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All the Pet Haven animals that need or have found homes.

Bella - 612

This is how long Bella has been in foster care. Now, if you think about it she was born Oct 27th, 2007, and came into Pet Haven on July 27, 2009. She has been with Pet Haven for half her life.

Bella was never socialized when she was young and when she came into our home, we knew we had work to do. The first adoption event she attended was a problem - she went crazy! You could have held a T-Bone in front of her face and she wouldn't have even seen it....strange I know! There the work began!

We started out slowly with teaching her how to not get so excited when entering a pet store.

Then we attended basic obedience and this little girl Showed she was a PRO! Though she was very excitable going into the class, you could get her attention and she did what was needed to get the treat! She passed basic obedience with flying colors. This little girl is a smarty pants (most rat terriers are highly intelligent and will do almost anything to please).

Next on list, Dog to Dog Aggression. She was so excited because she was never taken out of her house and, as a result, she never learned the proper rules of greeting another dog. Again, after 6 weeks, the improvement of this little girl was great!

Then it was on to Dog to Human aggression. Bella absolutely loves men (she has been called a little "hussy" quite a few times) and as long as there was no eye contact, she does like to smell people (and bark at the same time). But once the eye contact and hands came down, the excitement set in. You can almost hear what is going on in her brain. "I'm scared... I like people... wait I don't like people... wait I do... CONFUSED!" She will let people pet her. She will give a little "GRR" but not move away. She's just not sure. But, of course, if it is a man...watch out, that little butt and nubbin of a tail will start wiggling REALLY fast!

Currently we are attending Doggie play group every Sunday! She started off behind the curtain of a doggy pen and slowly graduated to taking off the curtain to watch the other dogs play. then it was dogs being put in the pen with her - some interested; others not so much as they were giving off the "get me outta here" vibe! Last Sunday we got to the point where she was actually out of the "pen" for about 30min! Which is AWESOME - Though she thinks she is the FUN Police. The dogs will be playing and making noise. She will run after them barking and then stop a couple feet away, turn around and come back looking at me as if to say, "Mom, I told them to k knock it off!"

We are very proud of how far we have come with this little gal! Although she will never be perfect, it is amazing how far she has come with learning things she never knew before. I am proud to say that we can now go to adoption events and she does pretty good! There are still a few outbursts, but with continued training and praise (and FOOD!), we are sure that she will keep improving. Many of the fosters and employees of Chuck and Don's are very impressed with all the progress she has made.

So why is she still with us? Some people tell us she thinks that she is already home. Maybe she acts up at events because she wants to stay with us. Like I said, she's really smart. We on the other hand feel we have done our best to prepare her for her forever home. Someone that can enjoy her like we do!

At home she is very different from out in the public. But in public is what a potential adopter sees. People ask if she does not like other dogs? Yes, she does like other dogs. She is more comfortable with 1 or 2 others and she seems to prefer the males (go figure)! She LOVES tennis balls, squeaky toys and will play forever! Once it gets later, she is more than happy to sit next to you and nap while you watch TV. She loves the outside and a nice fenced yard would be her dream (and ours)! Summer means lots of walks and her new favorite activity is running alongside the bike! Those little legs can go like nobody's business. If you stop to have her do her business, she WILL tell you she wants to keep running!

Kids under 10 may be to much for her. There were 4 kids (ages 2-9) in her first home and it didn't go really well, especially with the younger ones. Once she gets to know people she remembers them! She gets along pretty well with our resident dog, Butch (also a rat terrier). Sometimes she thinks she can boss him around and you will catch her with her body turned one way and her eyes the other. You can tell she is just waiting for the opportunity to jump him when he isn't expecting it - just to be a pain! Of course they have their little scraps, but they're dogs and stuff happens - it's never serious, and in a couple minutes they are pals again!

She loves her kennel and she is usually in it daily while we are at work. We have tested her with having the run of the house for up to 4 hours and she does fine (just make sure that if there is any food in the garbage that it is securely put away - along with any Kleenex and Q-tips). She is housetrained, but if you don't pay attention to her she may have an accident. Imagine you being in a house with 4 kids, I can bet there was times that she was ignored when she did have to go and she just went inside. As far as sleeping arrangements go, she would prefer to be in your bed obviously, but will sleep in a bed on the floor in your room - you just have to tell her to go there!

Hey, I know - Remember the dog that was going to be sent out in the mail? How many people wanted to adopt that dog? There were hundreds! Yet, here sits sweet little Bella, still waiting for her forever home. Maybe we should pull a stunt like that - will that get her adopted?

