My Fire Hydrant

This week, in support of Petfinder‘s Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week, I am posting adoptable Small Paws Rescue pooches every day. Don’t you need a Fluffy Friend?

What a sweet little gentleman! Huck is a very friendly, very laid back and a wonderful senior kind of guy. He loves to run around outside and explore, so he needs a fenced in yard. He has some cataracts, but he walks well on his leash and he’s house broken. He’s a very easy dog, who is not a picky eater. And there’s a really adorable video of him that will make you fall in love–with him!

Huck needs a home!

 

This week, in support of Petfinder‘s Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week, I am posting adoptable Small Paws Rescue pooches every day. Don’t you need a Fluffy Friend?

Meet Rocky. He’s a sweet 7-year old boy who just wants to be loved. He’s a happy little guy who gets along well with other dogs, but would also do well as an only dog. He love to snuggle and cuddle.

He has a frozen knee due to an old injury but it doesn’t bother him and doesn’t require medical attention. And he’s also diabetic. He gets 2 insulin shots a day–and he doesn’t mind getting them one bit.

Rocky also has diabetes and receives 2 insulin injections per day. The cost of his insulin and syringes per month is approximately $25-30 dollars. Syringes cost about $10 per month and the insulin is $50 per bottle but it lasts a long time! (2 months or more) He is not bothered by this routine at all. In fact, when you say come and get your medicine, he runs down the hallway like he is going to get a big, juicy hamburger!

Rocky is fully house trained and crate trained–which is an advantage of adopting an adult dog. When he needs to be taken outside he goes to the door and gives it a little tap. If you don’t respond, he’ll lay down in front of you and STARE at you until you let him out!

He’s a cleaver little gentleman, and would be a wonderful addition to your home.

This week, in support of Petfinder‘s Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week, I am posting adoptable Small Paws Rescue pooches every day. Don’t you need a Fluffy Friend?

I featured Little Petunia last year during Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week. She is a sugar-challenged dog: She’s diabetic and gets one injection each morning.

She’s a very clever older girl. Her eyesight is not so good, but once she learns her way around the house it’s not a problem.

Like many older dogs, she comes to you already housetrained. She likes her crate. She enjoys riding in the car and walking on her leash. She enjoys the company of other dogs. She’s also gentle and loving. She’s a blend of Bichon and Maltese. And (added bonus!) she knows how to stand on her hind legs and do the Bichon wave!

This little girl enjoys people. She’s and affectionate bundle of fluff who only wants to be petted and loved. Seriously, how can you resist that sweet face? Is Petunia the dog for you?

This week, in support of Petfinder‘s Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week, I am posting adoptable Small Paws Rescue pooches every day. Don’t you need a Fluffy Friend?

Snowball is another little Fluff who has been on the Petfinder wall for over a year. She’s a special girl. She’s blind. She’s just a bit shy, until she gets to know you. She needs for someone to schedule her potty times, because she doesn’t know how to ask to go out.

And she’s also known as Snowball6–Bichons, being white and fluffy, can be commonly mistaken for snowballs.

Snowball used to have a family, but they had to give her up for adoption. While she waits for her new home, Snowball is being fostered in Colorado with a Small Paws volunteer family.

Snowball knows how to walk on a leash, but she also enjoys a fenced-in yard. She is house-trained. She’s very loving. And because she’s a senior gal, she’s very mellow.

Do you like to stay at home? Snowball will be very happy to keep you company! This sweet girl is just waiting for you to fill out the adoption form and bring her home to become part of your family!

This week, in support of Petfinder‘s Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week, I am posting adoptable Small Paws Rescue pooches every day. Don’t you need a Fluffy Friend?

I mentioned Southpaw last year–and he’s still on the Petfinder board looking for a home!

This sweet boy is very playful and an excellent snuggler. He enjoys playing with his toys. His blindness does not stand in the way of a walk on a leash, if you will help to guide him. He has a HUGE personality! He enjoys the company of other dogs–but he needs to get comfortable with them first due to his blindness. And play, play, PLAY! This little man is a playboy!!

He is quite simply the most adorable gentleman pooch you may ever meet. He’s a little tiger in a Bichon/Poodle body, with peach-tinged hair and a delightful face.

Southpaw is sight-challenged: he has cataracts. But the dogtors say that this can be fixed with surgery. This has not stopped Southpaw from learning his way around his foster home and having a good time. You’ll notice in his photo that he also wears a belly band. Southpaw is slightly incontinent.

He loves to snuggle with his human, but he also will play or nap by himself. He enjoys sleeping under the covers! This boy has got it all!

Don’t you need a playful cuddler?

 

It occurred to me today that it’s Tyler’s anniversary for finding his furever home! One year ago today I flew home to Dayton from Phoenix with my little four-pound fluff boy. Since he joined our home…

…his weight has doubled;

…his coat has grown out;

…I’ve puppy-proofed our fence–twice;

…I’ve learned how to use my laptop while fending off helpful paws (see photo, above);

…I’ve found the strength to cope with finding a wet spot on the rug (my fault);

…I’ve grown to appreciate and expect 30 minutes of playtime AFTER I’ve gone to bed;

…I’ve resolved not to feel guilty each time I put him in his crate–every time I put him in his crate;

…I’ve experienced the best of warm feelings watching him charm and bond with my mom;

…and the doggie space in my heart has increased to include this flufferbutt who now rules our home. Bailey would have adored him. I certainly do.

God bless the wonderful people of Small Paws Rescue for matching me up with Tyler. One year later and he continues to be our little sweetheart. And my little stinker.

