I ♥ Pitbulls and Bully breed mixes, don’t you? Helen Keller did; she shared her life with her beloved Pitbull mix, Sir Thomas. Our Gang Little Rascals loved their Pittie, Petey. President Teddy Roosevelt relied on his Pete for a macho image, although Pete was in fact, a lover boy. Both World Wars utilized the brave and loyal Pitbull and General Patton had one of his own. Jessicas Biel and Alba both have beloved Pits, as does Jon Stewart and Rachel Ray. Can all of these smart people be wrong about this breed? No! And, award-winning writer and videographer, Larry Kay, delivers touching, happy Pitbull videos on his Positively Woof YouTube Channel that shows what the power of love and positive training can do.

Bullies rescued by Pet Orphans of Southern California are highlighted in one series of Larry’s video stories (one of the Pittie ones made me teary, in a good way, today). Subscribe to his channel and see the behind the scenes of how they rehabilitate an abandoned or abused dog.

Louie’s Story

When Louie arrived, he was so so sad

Louie’s videos clearly demonstrate how a dog originally thought to be aggressive in the stressful, kill shelter environment, can unfold into the loving, happy being he is in a positive, caring one. Louie was rescued by Pet Orphans from a shelter where he was scheduled to be euthanized. He had a severe case of mange. Once physically healed and receiving lots of love and positive training, you can clearly see Louie for who he really is. It make my heart feel big to see he got the second chance he so deserved.

This is a must see video for anyone who loves Pitbulls or for those who are frightened or wary of them. There are other videos about Louie and his progress on the channel, as well as videos on many other dogs, rescued by Pet Orphans, all with their own stories.

The two Lou’s.

Louie has his own Facebook page under Lucky, Lovable Louie, his own Instagram account and is currently being fostered by a woman whose dog they call Lil Lou. All their posts are hashtagged #loutimestwo, in case you want to find these adorable and wonderful pics on Facebook. I couldn’t resist pulling a couple for you. Please share them; Louie is still looking for his forever home.

To see Louie’s and Trusty’s videos and lots more, subscribe to the Positively Woof YouTube Channel here.

To learn more about Pet Orphans, go here.

Do you have an inspiring story of how training and love rehabilitated a dog? Share it with me!

Mimosa and Mai Tai in their crate at Abandoned Pet Rescue

Have you ever fostered a dog? This was my first, and I definitely had reservations. We didn’t really have much time to think it through. Why?

Here’s my story of how two Chihuahua puppy mill rescues came into my life and took it over in one fell swoop. And…what I learned along the way. Crazy, you might think. But, sometimes, life throws you curveballs and with a bit of luck, you make them into home runs.

Most shelters have dog fostering programs, where volunteers fill out an application to foster a dog. The shelter usually handles all health-related issues for the foster and sometimes provides food, as well. Abandoned Pet Rescue, where I volunteer, has a vet who comes in twice a week, so fosters can bring their charges to see her. It’s good to find out exactly what your shelter offers to foster parents, so you’re financially prepared.

What happened with us? It was just a regular day, when I walked into the shelter to walk some dogs…

A First!

Like the picture above, taken on one of those first visits, two adorable, cream-colored Chihuahuas looked up at me from their large crate. One was doing the see me-pet me-take me out dance. The other stared, large eyes searching. They were a daughter and her father, and had just been pulled from the city kill shelter, after being rescued from a breeder/hoarder. The little boy, Mai Tai,  had lived 7 long years at that puppy mill. The little girl, Mimosa,  was about 2, and you could already see that her nipples were larger than normal. I asked if it would be ok to walk them and was told that no one had yet tried and that, more than likely, they had never been walked or felt the grass beneath their feet.

As you may know, puppy mill dogs spend their entire lives in cramped, wire cages, forced to breed over and over again, so we can buy cute puppies (who often come with health issues) in pet stores. Lord knows what these little two endured. No one could get close enough to the boy to touch him, much less put on a leash, because he was petrified of people.  They gave me the ok and the universe must’ve been aligning its forces for what was to come, because I was able to climb into that crate and get a halter on Mai Tai, armed with treats. I knew I wanted to get them onto some nice, lush grass, so I carried them across the street and found our spot. What happened next is something I will never, ever forget.

Albie (Mai Tai) with his happy smile during one of our early walks at the shelter

You know the look of a child in pure ecstasy? It wasn’t like that, at least in the beginning. Mai Tai, frozen in fear, sat like a little statue in the grass for about 10 minutes. Then, all of a sudden, he took a couple of tentative steps, literally jumped up and down (the cutest thing to watch), then started dancing and running in circles of pure glee. I’d never seen such an unfolding of joy. His enormous smile, bright eyes…all,  priceless. Mimosa was happy to be out and about sunning herself, but she was a bit more reserved. We were to find out this girl is anything but reserved.

