Here at rrruffhouse two new beautiful babies have arrived, they came to us last Wednesday and are doing very well, a little shy at first but doing very well now. they are approx 12 weeks old, both males and a handful, loving every minute of it so far. They sleep through the night from about 10pm until 6:30-7am no peeing in our crates and getting along with all the other dogs.
We are raising money for the rrruffstart program again! There are so many dogs in need of homes in our local area for one reason or another, and with your donations to the program ( purchase of a collar ) we can help them. These collars are brand spanking new! Our fundraiser this time is selling collars, all the proceeds go the rrruffstart program so we can home, feed, spay, neuter, train etc. With every dollar raised we save a life!
We have a large assortment ( over 500 ) Read the rest of this entry
I really recommend that you consider providing your own dog with a wading pool so he can enjoy the water in greater safety. Try to purchase a new pool if you can. If you opt for a used one, inspect it for sun damage, cracks and peeling plastic. Make sure there is no algae or mold residue on it. You are ensuring that your dog will be less apt to pick up a fungus or disease. You also want to clean it every day, if possible, and not leave standing water in it. You don’t want mosquitoes to breed in it. I rinse mine out every day and dry it out every evening. If you have small children, this is another good reason to empty it every night. A small child can drown in less than two inches of water, and you should never leave your dog or children unattended around water, no matter how well you think they can swim.
I have been using a wading pool for years now, and we have more fun in the spring and summer with it. I get all my nieces and nephews involved when they come over. It is always the very first activity they ask to do. If you have young puppies, whether they are water dogs or not, be sure to start with just an inch of warm water. Have a favorite treat that you only use for very special days so they are extra motivated. My friend, had a great recommendation; she suggested slicing hot dogs and using them. They float, and your puppy or dog will be motivated to dip a toe in the water to go get the treat. Remember to use praise, praise and more praise when your dog goes to retrieve the treat.
Never throw a puppy or dog into the water. If a dog or puppy is scared, this will only take you 20 steps back because this will imprint more fear into his brain and not bring the swimmer out in your dog. Another fear-causing technique is for you to run into the pool and make your dog or puppy follow. It is not a fair way to do this. Again, you are using the fact he wants to be close to you and not giving him a choice to enter the water on his terms. He needs to learn on his own to enjoy the pleasure of swimming or wading in the water.
Now you have ten good reasons to get a wading pool for your dog this summer. So, what are you waiting for?
It is with a very heavy heart I write this blog today, about one hour ago I lost one of my best friends, my Rory girl. She was not just a clients dog to me she was one of our own. Rory has been coming to me since she was just a 10 week old baby and she was just about two and a half now. Rory has spent countless days in my home with our family both human and animal, some weeks Rory was here more than her real home due to their very hectic work schedules and not for one minute did we mind having her squishy face. Rory was a handful some days, and could be very unpredictable but in spite of that we loved the bones of her. Rory on a daily basis made us laugh and giggle like no other, then ten seconds later we would have to put her in time out……That’s our Rory! She would arrive some mornings at 5am and without hesitation she would jump our gate to the stairs and would run down the hall and jump into bed with me as if to say ” Hey mama!!!! I’m back!” I would get her all snuggled in and we would sleep till 7am and then we would get up, have some breakfast and go out in the yard to play. We are shocked at the sudden loss of our Rory girl but are going to choose today to honour her life with us, rather than this day we lost her! Here are some photo’s of our time with our Rory girl. We love you our angel, although your time with us was short it was full of great memories and laughs. Thank you Rory for loving us as much as we loved you! xoxoxoxoxoxox
Here is a look back at our past 12 weeks, On March 15 2014 I was called to a clients house where 11 Great Dane puppies were born. Needless to say the owners of the mother Fiona were very over whelmed. Aprox 2 months earlier they had rescued Fiona who was a very skinny and under weight beauty, Fiona was a charming dog with loads of personality, Matt and Kate (the owners of Fiona) had no idea that she was pregnant when they rescued her and based on her physical appearance this would not even be possible. 62 days later Fiona gave birth to 11 puppies who were very tiny and under weight and size, this is where I came in. Kate called me to come and see if the babies were okay and offer some assistance on what to do next as they (Kate & Matt) had no idea what to do with puppies and were feeling very over whelmed, they rescued one dog and never imagined she would bless them with 11 babies, but none the less here they are! I went to go see the miracle puppies to find they were incredibly small and did not appear to be in great shape, we all were very concerned as Fiona was not producing milk at that point in time and due to the fact she was herself still incredibly skinny, feared for Fiona’s health. We had all agreed that in order to give all the babies and the mom a fighting chance we would divide and conquer together, I agreed to take 7 babies and they would keep 4 and if Fiona didn’t produce enough milk for those 4 I would take them in as well. Fiona was amazing! Not only did she end up producing milk for her 4 babies she was an incredible mother. Fiona learned what to do rather quickly, after about 3 or 4 days with help from Matt & Kate Fiona took to motherhood like a champ. Fiona raised and nurtured 4 big healthy babies who were all healthy and happy. I went home that afternoon with a laundry basket of aprox 12 hour old babies, I walked in the door and my husband looked at me and said ” I thought you were on a call? ” to which I answered “I was!” he looked at me for about 10 seconds and with a puzzled look on his face says ” did you bring home their laundry? did you expand and not tell me?” I went straight into a nervous giggle and said “no! I have 7 baby Great Dane puppies here in this hamper!” God bless the man I married, without hesitation he said ” Huh, so what do we need to do?” and that was that! He took to fatherhood like a duck to water! Here are some photo’s of our past 12 weeks.
