Kira

Kira, Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd Cross, Adult, Female 

10. She is beautiful

9. Her endless energy.  She never slows down, never stops, and always pushes for us to run that extra few miles. 

8. The perseverance she has shown in overcoming her past.  She was abused, neglected, and tied to a too short chain as someone's guard dog.  It took months for me to earn her trust.  She does not hand her heart over easily but if you earn it the rewards are incredible.

7. Her confidence.  She has had to rely on herself for so long that she doesn't doubt or second guess herself.  I wish I had even half her confidence.

6. When she runs and gets to relax, she defines freedom.  She runs at full speed around the yard, races through the woods chasing animals.  She can bring a smile to anyone's face just by watching her run.

5. She has a goofy side once she trusts you. She drops the aloof, seriousness and acts like a puppy. She runs around, grabs toys to play with, teases, and lets herself relax.

4. She is determined and once she sets her mind to something, she WILL accomplish it, no questions.  She refuses to give up until her "job" is done.  She never quits and never backs down.

 3.  She has amazing intelligence.  She knows an incredible number of tricks: sit, down, stay, shake (both paws), speak, heel, front, back, left, right, slow down, stop, watch me, leave it, drop it, get it, go find____, patrol (go check the yard and the house), and touch. 

2. While she is sometimes a hard dog to live with and a hard dog to bond with, the reward of winning her trust and loyalty is beyond anything I have ever experienced with a dog. In everything she does, she is intense, good and bad. She is the most incredible dog I have ever met and I know I will never have another dog that even compares to Kira.

1. Above all else, Kira is 100% loyal.  She will follow me anywhere, stick by my side through anything, protect me when it is necessary, make me laugh when I need it, and be there when no one else is.  I have never met a dog as loyal as Kira.

Ralphie

Ralphie, American Bulldog/Lab Cross, Young Adult, Male

10. He gives the best hugs in the world.

9.  He is happy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.  He doesn't know how to be unhappy.

8.  He loves to run and play.  He runs and runs, in and out of the water, through the woods, around the trees (sometimes into the trees!), and then collapses by my feet totally content and happy.

7.  He is the definition of "more heart than brains".  Somedays I think Ralphie is the dumbest dog I have ever met but he leads with his heart more than anything and it makes me love him even more.

6. He loves to snuggle in bed at night and is the best pillow I could ever ask for...he has to be, he usually steals mine!

5. He is goofy and makes me laugh.  He does a somersault when I give him a buttscratch, sleeps on his back with his tongue hanging out and all 4 legs straight up in the air, tries to fit the entire toybox of toys in his mouth, and smooshes his face against the bars of his kennel practically begging to be taken with when I leave. 

4. His first true love, more than anything else: food, other dogs, toys, etc is people.  He is loyal, always trying to please me, wants to be by my side doing whatever I do, and lives for affection.

3. He is amazing with the other dogs and has a healthy respect for the cats.

2.  He has endless patience and tolerance with the kids.  They can do anything to him.

1. Even when he is being naughty he makes you smile and love him even more.  He woke me up the other day licking and playing with my feet, when he realized I was awake, he pinned me to the bed in a huge Ralphie hug.

Fathead

Fathead, Black Lab/ Pit Bull Cross, Young Adult, Male

10.  He has a great watchdog bark but once people come in the most threatening thing about him is his tail that wags a mile a minute and smacks their legs.

9.  He is so playful and fun.  He LOVES to go running and makes the ideal running, walking, or dog park companion.  He is great at fetch!

8.  He thinks all the other dogs want to play with him and will love him as much as he loves them.

7.  He is the best snuggler in bed ever.  He likes to sleep right in my arms with his head on my pillow and under the covers of course.

6.  He is smart and eager to please.  While he sometimes lacks impulse control he tries his hardest to make me happy.  He is a quick learner and knows tricks.

5.  He thinks he's a 60 lb lap dog.

4. He is friendly to everyone and views all people and other dogs as instant friends that he should greet, play with, and love.

3. He is a goofball.  He loves to carry around stuffed animals in his mouth like they are his babies and then sleep with them in a pile. 

  2.  He may look tough but he's a big wussy baby at heart.  Like when he decided he was going to follow his foster sister in chasing turkeys. The minute the turkey turned around and looked at him, he high tailed it back behind my legs and then once they were all chased away he ran around barking like he was responsible for them being gone.

