael and Mary
When visitors come to Straydog and we take them on the tour of all the kennels, they often ask about why some of the "long-timers" haven't yet been adopted. The question came up recently concerning Michael and Mary.
The answer is simple: No one has wanted these dogs because they are "special needs" dogs. And they are still here because we are a no-kill shelter.
Mary and Michael are just two of the many "special needs" dogs who have been here for several years, and are still waiting for a loving mom, dad and/or family to adopt them. And as with the other "long-timers" here, the main reason that they haven't been adopted is that they have "special needs" mostly due to hip and/or leg problems, and people just don't want what many refer to as "damaged dogs." Mary was "turned down" twice because she has had problems with her back legs, and Michael has "imperfect" hips, which kept one interested man, from adopting him, which is so sad because Michael would have become the man's loyal companion forever.
Michael: Three-year-old Michael would make a great pet, but because this big fellow is part Rottweiler, this alone keeps many people from wanting to adopt him. Many people just don't like the Rottweiler breed (or else they do like Rottweilers for the wrong reasons). Even though Michael is as sweet and gentle as can be. Unfortunately he is somewhat standoffish when he first meets new people, which is another reason folks pass him by when they come looking for a dog to adopt. We always try to explain that Michael just needs time to get to know people and that he will make a wonderful pet. His "imperfect" hips pose no problem to this sweet, lovable dog. He is as rambunctious and playful as any young dog, and to see him run and play you would never know he has a physical problem.
Mary: This gentle Black Lab mix would also be a wonderful pet, but because of her hip and knee problems she is still with us. Naturally everyone who's interested in adopting a dog or pup wants to know about the animal's health, and we are always very honest about any problems the dogs or pups may have.
These couples both "turned Mary down" when we told them she had had to have surgery in 1996 on her right rear knee to keep her knee cap from popping out of place (Luxating Patella), and then in 1997 she was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and had Pectinomyotomy Surgery. So, neither of these couples wanted her, even though Mary's knee problem is easily kept under control by not letting her over exert herself with lots of running or jumping. But just as with her companion, Michael, and the other special needs dogs here, when people find out the dogs are not "perfect," they just don't want them.
Our Philosophy on caring for dogs with health problems (or "special needs") is a very simple one:
Our vow to every dog and puppy living at our shelter is that they shall never suffer again. This means they all will receive the love, quality care and medical attention they need--the healthy dogs, the sick dogs and all the "special needs" dogs. They all will have a home with us (at our Happy Home for Strays) until the day they are adopted. Many of these "special needs" dogs will probably be with us for the rest of their lives, but there's always hope that the right individual or family will come along. Whoever whould have ever dreamed that Blind Dog Stevie and his seeing-eye buddy, Little Pete, would have been adopted?
Because we are a no-kill shelter we do not "put dogs down" just because they are old, or blind, or deaf, or happen to have bad hips, or arthritis, or other problems. Some of the special needs dogs have been here for years because nobody wants them with their problems--yet all of these dogs would make absolutely wonderful pets. We make them feel special and loved. They are available for adoption. They all deserve to live a good and happy life just as much as any other dog. Every dog and pup we take in will stay here, alive and well, until the day they are adopted.
If you might be interested in adopting one of our wonderful, "special needs" dogs, please call me (Pat) at 903/479-3497
Here are just a few of our other "special needs" fellas:
Katie: Sassy Katie is about 11 years old; she's a black mix/mix and weighs approximately 65 pounds. She is deaf and has a slight heart problem and arthritis and the beginnings of cataracts. Katie is a lovable dog and she'd make a great housepet for a grandma or grandpa, or a household without young kids.
Danny Boy is a beautiful Red Chow/Retriever mix, almost six years old, with long fluffy golden/red fur. He weighs 83 pounds, and is a big gentle, lovable fellow and must be a house dog due to his tremendous fear of thunderstorms. He had a skin problem, diagnosed as phemphigus by the vets, and he is perfectly fine when kept on his special diet and supplements. Danny loves people and grown kids.
Bishop: This sweet fellow is a Doberman/Rottie mix. He's approximately five years old, and a "bit" overweight at 65 pounds. He has severe hip dysplasia but is doing fine on his special diet, and being a pampered house pet would do wonders for his hip problem too! He gets around just fine, and would best be adopted into a family without young children.
Bobby and Briar are brother and sister. They are medium-size shepherd mixes, approximately two years old, weigh around 60 pounds, and have beautiful short golden hair. They both have a serious birth defect which caused problems with their back legs, and they have both had major surgery on their back knees to repair this problem. They are on a special diet and supplements and are doing fine now.
They were found as feral pups when they were 10 weeks old, and they had had a terribly rough beginning to their young lives. We had never taken in such wild, frightened little pups, and it took us half the day to catch them. Bobby and Briar are still fearful young dogs. They will come to all of us here, but it will take a very patient, understanding person, or couple, or family to come and visit this brother and sister many times, most likely over a period of several months in order to win the trust of Bobby and Briar in order to be able to adopt them. (The Nicholsons came to visit Blind Stevie and Little Pete at least once a week for more than four months, and Bill and I drove the two dogs to the Nocholsons' house for several get-acquainted visits before the official adoption took place last fall.)
Buddy and Betsy are the big, gentle Rottweiler brother and sister. They are a little over a year old and need to be adopted together. Buddy weighs approximately 120 pounds and his little sister, Betsy, weighs 70 pounds. They are big, lovable young dogs, very playful and strong, and they are on a special diet and supplements because of their severe hip problems.
Trixie is the German Rottweiler mom of Buddy and Betsy. She is about five years old and weighs 56 pounds. She is a wonderful, wonderful dog. Trixie is very loving and affectionate to people and grown kids. She is very territorial and protective, and it would probably be best if she had dog obedience training. Her original owner, who obviously dumped her along the highway with her two pups, Buddy and Betsy, unfortunately taught Trixie to be very agressive toward new acquaintances--especially men--, but once she gets to know you, she can be as gentle as the most gentle dog in the world.
Big Boy is a beautiful Heeler/mix and weighs about 70 pounds. We think it will be best for him to be adopted into a home without young children. Big Boy has had one seizure (a month ago) that we know of, and since that time he has had no subsequent seizures (that we've been aware of). He is not on any medication for this since the problem has not reappeared, and per our vet it is very likely that he may never have another seizure. Big Boy is afraid of thunderstorms. He does not like most other dogs, and most likely he does not like cats either. This fellow will become a loyal companion to his owner.
Julie is a mix--maybe a touch of Greyhound. She is about seven years old and weighs close to 70 pounds and is a truly wonderful, lovable dog. She has had two epileptic seizures that we know about, but this happened over a year ago, and she is not on any medication as the epilepsy never developed into any problem for her, and she has not had any more seizures (that we are aware of). Yet, because of these two seizures, which she had over a year ago, a woman thinking of adopting Julie, changed her mind. Julie would make a wonderful house pet!
There are several more, wonderful special needs dogs here too, but I've run out of time to mention them all today. Please call if you'd like to know more about any of our special furry friends.
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We always need doggie sitters on our Adoption Days and if any of you would like to volunteer to help us on Saturdays, from 10:30 till 3:00, please call me (Pat) at 903/479-3497. We'd love to have you join us!
SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR WONDERFUL DOGGIE SITTERS! Your help makes it possible to keep trying to find wonderful homes for our many furry friends. Thank You!