Anabelle laying in the sun on one of our first walks at the shelter

Finding A Home

So began a routine of regular walks and bonding sessions between me and the Chihuahuas. I’d never thought of myself as a Chi girl; never considered getting a Chihuahua. But, something about these two little souls, whose lives I was helping to change for the better, filled my heart with love and a fierce maternal, protective instinct. I wanted to find these babies a great home and it became my mission.

I connected with my network back in New York City, including friend and colleague, Ada Nieves,  who runs a 1,000-strong Chihuahua Facebook group. I brought a couple of my Couture by Sophie Haute Collars to the shelter, put them on the Chi’s and did an quick photo session, posting those pictures on Facebook pages. And, I created a flyer. I asked permission to change their names to something I thought was more fitting. Mai Tai became Albie (short for Albert), because he was such a stoic little guy, and Mimosa became Anabelle, a name I thought was fit for the princess she seemed.

Activity on Ada’s Facebook page led to an adopter. She was a friend of one of Ada’s network regulars and lived in New Jersey. I was planning a trip to NYC in a couple of weeks, and the shelter was thrilled I’d found someone who was already a Chi mom and seemed like a major dog lover. We had a couple of long conversations, and I was excited by the possibility that this was a great, forever home. The shelter gave me permission to take Ani and Albie up to this woman’s house, and make sure all was ok; home visits are a mandatory part of APR’s adoption process. So, the three of us set off on what would be their first plane ride and their first visit to the Northeast.

Here’s where things got messy…

I won’t go into details, but suffice it to say that when we arrived at this potential adopter’s home, it was clear this wasn’t the right situation for these babies. The experience of going to her house taught me something. If you are taking your foster pup to meet a potential adopter, here’s what to consider:

• do they have other dogs? If yes, find a neutral place, a local park or down the street, where the foster pup can meet them and take a walk. See how they do in that setting. If possible, arrange to do this a couple of times before you bring the foster into their home. Once you do, look for signs of stress – body language showing fear or potential aggression. There are often going to be kinks in the road when introducing a new member to a family, so don’t be discouraged. A friend of mine who is a longtime foster mom and handles the interviewing for adoptions at a shelter, told me, “If you don’t see blood on that first visit, you’re doing good.”
• what is their home like? Is it clean or cluttered? Does it smell? Do you get a feeling that this would be a good environment for a dog to live?
• what is the person like and how do they behave to their own dog(s)? Are they open, warm? Trust your gut. Mine told me no, even though I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Thank goodness, in the end, I listened to my gut.

You know the song that goes, “It’s Saturday night and I ain’t got nobody….,” well, after I left her house with Ani and Albie, I had two somebodies I didn’t expect for the next week!  I took them to our NYC apartment, where we camped out. It was chilly already in New York, colder than what these nuggets were used to. Sweaters? Food? Wee wee pads (no, not house trained)? Toys, etc. etc.? We made an emergency pet store run to stock up. Luckily, we still had my Sophie’s puppy playpen, which proved invaluable for Albie; Ani learned how to jump over the two foot structure in no time.

Albie in Sophie’s puppy playpen in our NYC apartment

The next week was a whirlwind, as it would be for a NYC pup. The Tompkins Square Park Halloween Parade, a Petco Halloween contest; getting our trusted pet sitter, Alice Downes, on speed dial was a given, but she wasn’t available right away. So, me, Ani and Albie settled down and they seemed very happy in their new digs. Who wouldn’t? They had a spacious apartment to run around in. No barking dogs, no people filing in and out like at the shelter and, certainly, no living in a cramped, filthy cage with the abuse of the puppy mill. Albie quickly transformed from being a very frightened guy to a playful pup, running through the house with a little plush toy hanging from his toothless mouth. He allowed me to put on his sweater and harness for our walks and braved the crazy NYC streets like a champ. Between Alice and I, the Chi’s were well looked after for the week. They even got to participate in their own celebrity photo shoot.

Albie and Ani nestled together in our NYC apt

The Chi’s 15 minutes of fame & what we learned about New York

Anabelle posing in her professional photo shoot, wearing Anthony Rubio Designs.
Photo credit: Yoni Levy

Albie in his Anthony Rubio creation.
Photo credit: Yoni Levy

Pet couturier, Anthony Rubio, met them at the Tompkins Square Park event and volunteered to do a photo shoot in his beautiful designs to help them get adopted. Wow!  They met Anthony’s famous Chi’s, Bogie and Kimba, and donned gorgeous couture for their moment in the spotlight. Those pictures were shared all over, commented on, reshared, but still, no adopters.

In the process, I learned a some things after living with them for a week.

