Catching Up

Between the holidays and recovering from a cold, I have fallen way behind. So here's a quick update on everyone, and going forward I will do my best to keep up with new pictures and stories!

When I last posted, I had ten dogs at my house. As of right now, I still have ten, but not the same ten! I still have Lacey and her five puppies, now named Nike (chocolate female), Puma (smallest black female), Buster Brown (black male), Teva (yellow female), and Avia (largest black female). The puppies continue to be brilliant and extremely advanced for their age of less than five weeks old! They already have distinct personalities. Nike is the most vocal and demanding - she's like the big sister to the rest. Puma is the quiet one, content to sit back and watch what is going on. Buster Brown is the sweet one who is the most affectionate of the bunch. Teva is the adorable one who likes to be in the middle of whatever is going on, and Avia is the hungry one who is always first to the food bowl! The pups are growing quickly and new pictures will be coming soon.

Ziggy is still at my house. He's almost completely destroyed his bachelor pad, including destuffing the dog bed, finding and eating several dewormer pills (20 times the dose he should have had - of course it had no effect on him), and managing to burn out every lightbulb except one. I'm not sure how he pulled that last one off, but I'm sure it was something he did. He received a wonderful Christmas gift from Blueberry's human, and I'll tell you all about it as soon as I download the pictures off of my camera.

Lucky the deaf dog is also still at my house. He actually went out on a trial adoption. It lasted a week, which is seven days longer than I expected. He was returned for wanting to eat the bird, among other things. Poor Lucky isn't having the best luck. Fortunately the bird was uninjured.

Allie the extremely energetic Akita mix was also adopted. She's currently on day 5 of the trial period. This is 5 days longer than I expected! If there is any dog out there that needs a home (besides Ziggy), Allie is the one. So I am praying that this trial adoption works out... and I'm considering changing my phone number just to be sure. Just kidding.

Natasha the extremely-obsessed-with-me Poodle mix also is out on a trial adoption. She has a lot better chance of success, but being that she's in a home where I don't live, there's no guarantee. This is the dog that has gone to two different homes for at least three weeks each, then come back to me and never even looked back at her previous caretaker. And yet if I take two steps away from her at an adoption event, she goes nuts. It's kind of scary.

On the other hand, Libby the deaf JRT sees me at an adoption event and looks right through me.  She's still at another foster home, where her foster mom reports she gets the same treatment.  This does not make it easy for Libby to get adopted since she ignores anyone and everyone equally, but at least it makes me feel better that it isn't just me that she treats this way.  And it sort of balances out Natasha's behavior. 

Trooper the Black Lab I found on the side of the road is back at my house now too.  He's recovered from his broken spine due to being hit by a car, and he is now available for adoption.  Trooper is a good dog and gets along with everyone except Lucky, so currently I have to keep Ziggy, Lucky, and Trooper apart from each other at all times. 

The only other dog that Trooper didn't get along with was another deaf white dog named Ozzie.  I temporarily fostered him for a few days, and Trooper and Ozzie became mortal enemies during this time.  Ozzie is a Westie mix we think, and he's the cutest little dog who is a typical terrier and willing to take on dogs three times his size.  He is now back in his original foster home and I have to admit I miss the little guy!  He is available for adoption and hopefully will find a forever home soon! 

I also have another male foster dog named Jax.  Jax was adopted out as a puppy and recently returned because he didn't do well with children.  Since Ozzie also didn't like Jax, Jax came to my house instead of going back to his original foster home.  I really like Jax - he's friendly and well-behaved and happy and easygoing and smart.  He gets along with all the other dogs too.  I'm going to take his picture one of these days and get him up on the website so he can get adopted.  Sometime soon. 

As if these five adults and five puppies weren't enough, I recently received some sad news that two of my previous foster dogs are being returned.  The first is Nosey, the blind Beagle puppy I fostered in October.  The family who adopted him have to move out of state into an apartment that doesn't allow dogs, so Nosey, now named Radar, will be coming back to me sometime soon.  The other return is Bogey, the very shy dog.  He has been in a foster-to-adopt situation for two months but the foster family finally decided that another dog would be a better fit for their home. So Bogey returns on Saturday.  In an ironic twist, I just realized that the same blog post where I introduced Bogey last February, I also announced Allie's original adoption.  Now I'm announcing Bogey's return and Allie's second potential adoption almost one year after that original post. 

If you've managed to read this far, thanks for hanging in there, and I promise to provide shorter posts in the future, along with more pictures.  You're welcome. 

