A Rottweiler Who Lost Her Puppies Adopts a Litter Orphaned in Oklahoma Tornado

In a serendipitous chain of events, Bertha saves Pit Bull mix puppies who were set to be euthanized.

Earlier this month, Indiana's Second Chance 4 Pets Network rescue pulled Bertha the pregnant Rottweiler out of South Bend Animal Control. Unfortunately, she had to have an emergency caesarean section, and none of her eight of her puppies -- six boys and two girls -- survived.

Meanwhile, a college student named Rosie Ahlberg from Wheaton, Illinois, drove to Oklahoma with friends to help victims of the tornado. She picked up a stray dog and took it to a shelter. There, she saw another dog who had just had just given birth.  

The staff members, however, were overloaded, and they planned to euthanize the mom, a Pit Bull mix, because she was aggressive. There also planned to euthanize the pups. 

Rosie wasn't going to let that happen. 

She called the rescue group Lakeshore PAWS in Valparaiso, Indiana, which agreed to take the pups. People there told Rosie & Co. how to bottle feed, and they put out a call for people to help for when the pups made it back to Indiana. 

Then someone had an idea: What about Bertha? The pregnant Rottweiler who lost her pups? Lightbulbs went off, calls were made, and soon the little pups were on their way to Second Chance 4 Pets Network -- and to Bertha. 

Bertha, after having lost her pups days before, was not producing milk. Would she take to the new pups? Would she mother them? Both rescue staffs -- and Rosie -- crossed their fingers. 

Bertha came through. And so it happened that a mother dog who lost her puppies in Indiana ended up adopting a litter of puppies orphaned by the tornado.  

"She was unsure at first, but the foster [who was housing Bertha] got into the pool with her, and she started cleaning them right away," JoAnn Palko, president and founder of Second Chance 4 Pets Network, told nwitimes.com. 

Jeanne Sommer, director of Lakeshore PAWS, said the partnership with Second Chance was "just awesome."

She said in a statement to WSBT, "It is just heartwarming that one individual, Rosie Ahlberg, would step up and offer to save these guys, and that three rescues in Northwest Indiana can all join together as well to save their lives."

Second Chance is considering training Bertha to be a therapy dog. 

"She's a fantastic mom," Palko told WSBT. "My foster says she doesn't even want to go outside to go to the bathroom and leave her puppies."

Via WSBT and nwitimes.com

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Dogs Make It Better: Goldendoodle Puppies Bring Joy to Sandy Hook Survivors

The pups, who were born on the day of the tragedy, find homes with school staff.

Three weeks after the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, Laura Feinstein, a teacher at the school, received a letter from a breeder in Texas. She had a litter of nine Goldendoodles. They were born Dec. 14 -- the same day as the massacre. The breeder wondered whether there were any "Sandy Hook staff, families, victims' families, first responders, or anyone in the community affected by the tragedy who might find some comfort in taking on a pup."

There were. Feinstein responded to the breeder, saying that survivors would be delighted, according to a story she wrote about the affair for WTOP.

"I just knew this was going to be a new beginning for my family," she writes. 

Photos were sent, and people picked out their dogs. Feinstein and her family chose a male pup and named him Zeus, "Protector and Ruler of the Heavens."

As the staff waited for the pups to grow up enough to be adopted, the breeder, who is unnamed in the article, sent weekly updates and photos. These offered a bright spot in a school and community under such strain. 

"Those of us on staff who had agreed to take pups were often found huddled during our lunch period sharing photos, a temporary distraction from the struggles we faced adjusting to our new location and our new lives," Feinstein writes. "Whenever I was having a bad moment, I found myself going to the camera roll on my iPhone to sneak a peek at Zeus, who was the positive association I used to overshadow negative thoughts."

On Feb. 16, when the pups were nine weeks old, they arrived at a local airport, where "the reception emotionally overwhelming. It was simply beautiful to see smiling faces and tears of joy."

"I have to say when Zeus was handed to me I smiled like I hadn't smiled in more than two months. His puppy breath and warm little body all snuggled up to you puts you in instant relaxation mode."

Watch a video of Zeus playing with Fernando, Feinstein's black Labrador Retriever:

Feinstein now cares for Zeus with her college-age daughter, and doing so has brought them closer. She ends her article by thanking the breeder for her kindness, and for reaching out: 

"We will never forget what happened on Dec. 14, but a very special person, who had a team of others to support her efforts, did a kind and generous thing for a community of people who were in tremendous pain. I will be forever grateful for that."