• New York City was too intense an environment for them. After their experiences, they needed more quiet and calm. The noise, crowds (and dirt, when you have a tiny dog) was too much. Ani was too scared to walk outside and they were both quite cold. It’s important to know as much about your foster’s history as possible, and to notice how they respond to new things.
• Ani was a serious resource guarder. If Albie got too close to me, she would viciously attack him.
• Albie lifted his leg everywhere, making it a huge challenge to keep the legs of furniture or corners of couches and chairs clean in an apartment that was on the market to be sold. 🙂
• Even though Ani went after Albie regularly, they still found comfort in each other, one looking for the other in times of stress.

Noticing the little quirks, personality traits, behavior issues in your foster makes you the best person to find the best adopter for them. You can seek someone out who will offer them the best chance at success and communicate their issues to any potential adopters, so there are no surprises, one of the top reasons for returned dogs.

Sunshine, here we come!

On Halloween Day 2015, we flew back to Florida. Bringing them back to the shelter, the cage, noise, stress had been weighing heavily on me for days, until my husband and I talked about it and both agreed. We couldn’t do it. In that moment, we became official foster parents to Ani and Albie.

I introduced them to our dogs away from the house with the help of our Florida pet sitter, Dawn, and we all went on a long walk. So far, so good. I didn’t have the luxury of doing this a couple of times, so we brought them all inside and prayed. What happened surprised us.

Anabelle, at 5 pounds then, became the immediate alpha dog in the household. Eighteen pound Jasper bowed to her will, seriously! But, she also got along with Sophie and Jasper like a house on fire. She and Jasper became rowdy playmates and, in no time, I’d find them sharing a bed or see Ani flirting with him unabashedly, batting her eyelashes, pawing him, wagging her tail. And, he was smitten, too. Sophie would join in the play on the periphery. But that grew, too, to where Ani and Sophie developed their own playtime games, bonded and Ani now sleeps next to Sophie; two female besties. Here’s a video of them playing together; it’s an Ani sandwich! 🙂

Jasper and Ani sun puddling together

Albie was a tougher situation. He was so damaged from years of abuse and he was older, at 7, so he had a scared, nervous energy. The attacks Ani would execute on Albie in New York had a magnified impact in a house with other dogs. Jasper took to reading them as a call to action to protect Ani, and he would pounce on 4 pound Albie, hold him down and yell at him. Terrified, Albie came to fear Jasper. We were heartbroken and afraid for Albie’s safety. Even though we saw that Jasper wouldn’t bite Albie, his weight alone could seriously hurt the little guy. I thought, we have to find a home for Albie fast.

Some tips to help with dog on dog aggression in the home

In the meantime, we quickly learned how to put certain procedures in place to avoid these confrontations. Here’s what we did:

• anytime the dogs were together, we’d place them in separate areas,  so they each had their own space. Even on the couch, they’d settle into their own part of it. Awesome dog trainer, Justin Silver, who I did a weekly Training Tips series with on Bark & Swagger, did a Skype session with us from Los Angeles and taught us some really helpful things. If you don’t allow a dog to “claim” you, by sitting or lying right up against you, then there’s no reason for confrontation with the other dogs, because they aren’t protecting their “claim.” Giving them their own space also helps build confidence in them to be able to be separate from you and fine.
• I started training Ani to sit and stay, the beginning of a structure we had found very helpful for Jasper, also a volatile personality. Training is also a great way to build confidence in a dog. Looking to you for instruction makes them relax. When they’re left to their own devices, dogs often will make bad decisions. Ani acts out like this because she is insecure about getting anything – love, food, treats. Resources were probably very limited where she was and she learned to fight first and ask questions later.
• we started demonstrating to Ani that there was enough love for everyone. While Justin suggested we only show individual attention privately for each dog, we decided to go a different route to communicate to Ani that she could be loved at the same time Jasper or Sophie or Albie would be receiving love. It seems to be working. Ani is slowly settling into being part of a family.

Probably one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned, which began when we adopted Jasper, is this: there will always be bumps in the road and obstacles to overcome when bringing a new dog into the family, whether you have one dog or four. And, like when we first got Jasper, you may feel at times that this is too much and want to give up. The issues will vary. But just about all of them can be overcome with time, love, patience and training/structure. So, don’t give up!:-)

Where are they now?

It’s been two months since my husband and I first picked up Albie and Ani from the shelter for our journey to New York. They have settled in quite a bit, but I know, especially with abused dogs, that it could take a year or more for them to completely settle (it took Jasper about a year and today, he’s like a different dog).

Ani’s resource guarding is much better, but it’s a process that will take some time. Ani has learned to make most of her poops outside (yay!) and Albie is pretty much house trained. We haven’t had an incident of Ani attacking Albie in about 2 weeks, which is great, but Jasper did run over Albie when Jas was in the yard hunting down a noise, and Al wouldn’t go in the back for a day (thank goodness, he was fine and is over it). Now, I am more careful to protect Albie when they’re in the back together and haven’t had another incident. And, one day, Albie decided he didn’t want me to touch him anymore. Getting his belly band and his harness on and off was loads of fun for the week plus that it lasted. Then, he warmed up again and now, all is good. He’s cautious, but cooperative. So please know, severely abused dogs can volley back and forth with their boundaries. It requires a ton of patience I wasn’t always sure I had. But, we did get through.