Bella's Top 10

1. BALLS!

2. Curling up in foster mom's coat to take a nap!

3. Protecting the front of the house (though my mom and dad don't like that!)

4. Barking at squirrels and bunnies when I look out the front window

5. Q-tips

6. Going for walks!

7. Toys (who doesn't..especially when you can rip out the stuffing!!)

8. Sleeping in the "big bed" and hogging it! (so they say!)

9. Kitchen Garbage

10. My new favorite, the laundry basket!!!

Charlie the Chihuahua Update

Oh Charlie! What a sweet little old man ... once you get to know him! :-)

Charlie came to PetHaven in Feb of '08, then came to our place in May of '08. For such a small package - WATCHOUT!!! Poor Charlie had been neglected for quite sometime until he found his way to PetHaven. Charlie was scared of people due to how he was treated and after 8yrs of life, his world had been turned upside down again!

Some good food, a good teeth cleaning and a lot of leadership, we came to love Charlie. He was our little old man around the house. He loved to just lay under blankets so you really had to pay attention when you sat down. A little over month after we had him, we had a couple very interested in him. We thought there was no way ........ but after some visits and leadership training, he found his forever home and is COMPLETELY loved and SPOILED!!

Now-a-days he spends his time sunning himself in which ever room the sun is shining in and he has a bed in each of those rooms, too! Quite a difference from the life he came from!

Charlie was also a picky eater. I guess in his old age, he figured out what the 'finer' food in life was...and for him it was Nature's Balance and nothing else. Though the funny thing is he liked the $2 marrow bone treats. Now that has always had us confused.

Charlie came for a sleepover in early June, he came back to celebrate Butch's birthday with him

which we all enjoyed! Of course, I had to go buy him his favorite treats!

He is definately living the life of luxury with "champagne wishes and caviar dreams!"

Ginger Update

Our sweet Ginger found her forever home on May 5, 2009. She follows in the footsteps of a Greyhound and word has it she acts very similar to their greyhound. We suspect Ginger was Italian Greyhound/Terrier mix. She is living the good life of windows that are at her height. She even has a nice black leather ottoman in front of one of the windows with a great view of some woods where there are lots of squirrels to watch run. Mom is very active and likes to take her on runs which I am sure Ginger just loves. She has attached herself to her big sister, but still sometimes barks at big brother, yet will go lay next to him the next minute. Since her adoption she did come back and spend a week with us in June while her family was out of town. Danny even kicked Butch out of the house just so he could see his Ginger again! When we got Ginger we were told she had aggression to men but all she had for Danny is snuggles and kisses!

We miss Ginger but now has found her forever family that she so rightly deserved~

Ginger

Hi!

It's me again! I am still at a foster home...which I really like, but would like to find a home of my own. Me and foster mommy went to the Burnsville Petco for adoption day on the 18th, everyone thought I was cute! But still with my foster mom and dad!

I got to experience the dog park, holy buckets is that the funest place in the WHOLE WORLD!!! I get to run around and get in the middle of the big dogs that are playing, though they don't much want me in the middle of them! If someone throws a ball for another dog I try to race them for it! I don't really want the ball I just want to run...heehee~! Foster mom and dad have been getting me and the resident dog out daily, whether it be for walks and or the dog park so it has been great!

If you are looking for an active dog ...that IS me. I like to do lots of stuff! I like most people, though am still a little shy of men but I love all the men around me so I just need a little time to get used to them. If you are interested email my foster mommy at ljbsassy@yahoo.com and she will tell you all you want to know about me... especially how I like to nuzzle my head under your chin for lovin's!

xoxoxo

Ginger

My name is Ginger

Hi!

My name is Ginger and I am looking for a good home...of my own! I am a terrier mix of sort, and can run like the wind! I am looking for someone who is going to take me on daily walks and even trips to a dog park. That would be awesome!

I would rather not be in a home with really young kids as they sometimes kind of wierd me out! I am a little shy around boys, so if they just give me time eventually I will WANT them to love me! I like nothing more than to cuddle my head under your chin for LOTS of petting! I LOVE to look out the window, so you MUST have a window I can look out of. Right now my foster parents have this cool step stool that I can walk up and look right out the window and watch for bunnies and deer! It is so fun!

I have attached a picture of myself, though I don't really like the camera but this is one of the good ones.

Just wanted to get myself out there....I will write more later, foster mom has a treat for me and I better get it before my foster brother does!

Gingy