 1.  He bonds hard and fast.  Within the first few days he was following me around and being my buddy.  He isn't obnoxious about it but he loves to be by my side.  If I'm outside, he's outside.  If I'm at the computer, he's lying by my feet.

Harley

Harley, German Shepherd/ Basset Hound Cross, Adult, Female

10.  She looks hilarious.  She makes me smile just to look at.

9.  She is great with the other dogs.  She respects the older one that wants to be left alone, she plays with the other playful ones, and is a leader to the ones that are nervous. 

8. She has manners in the house that rival my own dogs.  She is housetrained, crates for the workday but doesn't need it, doesn't chew on things besides her toys, and sleeps in bed every night.

7. She loves to go for walks but she is never pushy about it.  If I miss a day with her on walks, she is content to play with her toys or the other dogs.

6. Not much fazes her.  The other dogs in her space, the chaos of rescue life, the loud adoption events, car rides, vet visits...you name it and she's the name sweet happy Harley through it all.

5. She is the perfect size and shape to snuggle with and she loves to cuddle!  She can by my pillow, foot warmer, or the one that sleeps right up against my side.  Either way she is happy.

4. She is smart and already knows some tricks and commands.  She walks on the leash well and knows how to sit and lay down.

3. She has her own version of fetch that she thinks is better than anything in the world.  She'll chase her toy just long enough to get the other dogs interested in her and it, then she'll let them all run past her for the toy so she can hop up into my lap for some undivided attention while the others wrestle over the toy. 

2. She thinks that she is the protector of the yard from the squirrels and the birds and is so pleased with herself when she gets to chase them away, stubby legs going a mile a minute.

1. She has combined the best of both her breeds.  She has the German Shepherd loyalty and the Basset silliness.  She everyday makes me laugh and makes me love her a little bit more.

Dakota

Dakota, Black Lab/ Pit Bull Cross, Adult, Female 

10.  Dakota has house manners that put my own dogs' manners to shame!

9.  She may be a supposed "tough pit bull" but she blows that stereotype out of the water...she is a huge wimp.  Dakota won't even go for a walk in the cold, she shakes and tries to crawl up my jacket!

8.  Dakota is fabulous with kids.  She LOVES to play with them and is the perfect companion for kids who like to run around and throw toys for her to play with. 

7.  She is great with my other dogs.  Her best friend is Fathead another Pit Bull/ Lab mix.  She could play with them all day.

6. When she gets the zoomies she looks SO funny.  She tucks her tail and flies around so fast she becomes a black blur! 

5.  Her loyalty.  Dakota is my shadow, she follows me around without ever getting in the way.  She helps out with the chores, sleeps on the sofa with me, and when I'm at the computer she is right there warming my feet.

4.  She has handled her life being turned upside down with such grace and ease.  She lost her home and her owner, ended up in the pound down south, and yet she hasn't lost any of her happiness and her ability to love. 

3.  Dakota is so happy and fun.  She is the perfect energy level but is far from hyper. She loves to play but will them snuggle up right with you for some love too.  She adapts herself a lot to what I want to do.

2. Dakota is dead set on changing those negative stereotypes for Pit Bulls.  She is outgoing, friendly, happy, tail-wagging, kid-kissing girl...typical pit bull.

1.  She is a typical bully breed and is the best snuggler in the world!  She snuggles the way only a Pit Bull can!

Dusty

Dusty, Black Lab/ Australian Cattle Dog Cross, Young Adult, Female 

10. She is such a unique, goofy looking dog!  Her ears stand up at 2 different angles and she will always look like a puppy.

9. She has so much energy and LOVES to run, play, and herd around the toys and balls in the yard.

8. She is easily one of the smartest dogs I have ever met.  She learns things so fast and basically can learn anything you want to teach her so long as you put the time in.

7. She has wonderful manners in the house, housetrained, crates for the workday, and has settled in so quickly

6. She LOVES the other dogs and loves to play with them.  She would play all day with the other dogs if they could keep up with her!

5. She has a goofy silly side...she loves to be a little naughty in a sweet way.  She'll steal my shoe right before I am leaving and sit in front of me with it in her mouth just wagging her tail like crazy until I notice her!

