Cute as a Button ...our first Red Ribbon dog
The St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a not-for-profit dog rescue organization specializing in older dogs but taking in and finding homes for dogs of all ages...even puppies. Meet and adopt your new best friend 11 to 3 Saturday and 11 to 2 Sunday, February 4 and 5 at the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh, and 11 to 3 Saturday, February 4 in the St. Louis McKenzie Petco . To see which dogs will be there as well as other adoptable dogs (and to check out our Red Ribbon dogs (no fee to senior citizens), go Here.
I love sharing good news. Button (aka Cute as a Button) is our first Red Ribbon Dog. She's been waiting for the right home for quite awhile, and it looks like she's found it. Her new guardians are senior citizens who qualified for the Purina Pets for People grant which covered her adoption fee.
So far things are going well although Button has been a little shy. She has given up a few kisses though and nibbled thoughtfully on a yummy piece of cheese. Button was one of several dogs we took from a breeding facility that was shutting down.
Our other Red Ribbon dogs adopted in the past few days are Ghostie Girl the shih tzu, Patrik, a westie mix, and Paul Simon, a rottweiller. We still have money left in the Purina grant to cover more Red Ribbon dogs, so if you're a senior citizen or know one, look on our website to see our Red Ribbon Dogs.
And we celebrated other adoptions. Charlotte the redbone coonhound is now adopted as are the nine puppies she came to us with. Also adopted are Cookie the cocker spaniel, Marcus the cockapoo, Bitsee the poodle, Ivy the pomeraian, Chloe the yellow lab, Kimora Lee the shih tzu, and Honey the cavalier puppy.
And I've received good news about some of our former adoptions, such as Kokomo, a 4-year-old miniature schnauzer adopted a year ago. I remember her. She was a frightened puppymil dog who was trying very hard to be brave. She found a new home, but for awhile her new mom Ginny was pretty discouraged. One night she couldn't even catch the dog to bring her inside. But Ginny didn't give up. Now a year later, she reports that Kokomo, now Sasha, has come a long ways.
"When I first adopted her she was very afraid of everyone and ran in the opposite direction when anyone approached her. She couldn't walk on a leash and was more comfortable being alone that being with people."
A year has passed and Kokomo is now Sasha. She knows several commands: sit, stay, down, up, off and is working on come. She can now walk on a leash. "She is very smart and eager to please. She has learned to appreciate treats and even plays with some toys. She is very sweet and even gives kisses. She gets along great with Simon, my westie, too. He has become her mentor, and she follows him everywhere. Sasha is truly a gift, and I hope that other people that rescue puppymill dogs can have a similar experience of watching their pet blossom."
Not every dog that comes from a breeder is a puppymill dog, but Kokomo/Sasha fit the description. When I brought her home from a dog auction, I was afraid I'd made a mistake. I thought she might be unfixable.
Sometimes it's good to be wrong. Here's Kokomo when she was still with me.
I've also heard about Tippy, Bear/Barry, Blossom and others. So more good news to come.
We can all learn a lot from Ginny - if she had just given up we wouldn't have this happy outcome. Sometimes it just takes time - a lot of time and a lot of patience but you end up with the best dog ever!! Good going - happy for all!! Love the good news.
Posted by: Edie | February 02, 2012 at 09:14 AM