A Special Sunday

Today was a great day. I normally don’t volunteer at the shelter on Sundays, but they needed someone to do warm compresses on a couple of the dogs that had surgery. It was just me with more than 15 dogs and I loved every minute of it.

After doing a little bit of clean up and saying hello to all of the dogs, I took Cupid, a super sweet Shih Tzu mix, onto my lap for her warm compresses. She settled in quick and dozed while I held her. The shelter’s radio was playing classical music and all of the dogs were quiet. It was so peaceful. Next came Mickey, a Bichon Frise. He sat on my lap for a few minutes, but was anxious with the other dogs close by so I brought him back to his crate and finished the compresses there. He was relaxed even though he still has some pain from his surgery.

After that was done, I spent some time with Stella. The special, one-eyed Silky Terrier that I mentioned a few posts back. She was excited to see me and we cuddled on the couch for a little while. All she wanted was some tummy rubs and a few good scratches behind her ears.

After a couple of hours, I headed out. The drive home was quiet as well. I haven’t been that relaxed in a long time. I’ll have to plan more visits on Sundays – it’s the perfect way to end a week.

You’re formally invited

Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue in Mukwonago, Wisconsin is requesting the public’s presence at the joining of paws for two very special rescue dogs. Stevie, a special West Highland White Terrier/Poodle mix will wed his mystery bride on Saturday, February 19^th at 6:00 p.m. at For Pet’s Sake Dog Training at 828 Perkins Drive in Mukwonago.  

Families and their canine friends are invited to witness the exchange of the dogs’ wedding vows and tags. An Elvis impersonator will serenade the couple and a dog and a human wedding cake will be served. An open Muttini bar will be available for all canine attendees and a secured dance floor will be provided for those four-legged friends who want to kick up their paws. A silent auction, interactive games, raffles, pet portraits, food, drinks and music, as well as animal communicator, Tresa Laferty ($25 for a 20-minute session), will be provided for everyone’s entertainment.

Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue is requesting a $10 donation at the door and/or a selection from the couple’s gift registry at End of the Leash in Mukwonago. They are registered for items such as Diamond dry puppy food, canned Pedigree® puppy or adult food, Kuranda dog beds and Martingale Collars in petite, small, or medium sizes. An RSVP is appreciated, but not necessary, to 414-750-0152.

Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue is committed to the rescue, care and adoption of Bichon Frises, Shelties and other small breeds and mixes. Primarily serving Southeastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois, Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue takes in dogs surrendered by their owners, dogs found as strays and those rescued from puppy mills.

What a little love can do…

What a difference a week makes and what a great job everyone is doing at Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue! When I went in to volunteer today, the puppy mill pups I mentioned a couple of posts back were in the main room with all of the other dogs. They were bathed, groomed and looking absolutely adorable.

I started by cleaning out their run. As I approached the gate and knelt down, the two Bichon Frises stuck their noses through and covered my fingers with kisses. Even the Yorkshire Terrier tried to get in on the action. I opened the gate and stepped inside. The Yorkie moved away from me, but was sniffing curiously and inching closer, his tail wagging. Both of the Bichons were wagging their tails furiously and greeting me with quick licks and sniffs. All three were friendly and excited to have a visitor. As I pulled up their soiled papers and collected their beds and toys for cleaning, they continued to follow me, moving in a funny little dance of playful curiosity. When I mopped the floor, all three sat patiently on a raised dog bed and waited for me to finish. I placed new beds and blankets in the run and brought them some clean toys. I tossed them into the run and the dogs excitedly scrambled after them. Toys – a new luxury for them – and they were enjoying them to the fullest.

It was so fun to see these puppy mill pups coming out of their shells and displaying the beginnings of their social little selves. Very soon, these cute little guys will make someone very happy.

I’ll post some pictures of them soon so you can see how adorable they are!

A Whole New World

To me, there’s nothing quite as heartbreaking as a dog rescued from a puppy mill. Some are paralyzed by fear, others are eager to socialize but completely unaware of how to go about it. Many are sickly, undernourished, dirty and scared. Their exposure to humans is so limited that their first few days after rescue find them frozen with fear, reclusive and running at the sight of a human being.

Right now at the rescue, there is a Yorkshire Terrier and two Bichon Frise pups that were given up by a commercial breeding facility. When I went into their room, they immediately fled to the corner and eyed me up. The Yorkie seemed fearful and the Bichons were curious but unsure. I turned my back to them and waited. Slowly, the two Bichons came forward and sniffed at me. They even licked my hands. As soon as I moved or made eye contact, they ran. They barked, but not fearfully, and bounced playfully, but they wouldn’t approach unless I had my back turned. I could tell that they were friendly and eager to interact, they were just uncertain.

The little Yorkie kept his distance, circling me and sniffing the air. With each circle he came a little closer, but never close enough to touch me. He seemed a little more fearful than the others, but not aggressive in any way.

They had come from a stark, loveless environment and were now in a place where they will experience human interaction, a kind touch, good food and clean place to eat and sleep. They are in a new world and their rehabilitation will be a challenge. The rewards, however, will be extraordinary. Their caretakers at the rescue and their future forever family will need plenty of patience and understanding in helping these amazing animals transition to a life that, at first, can be very overwhelming.