4. Dusty is a dog who can so anything, and I mean anything.  She is an agility dog, obedience champ, and a fetch player extraordinaire!

 3.  She has the spirit of a puppy in a full grown body and fully intends to maintain that spirit it seems.  She is a joyful dog and an absolute wonderful sweet girl.

2. Dusty is an incredible running partner, she sticks by my side, watches my every move, and almost never pulls.

1. Dusty's potential to learn and be trained is beyond anything else.  She only needs someone to put in the time and the energy to do whatever they want with her.  Give her the exercise, mental stimulation, and training and she is going to be an  even more incredible dog than she already is.

Jackie

Jackie, Terrier/ Australian Cattle Dog Cross, Young Adult, Female 

10.  Jackie has the waggingest stub tail that goes a mile a minute whenever she sees a toy, person to love on, or another dog to play with.  Her tail never stops wagging, really, sometimes she even wags it in her sleep!

9.  Jackie is the perfect family dog....she is outgoing, friendly, great with everyone and everything, smart, and has manners.  She is exactly what people ask for in a family dog.

8. She is just the right size to be able to snuggle in your lap and yet be big enough to play around with the kids and other dogs...prissy dog, she is not!

7. Jackie adores kids.  She plays with the kids she meets and LOVES when the neighbor kids come around the play with her.  She is the ideal kids' dog because she is ready to play with the older kids and run around the yard yet gentle and careful with the little ones.

6. Jackie is a snuggler extraordinaire.  She snuggles in bed at night with me, snuggles on the couch, and is always ready for a hug or a snuggle. 

5. She gets silly as can be over squeaky toys!  Give her a squeaky toy and its amazing how much fun she can have with it.  I love to watch her with her new squeaky toys...she thinks she has the best prize in the entire world.

4. Jackie is always watching to see what I want her to do next.  She is all about pleasing me, working for me, and wanting to do the right thing.  She is so in tune to her owners she is almost always correct in what she thinks I want too.

 3.  Never in her life has Jackie met a stranger.  Everyone to her is an instant friend and she responds to them as such!  She is always happy to meet new people and everyone loves to meet her too!

2. For a young dog, Jackie's manners are incredible.  She is housetrained, crates for the workday (only because she likes to steal the shoes around the house if she is loose!), and is not a barker.  She walks pretty well on the leash with a little reminding and learns things in a flash.  I think she learned sit in about 10 minutes.

1. Jackie is probably the dog I see the most potential in of any dog in rescue.  She is the kind of dog who could and would love to do anything , agility, obedience, rally, therapy dog work, flyball, and yet she is equally thrilled about being a family companion and best friend.  She is happy to do absolutely anything her owners want.

Chauncey & Jenner

Chauncey & Jenner, Heinz 57, Adult, Males

(Jenner on the left, Chauncey on the right)

10. How far they have come from the scared dogs that refused to trust anyone to slowly becoming trusting, loyal companions.

9. They love each other so much.  They're inseparable.  They sleep together, eat together, and go for walks together.  While they are fine being separated for a little while, they run right to each other and snuggle right up when they reunite.

8. Their happy dance when they see people they know and love.  They bounce around, hop up and down, and wag their tails like happy idiots.  It's absolutely adorable.

7. They have impeccable manners.  They never bark, don't chew, crate quietly or hang out in a bedroom, and are housetrained.  It sure makes for an easy dog to have around!

 6.  They love their walks for sure and it helps socialize them but they're equally happy to relax and chill out by my feet.

5. While not super outgoing, they are friendly to people and like to meet new people.  Chauncey especially loves his walks and loves to see new people and dogs approaching

4.  Even though they spend so much time together they have different personalities.  Jenner loves other dogs, all other dogs so much.  He is happy to buddy up to any dog in the world.  He is also the one who is more devoted to his brother.  Chauncey is the braver one, the first to check out new things.  However, he always makes sure his brother is taken care of too and never forgets to check back with Jenner.

3. They love butt scratches, ear rubs, belly rubs, and being snuggled.  The look of pure ecstasy on their face when they get love is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking to know they never ever had this before.