I am so happy to say that this has been the best experience and the most tiring experience of my life and I wouldn’t change it for the world! I get to wake up each and every morning to the best faces ever and we have some breakfast then its outside to pee and have a cuddle on the outdoor couch. Life doesn’t get any better than this! Thanks Kate & Matt and of course Fiona for giving us these wonderful babies.
This gallery contains 115 photos.
The new shirts have arrived! If you would like one please email me with the size and colour of your choosing! Pink sizes are S,M,L,XL and they also come in black, sizes are
2XL,XL,L blacl are a mens cut, pink is a ladies cut. Shirts are $25 each with all proceeds going to the rrruffstart program!!
Submitted
Every day in Canada, dogs are given up for adoption. Some are too loud, some are not friendly enough, some are too active, and others have behavioural issues stemming from a lack of training. The problem is that humane societies across the country are massively overloaded with animals, and even in Belleville, the Quinte Humane Society is almost always full to the brim with abandoned pets.
“What’s happening, is people give up on these dogs,” said Grace Bryson, a dog trainer and rehabilitator of almost 24 years. “The dogs are either recycled constantly through the Humane Society or they’re dropped off on the side of the road or who knows, there’s some pretty horrific stories out there.”
Bryson is trying to start a new program in Belleville to help people adopt dogs from Humane Societies, and limit the number of animals that need to be put down because they can’t find a home. It’s called the Rrruff Start Project, and it would see prospective owners sign a pledge sheet committing to caring for the animal for life when adopting a less desirable or “unadoptable” dog from a local Humane Society or rescue. In return, the program offers a host of incentives and discounted services for the animal, ranging from discounted food, vet bills and training to a donated starter kit filled with essentials like bowls, collars, leashes, toys, food and blankets.
“I’m basically going to give you zero reasons why you would have to give up on this dog,” Bryson said.
Bryson has nine dogs of her own, many of them classified as unadoptable or high-risk. These are the types of animals that are commonly crowded into shelters by the dozens, and once they’ve been given up, Bryson said many people turn around and buy themselves a new puppy for a companion. “Everyone is going to adopt a puppy of some sort, because puppies are cute,” she said. “But then again when they are six, seven or eight months old and they’re beginning to have issues, where do they go? They go back to the Humane Society, and the owners go and get themselves a new puppy.”
Once an animal has been surrendered to a Humane Society, their chances of being adopted are slim at best. At some kill shelters Bryson said dogs are only given up to 72 hours to be adopted, and if they’re a large breed or of a certain colouring, sometimes even less. The adoption process also works against the dog, as animals in a shelter are often confused and scared and act out because of it, leading to families passing them by in favour of a “blank slate” puppy.
“The problem is (the vast majority) of the blank slate puppies are coming from people who did not do anything in the way of pre-natal care, research, breed or anything,” she said. “If you doubt me, go browse the Kijiji of any country, any city, any province, and they are just stocked full of dogs that are ‘free to a good home’.”
Puppies that come from unlicensed breeders such as puppy mills, stud farms or backyard breeders can often run into health issues in later life, as these breeders don’t take the necessary steps to ensure the animals’ health early in life. Improper mixing of breeds can also lead to a litany of health issues for the animal later in life.
“Half of the people don’t even realize where their puppy is coming from,” Bryson said. “We are never going to get these dogs out of these Humane Societies unless we stop all these backyard breeders and puppy mills. I realize that I’m climbing a massive mountain, but if we can’t stop the demand they’re never going to stop breeding these puppies.
“These puppies that are being chucked away are paying the ultimate price for (their owners) selfish greed.”