Introductions and Adoptions

Lately I feel as if I'm always running behind.  Somehow as I look at my most recent blog posts, I find that I've neglected to tell you about several new fosters, and a few of them have already been adopted!  So to catch up, here's the short version..



Peaches

  Peaches is an extremely sweet Lab mix who belonged to my neighbors.  Since they let their dogs run loose, Peaches and the other dogs often came over to my house across the street to visit me.  I fell in love with Peaches the first time I met her, and often reminded my neighbor that if she ever decided to give Peaches up, I would take her.  That day finally came, and last week Peaches came to my house as a foster dog.  She's a great dog - loves to cuddle, loves to play with the other dogs, loves to eat - she just loves life.  So when she was adopted this past weekend, I was very happy for her, but just a little bit sad that I didn't get more time with her!




Natasha



Natasha came from an animal shelter in Columbia, MO. She is around four years old, and has this cute scruffy look that I love.  She was one of those dogs that I brought in and instantly she fit in with no adjustment time at all.  She stayed loose in the house while I was at work and never tore anything up.  She slept on my bed at night and never bothered the cat.  She played great with all the other dogs, and she bonded very quickly to me.  Natasha hasn't been adopted yet, but we had a new volunteer sign up to foster for us, so I gave her my perfect dog so she would hopefully have a good foster experience.  Because if I'd given her Ziggy to foster, she'd have drove him back to my house and we'd never see her again.  So far she says she hopes Natasha gets adopted soon because she is falling in love with her!

Nosey is my newest Beagle puppy.  When I heard that SNUGGLE, the neonate rescue group who had helped us with Jill and her puppies, had a blind puppy that they wanted us to take, I basically begged them to pick me please.  Amazingly enough, the competition was slim and I was allowed to foster this adorable guy.  Nosey was born with retinal dysplasia and has been blind from birth.  There's nothing that can be done to repair his vision, but so far he has no idea that all the other dogs have a sense he is missing.  In his world, we're all blind.  And he gets around just as well as all the other dogs.  He's a happy little pup, always sniffing and usually finding stray pieces of kibble that the other dogs miss.  He loves to play with the other dogs, but he is a bit rough on small dogs, so will do best with bigger dogs.  He's received several applications for adoption but so far none of them have passed the vet check that we do, so he is still with me! 


Frodo



 And then there's Frodo.  Frodo is a long-haired cat, although in this picture he has been shaved down.  He is a very tiny cat with a very large personality.  He had ringworm when he was a young kitten, and is still recovering, so I will have him at least a few more weeks until he is deemed ready for adoption.  He's extremely affectionate and playful, and will make a wonderful pet for someone eventually! 



Jude



 Jude is another foster dog who has been fostered and is already adopted.  He is your typical Lab puppy - easy-going, friendly, loves everyone.  He is around 8 months old, and was turned into rescue with his sister.  He has been adopted by a family with three kids, and it seemed to be his dream come true!   

 Other recent changes include Trixie the Chihuahua who was adopted, Twinkie the Chihuahua who went to another foster home and may be adopted by the foster, Ivy the Beagle puppy who was adopted, Iris the Beagle puppy who went to a foster-to-adopt home, Gemma the deaf pit bull mix who went to another foster home, and Piper the 16-year-old pit bull from the hoarding situation who went to her forever home!

I still have Bogey the shy dog, Lucky the deaf Catahoula/Great Dane mix, Allie the Border Collie/Akita mix, Jill the Beagle mom, and Ziggy the TV star. 

Birthday Post From Ziggy

Hi, I'm Ziggy!  In case you had not heard, today is my BIRTHDAY! I am now three years old.  You can tell I'm all grown up now because I was able to sit still for this picture without destuffing the Ziggy toy next to me.  My foster mom was very proud of me and gave me lots of good treats for this.  


Ziggy and Ziggy



Thanks Leanna!

Since my foster mom forgot my birthday the past two years, this was the first year I have had any help celebrating my birthday.  It has been amazing!  First, my friend Leanna and my foster mom gave me a surprise party on Saturday. They invited all my friends from All Paws Rescue, and when I walked into PetSmart, thinking it was just another regular adoption event, everyone in the store… I mean all my friends… I mean a few crazy All Paws people started singing Happy Birthday! Then Angie, one of my All Paws friends, gave me some chew bones to take home with me, and  my friend Leanna showed up and she brought me my very own iced tea (since I drank her dad’s iced tea when I went for a visit) and my very own Monster bone.