We’ve taken them to a couple of adoption events. I would come up with excuses for not going to more, some that made a lot of sense to me, like they’re not ready to be adopted; they’re not completely house-trained; Ani hasn’t completely gotten over her resource guarding; Albie hasn’t gotten over his fear of people. But, the truth of the matter was, I was smitten. Those early days of bonding – giving them their first walks, taking them on their first journey, protecting them and hanging out with them (yes, they slept in our bed in New York)…through it all, they became ours. So, at the last adoption event where we took Ani, it was my husband who turned to me and said, “Let’s just adopt them.” And so, we did. And our family of four became six. We must look like the crazy dog people, when we’re out walking, three and three. People smile, some stop to say, “You have your hands full!” And, we do. It is a lot of work. But, you know what? We wouldn’t give these little guys up for the world. We see the dogs they are becoming, and to us, we’ve hit the biggest home run.

UPDATE 2020: It’s been 5 years since I first laid eyes on these two and, at the time, I had no idea how much of a difference they’d make in our lives. Albie grew to be my heart dog; we were inseparable and he’d let me do whatever I needed to to care for him. We lost my little boy last February to an awful, insidious auto immune disease called optic neuritis. We are still heartbroken and miss him terribly.

Ani became the little terror we saw glimpses of back then. She still protects her space (meaning me, mostly) but is also a very happy, playful girl. She is sitting behind me on my chair as I write this, snoozing away.

I’ve learned that Chihuahuas burrow their way into your heart with feist and fury and a whole lot of personality. And, as much as we changed Albie and Ani’s lives and showed them what a loving home felt like, the trust, love and laughter they gave to us seems so much greater, and will resonate for a very long time.

Albie looking oh-so-cute in his sequined Santa hat

Ani in her poinsettia Christmas collar by our tree

Have you fostered a dog? What were your biggest challenges?

Albie and Ani enjoying some sun in our backyard recently

There are some wonderful shelter and rescue dog stories and I’ve been highlighting sites and platforms I’ve come across recently that I especially love. When I read the new book, Rescue Me, an inspiring book by fellow animal lover/author, Val Silver, I cried. The stories aren’t sad, these are true tales of extraordinary commitment, physical and emotional healing, faith, twists of fate, second chances, and the magical joy that comes from the bond we have with our dogs. I was moved by each and every one of them. Today is giving Tuesday. Shop to give, and share this book with friends. Read on to discover what Rescue Me and the giveaway/fundraiser are all about!

Rescue Me is a must-read and a recommended buy on my list. And, what’s even better is you can help a deserving shelter receive much needed funds with the purchase of each book.  Details on how one lucky Bark & Swagger follower will win a limited edition, autographed copy of a Val Silver book at the end of this post.

What’s Rescue Me all about?

Rescue Me relays the inspiring, personal accounts of twelve dog lovers like us, who rescued dogs who, ultimately, rescued them. It’s sub-title is Tales of Rescuing the Dogs Who Became Our Teachers, Healers and, Always, Our Faithful Friends. And, it’s true. Val and anyone who’s rescued a shelter animal can tell you that they are somehow different, more appreciative of the attention, love, care. “I wrote Rescue Me because it breaks my heart that millions of homeless dogs wait or die waiting for homes every year, and that rescuers are stretched to their emotional and financial limits trying to help them,” emphasized Val.  “This is my way of raising awareness and sensitivity to their plight and funds to help them. It is my way of showing those on the front lines of this work that we care and support them as they do a work bigger than themselves.”

Val with Louis and Duke/The Puppy in a Newspaper Sack

Val’s own tale,  “The Puppy in a Newspaper Sack” which kicks off the book, tells about how her young sons found a stray puppy in need and brought it home in their newspaper delivery sack. A scruffy dog to pick up after was about the last thing Val was looking for at the time. But she saw it needed help, imagined how frightened it must be and stepped up, and then, fell in love. Duke became a beloved member of her family, shepherding the kids and then, Louis, the French Bulldog who would follow.

Then, there’s Karal Gregory’s story of Lollipop, a tragically abused Beagle who, as a result, couldn’t keep her tongue in her mouth and looked like she was eternally sucking on an invisible lollipop. Karal tells of how people responded to Lollipop with curiosity or judgement, and of the journey she embarked on to help heal the lovable dog. Do you have a rescue that looks funny? Do you experience the stares and comments, too?

Karal & Lolli/Lollipop Can’t Hold Her Licker

Each story has its own special message of hope and the strength and resilience of the human and animal spirit. “The twelve stories in this book are written by ordinary people with extraordinary hearts and touching tales of how rescued dogs became precious members of their families, and how they have become better, happier people for it,” described Silver. “We hope your heart is touched by the spirits of these dogs just as ours are.” Mine definitely was.

