Pupdate!

Remember Ellsworth? Well his name is now Stephen and he is doing wonderful.

His new family makes sure he gets plenty of exercise and between that and having a great Rat Terrier brother, Sullivan, he has transitioned seamlessly into his new life. He gets daily walks or hikes, time to run and play in secure off leash areas, and then plenty of play time with his brother.

Stephen was labeled as unadoptable at the shelter because he was so highly stressed out that he couldn't stop pacing and was unable to engage with people. And when he initially came into foster care he was a complete mess - compulsive, panicked, pacing and needy...

With the help of a vet, some training, and a very special couple adopting him, Stevie has relaxed and become a very easy, goofy, lovable dog.

Happy life, Stevie!

Pupdate: Petunia aka Neah

Back at the end of 2012 we fostered sweet Neah who had the greatest demeanor with other dogs. Even wild and crazy foster dogs who typically had bad dog manners with other dogs seemed to calm down in her presence and act more polite to her. She was one of those true lead dogs who could keep everyone in line, happy, and playing without ever having to curl her lip.

She would wrestle full tilt with Langley and then sit just outside Frodo's rather large bubble to chew bones with him. Everyone loved her including us so we are so happy that she ended up in a great home with another dog to spend time with. I've done pupdates on her before (her name is now Petunia) but always like to share photos of past fosters here.

Rescuers can often spend so much time looking forward at the next needy, neglected homeless dog that we forget all the happy loved ones out there. Focusing on the successes is what fuels me to keep on rescuing.

I love to share these updates to show how much of a difference taking the time to foster can make in a dog's life. Petunia started out as a skinny stray picked up by animal control. By fostering and choosing to take on the challenge of bringing an extra dog into your home for awhile, you too can revel in the joy of seeing the transformation of a throw away shelter dog who has blossomed into a beloved family member, or in this case a Petunia.

Photos by Corky Miller