Via WTOP

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Outrage in Arkansas: 8 Puppies Are Dumped Inside Plasticware

Seven of the Dachshunds were taken in by Rocky Ridge Refuge, while another has been adopted.

Ever notice how plasticware reproduces quietly in your cupboards so that your kitchen is practically bursting with unmatched lids and containers and then, one day, when you really need it, it has suddenly vanished into the universe? It's your fault. You distributed it over time to the houses of your friends as you departed from their potlucks saying over your shoulder, "Oh, just return the plasticware when you've finished the casserole."

We hope the folks who dumped a pile of puppies in a big plastic container behind a church in Arkansas never get their storage vessel back and that their cupboards will be forever cursed with ill-fitting lids because really, who does that?

First of all, spay and neuter your dogs, for puppies' sake! Second, don't leave the resulting offspring in a sealed plastic death trap! If you have to get rid of them, fine, but there are shelters for that.

Fortunately, the eight Dachshund puppies were taken in by the church they were dumped at and handed over to Rocky Ridge Refuge, a rescue organization in Arkansas that provides sanctuary for all manner of animals. One of the puppies was adopted by someone at the church, and the remaining seven are  in the care of Rocky Ridge, which aims to find the puppies good homes.

In the meantime, Rocky Ridge's resident dog mama, Butterbean, is helping take care of the pups.

Photos via the Rocky Ridge Facebook page

View the original article here

Puppies as Prizes on Toddlers & Tiaras? Shame on You, TLC

TLC's reality show Toddlers & Tiaras is controversial because it shows little girls -- even babies -- flaunting stripperish costumes and stripperish moves in beauty pageants. But controversy is now surging over another aspect of the show: Some of these pageants give away puppies as prizes. 

Makynli Miller. Photograph courtesy of Facebook.

We've heard of winning goldfish in toss-the-ball carnival games. But dogs? Is this even legal? 

Yup.

A new petition posted at Change.org laments: "These puppies are given as prizes to children who are not ready for the responsibility. ... Once the puppy is no longer a puppy, it is often sent off to a shelter where it will likely be put down."

In one T&T episode, two puppies that appear to be Pugs are displayed in baskets to a shrieking crowd of contestants and moms as an MC booms, "Now is the moment we've all been waiting for: We've got puppies!"

The camera cuts to 5-year-old Makynli Miller, who predicts: "I think I'm gonna win one."

She does. Clutching a basket containing a puppy and a gigantic glittering coronet, she boasts, "I won a li'l puppy. I won a crown." She draws out the word "pup-peeee" with a gloating, greedy, hard-eyed glee. You probably wouldn't want to play Barbies with this kid. "My li'l puppy is cute," she says, "like me."

Four months later, Makynli's pageant coach told Pet News Examiner that Makynli and her family had named the puppy Petey and "were crazy about him. Unfortunately he was run over just a few weeks ago."

"Getting a puppy should be something that is done with much thought and consideration, especially when one has a toddler who needs to be supervised all the time, especially around a dog," says school administrator and former special-education teacher Abbie Schiff, who used to raise Akitas professionally. "Parents should make this decision after carefully considering the many factors that would go into assuming this enormous responsibility." 

In a recent episode, contestants at an Indiana pageant vie to be named "the Ultimate Face."

"The Ultimate Face is gonna win a puppy," the pageant director declares as a terrified-looking Chihuahua is displayed. "When you've got money and puppies as prizes, the rivalry can get pretty heated."

The puppy is shown peering anxiously from a carrier. In no conceivable way could it be said that this dog is having a good time. Do the producers find this funny? 

"My beauty be perfect," announces 5-year-old Bridgett. "Maybe I'll win the puppy." As powder is poufed onto her face, she says: "I'm gonna take that dog home."

"We just got a new dog," Bridgett's mother sighs. "So we don't really need a puppy. I'd rather have the money that the puppy's worth."

"I'm gonna win that doggie," Bridgett insists.

Her competitors harbor the same hope. "I wanna win the Ultimate Face," declares 8-year-old Daisey Mae, "so I can get another puppy."

Jacy, also 8, says she wants the dog as well.

"I don't want Jacy to win it," Bridgett seethes.