Judy & Frances/A Tale of Two Judys

I’m not alone in my feelings about this book. Rescue Me has received accolades and awards. It garnered the Dog Writers Association of America Maxwell Medallion (First Place) in Human-Animal Bond and the ProPlan President’s Award (Best in Show) – 2014; the Reader’s Favorite 2014 Awards Silver Medal in Non-Fiction Animals and the 2014 USA Best Book Award Finalist, Animals/Pets: Narrative Non-Fiction award.

Here are a couple of testimonials I’ve chosen; there are many:

“Author Val Silver and her fellow Team Rescue contributors have compiled a spectrum of amusing, touching, rescued dog stories that demonstrate the power of the human-animal bond, the wondrous ability of animals to heal us, and the resiliency of animals that rewards our efforts… I heartily recommend Rescue Me.” ~Jim Willis, author, animal advocate, and former World Animal Day Ambassador for the United States

“Rescue Me is a beautiful journey of truth. It…paints the image that the greatest teachers may come in the form of the simple dog, thrown away by others…a must read by everyone.” ~Megan Blake, actress, The Pet Lifestyle Coach ®, Pet Life Radio, Animal Attractions TV

Silver is no newcomer to writing. She’s also penned a great book of rescue stories about senior dogs, called Rescue Me Seniors. Included are tips for caring for senior dogs and helping homeless seniors in shelters and rescue.

This is the autographed book the winner of this contest will receive.

So, how do I enter the contest to win a limited edition autographed book?

It’s easy to enter; just purchase a regular or an autographed copy of Rescue Me. For each book you purchase, Val will donate $5 from Rescue Me royalties and for each autographed copy purchased, Silver will donate $9 per book. Both regular and autographed books are $12.50 each, with autographed books costing an additional $3.95 in shipping.

The giveaway period will run from Tuesday, December 1st at 9am EST  – Monday, December 7th at 11:59pm EST. 

Purchasers will receive a thank you gift from Val; a Be a Hero for Animals e-course, a pdf with 70+ on-line resources for dog lovers, a compilation of 12 dog rescue videos, and 4 audio interviews with Rescue Me contributors.

The recipient of the fundraiser is Abandoned Pet Rescue (APR), a wonderful, small shelter in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where I volunteer (my Chihuahua fosters came from there, too). APR is the little engine that could; it accomplishes so much for the dogs and cats it cares for and does it with so little.  I also love to see the good the fundraising does, first hand.

To order Rescue Me on Amazon, where it’s available in e-book, paperback and large print paperback.

There’s Annie & Gracie, who adopter Kevin couldn’t live without. And Trusty, abandoned at the shelter for barking too much before he was trained and adopted by the shelter itself. And Lucy and Flash, who became best friends at Pet Orphans and were adopted together into their forever home. There are as many great shelter dog stories as there are shelter dogs. So, do you have a rescue, and what’s their story? Two great destinations to discover and share rescue and shelter dog stories are Positively Woof, a new YouTube channel created  by Larry Kay, of the super popular Facebook page of the same name, and Project Blue Collar, an organization celebrating the rescue dog. It’s holiday time, a time of giving, and Bark & Swagger is in the holiday spirit! We have a great giveaway for you, starting today! Here’s the scoop.

The Positively Woof  YouTube channel is an awesome destination for shelter dog stories that will make you smile. These dogs come from Pet Orphans of Southern California, a wonderful shelter that implements positive reinforcement training into their program for the dogs, so they have a much better chance of getting adopted and staying in their adoptive home. The P-Woof YouTube Channel films these dogs, creating stories around them that helps them get adopted, too! Subscribe for entry to the giveaway!

Project Blue Collar® (PBC) is a great organization bringing together all of us who care about rescues. It was started when founders, Carole Feeny and Kristin Waters, realized there’s no way to identify rescue dogs or hear their stories. They thought, “What if there was something dogs could wear to identify that they were adopted. We humans wear wristbands to identify our causes; what if adopted rescue dogs could wear collars for theirs?” So, Project Blue Collar – Support the Underdog® was born. Carole and Kristin encourage us to show our rescue pride and tell their stories, and they have some wonderful ones on their site. And, they give back to rescue groups, so those organizations can continue to do the great work they’re doing. We love all that, right?

The collaboration between these two entities made sense. “Positively Woof’s YouTube Channel films have raised more than $10,000 for shelter dogs in 2015,” enthused Kay. “P-Woof celebrates how awesome, funny and brilliant shelter dogs are. We’re dedicated to training and filming shelter dogs so that they get forever homes. Thank you, Project Blue Collar, for celebrating and raising funds with many good groups and dog lovers.”

