Aspen Lost In Clearwater Florida

UPDATE: Aspen has been found and back home with her family!

This girl ran from the dog sitter’s home. Please cross post. I believe the area is Clearwater/North Pinellas county. If you find her or have any leads, Deonna (owner) can be contacted at 724-622-8900. Thanks!

Aspen has run away while staying at a friend’s house while I went home over spring break!! I have enclosed two pictures and am hoping you can post something so people stay on the lookout for her. She doesn’t have an ID tag on her but she does have on a flea and chain collar. She is very timid, especially so with men so I don’t think she’ll actively approach anyone. She was last seen in the apartment complex on Hammock Pine Blvd off US Highway 19. She is microchiped. There are fliers posted and I have called all local shelters. Aspen is a beautiful blue merle.

Aspen Lost In Clearwater Florida

Sadie

I was sent an adoption application the other day for one of our latest additions to the ARPH family, Sadie, she is a little 8 week old blue merle puppy, she is deaf, and her family wanted someone to take her, so we did, she will be a great addition to the family that adopts her, she will be lucky, and she will more then likely live till she heads to rainbow bridge with the same family.

But there is another dog that may not, her name is Gemma, she was a private referral that I personally went and met, she wasn’t an Aussie, not even close enough to say she was “Aussie Enough” so I couldn’t take her into our program. She was a mix, with CattleDog and probably some Red Tri Aussie in there for good measure. She is/was a very happy little girl, energetic, and to me was ready to deliver all the love 10 families could handle. I said I could place this girls as a private referral, and hope that someone would see her and fall for her.

Gemma

Someone did, today, and I thought we had a possible match, only to find out that her family couldn’t keep her any longer, she was too much dog, and this in no way reflects on the family that had her, things just happen. Sadly only 4 days before I got the call of a family interested in Gemma, her current family had to take her to the shelter and surrender her there. I hope that Gemma gets adopted, but chances for most dogs in a shelter are poor to almost not going to happen.

In the email from the family wanting Sadie, they had a poem in their signature, and I thought it was so fitting to how dogs think, and I am sure how Gemma thinks.

‘People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life — like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right? Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.‘
So live like a dog:
Live simply; Love generously; Care deeply; Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass..
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY
author unknown

2010 International Kennel Club Cluster of Dog Shows

Friday, February 26th Blackhawk Kennel Club (Unbenched)
Tickets are just Adults $14 ● Seniors (age 62 and Older) $10 ● Children under twelve get in FREE.
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Happy Birthday Hagar

Well today is Hagar’s birthday. Since I didn’t know when he was actually born, I decided it was the day he was rescued from the shelter I pulled him from. Hagar’s story is a tough one, and I have told it before, but will do it again.

Hagar was running wild in Woodford County Illinois for a while when one day he ran across a busy highway and was hit by a car, a county officer saw him get hit, and saw him keep running across an open field. Animal control tried to find him for a week and finally caught him and brought him in. He was supposed to be treated with pain medicine for his injury. Sadly this didn’t happen and he spent 10 days in a dark, cold, concrete cell, with no human contact, no sunlight, and no other dogs to keep him company.

Hagar Doped Up

I went to evaluate him and was horrified by his conditions and the fact that he wasn’t treated for his injury. Hagar was paralyzed from his mid-back on, he couldn’t stand on his hind-end, only balance on his front paws. He also was not able to hold his bowels and was loaded with worms. It was a very scary 20 minute ride to my vet’s office, who wasn’t open for another hour, and I was frantically calling over and over, with Hagar crying the whole way.

Hagar was in rough shape

When we arrived, he was still un-able to hold his bodily functions, and the concern was he was going to have major nerve damage. Once on the table we sedated him, and began the process to see what would be the end result, only to have him have a major seizure, something I had never seen before. I was scared with him, and worried I would be requesting he be put to sleep to ease his pain. My rep at the time said that they made little wheelchairs for dogs, and my vet felt he deserved a chance to recover. So it was decided to dope him up, keep him immobile for 2 weeks to allow the swelling to recede, he had a broken back, and was in a spot that was probably the worst place for a dog to suffer a broken back.

I took him home, stopping at Petsmart to buy a special crate that allowed access to him from every angle. The next 2 weeks I came home at lunch and checked up on him, changed his bedding and gave him medicine and sat with him. I set goals for this little black tri:

• He had to eat, and drink
• He had to hold his bowels and bladder
• He had to sit up, he had to stand
• He had to crawl
• He had to walk
• He had to run
• He had to bark
• …And he had to wiggle his butt like any good and happy Aussie would do

Hagar Healed

Then I would consider him healed, and ready for a foster home in Chicago, only he never made it that far, I failed, and I failed big time, he wasn’t going to go anywhere, he had met and exceeded every goal, and became part of my pack, and now a year later, Hagar’s having a birthday, he is not only getting pizza, along with him brother’s Cruise and Mocha, he is now officially my Aussie, I adopted Hagar today, 1 year after that fateful day in February of 2009.

Welcome home Hagar!