Chihuahua puppy by Shutterstock.com

But none of these three are the Ultimate Face. When a tall blonde named Alaska wins, Bridgett bursts into tears. "Bridgett is crying over a stupid dog," her mother rails. "She had a meltdown today over a stupid dog because she didn't win the dog."

Jacy sobs too: "I wanted that puppy. I want that puppy." They all ask Alaska to let them hold her new prize. She refuses, clasping the trembling Chihuahua to her chest. "No. I just won it. C'mon, people," Alaska protests. 

Excuse me, but randomly matching a dog with whoever happens to win? On how many levels is this wrong? Human-dog chemistry is almost as complex as human-human chemistry. Winning a puppy is like being forced to marry your blind date. And Chihuahua puppies have special needs. Their tiny size makes them especially fragile and thus at risk around young children.

"A puppy cannot be put back into a box and put on the shelf to be played with when the child is older," Schiff told Dogster.

What if a pageant winner and/or her parents don't want a dog -- or don't even like dogs? What if they live in a place where dogs are not allowed or cannot thrive? Then, as feared by the Change.org petitioner, the prize goes to a shelter -- or is sold. 

Worst of all, puppies offered as prizes become objectified. In the eyes of young contestants who "want that puppy," just as athletes want that medal and gamblers want that jackpot, puppies-as-prizes are not living, breathing creatures but material proof of superiority -- soft, furry fuel for egomania.

"Facial beauty is the most important thing in life," Daisey Mae explains during the Ultimate Face pageant.

Are puppies a just reward for being the fairest in the land?

View the original article here

Bonehead of the Week: Man Abandons Six Puppies in Suitcase Bearing His Name

Full disclosure before I start this story: When I see the suitcases come out in my household I get mightily bummed. It usually means that Maria is going on a business trip and ditching me for a few days or even weeks. Sure I have plenty of attention and love and food and walks from the other family members while she's gone, but I like having her around. I just wanted to let you know before I begin this that I am just not a fan of suitcases. I am biased.

With that out of the way, I can begin this short tale of boneheadism. So a suitcase was recently found on a street in Toledo, Ohio. An adult dog was pacing around it, and of course, attracting attention. When a curious passerby opened the suitcase, what should be inside? Doggy biscuits? Stinky fish? Nope. Puppies! Six English bulldog puppies.

They were OK, fortunately, but they were only four weeks old - too young to be taken from their mom. Of course, the dog pacing around the suitcase was the mom of the pups. I'm sure she was very happy to see the case opened and have access to the pups.

If you were going to abandon puppies in a suitcase (and I know none of my readers would do this, but let's be hypothetical), you'd probably take off the luggage tag with your name on it, right? Well this guy didn't. And the suitcase was found two blocks from his residence.

His excuse: He said he had given the pups to someone in Michigan, and his suitcase had been stolen before that. Do I sense a grasping at straws here?

I give him a little credit because at least the guy had licensed the mom dog. That's how they traced her to him immediately. But jeez.

Sadly the mom had to say good-bye to the pups forever. The three boys and three girls are now in foster care until they're old enough to be adopted out, and also until they're no longer needed as "evidence," according to the a Reuters article. There's already a long list of potential adopters.

This is what these pups should look like in just three or four weeks!

The man has been charged with animal abandonment, which is a second degree misdemeanor. It carries a maximum $750 fine and 90 days in jail. I doubt he'll get more than a slap on the paw. I can't find any story that says what happened to the mom dog. She was found blocks from her home, no leash, which isn't a great sign that she's well watched, but maybe somehow she had busted out of the house to get to the pups.

Of course, this could all have been prevented if the guy had just brought the pups to the local humane society. "Anyone who can't take care of any animal can come here and we will work with you," said Toldedo Area Humane Society executive director John Dinon. Let that be a lesson for any other boneheads out there. (Unfortunately they are not reading this story, because boneheads are generally not readers of Dogster.)

Images via Shutterstock: Four English bulldog puppies, older pup

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Beautiful Video: Golden Puppies!

I realize my previous post may have caused a run on Kleenex, so here’s something that may help you smile — a beautiful video of a litter of happy little golden retriever puppies. I realize some might object to seeing a litter of “bred” dogs with all the homeless dogs out there, but this was too sweet to pass up. It’s also one of the better-produced dog videos I’ve seen on YouTube. Just wonderfully done.

(A big thanks to my Dogster friend, Santiago, who has been 2 for 2 with his blog suggestions this week!)