In the beginning, reassurance is necessary. Things like using the outdoors to go to the bathroom, walking on a leash, meeting new people, as well as experiencing a world outside of a cage, filled with new sights, smells and sounds, can be terrifying to a dog who spent its formative years in a puppy mill. It will take time and it will be critical to go at the dog’s pace in order to build its confidence so that it can begin to overcome its fear.

Meeting these dogs for the first time brought a rush of feeling about my dog, Toby. He, too, was rescued from a puppy mill. Fortunately, he was rescued very early on and was adopted by us at about 12 weeks of age. While he was standoffish in the beginning, he quickly grew to trust us and easily accepted the love we had to give.  I can’t imagine him having to live in a mill environment, petrified, dirty and unloved.

I hope I can participate in the rehabilitation of the cute little pups at the rescue. They deserve a second chance at a new life where they can experience all the love that a forever family has to offer.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has a great article on their website about adopting a puppy mill dog. Click here to check it out.

Everyone needs a Buddy

Yesterday I volunteered at Bichon and Little Buddies and met one of the new adoptable dogs – Buddy.  Buddy is a four year-old black Pug whose family was no longer able to take care of him. From the moment I saw him, Buddy made me smile. He’s a funny little pug with a huge grin and bright eyes. He’s friendly, spunky and full of character. He followed me around, sat at my feet while I washed dishes and played with the other dogs. He’s snorty and snarky and smiley, all at the same time. He’s very hard to resist.

In his former life, Buddy lived with a family that had children around the ages of 11 and 13, so Bichon and Little Buddies is going to recommend that he only be placed with children this age or older as he can be a little sensitive about being picked up. From what we’re told, Buddy loves to ride in the car and sits nicely for a treat. This handsome little guy had me charmed from the moment I met him. I’m sure he’ll put a permanent smile on the face of the person that decides to make him a forever friend.

I love spending time at Bichon and Little Buddies. There’s something very relaxing and satisfying about being around all of the dogs and doing things to make their lives a little better. When I leave, I’m happy and the feeling stays with me throughout the day.

If this post made you interested in Buddy or any other adoptable dog, just click here.

Little Hearts and Little Paws

I took my kids with me on Wednesday to the shelter where I volunteer – Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue. I was a little apprehensive because I was bringing a 7-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy into a facility with 20 plus small dogs. I lectured them on the drive there, giving them strict instructions on how we greet the dogs, what the different colored bandanas on the dogs meant, the importance of listening to the women who run the shelter, how we walk the dogs, and anything else I could think of. We talked about where some of the dogs came from and what brought them to the rescue as well.

We walked through the door to a raucous chorus of barking to which my daughter cried “It’s like a doggy orchestra in here!”. My son’s face lit up as Streaker, a terrier mix known for his high-flying agility, jumped on to the half wall in the entryway with his tail wagging away in greeting.

We started by taking two dogs for a walk, Powder and Muffin Man. It was really cold out, so we opted to spend the rest of our time socializing with the dogs. Maggie, who cares for the dogs throughout the day, set up a place for my son to sit so the dogs could come to him, while my daughter played with a Chihuahua named George. She was thrilled to carry him around as he cuddled in her arms. My son laughed over and over again as several dogs came to jump on him, play with him, and just sit quietly next to him.  He connected instantly with an older dog named Muffin Man. Muffin Man is an 11-year-old Bichon Frise who was an owner surrender. His owners had to move and weren’t able to take him with them. Muffin captured my heart as well the first time I met him. He is very sweet, social and he seems gets along well with both humans and dogs alike. Muffin Man followed my son everywhere he went that day and when he moved into a different room, Muffin Man would sit outside the door and wait for him.

Our next activity was in the puppy room. Virgil, a Miniature Schnauzer who was surrendered by a commercial breeding facility, had delivered her puppies at Bichon and Little Buddies and was currently raising them in a separate area of the shelter. Virgil is a timid girl but very sweet and her seven puppies are absolutely gorgeous. My kids helped me move the puppies and their mama from the room, so I could clean up their papers and mop the floor. It was so sweet to see my children surrounded by soft and fluffy puppies. They climbed on to their laps, nibbled on their coat zippers, tugged on my daughter’s hair and licked their faces. Every time I opened the door to the puppy room, they all clambered to get back in while my children scrambled to capture their squirmy little bodies before they hit the wet floor. Virgil sat off to the side and watched calmly as my kids played her pups and even attempted to give them each a curious sniff.

After that, it was time to head out. My daughter made her rounds to say goodbye to all the new canine friends she had made. I watched her talking sweetly to George and then move through the room to bid farewell to the others. I turned around and saw my son standing stock still with tears streaming down his face. I went over to see what was wrong, only to find out that he didn’t have the heart to leave Muffin Man. He wanted to bring him home right then. Maggie, who saw him crying, came over with some dog treats for him to give to Muffin Man before we left. I consoled my son and explained that we would come back to visit Muffin Man again very soon. After the tears dried, we said goodbye to Maggie and headed home.

My kids are still talking about their visit to the shelter and I’m still talking about how proud I am of them for the compassion and kindness they showed to all of the dogs that day.

By the way, we’re still talking about Muffin Man, too. Hmmm…..