Pterodactyl The Hemophiliac Puppy Has A Forever Family!

We have wonderful news to share: Pterodactyl the hemophiliac puppy has been adopted by our marvelous friends Sarah and David! Despite his diagnosis of Hemophilia Type A, Sarah and David have welcomed Mr. Pterry into their hearts and home with optimism and unconditional love. Talk about compassion in action! Best of all, we all live near each other so we can visit on a regular basis.

Michael and I got to see Pterry just last week and he is growing by leaps and bounds. These photos are from his first excursion to the beach. He is still in that delightful puppy phase where every fresh sight and scent is a novelty. Based on his abundant eagerness, you would never guess that this charming pup nearly didn't make it past his ninth week. We are so grateful that he has a committed family and a second chance...

For more insight in regard to canine Hemophilia, check out www.mydogfluffy.com - a website about a similar mixed breed pooch in Florida with the same condition. And of course, stay tuned for more Pterodactyl updates over the coming months. Michael and I are Pterry's self-appointed "godparents" so you are bound to hear more about him!

Greta And Dewey's Summer Adventure

Earlier this month we took a road trip up to the Sierras and spent several amazing days exploring the Eldorado national forest. During our excursion we launched our new used canoe, the "Stinky Pockets" which is named after Dewey in a roundabout way :-) The dogs seemed to really enjoy our time on the water and they both took a lot of naps in the canoe. We also made an exciting discovery: three-legged Dewey can swim! He doesn't seem to enjoy it very much, but our little guy definitely has a very determined dog paddle.

Tripod Is Man's Best Friend

Pete Kurimai shares a unique bond with his newly adopted dog, Jumper: they are both amputees. Pete and his wife Mary didn't set out to adopt a tripod dog when they went to the SPCA Tampa Bay earlier this month. The couple were still grieving the loss of their beloved 13 year old Dachshund, Katie. Once they spotted Jumper, a three-legged Mini Pinscher mix, however, it seemed like fate had intervened.

"When I saw Jumper, I knew he was the one," Pete told the Seminole Beacon. "He didn't have one leg and I didn't have one leg.

Pete lost his right leg below the knee over a decade ago due to complications from diabetes. Jumper's amputation was more recent. The 6 month old pup was hit by a car before arriving at the SPCA. While many people would be hesitant to take home a disabled dog, Pete feels a special kinship with his tripod.

"Jumper's a good dog. He's been hoping and jumping all over the place. That's why we named him Jumper. He won't replace the memory of Katie, but he replaces a part of the hurt of losing Katie."

Donna Bainter, the Behavior Manager at Tampa Bay SPCA, is touched by the connection between Pete and Jumper. "It's great when you see how a dog benefits a person and a person benefits a dog," she explained to the Seminole Beacon. "That's our ultimate connection."

Get To Know Archie, A Special Blind Dog Who Is Available For Adoption

Mr. Archie is a charming chap who would love to make your acquaintance. You'll have to excuse his funny haircut - we had to shave him down because he arrived at the shelter covered in foxtails and burrs. This sweet little guy is a Shih Tzu mix even though he doesn't look very much like one at the moment. He was found wandering around as a stray, lost and disoriented, and picked up by a team of kind-hearted firefighters who brought him to the shelter where I work. Judging by the rough shape he was in, it appeared that Archie had been on his own for quite a while. It's truly miraculous that he managed to survive at all...

Although Archie is estimated to be only around three years old, he has advanced cataracts that have rendered him completely nonvisual. Being blind doesn't put much of a cramp in this pooch's style, however! Archie loves to snuggle and he will express his satisfaction with little grunts of appreciation. He also likes to go out for walks and experience new smells and sounds. He gets along well with many other dogs too! In short, Archie is a delightful dog who would make a wonderful companion. If you are interested in learning more about him, drop me a line at reboundhounds@yahoo.com

"Love is a language which the blind can see and the deaf can hear." Donald E. Wildman

A Dog's Bill Of Rights

A Dog's Bill of Rights

I have the right to give and receive unconditional love.

I have the right to a life that is beyond mere survival.

I have the right to be trained so that I do not become the prisoner of my misbehavior.

I have the right to adequate food and medical care.

I have the right to fresh air and green grass.

I have the right to socialize with people and dogs outside my own family.

I have the right to special time with my people.

I have the right to be bred responsibly, if at all.

I have the right to be foolish and silly, and to make my person laugh.

I have the right to earn my person's trust and to be trusted in return.

I have the right to be forgiven.

I have the right to die with dignity.

I have the right to be remembered well.

Celebrating One Year With Our Tripod!

Exactly one year ago today, on August 11, I met Dewey for the first time at the animal shelter where I used to work in Washington. I had just returned from vacation and was settling back into my office when a coworker asked if I had seen the little dog that looked “just like Greta.” At this point, I had no intention of adopting a second dog, but of course my curiosity was peaked. I asked another colleague in the admissions department if we had recently received a Dachshund and she replied “Oh…you mean the one with three legs?” Well, you can probably imagine the look of surprise and interest that crossed my face! After learning that Dewey was a tripod, I knew I had to meet him.