In order to get the Rrruff program off the ground, Bryson is looking for donations and volunteers. Her goal is to build 500 of the starter kits for new dog owners, but she needs the goods to fill them and people to help build them. She’s starting her fundraising by asking for a just $2 donation, or the average cost of a cup of coffee.
“I don’t have the ability to ask any one entity for thousands and thousands of dollars, because no one is going to give it to me,” she said. “But if I can get thousands of people to each give me a toonie, well how fast that toonie pile will grow.”
To get involved with the program or to make a donation, visit the Rrruff Start Project website atwww.rrruffhouse.com.
Why Adopt a Rescue Dog?
My parents always advised me never to buy a used car, because I would just be buying “somebody else’s problems.” Unfortunately, that’s how some people view rescue dogs-as dogs that weren’t wanted because they had problems and didn’t make good pets.
In the vast majority of cases, that’s just not true! Most dogs who come into rescue were not given up because they were “bad dogs” or had behavioral problems. Unfortunately, many people buy dogs without thinking about the time, effort, and expense involved in keeping a dog. These dogs end up in shelters, or along the side of the road, or, if they’re lucky, in rescue. In fact, the most common reasons a dog ends up with a rescue organization include the following:
The owners don’t have time for the dog.
The owners find that they can’t afford either basic vet care or the expense involved in treating an illness or injury.
The owner dies or goes into a nursing home.
The owners divorce and neither party can keep the dog. (You would be amazed at how many dogs we get as a result of divorces!)
A young couple has a child and no longer has time for the dog, or the dog no longer fits into their “lifestyle.”
The owner is moving to an apartment building that doesn’t allow dogs.
Reasons to Choose a Rescue Dog
You’re not starting from scratch. When you buy a puppy, you’re essentially bringing an infant into your home…a completely untrained, unsocialized little critter who thinks the crate you bought for him is a jail (and who cries to get out…at 3 AM!), the newspaper you put down for him to squat on is a wonderful toy to be shredded, your new shoes are much tastier than rawhide, and your best carpet is an excellent substitute for grass when nature calls! Because rescue dogs spend time in foster homes before they are adopted, they come to you with at least some social skills and some degree of housebreaking!
Training is easier. Whatever additional training needs to be done with a rescue dog will be much easier than training a puppy. It’s like the difference between training a one-year-old child and an eight-year-old. Dogs who have been around for a while just “get it” faster than puppies-especially housebreaking!
The bond is strong. Dogs who have not gotten off to the best possible start in life-who have been neglected or even abused-tend to be very loyal and affectionate. Remember that dogs are pack animals, and they take their treatment by the “pack”-their owners and families-very much to heart. A dog that has been neglected or abandoned once is usually eager to become part of a loving pack, where she feels safe and secure, and is likely to act accordingly. We find that rescue dogs are generally eager to please their new owners. Puppy mill rescues often want to be in your lap at all times and will follow you from room to room, just to be near you.
Fewer vet fees. Rescue dogs have had physical examinations, have been spayed or neutered, have been tested for heart-worm, and are up to date on shots. When you buy a puppy, you pay for the dog AND for puppy shots, spaying or neutering, and any other basic medical expenses.
What you see is what you get. When you buy a puppy, you can never really be sure what type of dog you’re going to get. All puppies are cute and playful, but their adult personalities aren’t visible until they’re about two years old. So you don’t know whether you’re getting a dog who wants to play all the time (ALL the time!) or a couch potato. When you rescue a dog, you know what the dog’s personality is like and whether it fits with what you want in a dog companion. You also know, in advance, about any problem areas the new owner will have to address.
It teaches your children good values. Face it-we live in an extremely materialistic society, in which TV teaches kids that everything can be bought, that they should get their parents to buy them everything, and that anything worth having costs a lot of money. Adopting a rescue dog for your family presents a wonderful opportunity to teach your children basic values of compassion and caring, and also about the value of second chances
Why Aren’t Rescue Dogs Free?
We are asked this question frequently. Some people think that, since they are willing to take a homeless dog off our hands, we should give them the dog without an adoption fee.
Well, that would be nice, and in a perfect world, it would be possible. But vet care for our rescue dogs costs money, which our members must recover, at least in part, in order to go on rescuing. Each dog must have a physical examination, receive any required vaccinations (for rabies, parvo virus, etc.), be tested for heart-worms, and be spayed or neutered. The rescuer pays for these procedures out of her or his own pocket.If we can help off set these fees by donations we do! You can see at the side of this post on this website there is a donation button that makes it very simple to donate, please use it, every dollar counts.
When a dog is dropped off at the humane society it basically has 72 hours to be adopted out or euthanized. If the dog is large, if it is a dark colour, if there is no information on the dog, then it pretty much has no hope at all.
rrruffhouse 