I immediately went into my crate and waited for Leanna to give me my bone. I was SO excited!


I wonder how fast I can eat this?

 I proceeded to enjoy my monster bone for the next 23 minutes and 54 seconds.


So good!

 It was the best 23 minutes and 54 seconds of my life!

In addition to the fun party with singing and presents, I had another great surprise this week. Several Facebook friends shared me on their wall and asked people to come visit me, so by the end of the week I had over 100 new friends! This not only means my foster mom owes me another chew bone (I get a new bone every time I get another 100 friends!) but it also means there are a lot of new people out there reading about me and helping me to find my forever home!

Also for my birthday, my friend Shuma made a video of me! It shows a lot of the fun things I’ve done in my life, like eating bananas, and wearing silly hats, and doing agility. I had my foster mom put it on my web page right away so everyone could see how much fun it would be to adopt me! Thank you Shuma for this great present, and for giving me treats every time you see me!

Thank you very much to all of you for supporting me, a deaf homeless pit bull, and helping to make this birthday the best one EVER.

Love,

Ziggy

A-D-O-P-T-E-D!!

It’s the reason rescue organizations exist. To take homeless animals, care for them and love them, and then provide them with the one thing they need the most – a loving family of their very own. It’s the reason I foster. And today, it’s the reason I am celebrating, because several of my foster pets have been adopted recently. All four of them had one issue or another that made them difficult to find a home for. In some shelters, they never would have stood a chance. But today they’re all in loving homes, where I hope they will be able to spend the rest of their lives! Here are their stories:




Tank (left) and Mayzie



Mayzie – As an adult pit bull mix picked up as a stray, most places wouldn’t have given Mayzie a chance at life. Lucky for her she was found by someone who took her to a vet’s office instead of a shelter. And even more lucky, when the owners couldn’t be found, one of the employees reached out to everyone she knew to find Mayzie a place to go. The employee paid for Mayzie’s shots and spay, and then brought her to me. Mayzie is one of those dogs who loves everyone – human and animal. She makes friends wherever she goes, and she is always so happy. The daughter of one of the other foster volunteers fell in love with Mayzie, and adopted her last week. Now Mayzie (now named Mila) has a great family, and a step-brother named Tank who looks like he could be her real littermate. I was very confused when I first saw them together as to which one was Mayzie!



Shiloh in her new home



Shiloh – This Blue-tick Coonhound almost starved to death before she was rescued by my neighbors. Dogs like Shiloh – hunting dogs such as coonhounds and beagles – are often lost and end up in shelters all around the country. These dogs can go quite a long way from their home when they’re on a hunt or chasing a scent, and then not only can they not find their way back home, but their owners may not be searching for them in the right places because the dogs have gone so far from home. So shelters are full of dogs like Shiloh, and she may not have been lucky enough to make it out alive of most. Shiloh was one of the lucky ones and ended up in rescue. I was one of the people who fostered her during this time, and like her other foster mom, I just fell in love with her. She would often give very gentle hugs by standing up on her back legs and wrapping her front legs around my waist. She had long silky ears that were so much fun to play with. And her personality was extremely sweet, in spite of her lack of house manners! Shiloh had a lot of people interested in her, but she never found the right fit, until two weeks ago when a man came up to see her and decided to take her home as a foster with the plans to adopt her if everything went well. Last I heard, Shiloh is doing very well in her new foster home, and will hopefully be adopted in the next couple of weeks!

Charlie

Charlie – Also known as Charlie the Scaredy-Dog, Charlie has been waiting for a family of his own for his entire life. The first four years of his life were spent in a no-kill shelter, and while he was cared for by extremely devoted volunteers, he was just one of many homeless animals in the shelter. Then he came to me, and had to learn how to trust, and what it meant to live in a house, and go for car rides, and go out in public. And that was very traumatic for him. Even once he learned to trust me, he still was afraid of everyone else, and would huddle in the back of his crate at adoption events and bark at anyone who dared to pay him any attention. No one seemed inclined to adopt a scaredy-dog like Charlie, until Nathan and Catherine came along. This young couple met Charlie and immediately said “we want him”. Charlie is learning to trust them now, and I am hoping that within a few weeks, the adoption will be official and Charlie will get to live the rest of his life with a family who wants him.