PBC added: “When we set out to create and build Project Blue Collar, our intention was for it to be a collective effort, a grassroots movement with one goal in mind: To save the lives of healthy adoptable dogs,” explained Feeny. “So, we love collaborating with organizations who are philosophically aligned with us like Positively Woof. We’ve always believed that the idea of wanting to save a dog is universal, and by finding partners who share our vision, there is no end to amplifying our message and uniting people who care about dogs in need.”

Show your support of both of these thoughtful and conscious companies by subscribing and entering!  Now, on to the details of another great Bark & Swagger giveaway! 🙂

The dogs love Larry: Shelter dogs showing their support of P-Woof!
photo by Lisa Bevis

The Giveaway

Positively Woof and Project Blue  Collar have reached down into their cool product kitty (not cats, folks) for this holiday season giveaway. P-Woof has these delicious treats your dog may just swoon over. They’re called Positively Pumpkin, perfect for this time of year, and they’re made with pumpkin, apple, chia seed, and love. They’re corn-free, soy-free, wheat-free, have no chemicals or preservatives, and are made right here in the U.S.A. And, 100% of all profits fund shelter dogs. The winner will be getting a package of these babies! Look how happy that dog is just standing next to them.

There’s more. Have your pup pop his or her collar with either this eye-catching Coming Out Collection or Call to Action collar and leash set from PBC and show your support or rescue dogs. Now, we can’t let just your pooch strut in solidarity and style; you’ll want a cute and cozy something, too, right? PBC is including a soft and toasty thermal top that shows you care about shelter dogs and rescues. Wearing them is a conversation starter, like the P-Woof videos, about shelter dogs and rescues. And, I saw Carole with one of these on at a conference, recently, and it looks great! They also make a great gift for someone you care about, including any men in your life, as they come in all sizes.

Coming Out Collar & Leash Set

Call to Action Collar & Leash Set

How To Enter

Entering is easy. If you’re not part of the Bark & Swagger Family yet, please join our email list to get the fresh news first. Then, subscribe to the very cool Positively Woof YouTube Channel and discover the newest shelter dog films first. And, Like us, Project Blue Collar and Positively Woof on Facebook. That’s it! There are other things you can do for extra points, too.

What are you waiting for? Some great stuff and two really great brands that are making waves supporting the underdog.

Do you have a great rescue story? Share it with us!

They gave up on Trusty. There are so many reasons dogs end up in shelters, and training is usually at the heart of what could’ve saved them. We love our pets; we wouldn’t abandon them. But, there are many, many people who are overwhelmed by animals they can’t manage and they just don’t know how to make it work. Here’s one shelter dog story I love.

Trusty is  perfect example of a nice dog that, with some basic training, has become a good dog citizen. Trusty was lucky. He ended up at Pet Orphans, a wonderful no-kill shelter in Los Angeles that is advocating for its animals in a very smart and effective way. They are training their dogs to ready them for adoption.

When Trusty, a Basset Hound/Labrador Retriever mix,  was abandoned by his owner, he was a real barker. Today, Trusty has a “good sit,” listens and doesn’t bark excessively. And, he looks very happy. How do I know, writing this from Fort Lauderdale? My friend, Larry Kay, has a very cool YouTube channel called Positively Woof, named after his ridiculously successful Facebook page, boasting 1.75 million fans. He, along with Pet Orphans of Southern California, showcase the shelter’s dogs up for adoption and what makes them so special. I love them, and will be sharing one a month, so we can help these pups out by spreading the word about their fabulousness!

Trusty playing with his shelter friend, Fred

Here’s a video of Trusty’s journey from being dumped to being bumped…up to the AmBassAdor of Pet Orphans, a very distinguished title for the shelter mascot he’s become, since Pet Orphans adopted Trusty themselves. Good boy, Trusty!

Subscribe to the Positively Woof channel for more cool stories about shelter dogs.

Get more info on Pet Orphans.

Do you have a good shelter dog story? Share it!

Who doesn’t love the Peanuts gang? I got to meet Snoopy and a gaggle of adoptable puppies at the ASPCA the other day, a lovely way to draw a close to Adopt A Shelter Dog Month. The ASPCA arranged with Twentieth Century Fox Film, the makers of The Peanuts Movie, out this week, for the most famous Beagle in the world to pay a visit.  What we didn’t know was that Ruby would wander in and make our day.

Because larger dogs are harder to adopt out, the ASPCA launched a special promotion last Friday whereby, if you adopt a dog over 30 lbs, they would deduct the dog’s weight from their normal adoption fee, and each adopter would go home with a free leash and pet ID tag. Arthur Hazelwood, Senior Director of the Adoption Center, brought in the sweetest mix, Peach, who was surrendered by her family back to the ASPCA, after having lived at the shelter for years. Peach is 8 years old and great with everyone.