2. These guys have overcome so, so much.  They were basically left to fend for themselves and didn't need to rely on people.  I never thought they would come around to be the awesome dogs they are today.  They love people and truly want to be loved by people, just are still not so sure how to ask for it.

1. They are super easy to have around and to love.  They don't make a fuss about anything and they are grateful for any love and attention that come their way.  They truly want to make you happy and their favorite reward is a treat and a buttscratch (Chauncey) or ear rub (Jenner)

Chief BoBo

Chief BoBo, Boston Terrier/ Boxer Cross, Young Adult, Male

10. His ears.  I love them, they are the goofiest ears I have ever seen on a dog in my life.

9. His smirky, dopey grin that he always wears.  He always looks like he is smiling and almost laughing.

8.  He loves the other dogs and gets along with them all.  He plays like a madman with them and is the dog park king...he's Chief of the Dog Park!

7. He is very responsive to what you want him to do and learns quickly. 

6. He has the happiest happy dance I have ever seen.  It is truly a happy dance to end all happy
dances.  He smiles, he wags his stub tailed butt, his ears go crazy, and he bounces around like he's on a trampoline.

5. Chief Bobo is always happy and makes everyone around him happy.  He could make Oscar the Grouch smile.  He never has a bad day, never is anything but happy.

4.  While he initially came into rescue a little nervous and pretty beat up, he almost instantly turned his attention towards a better future.  He stayed shy for about 5 minutes and then seemed to figure he had nothing to lose and everything to gain.  From that moment on, he's been making friends with everyone and living the good life.

3. His wiggle butt.  He has a stubby tail and when he wags his tail he's got the Boxer wiggle butt going on and it makes his whole backend wag. 

2. He has never in his life met someone who he didn't see as a friend...dog or human.

1.  Chief has a way of winning hearts wherever he goes.  He won his way out of the pound on
sheer heart and has won over all our hearts too.  There are not many dogs more universally liked by all of us than Chief.

Vadar

Vadar, Shar Pei/ Lab Cross, Adult, Male

10. His crazy ears!  They make me smile when they move around all silly, one goes up while the other is down or they both move together.  I call him Mr. Wonky Ears.

9. He always seems to enjoy silly references to Darth Vadar, even when the people around me think I'm a dork. =)

8. He bonds hard to his people.  He greets everyone he knows happily without being over the top about it.

7. He is patient and loving with the other dogs even when they are driving him crazy, getting in his space, or stepping on him while he sleeps. 

6. He has great leash manners, knows some basic commands and has house manners that are impeccable.

5. He is friendly to everyone yet balances that with manners and impulse control.  He greets people at the door without jumping up, never makes a fuss of himself, and waits patiently for the attention while sitting or standing calmly by my side.

4. He LOVES to play fetch and play with toys but isn't ever obnoxious.  He will lie by my feet with a toy if I can't play with him at the moment.

3. His potential to be a therapy dog is amazing.  His manners are awesome, he has the brains and the friendliness.  All he needs is someone with the desire and the time.  And if not, he's already got great companion dog down pat.

2.  He is one of the easiest dogs I have ever taken care of.  From day one he walked into my house, got along with everyone and showed off his wonderful manners.

1. To other people he is just one more big black dog but to me, he's my walking companion, my foot warmer at night, the neighbor kids' tea party companion, the other dogs friend, and so much more than just another black dog.

Whitney

Whitney, Heinz 57, Adult, Female 

10. Whitney is so loyal and sweet.  She loves to follow me around and will watch me all the time to see what I am going to do next.

9.   She has amazing manners.  Absolutely one of the best dogs I have ever fostered.

8. Whitney is kid friendly to the max!  She loves kids so much and loves nothing more than playing with the kids, snuggling in bed with the kids, and being their best pal in the world.

7.   Whitney is great with my other dogs and gets along well with the big dominant ones and the small submissive ones, she prefers people for sure but she is very patient and tolerant of the other dogs.

6. She has been bounced around about 8 times and still maintains her beautiful manners and personality.  That is pretty rare.

5. She loves to snuggle, likes to play with toys, and is the perfect blend of playing and liking her walks and being a snuggler on the sofa.

4. Whitney is the perfect family dog...she is kid-friendly, well-mannered, and already trained.

3.  Whitney defines the term "inner beauty".  She may not be pretty to look at, some people have even called her ugly but her personality is nothing short of amazing and everyone who knows her finds her beautiful.