The photos above are from the day I first saw him. As you can see, the poor little guy was in really rough shape. He wasn’t neutered and had a bad case of fleas, terribly overgrown toenails, bald patches on his ears, and a mouth full of rotten teeth. All that was known about him was that he was picked up as a stray in Spokane with a collar reading “Duke.” From the look of things, he had been fending for himself for quite a while.

Many people say that animals choose us, and it was most definitely true in this case. As soon as I cracked open the kennel door, Dewey jumped right into my arms and clung on for all he was worth. All of my resolve melted and I was instantly smitten! Several days later he came home as our foster dog…

It didn’t take long for us to realize that the name Duke just didn’t fit our new pooch, and plus, I didn’t want to continue any associations with his sad past. So in the course of just a few days, Duke became Dewey, Greta gained a brother, and we discovered the amazing world of tripod dogs!

One year later, Dewey is thriving. He had major dental surgery last fall, including 11 extractions, and the fur on his ears has returned. He now knows how to sit, lie down, shake your hand, and roll over (well, almost!). He’s still an expert scavenger – probably the lingering effect from his time on the streets – and is able to find and consume anything remotely edible. With each passing month we learn more and more about his funny little personality: how he snorts like a piglet when he yawns and smiles ecstatically when his ears are scratched. Dewey’s antics are endlessly endearing, and just when I think that I couldn’t possibly love him any more, I do. It must be the same way for all of us…

I am always interested in hearing how people met their rescue dogs, so drop me a line with your story by emailing reboundhounds@yahoo.com I will send a free copy of Almost Perfect: Disabled Pets And The People Who Love Them to the author of my favorite "happy tail!"

Felt Friends

We love artfully rendered pooches of all shapes, forms, and fashions, so it's not surprising that we're currently obsessed with needle felted dog sculptures. These petite canines are made by crafters who take raw wool roving and use a special barbed needle to sculpt it into shape. Essentially, the sculpture is created by poking the wool over and over until the fibers lock together as a solid unit. With the right materials (and a generous dash of talent), you can create needle felted sculptures of just about anything - horses, trolls, hedgehogs, humans - although we're partial to dogs! Here are some examples of our favorite wool pets:

This playful Greyhound was created by the ladies behind Dog Face Girls in Tacoma

The three pups above were custom made by K. Stahler. She can craft a similar likeness of your pooch based on photos - check out the Kay's K9s website for details. Best of all, a portion of all proceeds are generously donated to the Ontario SPCA!

Artist Karen Clothier (one of our Rebound Hounds friends!) created this fuzzy puppy as a commission. Her needle felted dog sculptures take anywhere from 12 - 25 hours to complete. They may be tiny, but they require a serious amount of work! Visit Karen's Etsy store for more examples...

Update About Pterodactyl The Hemophiliac Puppy & A Call For Help

Last month I introduced you to Pterodactyl, the little Shepherd/Pit Bull puppy who survived a life-threatening hemorrhage after his neuter surgery at the shelter where I work. In the weeks since, "Pterry" has become a regular among the Rebound Hounds pack; in fact, he's happily napping beneath my chair this very moment!

It turns out that Pterodactyl has a severe form of hemophilia. He suffers from Factor VIII deficiency (hemophilia type A), which is an x-linked recessive disorder, and one of the few sex-linked traits found in dogs. It occurs in many different breeds, but German Shepherds are most commonly affected. Many animals (and humans) with more mild types of hemophilia experience few symptoms. Pterry, however, is severely affected. He may experience prolonged bleeding once his baby teeth begin to fall out. The slightest trauma could induce a massive hemorrhage. He's also prone to lameness caused by internal bleeding into his joints and muscles. There is no cure for hemophilia - transfusions are the only treatment.

Despite this grim prognosis, we strongly believe that Pterry deserves a chance. He will have another bleeding episode some day, although it's impossible to predict when it might happen. It could be tomorrow or not for a number of years. In the meantime, Michael and I are determined to provide this sweet boy with a decent puppyhood. Pterry has been bunking at our house for the last few days and he's giving us a real run for our money! Since we're accustomed to senior dogs, it has been a true revelation to have a puppy underfoot. His urge to play is irrepressible, and nothing is off-limits: toilet paper, notebooks, cushions, computer cords. He still hasn't given up on Greta and Dewey as playmates even though they have met his attempts with more contempt than enthusiasm. Every time one of the elder hounds issues a grumble of complaint about his pouncing and frolicking, Pterry just takes it as encouragement! One thing they can all agree on is a good rawhide, and we have been placating the dogs with many of them lately. Long walks have also helped to keep everyone happy. Last night we hiked in the redwoods for several miles; Greta roughed it in her stroller and Dewey and Pterry trotted along happily, eager to smell every interesting tree trunk and patch of moss in their path.

Several days ago we put a call out to our friends and family with the hope of finding an adopter for Pterodactyl. Although many folks are interested in helping him find a permanent home, no one has been able to make a definitive commitment yet. Now it's time to make the appeal here: If you know of anyone near the San Francisco Bay Area who would like to adopt this special needs puppy, please let me know ASAP!

Meanwhile, as we wait to find Pterry's forever family, it's immensely gratifying to watch him relish the most mundane aspects of daily life, whether it's charging up a set of stairs or flopping down for a spontaneous nap. He is as precious as they come, and it's a joyful experience to see the world through his eyes.