Chicken Soup for the Rescued Bichon Lover's Soul

[Karen xo]

Luana & Scruffy's story

Oh Luana your story of how Scruffy found you & your hubby Cliff was really lovely!   Thank god for Cliff throwing Scruffy that cookie or he mighta moved away before you got home!! 


11 wonderful years together & Im sure you treasure every moment!

for sharing it with us


I had a good giggle at this..... 

He said that he didn't want to deal with the vet bills and I told him I would take care of the vet bills if he would give him a bath.  HE SAID OK!! 

Best deal ya ever made [/size]

Susan & Wrigley's story

Susan for sharing your story of how you came to adopt Wrigley with us again


I enjoyed re-reading all your coaxing of Lance   They always give in, in the end


If Im honest Im kinda pleased Vito got to stay with his bro   & in the end your family especially Renoir have ended up with the perfect new addition WRIGLEY   & from the photos we have seen he has wriggled right into your hearts


I look forward to following Wrigley's progress in his new forever home


& now you & Lance are considering FOSTERING.....    Truly inspirational 

Luana & Charlie's story

Luana, after losing your beloved Scruffy it is amazing that you & Cliff opened your hearts to another bichon rescue!


It was wonderful reading, how with a little help from your friend you found Yoda Charlie


Thank heavens you can persuade that hubby of yours round to your way of thinking with your sweet talkin... that you first used on Scruffy to get him inside


You have both done so much for Charlie from vet visits to training   & I know how much of a shock it was to find out that your little guy was older if anything that'll just make ya him all the more!  Even if your little guy is stuck in his ways.... I know how much you him

Thanks again for your lovely stories.......... 

[Terri]

I COMPLETELY LOVE THIS THREAD!
Everybody's stories are so touching.
I can't imagine finding a "Scruffy" little furball in the snow. It was meant to be!
You gave him a wonderful life filled with love. 
Now you have Charlie! It's Awesome!
I feel like with Wrigley, we all got to enjoy the process of his arrival![/size]

Thank you!!
to all rescuers! I so will rescue when I'm able to get another. No doubt about it!

[/font][/size]

[SuperMax (Susan)]

  Awww, Luana, I just read Charlie's story and it really makes me so proud   to know people like you  that take on these fluffs.. even with their "problems" and give them such love , understanding and forever homes! 

Thank you so much for sharing Charlie's story too! 

[deVebre]

Waldo was rescued June 23rd.  Our local humane society had gotten 25 small dogs from a raid in Ga.  I had my heart set on a cute little Schnauzer.  I brought my other dog, Jack(lab mix) to see how they got along.  Not well at all.  I was ready to come home when I decided to walk through the regular adoption kennel.  Waldo was a mess.  His hair was long, matted, and stained.  He had a 4 inch cut down the middle of his back and his hair was shaved there.  I brought him in the socialization room to meet Jack.  We were all home within the hour.

The first week I kept saying I couldn't believe no one had reported him missing.  By the second week I was sure someone had thrown him out.  He peed and pooped in the house.  He dug out under the fence in a matter of minutes. 

We've completely resolved the housebreaking issue.  We fixed the fence so he can't dig out.  He's learned to sit.  We started obedience tonight.  The only thing he seemed to know was grooming.  He'll go to sleep while I'm drying him.  I

I can't imagine being without him.

[Luana]

  Karen, Terri, Susan, and Del.  But I don't think I did anything any of you wouldn't have done under the circumstances.

DeVebre, nice story and kudos to you for rescuing    With lots of TLC you will have him back good as new in no time    and he will have you wrapped around his little paws.   Keep up the good work. 

[natalie]

What wonderful, heart-warming stories!  You really are angels.

I love this thread!

[BenjisMommy]

Thank you for sharing Waldo's story with us.... 

I am soo happy we have people like you in this world 

[JenBow]

Wow...I love hearing everyone's stories.  DeVebre, it sounds like you found a diamond in rough!  Good for you for adopting Waldo even though he wasn't the prettiest one there. 

I was asked to share Chase's story here...but I didn't have a lot to do with his rescue.  For the first five years of his life, Chase lived in a tiny cage with another male bichon.  With only one bowl of food, they were forced to complete for nourishment.  He was only let out of his cage when he was needed for breeding.  He was never held, never petted, never groomed and never loved.  After all this torture, the miller decided that bichons were no longer profitable for him (this is a good thing...it means people aren't buying bichons from pet stores and puppy mills) and he needed to make room for a more profitable breed.  Chase would either be sold to another puppy mill for more years of this torture or taken out back and shot (and no, I'm not kidding). But lo and behold....Small Paws to the rescue!  Small Paws got Chase and nine other bichons out of this mill.  His hair was matted beyond help and he was malnourished.  He was completely shaved and taken to the vet where he received the works...teeth cleaning, heartworm tests, vaccinations.  He was kept there for three weeks to make sure he didn't have any contagious diseases and then he made the long journey from Oklahoma to Ohio to live with me and Gunner.  Now, he's gained weight, he gets groomed everyday, and he has a new best friend and tons of toys to play with as long as he wants.  He loves going on walks...he would literally walk for ten miles if I let him.  I think he's making up for lost time.  Even though he is 5 years old, he really does have the heart of a puppy.  He will live the good life with me and Gunner until some lucky family adopts him.