Peach

When Snoopy showed up, the place cheered; I mean adult media people and all! Peach took her photo opp; she even gave ol’ Snoop a kiss!

When Peach was ready to go, they brought in the puppies. These kids were sooo cute, they had all of us cooing and aww’ing and, of course, playing with them, along with Snoopy!

And, then Ruby showed up, a vibrant, Miss Personality, wrapped in a three-year-old body, flaming red hair and enough wattage to power a planet. Ruby stole the show! Her dad let us know she was a Peanuts fan and was excited to meet Snoopy. Shy, at first, she eventually was coaxed to give Snoop a high five.

But, when her attention turned to the three bundles of furry cuteness, what self-respecting three year old could resist? Here’s where it got really interesting, as Ruby navigated engaging with Snoopy with immersing herself in puppy love.

Ya think she’s having fun? Sheer, priceless joy. Ruby, now fully warmed up, found the courage to give Snoopy a cuddle, too.

A great time was had by all, the important message of Adopt, Don’t Shop was delivered, the ASPCA launched their adoption promotion and one very charming little girl left with a big story to tell. She even got to do an interview for my Pet Life Radio show. You’d never know it was her first, the way she was reaching for that mic. A star is born!

The Giveaway!

Our takeaway was a cool gift bag of Peanuts swag! If you’re a fan or you know one, the winner will get an adorable Charlie Brown tee shirt, size L,  an awesome Peanuts trucker hat, a color one sheet on the film and it’ll all be in an official The Peanuts Movie bag. Check them out!

How to enter

Just make sure you’re on our email list, so you’re a part of the Bark & Swagger Family! Then, Like us and the ASPCA on Facebook, Follow us and the ASPCA on Instagram! The giveaway will run from Tuesday, November 3 at 9pm EST to Monday, November 9  at 11:59pm EST. Good luck!

Did you do something special around Adopt A Shelter Dog Month? Tell me about it!

What if there was a tv show like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, but for animal shelters? Would you watch? There’s a very cool, new program called Animal House and it can help animal shelters save lives. Founders Rebecca Rodriguez and Alycia Hadfield are transforming shelters in struggling communities into bright, new facilities for their furry charges and helping to spread the word about the awesome pets up for adoption. What could be more wonderful than that?!

A bit about Rebecca and  Alycia

Rebecca & Bug

These ladies are both serious animal advocates, who have been involved in the rescue world for years. Rebecca, the creator of Animal House and a filmmaker by trade, founded the humane society on the island of Guam in 1989,  and went on to run the animal care department at the largest humane society in the Pacific Northwest. During this period, she developed the EVACSAK, an emergency transportation bag for small animals. She’s worked consulting for various organizations in shelter and program development and she’s won awards for her filmmaking. She and her dog, Bug, have a great site where they write about movies, books and life, called Bug in the Ointment. Pretty cute, right?

Alycia & Beckett, her Pittie

Alycia, the producer of Animal House, spent over nine years working in animal rescue during which she founded and ran a non-profit, volunteer-based animal rescue group. She has a strong understanding of the issues facing homeless animals and progressive practices within animal shelters and sanctuaries. Her insight helps to insure the sustainability of these reborn shelters. Alycia and her pack have the blog, Clearance Puppy, where she writes about being a pet parent to multiples and fostering. Alycia is mom to Beckett, her Pitbull Terrier who was shipped to her from a shelter in LA for rehab. He wouldn’t even walk, he was so shut down. He’d just lay on the shelter floor. Although Alycia began fostering him, Beckett never left her house. She fell in love. “He’s a total breed ambassador. Not sure how he’s so sweet, after what he’s been through,” she shares.

 How does Animal House work?

Once the word began to spread about this show, shelters from around the country put in applications for consideration. For the first build, Rebecca and Alycia chose Adams County Pet Rescue in Othello, Washington, a shelter destroyed by fire and struggling to rebuild. The city had given them temporary housing, but it contained only six chain link kennels, with the rest being outdoor facilities. With temperatures going down to the low 30’s in the winter and up to the 80’s in summer, outdoor kennels don’t work to keep the dogs healthy and safe.

Over the course of 16 weeks, the dedicated team of designers, builders, even celebrated L.A.-based vet, Dr. Patrick Mahaney, all rolled up their sleeves and transformed the site. And, Animal House was able to bring together amazing corporate sponsors donating goods and services like Home Depot, Costco, U-Haul, Ramada, Tractor Supply Co., Stella & Chewy’s, Kong and many more.

We get to share in the journey, both of the shelter’s rebirth and of the stories behind the scenes involving shelter staff and the animals they care for. And, there are always surprises in rescue, so even in episode one, there are strays and abandoned animals who cross paths with the Animal House team. Watch what they do.

Alycia with one of the rescues

A behind the scenes interview with the creators

I caught up with Rebecca and Alycia to talk about how Animal House came about and to get any wonderful behind the scenes tidbits.