Fawn

 Fawn – This four-year-old Italian Greyhound is another dog who spent the first four years of her life without a home. She was a puppy mill dog, kept only to produce puppies to sell, and never learned what it is like to be a part of a family. She came to us extremely frightened, and it took several months before she would come anywhere near me. Since she was a small purebred dog of a rather rare breed, Fawn got a lot of attention from potential adopters. But invariably by the time I told them that even though she had lived with me for months, she was still terrified of me and all other humans, they would realize she wasn’t what they were looking for. Until recently, when a lady contacted me and asked about Fawn, and wasn’t scared off by Fawn’s extreme shyness. She was knowledgable about Italian Greyhounds and couldn’t wait to meet her. Two days after going to her new home, I received an e-mail from the lady and expected to hear that “this isn’t working out”. Instead I heard “Fawn is fantastic!” And again I thought “this is why I foster”. The breeder who gives up Fawn and dogs like her will euthanize them if a rescue group doesn’t take them. Either these dogs aren’t producing babies anymore, or they get too old, or in Fawn’s case the breeder just decided to stop breeding Italian Greyhounds. If a rescue volunteer hadn’t stepped forward to take Fawn and the other breeder dogs, she would never have known life with someone who thinks she is fantastic.

That is why I foster. And that is why I love it.

Ziggy the adoptable dog!

P.S. Ziggy wants to remind you that his birthday is coming up in seven days. Since he will be turning three years old, he asked me to tell his friends to each send him three chewbones for his birthday, but instead I convinced him that I could ask his friends to donate three dollars to a shelter or rescue in their area next time they have the opportunity. He said he’d rather have the chewbones, but that would be a nice birthday gift too. So if you’d like to make a donation in honor of Ziggy’s birthday, please drop a few dollars into the donation jar of a rescue group or shelter near you next time you have the opportunity. Thank you – from Ziggy and all the other foster dogs and shelter dogs!

My Day: Guest Post by Jefferson

Hi everyone, I'm Jefferson, but everyone calls me Jeffy.  My foster mom is the lady who usually writes this blog.  She said I could tell you about my day!  Today is Saturday which means it is an Adoption Day!  Every Saturday we all get loaded up in the car and we go to PetSmart where people come to admire us.  I was so excited to go to PetSmart today, because it's the best place in the whole entire world!  In fact, I got so excited that I wagged my tail really hard and it started bleeding.  My foster mom took me over to the vet and they fixed me right up, but my foster mom told them I had better wear a lampshade on my head or else I'd take off the bandage they put on.  So now I get to wear a lampshade all week!  This is me in my stylish lampshade.

Me looking Most Handsome.

There were about 287 dogs at the adoption event today!  I'm not very good at counting, but I'm sure there were at least that many.  Only two of them found homes, but that's still better than zero (hey, maybe I am not so bad at this math thing!)  My foster mom wanted to take home this dog:

Greta

but decided that she'd have too many dogs if she did that.  Apparently Greta is very affectionate and deserves to be in a home instead of a shelter, where she is living now.  Greta didn't get adopted so hopefully she gets adopted soon before foster mom goes and gets her and brings her back here in spite of the 43 other dogs here.  Oh, wait - foster mom said that there are less than ten dogs here.  I guess I need more math practice after all.

I got to meet a dog named Breeze today!  She was at the adoption event waiting to be admired by people.  My foster brother Bogey is her real brother, which is probably why they look so much alike.  Breeze has a lot more hair than Bogey though.  And she smells better.  I'm just sayin'.

Breeze

I also saw my pal Toby again.  Toby has been in foster care almost as long as Ziggy (like, forever!).  He is real good at getting attention from people by doing crazy stunts like trying to chew his way out of his crate.  He is my role model!

My role model.

My foster mom says I should try to get attention by being cute, like this puppy:

Macy

The puppy slept like this for hours!  I told my foster mom that first of all, since the puppy didn't get adopted, this tactic was obviously no better than Toby's brilliant method of getting attention.  And second of all, how could I possibly sleep for one second while at the most exciting place in the world??  My foster mom just isn't too smart sometimes.

Thanks for listening about my day, and I hope you had a GREAT day too!

Adoption Events: What's Involved

Every Saturday, and even some Sundays, we hold adoption events to try to find our foster pets a home.  In case you've never been to a pet adoption event, I thought I'd share with you what is involved. 


Gonzo and Molly wait quietly at an adoption event.

