April 2008 Second Chance Dog

Our second Second Chance dog is Phoenix, a Saint Bernard who is currently at Saint Bernard Rescue of New England. We've attached his story and picture here. Please contact the people at SBRNE for more information on Phoenix.

You have to wonder how a human (term used loosely here) can be so cruel to an innocent, WONDERFUL dog. Phoenix has had it VERY rough in his two short years. He's been starved. He's been hit. He's been spoken to harshly. He has spent his whole life since he was a little puppy tethered to a tree in the backyard by a plastic-coated wire cable. The dog grew. The cable stayed the same size. You know the rest. The cable was embedded TWO INCHES into his neck. The wound was disgusting and has required three surgeries to remove all the dead tissue. (We have included the pictures here, here and here, but be warned the are VERY graphic and disturbing.)It's finally healing nicely and he'll have no ill effects.

Phoenix is a tall boy but is 25 pounds underweight; we're working on packing some weight on him. He has completed four weeks of antibiotics to treat Lyme disease. Phoenix has gotten his spark back. He runs. He frolics. He loves to give kisses. The joy is returning to his eyes. Though he's made remarkable progress he still has a way to go. Phoenix will need to be neutered before placement; we're just waiting for him to get a little stronger and heavier. The successful candidate will have a fenced yard and will be committed to completing formal obedience with Phoenix. Interested in meeting him? He's a joy. Someone's going to be VERY lucky to share their lives with this special boy.

Phoenix is going to receive a Diamond collar and Leash, as well as a collar charm and a gift certificate for an ID tag for when he arrives at his forever home, which makes the Diamond the featured collar for April. For all purchases of the Diamond this month, 15% goes to SBRNE, to help fund rescue.

January 2008 Second Chance Dog

Our first Second Chance dog is Sandy, a Mastiff who is currently at Great Lakes Mastiff Rescue. We've attached her story and picture here. Please contact the people at GLMR for more information on Sandy.

Sandy is currently being fostered in Michigan. Sandy is a creamy fawn with slight reddish hue, spayed 2yr old female that came to rescue at 17mos. She is 30" tall at the shoulders and 128lbs and will always stay a leaner great daney type of body. The first pic of Sandy is in her favorite place in the world, all snuggled up with a blankie on the couch. :-)

Sandy and her litter brother grew up together and spent all their time crated or with each other. Unfortunately, that meant Sandy never bonded to people and was pathologically shy. Everything was new to Sandy and her reaction was to run to the farthest point she could reach, screaming, pooping and peeing the whole way. With intensive conditioning and training from a professional, Sandy is now house broken, completely crate trained, and has learned good house manners (except she still takes possession of one end of the couch for her own). She occasionally will still chew up things left lying around, but if she has her chew nylabone or dynabone or kong, she is very good. Sandy knows come and sits promptly in front, sits, and downs on command. She is learning wait and stay and has learned to enjoy taking walks with another dog. Now that she likes walks, she's learning all over again not to pull but to stay with you. Sandy is good with quiet children and other dogs and cats, although she does chase the wild bunny in my yard.

She must have a fenced in yard because very strange, scary things can still cause her to run away in terror and in those instances, she will not come on command and would never let a stranger approach her.

Sandy is very affectionate and gentle. She has the sweetest face and not an aggressive bone in her body. She is very good at the vet and goes into pet stores with just some slight reluctance. She will always be reticent and shy, but if not pushed, she takes her time to evaluate the situations and then will insert herself into the people group for quiet pets. She readily comes to you if you are seated or on the floor but is still reluctant to approach strangers, especially when they are standing. She has become a great watch dog for the yard and will bark and hackles up at strange noises in the house and yard, but is sweet and calm as soon as she sees what the noise and/or person is.

Sandy will always be afraid of new situations and people, but her reactions are now to just pull to the end of the leash and wait. There is still a possibility of Sandy peeing and/or pooping if she is terrified again, but this has not happened in foster for months. She has a permanent fear of doorways of all types. So caution should always be made when going in and out as she is reluctant and tends to rush through them to the end of her leash. She only needs a martingale collar as she is HIGHLY intelligent and trainable. Sandy had never had her nails cut when she came into rescue so it took time to get them short enough to walk normally. She has to have them cut every 2 weeks and is still nervous of the process.

Sandy is going to receive a Mint Metro Floral Collar and Leash, as well as a collar charm and a gift certificate for an ID tag for when she arrives at her forever home, which makes the Mint Metro the featured collar for January. For all purchases of the Mint Metro this month, 15% goes to GLMR, to help fund rescue.