October 9th UPDATE: After more than two months of caring for Chase, I decided that I just couldn't let him go.  He is now permanently residing with me and Gunner in Ohio.

[Luana]

Oh my God, Jen!!    I can't imagine treating a dog like that!!    That person should be shot, not the dog!  :2guns:  So very glad you got him to love and care for.     How on earth are you going to be able to give him up for adoption???   

[BenjisMommy]

Jen.. it breaks my heart to hear that Chase had such a terrible first five years........  This man should be killed.......... preferably attacked by a bunch of pitbulls  I wish something more could be done about these puppy mills........ they really need to be put to an end..

Thank you for sharing your story... you really are a HERO 

[snowangel]

Snow Angel and her Mom ,  Our Story!!!



I had always wanted a Bichon, from the first time I saw one in a Dog Show, I just fell in love with them  and said, I have to get one of those one day. 

I could not have a dog while I was married to my first husband , but after the divorce and when I found the man of my dreams , I was finally getting to a place that we could get a dog one day and one day soon, I could not wait!!!

One day, my husband and I were going to go to Home Depot to fix up the house, when I saw some puppies in a pet store right next to Home Depot!!
I asked him if I could go look in the pet store, while he goes to Home Depot to get what he needed.  He said, of course you can, so I did!!

I saw the cute puppies playing in the front of the store, but I did not see a Bichon and the others, though they were cute, just were not what I was looking for.  I walked around the store and made my way to the back, when,  there they are "Bichon Puppies"  !!    I could not believe it, they were so cute

I asked the girl that worked there if I could see one of them.  She bought out the cutest tiniest little baby girl I have ever seen!!!
I held her in my arms and I was instantly in love with her.   I could not put her down for anything!!   The sales girl said I have more for you to look at and hold if you want.   I said NO I have found the one I love already!!!   She said that one is sort of small and the others seem to be a little bigger, I said no, that is ok, I love this one!!

Well, at that time my hubby came in and I said HUN!, can you believe it???  I found her, the dog of my dreams!!!   I felt like a little girl, talking to her daddy and I said , can we get her???    He smiled and said are you sure, are you sure this is the one and I said Yes!!

So that was it, we paid for her, got her food , collar, leash , a couple toys and a crate.  We all got in the car and started home.

Poor Snowy was shaking and so tiny, I tried to keep her close to me as we drove home.  She seemed so listless and tired , I was worried about her.   

When we got home, almost right away she started making a horrible sound , I called the pet store and they said she is probably hiccupping, new babies do that alot and try not to worry!!

Well, the whole weekend she just kept on doing it and finally on Monday, I called the Vet.    We took our baby in and what had me worried became true.  She was very sick, she had what the Vet said was Kennel Cough

We had to give her medicine to start , to see if she would start to feel better and gain some weight, since she was just too small for her size.  After about 2 weeks, she was getting worse and was not gaining, only about 1 oz. So we had to have Xrays done of her lungs.  At that time we were told she had pneumonia!!!    I was really worried then.  They told us to buy  a nebulizer to help her breath and continue on some stronger meds.   She was still not really getting much better, though she was better then she had been.  So we were told that they could do a Trans Tracial Wash, which would clean out her lungs and help her to heal faster.   

So here she is our tiny angel and we had to take her in for surgery already!!!   Now we were both so worried and so was Snowy's new family, we all prayed hard she would be ok.   She came through the surgery well and we were able to bring her home!!   Boy, was I glad to see her and hold her again!!!

Finally about 1 1/2 months after the surgery, Snowy was gaining weight fairly well and eating much better.   She was even starting to look so much happier and healthier    After months of different medicines , surgery and daily breathing with a mask and nebulizer , with medicine in it, she was finally getting better

I was so glad     and  she was even so much more playful then she had been too, it was so nice and we were all soooooo happy

Today, you would never guess that Snowy went through any of that    She is a beautiful baby that is about to be 2 years old this year and she has brought such joy to us all!!!!   We just love her!!!

And that is my story!!!   The story of our Sweet Snow Angel!!!   I forgot to add that we found out that Snowy was from a puppy mill and then sent to the Pet Store!!

 

Snow Angel and Mom

 

[snowangel]

The stories I read were so beautiful and heartwarming!!!    WE have our name on a list for rescued Bichon's , they have not been available in our area yet though.  WE may have to travel to get one, but that would be ok


I hope it was ok to put Snowys story on here, since she was not really a rescue dog, we just had to get her through how sick she was, the rest was easy!!

God Bless

hugs

Snow Angels Mom

[Luana]

What a wonderful story Snow Angel's mom.    I would definitely call that a rescue.  Anyone else may not have been able to do all that you did for her and her outcome could have been very different.   

You too are an angel for doing so much for her 

[JaBoogie]

What alot you had to go through to have your Snowy .....good on ya for not giving up on her.

Thanks for sharing your story with all of us.

[BenjisMommy]

Poor SNOWY went through so much as a pup  .......... If it wasn't for you who knows how she would end up.... I definately think you rescued her