Gracie's (Foster)Homecoming

While Scott and I went back to our respective family homes for a little holiday cheer, Gracie, our only remaining foster dog had to check in to puppy prison.

Poor girl spent almost a week at a boarding facility. But, don't those puppy eyes fool you. She was at a reputable kennel where she got lots of daily walks, play time and a good dose of lovin'.

Still, there's nothing like (foster)home... well, except that (forever)home she's looking for!

Welcome back Gracie! We missed you.

(Isn't this picture hilarious? After giving us lots of calming signals for a behavior she hadn't seen from Scott before, Gracie gave up, crawled under the blankets and promptly fell asleep cuddling Scott in a rather creative and calming way. See why we missed her so much?!)

Angie Wiggle-Butt Finds a Great Home!

When a foster dog is adopted I go through this insane flurry of emotions. Firstly, I'm dance-around-the-house-with-the-puppy-in-my-arms thrilled. All of my foster dogs have had heinous pasts of abuse and neglect. Knowing that they are officially retiring into the good life, that they'll have love, comfort and respect for the rest of their lives, that there will always be enough food, it makes me cry with relief. And dance a little too.

But, ensuring this future for them, also means gracefully bowing out. And when you've shared so much with them, including watching their transformation into delightful canine citizens, it can be so hard. And of course you worry about them, no matter how great of a home they're going to.

When they go, you miss them and their antics.

And, if you're me, you cry.

But, soon enough, another needy dog, with her own sordid past is looking to you for guidance, love and assurance; You're busy with a new set of training obstacles and you always have the wonderful updates from the adoptive families to look forward to.

Someone once told me that the best and worst part of fostering is letting your dog go to their adoptive family. Dropping Angie off with her amazing new family was so hard and so wonderful. But, knowing her wiggly-butt is safe for the rest of her life means I can start rescuing someone else.

The Adventures of Gingy-Poo

Our very own little Ginger has become an expert blogger!

In her profile this reigning canine queen tells us:

"I also spend lots of time on my dad’s laps when he is on his computer and
he spends a shit load of time in front of his computer, so I just look and
learn. Whenever he leaves me on his chair to protect his computers (since I’ll
attack anyone I don’t know, and even the ones I know but don’t like) I jump on
his desk and start blogging away when no one is looking."

Check out her hilarious take on life with her human Rick, stealing food, dealing with all her foster buddies and occassionally snacking on all the people she doesn't like here.

Santa and his Mutts help Sophie's Dog Adoption!

Despite the most insane snowstorm ever, Santa showed up last weekend to help Sophie's Dog Adoption raise some much needed funds! What a trooper!

HUGE thanks go out to everyone who braved the North Pole-esque storm to get their best friends in for some face time with the big jolly guy.

Over the two days we raised a kick-ass $230 bucks, every penny of which will help pay off our vet bills! Thanks again guys, we couldn't rescue a single dog without you!

Check out all the cuties below. I hope they get everything on their wish lists this year!

Gracie & Angie respond to PETA's dangerous anti-dog remarks

After sitting on the news that PETA's leader Ingrid Newkirk had publicly denounced all pit bulls as dangerous, unworthy of rescue resources and better off dead for a good week or so, Scott and I decided it was time to round up the girls and have a little talk.

At first they were all like PETA what? Ingrid who? We don't care...

Just give us that damn cookie we see in your hand!

Wait, she means me?

But then the bad news sunk in.

You see both Angie and Gracie are rescued pit bulls. And if Ingrid had her way, instead of playing at the park, charming everyone in the neighborhood and just being great dogs, both of our girls would be dead.

So, Scott sat down with the girls and explained that while it's hard being a pit bull (and a pit bull advocate) in today's hysterical society, it wasn't the girls' fault that PETA was letting their ignorant leader make dangerous and untruthful anti-dog remarks.

Still, knowing that the head honcho at the world's best known animal rights group wants you, an animal, dead for absolutely no real reason can make you feel pretty low.

So the girls rolled around with some ideas...

And even consulted honorary pit bull member, Viper.

Because three heads are better than two.

And they all decided to just laugh it off.

Because acting this good and looking this darn cute in their winter apparel will have Ingrid eating her words in no time!