View the original article here

Video: Two-Legged Chihuahua Puppies Loving Life

These three-legged Chis don't even know they're disabled, say caretakers (Photo: Boston Herald)

If you need a shot of can-do spirit this weekend, check out this video of three Chihuahua pups, born without front legs (probably because of overbreeding) and left homeless when their owner died. Are they moping and down in the dumps about their predicament? Far from it! It helps that they’re getting awesome care from the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Read more about them in the Boston Herald.

View the original article here

Adults kids, older parents, and gift puppies

Last night’s basic obedience class at Kindred Spirits was the third week in the schedule.

In the previous two weeks, the dogs and owners had been introduced to training skills such as sit, down, stay, watch me, and loose leash walking. Most of the dogs and their owners were showing progress and I was hearing lots of “Yeah! Good job!”

However, one woman was having problems. In speaking with her while we were taking attendance, she said the dog is fine at home but distracted everywhere else. I explained what was going on there, that it was normal, and with practice and maturity her adolescent dog would get better.

But I had a suspicion that something more was going on she wasn’t fessing up to, so I asked my partners at Kindred Spirits, Kate and Petra, to keep an eye on her as I taught the class. Soon, Kate pulled the woman and her dog to the side of class for several minutes.

After class, Kate said the dog, an Australian Cattle Dog, was a gift from her adult son. The woman had not wanted a dog, and she said even if she did, she wouldn’t have chosen a puppy. Additionally, she would not have chosen a cattle dog. Now she’s unhappy with the situation, unhappy with her son, and unhappy with the dog. Not a good combination.

Kate told her that obviously we couldn’t change the situation, but if she wanted to place the dog, we’d help her get in touch with cattle dog rescue. Meanwhile, Kate said “You’re unhappy with the dog and showing your displeasure very clearly, but this situation isn’t his fault!”

This happens far too often. We start two to four new classes a month at KS, and in every class there there are at least one if not two older students who have been given a puppy by an adult child. In the vast majority of the cases the parent did not want a dog, was not given any say as to the breed, and often the breed and/or age of the dog wasn’t appropriate. That just sets the entire situation to fail. How sad for everyone.

Last summer, we had an elderly woman. She told us she was in her late 80s, and her 60 year-old son gave her a Golden Retriever puppy. She would have been happy with an older adult Golden, she said, but not a puppy. Before she came to see us, the puppy had already knocked her down several times, and the last time she was hurt. We told her the best thing she could do at that point was call her son and tell him to come get the dog.

My Mom did get a puppy after my Dad passed away. She debated with herself – puppy versus adult dog – and decided she was still active enough to handle a puppy. She also took the time to research breeds. I answered questions when she asked, but she made her own decision and decided that a Cocker mix puppy would suit her well. It has! Ginger has been great company for Mom.

In many cases, though, I think a dog who is past the puppy and adolescent stage would be a wiser choice, especially if the older owner is having some mobility or health issues. Sometimes, too many people remain stuck in the mindset that only a puppy will do.

I also understand why the adult kids might think that Mom (or Dad) might ‘need’ a dog especially if the parent is living alone. The dog is companionship —  loving and affectionate, tough, security, exercise, and social interaction. I know I’m happy that Mom has a dog in the house with her.

But in my humble opinion, the parent needs a say in the decision. He or she needs to be able to say ‘no’ without fear of hurting the adult child’s feelings. The parent also needs to be able to have a say in the breed or mixtures thereof; the size, the personality, the temperament, and the age of the dog. The best scenario would be if the adult child offers to buy the dog and pay future veterinary needs (and if needed, food and toys and other expenses) and let the parent choose her own dog.

Photo credit: Archer as a puppy, Liz Palika.

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John Travolta and Kelly Preston Welcome New Puppies

Kelly, Charlie, Audi, Ella

John Travolta and Family Welcome Puppies – After a tragic year in which the Travoltas lost their two dogs in an accident, the family is bouncing back of late; having a new Baby, Benjamin, and now welcoming two new puppies into their home.

Travolta’s celebrity wife, Kelly Preston, and her daughter, Ella Bleu, reportedly picked out the pair of Goldendoodles who they named, “Charlie and Audie.”

The golden doodles reportedly went through a month of puppy boot camp before joining the Travoltas in order to learn basic commands and behavior. Kelly Preston was quiet during her recent silent birth (in keeping with the Scientology religion) so maybe she’s looking for similar behavior with their dogs.