2.  She is so outgoing and friendly to everyone she meets out and about.  She loves to see all the kids at the bus stops, meet the neighbors when out on walks, and is constantly wagging her tail and making friends.

1.  Whitney has had one of the worst pasts ever and yet she walks away with only physical scars.  She is outgoing, friendly, happy, and without her scars you would never guess she was once wrapped in duct tape and left for dead.

Gromit--ADOPTED!!

Gromit, Beagle Cross, Young Adult, Male 

10. He learns things so quickly and wants badly to please hiw owners.

9. His love of lap sitting and bed snuggling.  He's the snuggliest little guy and will burrow himself under the covers in bed, given away only by his wagging tail when I say his name.

8. His amazing ability to love everyone in the world.  While he has never had a home and spent months waiting in a high kill pound, his personality sure hasn't suffered.  He is such a loving and friendly dog.

7. He loves everyone he meets, gets along with all the other dogs, and loves kids.  He is the dog park hit, the hit of the playground, and the center of the party wherever he is!

6. He is silly to the max.  He can make anyone laugh, smile, and love him.  He brings a smile to my face everyday.  I call him Goofy Gromie

5. He is smart.  He picked up on the house manners so quickly with some consistency.

4. While he has never had a home, he is so responsive to being taught things and so eager to make me happy.  He learned how to sit within minutes, walks pretty well on the leash, and is food/praise motivated so training him is a snap.

 3.  He might be the only beagle in the world who plays fetch!

2. His hilarious way of playing with squeaky toys.  He will run around squeaking it, throw it in the air, pretend not to see it, turn around and pounce on it!  His happiness if contagious

1. His love of kids.  He loves the kids with such a passion that he acts like a kid himself.  He sees kids and just about turns insid out with joy.

Dice--ADOPTED!!

Dice, Dalmatian Mix, Young Adult, Male 

10. He has such a uinique look with his 2 different colored eyes and polka dotted pretty body.

9. He has the perfect energy level...he loves his walks but is content to snuggle on the sofa too.

8. Dice seems to have never had a loving home but he is so willing to trust and love this time around.  He loves to be loved.

7. He gets along great with the other dogs.  He's submissive to the bossy ones and leads the shyer ones.

6. His house manners are perfect.  His housetraining is solid, he crates well but doesn't need it, barks appropriately, and is not a chewer. 

5. He can fit in in most any setting: farm, home, apartment.  As long as he has his person he is happy.

4. Dice LOVES to snuggle and loves to sleep in bed with me.  He snuggles with the best of them and while he doesn't mind sleeping on a dog bed, his tail wags a mile a minute when he gets invited onto the bed!

 3.  He is SO smart.  He walks well on the leash, knows how to sit, and is working on lay down and shake.  He's so responsive to being trained and to do whatever I ask.

2. While he is timid at first and it takes him a day or so to hand his heart to you, once he does hand his heart over you have it for life.

1. Dice is incredibly loyal.  He follows me everywhere, loves to snuggle, and spends most of his life wherever I am staring up at me with the sweetest, loving eyes in the world.

Kira

Kira, Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd Cross, Adult, Female 

10. She is beautiful

9. Her endless energy.  She never slows down, never stops, and always pushes for us to run that extra few miles. 

8. The perseverance she has shown in overcoming her past.  She was abused, neglected, and tied to a too short chain as someone's guard dog.  It took months for me to earn her trust.  She does not hand her heart over easily but if you earn it the rewards are incredible.

7. Her confidence.  She has had to rely on herself for so long that she doesn't doubt or second guess herself.  I wish I had even half her confidence.

6. When she runs and gets to relax, she defines freedom.  She runs at full speed around the yard, races through the woods chasing animals.  She can bring a smile to anyone's face just by watching her run.

5. She has a goofy side once she trusts you. She drops the aloof, seriousness and acts like a puppy. She runs around, grabs toys to play with, teases, and lets herself relax.

4. She is determined and once she sets her mind to something, she WILL accomplish it, no questions.  She refuses to give up until her "job" is done.  She never quits and never backs down.