 First, you need crates.  Wire crates are best, because they make it easier to see the dogs and cats than the plastic travel-type crates.  Crate liners (brightly colored fabric cloth that covers the bottom of the tray) are great, especially when you have a dark colored dog.  I have no crate liners, and many other groups don't either, so if you're looking for a good volunteer opportunity, and you can sew, there ya go.  Bandanas are also good.  I usually forget to put these on my fosters, but I remembered on the day this picture was taken.  It's also important to remember to take the leash off of any dog who might decide it makes a good chew toy.  I've learned this the hard way.  More than once.

Whenever possible, hold a dog out of the crate so people can easily notice him or her and pet him or her.  This makes the animals much more approachable to people, and really helps them get adopted.  See, doesn't Cookie look very approachable in this picture?  (We won't discuss the fact that after three adoption events she still isn't yet adopted...sigh).


Cookie, looking approachable

They make all sorts of "Adopt Me" bandanas and vests and collars for dogs - these are always popular.  They also make vests to collect donations, and we often get more donations when one of our dogs is wearing this vest than when we only have the standard donation box available. 


The ever-helpful Roo collecting donations.


Adoption events are mostly the same.  We set up at an area PetSmart store and wait.  People come by and pet the dogs and cats.  Most of them make at least one of the three following statements: 
"I wish I could take him but I already have "x number" of dogs or cats at home."
"If I could afford to, I would take you all home!" (Speaking to the cats/dogs, not the volunteers - I think)
"If my house was bigger/If I lived in the country, I would have "x number" of dogs or cats."

I think maybe they feel guilty for not adopting because most of the animals turn on their best "please save me" faces while they're in their crates.   What the people don't realize is that the pathetic looks are the dogs' way of trying to get people to let them out of their crates and pet them.  The dogs have no idea that people think they're begging for a home. 


Gonzo practicing his pathetic look.

Many new volunteers get overzealous and try to convince every person walking by that they should take home one of these pathetic-looking animals.  I have learned that it's a bad idea to guilt someone into adopting a dog or cat, because as soon as the guilt wears off, the dog or cat will most likely be returned to us!  Still, I have been known to offer cash rewards to anyone who is willing to adopt Ziggy and keeps him (no takers yet).  The most important thing about volunteering at an adoption event is to pay attention to the foster pets and to the people who may be interested in them, because you never know when one of the many visitors will actually be looking for a new member of the family and might choose one of your foster pets!
In addition to talking to people who walk by and answering questions about the foster pets, we also take dogs out for potty breaks (or clean up messes if they aren't taken out in time!), let the foster dogs play with each other, complete adoption paperwork for any adoptions, and just spend time with the animals.  Most of the foster parents who bring their pets stay at these events so they can answer questions about their fosters, and we also have several volunteers who don't foster but are available to help with adoption events.  These volunteers are so greatly appreciated because adoption events are a lot of work, and setting up for the event, taking care of the dogs during the event, and taking everything back down at the end of the day is exhausting.  So if you can't foster but want to help, you can inquire of your local shelter or rescue group if they need help at adoption events. 

Adoption events are a lot of work, but I always enjoy them.  Not only do my foster pets get a chance to find a home, but I get to spend a day surrounded by good friends.  So next time you see a shelter or rescue group at your area PetSmart or PetCo stores, stop by to visit the dogs, drop a dollar in the donation box if you can, and remember that there is a cash incentive being offered to whomever adopts Ziggy.  He'll be waiting with his best pathetic look!


Pleeease adopt me!



Best Adoption Weekend Ever

At least, it's the best adoption weekend we've had in as long as I can remember, which granted, isn't all that long.  Still, we had ten dog adoptions on Saturday, which has to be some kind of record for our rescue group.  I went camping with some friends and missed the whole event, but the two foster dogs that I sent with another volunteer were both adopted.  Here's the scoop on my fosters:

Gonzo

Miley the Puggle was adopted on Saturday!  I talked to her new family today and they said they love her and she's doing great.  This is good timing, since I just brought her littermate Gonzo home on Sunday.  Gonzo was at another foster home but needed a new place to go, so since I've become Puggle Central lately, I took him home.  He's so much like Miley that it seems like there hasn't even been a change in fosters.

Einstein

The other foster dog that was adopted is Einstein.  Einstein was my newest foster - I only had him for a week.  Einstein is a two year old Pomeranian/Sheltie mix (a designer breed mix known as a Poshie).  He was the friendliest, happiest little guy.  He was rescued from a very rural animal control facility, and he loved everyone he met.  He had a few bad habits, so I'm hoping that his new owners will be patient with him and his adoption will work out.