Travolta's Florida Home

In any case, at least the family will have plenty of room for the puppies in their East and West coast mansions (Florida Home/Airport, pictured left) and planes.

Check out the photo of Kelly Preston and Ella Blue with the two puppies over at TMZ

Golden retriever + poodle= goldendoodle dog. More about goldendoodles

deal of the day : 20% off FTD coupon code

Tagged as: golden doodle, goldendoodle

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I Love Puppies

These precious little PUPPIES really need your help! Just like a good mother dog teach them the lessons they need to learn with 6 training programs 8 great exercises and 8 fun puppy games!Which puppy is your favorite? Choose YOUR favorite puppy from the litter and play 22 different fun adventure puzzle and action games with your very own puppy!Play with them Train them Pet them Feed them LOVE them!Choose your favorite Puppy from the litter! They are all so cute: a tiny Chihuahua a spotty Dalmatian a sweet Dachshund or a mellow yellow Labrador why not choose them all? Play with 4 of your friends or keep all the puppies for yourself! Hours & hours of puppy fun!Features:8 Puppy Training Programs: Frisbee Throwing On the Dog s Pitch Steeplechase Swimming Course Tending the Sheep The Big Competition The Race The See-saw Game6 Great Puppy Exercises: Catching Puppies Fleas! Jumping Over the River My Dog Hotel Sweets for Puppies The Sweet Chase8 Fun Games: Chaos with Duke Food Paradise Invasion of the Beetles Merry Tree Trunk Ride Sliding Party The Dog s Fairground The Terrific Ball Game Through the WindSystem Requirements:Windows 98/SE/ME/2000/XP/Vista Athlon processor/Pentium III processor with 1GHz 128MB RAM 64 MB video card Sound card CD-ROM/DVD drive Format: WIN 98ME2000XPVISTA Genre: ENTERTAINMENT UPC: 183861001659

Price: $19.95

Click here to buy from Amazon

Bad ad: Puppies aren’t fashion accessories

Before seeing this ad online, I had never heard of Harvey Nichols (a British luxury goods retailer). Now I’m sorry I ever did.

While it was probably meant to be light-hearted and perhaps even funny, the reality is not so much. Styleite has a great rant on the topic, and nails the best argument against Christmas puppies obtained without enough thought and planning beforehand:

Pop quiz! What is the busiest month of the year for animal shelters? Take your time, there’s no pressure! OK, actually, there is: time’s up. The answer is March. Why? Because all the adorable widdle puppies purchased as gifts over the holidays are no longer adorable widdle puppies in March. By March, they are small dogs that are still learning how to behave and as such are probably peeing in the corner and chewing your new Jimmy Choos. And all of a sudden they’re not so cute anymore. Instead, they’re annoying and they require work and responsibility and far too much effort to actually keep. And off to the shelter they go. Bye bye puppy!

Thanks to Carol for the tip.

Retail warning for collars: A short Associated Press story in the San Francisco Examiner mentions that due to the carcinogenic effects of propoxur, California retail stores who sell flea and tick collars with the nasty stuff will include warning labels. I have a better idea: How about not selling cancer producing products?

Encouraging new vets: Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine (home of our very own Dr. Tony Johnson) has hit on a clever idea to build a new bumper crop of veterinarians in the next generation. They’ve produced a book for third graders called “How I Became a Scientist.” It’s part of the larger program, “Fat Dogs and Coughing Horses,” aimed at spotlighting the issues of obesity and asthma in animal populations. You can download a free copy of the activity book here.

Testifying: Last week’s profile of the UPaws success in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula wasn’t the only mention of what’s been happening in Marquette.  Our friend Shirley at YesBiscuit has a superb and creative angle.  She solicited stories from the people who were part of the success. My favorite of the three letters was written by longtime volunteer and current UPaws treasurer Joan Mulder.

When I look back at how bad it was to where we are now I can’t believe all we’ve done. AND we’ve done this as an open admission shelter. All animals are welcome at our shelter and we’ve never turned one away – from mice, dogs, cats to snakes, chickens and horses. We’ve done this with a very old and small shelter, not much of a budget and a small handful or committed board members, volunteers and staff. I’m very proud of what we’ve ALL accomplished. This could never have happened without the support of our board, staff, volunteers and the community.