B&S: What was the inspiration for Animal House; was it from Extreme Makeover Home Edition?

AH: Extreme Makeover is the kind of show where, after you watch it a few times, it is a formula, but it makes you feel great! So, there was that part of it, yes. Having years of experience in sheltering and animal rescue, I knew the support these organizations need. It’s so hard for them to raise money for building. It usually takes years and, with a smaller organization, it can take decades. So, we put those two things together and took into consideration our backgrounds as film makers. It’s a great opportunity to showcase these amazing organizations, the challenges they face and how they overcome. And, its lovely when you can showcase communities winning and animals winning.

Alycia helping with a sheep rescue on site

B&S: You both got involved in a grass roots way in the community of this first shelter. Tell us about some of what happened.

AH: Before we started this build, we said we had to be careful to not get distracted with pulling dogs off the street, because we had this massive crew and a job to get done in a short amount of time. But, we knew unexpected things were going to happen, having our backgrounds in rescue. The first day a guy shows up with a little feral kitten in his coat. It became one thing after another. We had to commandeer one of our trailers to hold the animals, temporarily.

One of our hosts, Miguel, was on his way to a radio interview, when he found a dog thrown from a car. He called Dr. Mahaney, who met them at the clinic. Everyone knew an animal in our path took precendence over everything. She was only one of several animals we would get to know.

Rebecca and Albert

A tiny dog was hanging out at the fairgrounds, where we were shooting. We tried to pet him but he was afraid. We found out where he was living and the person there said if you can catch him, you can have him. So, we laid a trail of treats to the van and we were finally able to grab him. He’s living at my house now [Rebecca]; I’ve adopted him. His name is Albert, after Albert Schweitzer.

To date, we’ve taken over 200 stray animals out of this area and placed them, some in forever homes and some we’ve transported to partner organizations less crowded. All of them have found homes.

B&S: Because you’ve both had long histories in animal rescue and fostering, were you able to shoot this in a unique way?

AH: Yes, definitely. We’re not making it up as we go. We’ve been there, done that. There are people at networks we’ve shown this to who want to turn it into something crazy, where people were fighting over these animals. As animal people, we’re very sensitive to what we watch, that pertains to them.  I can’t be left  hanging over a commercial break to find out what happened to an animal in need. Every day, you hear about a crazy thing someone has done to an animal. So, are you going to want to watch a show about more crazy things being done to animals? No. You’re going to want to watch a show that showers you with hope. We understand animal people because we are animal people.

Rebecca helps a dog in need

B&S: Now that your first episode is done, what happens next?

AH: We’re still looking for a broadcast home for the show. We’re excited to have found great corporate sponsors, who want to partner with us. They understand what we’re trying to do. And, we want everyone to engage with us on Facebook. Tell us what you’re interested in; what you’re passionate about. Each of us is like one drop of water, but together, we are the ocean. And, that’s a massive force.

This is a big show; it takes lots of people to transform these shelters. In order for us to choose the next shelter in the next city, we have to find the show a home on tv. In the meantime, we’re engaging in a smaller way, online. We can rebuild shelter after shelter, shed light on these wonderful organizations and save so many more animals.

Check out the Sneak Peek of Episode #1 below. Watch the full episode and get more info on Animal House TV here.

Get updates on Animal House on their Facebook page.

Would you help spread the word about Animal House? Let’s find this show a home!

I’ve taken inspiration from fellow blogger, Christina Conley-Berry of The Lazy Pitbull, for this week’s 52 Snapshots of Life photo challenge. It’s week 37 and the theme is Labor, and I’m going to write about a wonderful rescue here in Fort Lauderdale that performs a labor of love every day for the dogs and cats it shelters. Abandoned Pet Rescue is Fort Lauderdale’s largest No Kill shelter. I began volunteering there recently, helping to walk dogs and to utilize my network to help the shelter in any way I can.

I became smitten with many animals there, but Maya is a little girl I’ve been walking lately. She was found in a rock pit and rescued by APR. I discovered while walking her the other day, that Maya is probably blind in her right eye. When I asked about it, I was told that before APR rescued her, she’d been in a fight with a boxer, who bit her eye. Jeez.

But, she’s is the sweetest girl, about six years old and looks to me like a Rat Terrier mix. She’s afraid of big dogs (understandable) and loves to play with her toys. Check out this video I took of her:

Anyone interested in Maya or if you know someone who might be, can reach out to Abandoned Pet Rescue or call 954-728-9010 for more info. Please share this! 

Pet blogging friend and colleague, Christina Berry of The Lazy Pitbull, created this fun challenge. You don’t have to be a blogger to participate. Just snap or choose a pic you’ve taken that matches that week’s theme and post it on your social networks, with the hashtag #52Snapshots, so we can all follow along! For pet bloggers, this is a BlogHop, so hop on!

 What’s your labor of love each day?