Meet Walter, he needs a foster home

Illinois is in need of more foster homes. If you are able to provide an extra bed, some extra time, and lots of love, we could use your skills. We are always taking new Aussies into our program, many will be euthanized if we can’t find homes to place them in, and many are so scared from being with a family from puppyhood to then find themselves 3 years later taken to a shelter, and listening to the cries of other dogs now abandoned and left to die.

So if you can help, we would welcome it, we can also offer food to off-set the costs when we have extra food on hand, all medical expenses are covered, we just need your home to save this wonderful breed from what is a certain death.

Complete an application today and see just how rewarding being a foster home can be, and teach the lesson of life to your family. Foster Home Application

ARPH # 12002 Ozzy

Ozzy is a handsome black-tri Aussie who is estimated to be around 3 years old. He came to ARPH after being abandoned and taken in by a cat rescue.

Topping Ozzy’s list of favorite things to do is going for car rides, taking walks and playing fetch. You might even think he doesn’t like riding in a car because he gets so excited he just quivers all over. And when the leash comes out and his foster mom puts on her coat, he’s so happy he just spins around in circles and gives lots of butt wiggles. His favorite “toys” include a purple stuffed animal that he carries around with him and a red blanket that he likes to drag around behind him—he is very gentle with both of these items and does not chew them up.

ARPH # 12002 Ozzy

Ozzy is quite food motivated and can catch a treat from across the room or steal one out of your pocket if you aren’t paying attention. He is also very much a velcro Aussie who follows his foster mom everywhere, occasionally nudging her arm for some petting. He is crate trained but prefers sleeping on the floor next to his foster mom’s bed or sometimes even under the bed.

ARPH # 12002 Ozzy

Ozzy is continuing to learn how to trust his foster family when it comes to his toys and his food—and he has yet to figure out how to play with the other dogs in the home. He is usually the first to bark to let you know the mailman or another delivery person has arrived, but does not show any aggression toward them and is well behaved with visitors to his foster home.

He is fully vetted, neutered, up-to-date on all shots and micro-chipped, and is currently enjoying walks in the woods in Bloomington, IL.

Learn more about Ozzy and all the other great Aussies in Illinois

ARPH # 11745 Royal

What a beautiful, unusual looking boy! Royal is only 10 months old and weighs 30 lbs.—a vibrant blue merle guy with a soft curly coat of fur, dazzling blue eyes and yes, A TAIL! His appearance is striking and his sweet puppy face and big ears bring compliments constantly from the people he meets.

Royal is a happy-go-lucky pup who loves to ‘hang with his people’ when he isn’t off playing with other dogs. Here is a guy who will play energetically all day long…so it would be great if he could join another dog family with a pet who has the same level of enthusiasm. He enjoys doggy daycare 3 days a week—and there hasn’t been another dog that he has met that he doesn’t like. At the end of a long day of playing Royal will cuddle up super close on the couch for a quick puppy style nap.

ARPH # 11745 Royal

Royal is somewhat hesitant around strangers and barks at unfamiliar sounds. His ability to walk well on a leash is improving, and he is housebroken—only needing frequent visits outdoors to insure there are not any accidents on the carpet. He is great with cats who want to play with him. Royal is crate-trained and loves rides in the car. Consider Royal if you are interested in a dog for agility training—his energy level would be perfect for this.

Learn more about Royal and all our Aussies in Illinois

ARPH # 12091 Chew Chew

Have you been craving the perfect companion? If so, then meet Chew!

Here is a 1-2 year old red merle male who was found on a Good Samaritan’s doorstep—anxiously looking for a warm place to sleep. We don’t know much about this handsome boy’s background, but we can vouch for his desire to please and love his human companions. Chew is always sure to greet you with a smile, a kiss to say hello and is constantly at your side.

Chew has an abundance of young dog energy and likes to play all day if you are up to it! He loves to engage all of his male and female foster siblings, and interacts well with all of them. He can run lightning fast and jumps while playing. A ball, a Frisbee….any toy will do!

ARPH # 12091 Chew Chew

This beautiful redhead weighs 50 lbs, is neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, is heartworm negative and is micro-chipped. Chew has multi-colored eyes and absolutely drop dead gorgeous merle markings and already has learned sit and stay. His foster family is working on his ‘enthusiastic greeting’ behavior—and he does pull a bit on a leash—but what can we say—he is a young boy who loves life and everyone he meets!

Chew is very sweet with a constant wiggle in his Aussie butt. He will make a wonderful family pet, but due to his high energy level we do currently recommend he be placed with a family experienced with young Aussies.

Learn more about all our Aussies in Illinois ready for a home.

Moose Has His Day!

Our little white puppy named Moose, who came to us the end of January is getting adopted! A big Hi Five, our Moose is graduating from Wossamotta U! He will be with a family that fell for him the day they met him, and I am told feel a true bond. We will be updating you as Moose grows up.

Moose is what is called a “Lethal White” or “Double Merle” Australian Shepherd. Aussie Rescue in IL is proud of Moose and all our special need Aussies.

Way to Go Moose!