Whenever we hit a hard time we’ve always kept this first and foremost,
“It’s all about the animals” nothing else matters.

That’s just the tail end of her account. You really need to read the rest. Very powerful stuff. Thanks for sharing the stories with all of us, Shirley.

Cruelty through neglect: If the previous post isn’t the best writing of recent blog posts, this one is. Our BFF Dr. Patty Khuly tackles a deadly serious topic in her Fully Vetted blog –  animals who are severely neglected by their owners.

Editorial on SickVick: Jane Velez-Mitchell of CNN’s Headline News posted an editorial opinion on Michael Vick’s stated desire to get a dog:

Sorry, Michael Vick, there are limits to redemption. Redemption isn’t giving a bank robber a job as a teller. It isn’t letting a convicted child molester run a day care center. And it isn’t handing someone convicted of driving under the influence the keys to a car and a bottle of rum. Redemption is certainly not giving a man who participated in gruesome cruelty against animals the chance to bring home a four-legged companion.

Interesting that this appeared in CNN’s International edition but not the US site.

Be Prepared: The Boy Scout motto is “Be prepared,” and to that end the always funny site The Oatmeal dispenses valuable advice. Eight ways to prepare your pets for war. Tip of the cap to Susan Fox for this story and the previous one).

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.

Photo credit: screenshot, Harvey Nichols UK

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Barbie Doggie Park Puppies

Pets and playtime activities all in one! A trio of adorable puppies include a pool and accessories for a splash! Collect them all and extend the fun! Set includes three pets and accessories.

Price: $13.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

All my puppies: Milo goes home, Sporty comes back and Scout gets his picture taken

These last few months it seems as if I’ve become The Puppy Whisperer, helping to raise dogs for other people.

The first puppy here was Scout, a golden retriever who was proving to be a handful for one of my best friends from college, his wife and their 7-year-old son. They’d never had a family dog, and the normal crazies of a fast-growing retriever puppy had them thinking they’d made a big mistake by taking the plunge. The puppy was jumping all over the 7-year-old, nipping and barking, chewing the corners of the walls, peeing everywhere and … yes, being a puppy. After several phone calls trying to help, we came up with the idea that Scout would spend a few weeks with me. I’ve raised a few puppies, to say the least, and fostered a lot of dogs, more than a few with real behavior problems. Plus, since I work at home, my schedule is very easy to match to house-training and general keeping-an-eye-on-the-puppy.

My friend live in Southern California, so we handed off young Scout at my niece’s place in Fresno. My previous posts about his stay are here.

Since he went home in September, he has been doing very well. The family took him to puppy class, made sure he was kept well-exercised, used gates and a crate to manage chewing and found a good doggy day-care — Wagville – for those days when everyone was just too busy to deal with the puppy.

Last weekend, I flew down for a quick overnight stay. They wanted me to see how well they were doing, and celebrate their success as an expanded family. Oh, and also check out Wagville — great place! — and a few other SoCal dog haunts they may patronize on occasion.

Frankly, they could not have done better by this puppy. He’s a gangly six-month-old now, a sweet-natured youngster who loves his boy more than anything, and vice versa. The highlight of my visit? Observing the taking of the Christmas card picture.

While Scout was here, I had another retriever puppy visiting, a flatcoated retriever puppy of about the same age. Sport was being “grown-out” by his breeder because of a heart murmur. She wanted to provide him with critical socialization including a change of scenery during formative months, and so she asked me if I would take him for a bit. Two silly retriever puppies? Why of course! Sporty went back to his breeder in mid-October, and soon landed in his forever home. The only reason he’s back here this week is because they are on vacation and asked if I would consider taking him while they’re gone.

He, too, is a big success story. They’re doing a great job, and he’s a well-mannered adolescent who’s a joy to be around. Sporty’s family will be back in a couple of weeks, and I suspect he may visit from time to time throughout his life.

That leaves Milo, who went home last week. The little corgi, also now about six months old, ended up here after her college-girl owner — my niece’s roommate — realized the two young women were a little over their heads with school and activities. Milo stayed for just a couple weeks, but during that time she was house-trained, spayed and microchipped,  and got a little training. She’s now doing well back in Fresno.

I love guest dogs, and I figure after Sport goes home it won’t be long until another friend asks for room at the inn. I’m good with that!

Image: Christmas picture time in Southern California, Scout and His Boy.

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