Viper goes punk

It's amazing the human behaviors dogs will tolerate, isn't it?

The last week has been relatively quiet. While there are quite a few new pups with us at Sophie's Dog Adoption and quite a few of our veterans have gone to live with their new forever families, I've been a hermit and have only heard about the new developments second hand.

For the most part I've been spending my times with Viper and our foster girls, sleeping in, playing at the park, going for walks and learning new tricks.

And sometimes I give Viper makeovers. I just can't help myself.

Bah humbug!

Interested in helping local homeless animals during the season of giving and getting?

Here is a list the amazing people over at BAD RAP put together for helping sheltered Pit Bulls.

Ways to Help Sheltered Pit bulls:
1. Volunteer to help local spay/neuter efforts.
2. Supply hand-outs to help educate the public about pit bulls.
3. Volunteer to help update a shelter's website.
4. Donate a Karunda bed so dogs can sleep better.
5. Donate tuff toys like large kong balls.
6. Volunteer to walk dogs that are waiting for homes.

The adorable guy decked out in lights is BAD RAP's very own Gunther.

Take an amble over to BAD RAP's blog and read all about when the leader of PETA not only implied that all Pit Bulls are lethal, but also dissed Gunther's very cute sweater.

Pet Portraits with Santa to benefit Sophie's Dog Adoption!

Bring any and all of your pets in for a fun photo session with Santa!
Beautiful pictures ready for the holidays.
All proceeds to benefit the homeless dogs of Sophie’s Dog Adoption!


Saturday December 15th & Sunday December 16th
12:00PM-4:00PM
Naturalanimal & Pawtisserie
4932B Sherbrooke Street W., Westmount

Hope to see you and your best friend there!

Sunny the Survivor meets a speeding car

Can you imagine surviving two wars, the bombing of your home, cancer, chemotherapy, a move halfway around the world and then being hit by a car?! Poor Sunny, he must think he's a cat with 9 lives!

I was at home bloating Angie's already big head, telling her how she's most assuredly the cutest little munchkin in the whole world when the phone rang. Scott answered and it was just immediately one of those TV moments where everything sort of fades away and all you can hear is a racing pulse. It was like I knew something was seriously wrong, I just didn't know what.

It was Sunny's foster family calling as they rushed him to the emergency clinic on the south shore letting Scott know that Sunny had been hit by car, that he badly injured and could we please come meet them?

Sunny was checked into the emergency clinic where they checked for internal bleeding, punctured lungs, breaks and bruises. Sunny had a broken leg, a fractured chest and air pockets building in his lungs. They immediately stabilized him and put him on heavy-duty painkillers, but we'd have to wait until the surgeon came in on Monday before we'd know the full prognosis.

The severity of the break in Sunny's leg and chest was greater than we first anticipated. In fact, his leg wasn't so much broken as shattered into tiny pieces. Setting the break would be impossible without surgery. And even then his leg would still need an external stabilizer.

Oh, and the surgery would cost more than $5,000.

At Sophie's Dog Adoption our adoption fee is $275, which just barely covers the costs of a routine health screening, sterilization and vaccination. It does not leave us much financial room for medical emergencies of this caliber.

But, of course, there was no way we weren't going to help Sunny fully recover and find that forever family we promised him. The vet was so surprised and pleased that a rescue would choose to save the dog and take on the expense that he even donated 3 of his 5 hours of labor for free!

So after a very grueling surgery Sunny emerged: part dog, part machine (Just kidding Sunny, you look good in metallic!)

There is still extensive rehabilitation, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy for Sunny to go through. He can only take a brief 5 minute walk a day. No stairs. No chasing his beloved squirrel friends. Just lots of cuddle time on the couch, which I'm sure he's managing just fine :)

So the good news is, Sunny the Survivor is on his way to a full recovery. The bad news, we're desperately trying to pay off his $5,000 bill. So keep your eye out for some fun and hopefully fruitful Sophie's Dog Adoption fundraisers. Anyone care for a vegan cupcake?!

And if you'd like to make a contribution towards Sunny's medical expense or to help any of the dogs we currently have in the rescue please contact Sophie directly. Every donation of any size helps and is so appreciated! Or, if you'd like to help us with fundraising activities let me know!