 3.  She has amazing intelligence.  She knows an incredible number of tricks: sit, down, stay, shake (both paws), speak, heel, front, back, left, right, slow down, stop, watch me, leave it, drop it, get it, go find____, patrol (go check the yard and the house), and touch. 

2. While she is sometimes a hard dog to live with and a hard dog to bond with, the reward of winning her trust and loyalty is beyond anything I have ever experienced with a dog. In everything she does, she is intense, good and bad. She is the most incredible dog I have ever met and I know I will never have another dog that even compares to Kira.

1. Above all else, Kira is 100% loyal.  She will follow me anywhere, stick by my side through anything, protect me when it is necessary, make me laugh when I need it, and be there when no one else is.  I have never met a dog as loyal as Kira.

Geneva--ADOPTED!!!

Geneva, Shepherd/ Lab Cross, Adult, Female

10.  She blends together the loyalty of the shepherd with the outgoing friendliness of the Lab which has molded her into the perfect family companion dog.

9.  She is a great jogging companion and has beautiful leash manners.  How much better does it get than that!

8. She gives gentle hugs when you ask her to or when she is unsure of herself. She'll place her front paws gently around your waist and just bury her face into your stomach.

7. She is so much fun to watch play.  She entertains herself when you give her a squeaky toy or a ball to play with.  She pounces around like a cat, hopping gracefully, then grabs the toys and runs in a circle around the yard.

6. She has some of the softest, snuggliest fur I have ever touched.  I love to hug her just because she is so soft she feels like a stuffed animal.

5. She gets along with all the other dogs and cats she meets.  She lives with other dogs of all sizes and gets along with them all.  She loves the dog park with a passion and spends her nights sharing a dog bed with her foster brother.

4.  Her house manners are second to none.  She is housetrained, not a barker, not a chewer, reliable off leash once attached, knows some basic commands. 

3. She LOVES kids.  More than anything else she loves the kids and will let them do anything to her.  She simply just loves their attention

2. She has amazing potential to be a therapy dog.

1. While she is not the dog everyone gravitates to at first because of the separation anxiety, in the right home, she is amazing and her potential is endless.  You can do anything with her: therapy work, obedience and she is a great companion and family pet to boot.

Bailey--ADOPTED!!!!

Bailey, Beagle/Basset Hound Cross, Adult, Female

 

10. It always makes me laugh when I hear people say hounds don't bond to people since Bailey is absolutely the proof of how wrong that is.  She has bonded hard to many of us here and us to her.

9. She loves kids, just absolutely LOVES them. 

8. She is hilarious, a total goofball who can put a smile on anyone's face.  She spends a good 20 minutes a day rolling on her back on a dog bed, grunting, tail wagging, and snorting.  Then she looks at you upside down like "why don't you crazy humans do this when you lay down in bed, you know you want to!"

7. She's smart.  Not your typical smart dog in terms of learning tricks but people smart.  Bailey seems to know who needs a laugh, who needs a snuggle and will seek them out to cheer them up.  She is smart to learn things to, especially with food involved.

6. When she chases squirrels around the backyard like a tough dog.  She stalks them, slinks through the grass, and then flies out after them baying.  Once they are gone, she prances around like she just chased off the most evil thing ever and she is so proud of herself.

5. I love her stub tail.  It makes me laugh to see a stub tail on a beagle mix and when she wags she wags her entire butt as fast as she possibly can, throwing her completely off balance most of the time.

4. Bailey is terrific with other dogs.  She loves them all.  I love that her best friends are Chauncey and Jenner.  Bailey has been such a huge part of helping to teach them to become normal dogs.  She loves them and they love her.  Those 3 look like the odd couple running around the yard together but she has brought out the best in Chauncey and Jenner and helped them to shed quite a bit of that shyness. 

3.  Bailey is super friendly.  She thinks it is her job to meet everyone on walks and who doesn't want to meet her?  She is great with every person she meets and they are instantly her friend.  In
about 2 seconds she is on her back looking for a belly rub.  Never in her life has Bailey met a stranger.

2.  She is always, always happy.  I have never seen Bailey have a bad day or even a bad minute. 

1. I love how to her, being deaf is not at all a disability.  She doesn't care one bit that she can't hear and is no different than any other dog.  I can't believe that people pass her over simply because she is deaf.