Eight other dogs also found their new homes on Saturday!  

Tiggr Was Adopted!

I did not expect it to happen so quickly. But the perfect family came along at just the right time, and now Tiggr is happily living his new life with a retired couple. Of course there are no shortage of cats needing help, so I quickly filled up Tiggr's spot with a momma cat and two kittens. And then I went to a shelter and pulled three more cats from there. This is part of the reason I've been too busy to update my blog! I've also been too busy to take their pictures or name them, so I'll be officially introducing them shortly. In the meantime, here are some pictures from Saturday's adoption event. We had many dogs available, and two of them found homes. All dogs featured in this post are currently available for adoption.

Mixed breed puppy pulled from a high-kill shelter

Two year old beagle pulled from rural shelter

My foster dog Missy - came from city animal control

Mixed breed dog from an area shelter

Tucker - waiting for a home for several months now!

Chihuahua from puppy mill

Arnold - turned in when family moved to state with BSL

Kimmy - mixed breed dog from an area shelter

Another Chihuahua from puppy mill

Yet another chihuahua from a puppy mill

And still another chihuahua from puppy mill

Sparkle - transfer from another rescue

Ziggy, praying for a new home (or a snack).

Wags and Wrigley and Zoe were adopted!

It's been a crazy couple of weeks as I've been trying to get the new house ready to move into. I'm hoping to move in within the next week or two, and then I'll be able to start fostering again, and blogging more often. Fortunately all of my fosters have been adopted, except for Ziggy who is still away at rehab. He's doing well and will hopefully be released soon! Here are some of the recent adoptions we've had:

Zoe
My previous pit bull mix puppy foster was adopted over a week ago, and so far, so good.

That basically means I haven't received a phone call from the adopter wanting to return her - yet.  Whew.

Her littermate Venture (a.k.a. Scary Puppy) has now been renamed Mia and is in another foster home, where she is doing great and being spoiled!  Here is Mia attending a parade with her foster family:

Guess she's not so scary when she's all dressed up!

My friend Bev, the craziest most wonderful foster person I know, took in eight Chesapeake Bay/Labrador Retriever mix puppies recently, and they were ready for adoption this past weekend, at the same time as Wags and Wrigley.  She knew I couldn't make it to adoptions last weekend because I was working on the house, so she kept Wags and Wrigley, along with her eight foster puppies, all weekend and took them to three adoption events!  That's right - she gave up her ENTIRE weekend - Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday, to hold adoption events at a local PetSmart to try to find the puppies homes.  And it paid off, because by the end of the day on Sunday, all ten puppies had been adopted, along with one adult foster dog. It was incredible.  Did I mention she's crazy wonderful?  In addition to the three day adoption event, she also attended/worked at a fundraiser for All Paws on Saturday night, and temporarily kept another six puppies and one adult all weekend for another foster mom who had to go out of town.  I am in awe of her, and can't quite understand how she stays sane, but I am glad she does!  Thanks to her, a lot of puppies are now happily living in new homes, including Wags and Wrigley.

Wags, being held by a volunteer at an adoption event on Friday night.

One of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever/Lab mix puppies

Another Chessie/Lab puppy - 8 weeks old.

The puppies were worn out after 3 adoption events in a row!

How Big of a Crate Do You Need?

When transporting dogs to adoption events, it's always good to have them in crates, for their safety and the safety of everyone in the vehicle.  Generally a dog's crate should give the dog enough room to stand up and turn around and lay down comfortably.  Someone forgot to tell this to Evie.

At Saturday's adoption event, I met Evie for the first time.  She is a German Shorthaired Pointer.  She was used as a breeding dog and then when she stopped producing puppies, she was shot and left for dead.  She was rescued and has been in foster care for a year now.  She is fully recovered and ready for her new home. 

Evie is a pretty large dog, as you can see from this picture.

So it would be nothing short of animal cruelty to force her into a small dog crate like the one pictured below.

 Unless of course you watch as her foster mom sets down the crate (which was used to transport a small puppy to the adoption event) and Evie makes a beeline to the crate and climbs right in.  And then manages somehow to actually turn herself around so her head is sticking out the opening.  It was amazing to behold.  I didn't manage to catch it on video, but I was able to take some pictures of Evie looking oh-so-happy to be in her oh-so-small crate. 

 So next time you're measuring your dog for a crate, you may want to ask the dog what size they prefer!