~

One of my favorite people (and a personal hero) Robin Presnell, who leads Small Paws Rescue, has failed Foster 101.

Robin, and husband Dale, already have two Small Paws Rescue dogs: Chipper (her first rescue who came from a puppy mill) and Spunky Monkey. In the past 13 years, Robin has helped find furever homes for over 8,000 Bichons. Robin has fostered many times in the past. There have been a couple of times when she almost couldn’t give up her foster Fluff. But each time, she happily sent the Fluff off to a new, furever home—probably with tears of gladness in her eyes.

“There was magic in the air the first time I met him, when I reached down and picked him up, pulling him from a kill shelter a few weeks ago. He was trembling, and was in a run with a large dog who was scaring him. The minute I held him to my chest, and told him it was ok, that I was a Bichon Mom and he was safe now, he took a big sigh.”

Of course, Robin’s fate was sealed.

Reagan was originally fostered in Tulsa with a Small Paw volunteer who needed to make a business trip to New York City, so she asked Robin if Reagan could bunk with her for a few days. Reagan worked his magic, and found his furever home with Robin!

The rest of the family—especially the four-legged members—are very happy with the arrangement. Reagan joins 14-year old Spunky Monkey in blitzing through the house. And he loves to wrestle with his other brother, 13-year old Chipper. Youngster Reagan has made his older brothers feel like puppies again!

Reagan has also become an ambassador for Small Paws. As Robin says,” I take lots of business cards when Reagan is with us. He’s a people magnet.”

He accompanies Robin to the local middle school where she teaches an after school class about dogs. “He loves everybody and everything,” says Robin. “He LOVES to go and is a perfect gentleman when we are out.”

Last weekend, Reagan accompanied Robin and husband Dale as they did shopping errands (Chipper and Spunky Monkey prefer to remain at home instead of meeting and greeting the crowds). Their last stop was lunch at a popular burger restaurant that has an outside patio, so Reagan could sit with them. It was a beautiful, sunny day. Robin finishes the story:

“Dale had a burger, I had a chicken salad, and Reagan had a piece of grilled chicken.

So during dinner I told him, “Baby Reagan, now we don’t want to hurt Spunky Monkey and Chipper’s feelings, do we?”

“No, Mama.”

“So, when we get back home, we don’t need to announce that we went out for dinner, ok?”

“Yes Mama.”

After letting all of the other outside diners come over and pet him, we made a last quick shopping stop and then returned home.

The SECOND he got home and in the door he screams at the top of his little lungs, “WE WENT TO MASH BURGER!! WE WENT TO MASH BURGER!!”

Spunky ran up to him and started to sniff him.

“I SMELL MASH BURGER ON HIS BREAF! I SMELL MASH BURGER!!

And the blitz was on. Round and round they went, Tails up, motors running.

Whenever I take Reagan to the eye dogtor, Spunky and Chipper mope around, waiting by the door for us, so says their Dad. They are not moping for me. They want their BROTHER back and NOW!

We have a baby in our house again.

And it will never, ever be the same.”

~

I love happy endings! Don’t you?

~

Want to help? Make a donation to Small Paws Rescue!

This is a sweet story! Small Paws member Michelle tragically lost Chumpie, one of her beloved dogs. Her heart was healed by little Blossom, who entered her home as a foster and stayed on as a new family member.

Last summer both of my dogs got attacked by a German Shepard. Unfortunately, I lost my 13 yr old and was still grieving but was desperately looking for another Bichon to fill the family gap. I was frustrated with trips to the shelter and came across the Small Paws Rescue website. Could this be for real? I filled out a foster application after viewing all the dogs that needed homes. I thought, why don’t I start there because at least I could see if the dog would be a good match for my survivor, Cracker. It seemed like forever, but three weeks later I got “the phone call” from Small Paws Rescue telling me that they had a puppy pair that needed a foster. What a huge task for a first time foster! Then they ended up going with a foster mom in their area. I cried. I was disappointed but didn’t really want a puppy I just wanted my senior dog back. Please Lord, just send me a dog like Chumpie. A day later, on the way to pick up my dog’s ashes I received another call. Small Paws Rescue rescued a stray dog and they were looking for a foster home for her. Everyone wanted her, but everyone had too many dogs. Absolutely! I was thrilled. So my healing process began, and even though I didn’t get pics of this dog until after I agreed I felt like it was meant to be. Blossy (Blossom) made it to my door step, into my heart and within one week joined my family. She ran right into my home and Cracker leaped off the couch and they have been wrestling ever since. Did I happen to mention that God has a wonderful way of revealing himself? Blossy looks just like my other dog, but a female puppy version. She also happens to have the same little trot, and what are the odds I would get another dog that stuffs socks in their mouth and prances around the house? This girl quickly became my little princess and got her very own rhinestone collar. She is spunky and always wants a “pawdicure” while riding in the car. She gets a plate of homemade food every day (being a stray you would think she would eat anything but that is not the case. This Diva will not touch any kind of dog food) I even sing a little jingle every time I feed or greet her. (Don’t act like I am the only one that does this. If you own a Diva Bichon you know they have at least four nicknames and own pink snowsuits). I couldn’t have gotten a better dog. She was able to be potty trained and learned tricks very easily. I love my Boo Bear so much! She has enabled me to heal and puts a smile on my face everyday. Plus, she is super cute!I feel comforted knowing my Chumpie died so Blossy could live. Heaven and Small Paws Rescue has sent me a wonderful gift!

/~/

Tyler says, Small Paws is helping little doggies every day. Even me! They found me, kept me alive when I was full of parvo, and found me my furever home! Do you have a few dollars you can give?