Tag Archives | Rescue

Not enough dogs in your life? Want to give a dog in need a leg up – or four! – when they really need them? Want to help save a life?

ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation – Beacon) needs foster families to help with some of the dogs who have special needs:

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Okay so he can’t wear his antlers straight and we couldn’t find a real wrapped up holiday box for him to sit in and he won’t be Santa’s next reindeer, but Butch could be one of the best dogs you’ll ever love.

Butch is almost 2 years old now and the biggest, goofiest guy you will ever want to meet.

He gets along with every other dog he has ever met – even the dogs least likely to like other dogs will get along with Butch.  He walks well on leash, plays nicely in the back yard at ARF (with other dogs or alone) and he is currently learning silly tricks like “sit in a box for fun.”  So you can see here he is all ready to be someone’s holiday dog in his holiday box wearing his holiday antlers.

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All of us who have known Hunter since he came to ARF in November 2008 knew very well that he is a loving, devoted and sensitive guy but his shyness has grown since he came to the shelter and has kept him from setting foot outside his run – even into the backyard for fun.  With this level of shyness he was in no position to flirt with a prospective new forever human…  Hunter had been at ARF for over a year and a half and was getting more and more fearful of the world outside his run.  We had to change things for him or he would have spent the rest of his life in that run.

Hunter happily wearing his Thundershirt when he was at ARF.

A call went out to my students and good doggie folk in the area and Linda, Feef, Pat and Vicky stepped up to be Hunter’s Helpers.  Each of Hunter’s Helpers worked with their skill-sets to help Hunter increase his confidence, joy, and allow his loving nature to expand to more and more people. Vicky and Pat increased his confidence via clickers and massages. While Linda and Feef increased his social network via their relatives and friends who came along to meet Hunter and show him the world is full of nice people – who, by the way all seem to have cheese and hot dogs on them at all times…

His dedicated regular volunteers continued to help Hunter’s Helpers by doing walk-alongs (especially Pete and Charlotte) so Hunter could become happy and used to new people.  Great thanks must also go to the volunteer staff at ARF who by continuing to take care of Hunter’s needs as well as the needs of the rest of the animals at ARF allowed Hunter’s Helpers to focus specifically on the behavioral work.  Sometimes it takes a Village to help a dog in need, too.

Although Hunter is not yet completely “cured” he is doing much better and working now on transitioning to Feef’s home as his forever home – yeah!!!  Remember the dog who would not leave the safe confines of his run or the back room where his run is located?  Barb reported to me the following just the other day:

YESTERDAY WAS GRADUATION DAY FOR HUNTER !!

The last dog to be walked last night was Hunter…  He was acting itchy, carrying on…

I had the leash in my hand, then opened his gate… He came flying out…ran out to the kennel, stood there…saw the front door open… ran out !!!!  Across the parking lot…. down the driveway…to the back “40″…..Flo was standing in the lot talking on the phone…. her mouth dropped open…. we both went to the back… Hunter was walking back to the shelter, sniffing all the brush…wagging his tail….went right by us and back to the shelter…all the way back and jumped in his room !!!! WOW !!   How exciting !!

We went at a pace that worked for Hunter and allowed him to slowly learn new people are good and maybe even as good as his two favorites Pete and Charlotte.  We gave Hunter some special attention in the form of calming massages.  We taught Hunter via clicker training that he can actually control aspects of his world.  By doing all of this Hunter has blossomed and is no longer looking at spending the rest of his life in his run at ARF.  While ARF loves all of their dogs as their own and cares for them with special kindness – it is still not a forever-home.

Hunter, his Helpers and all the Volunteers at ARF are a shining example of just how much we can help a dog in need find a life of happiness and joy!

Big Apple Bull Terrier Rescue recently gave me the lovely opportunity to meet George the Bull Terrier in his foster home.  I was struck by how affectionate he was, how well he got along with his female k9 housemate (and humans too) and how interested he was in doing anything I asked him to do.  George is losing his foster home and it is time this big goof-ball find himself a Forever Family!

George is a funny, silly, lovable, snuggly, quintessential bull terrier boy who would benefit from a fenced yard, lots of long fun walks and a structured life.  He would like an active female playmate, too, who will tolerate his knockabout (but not mean) play style – but he would be happy with just his forever humans, too.  Everyone who meets George adores him!   He is a fast learner, very affectionate and goofy, and loves going places (even to the vet).  Like so many bull terriers, George is a lot of dog – but a lot of fun comes with him.  George would also make a great “office” dog for the human who can take their dog to work.  He could become the “Mayor” of your workplace.  Although George is deaf, he doesn’t let it get in his way when it comes to being social – so we shouldn’t either.

George was originally a stray from Long Island.  Big Apple Bull Terrier Rescue thinks he is around 4 or 5 years old.  Like many deaf dogs, George is like velcro and wants to be with you always. He doesn’t seem to startle too much to his humans in the house, but he does put on a bit of a show when out walking and confronted by something exciting, frustrating or scary.  This should be pretty quickly remedied with some good solid relationship building and attention work for FOOD.   BTW, George is very food motivated – yeah!    He may not hear you, but he smells those treats in your hands…  He does not like cats or other small animals and will amuse himself in a yard by guarding against errant chipmunks and assorted varmints.

George does not need a “strong hand” or an “alpha human.”  He needs a human who will guide him using positive reinforcement training and give George constant feedback in the beginning (because he’s deaf) to help him focus. He would enjoy going to classes -  tricks, agility, nose-work, some-kind of fun that will occupy him both physically and mentally  – which Big Apple Bull Terrier Rescue will help pay for with an approved trainer.  He has been in foster care for a year…..waayyy too long…. George deserves a real home where he can focus all his love on “his” human(s).

George does very well on his front clip harness (Easy Walk Harness – he does need it upside down like so many big chested dogs).  And, because he is deaf, he will need consistent guidance in his new home for a few months until he understands the lay-of-the-land.  But once you have built a good relationship and hand signals for George he will be a blast – and snuggly, too!

George has a minor congenital condition called “dry eye” which is treated twice daily with a prescription ointment.  Nobody’s perfect!

If you think you’d like to help George please let us or Big Apple Bullies know!

To learn more about living with a deaf dog, visit www.deafdogs.org.

Hunter has been waiting.

Hunter was brought to Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) in Beacon, NY in November 2008 by a woman who found him loose in Poughkeepsie.  He has won the hearts of all the ARF volunteers and is sweet and affectionate once he gets to know you.  He is worried if he does not know you; and while he may bark a bit, he has never shown any aggressive tendencies.

He gets along well with other dogs and is often the puppy “uncle” when a new doggie mom can’t take care of all her new pups because she is ill – or if we just want to expand the puppy’s social circle.  He does a great job of being the fun “uncle” to the new little tykes.

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