Happy Homer 2000!

Meet Homer, Blue Dog’s 2000th rescued dog. What an honor! What a dog!

Homer found his way to Blue Dog through the Bastrop County Animal Shelter where he resided for 5 long months. He was described as “a social butterfly” by the staff, and we have to say it is an accurate description. He’s a charming young dog just happy to spend his days hanging out with his foster family and learning there’s more to life than spending day-after-day alone in a boring kennel while waiting for someone to share his love.

Homer is quickly recovering from Demodex, a treatable and non- contagious skin condition, probably brought on by the stressful circumstances of being homeless and then staying so long in a shelter. He is becoming a handsome boy with a beautiful black and white coat. Homer is a 14-month-old (3/20/13), 54-pound bulldog mix. He is neutered, micro-chipped, and up to-date on all vaccinations. He fits well with his foster family dogs and humans alike. He is crate trained, walks well on a leash, is learning to use manners for treats and meals, and has discovered he is a great swimmer. (Check out his 28-second video.) He is also on week 3 of a 6-week basic training class at The Canine Center for Training and Behavior and is an excellent student who finds class challenging and fun. What can we say? He is a young dog wanting to learn and please his humans and just have a special place in a forever home. If you think you may be the forever family for him, please contact tina@bluedogrescue.com.

4/25/13 Homer Update - Homer has had the Best Week Ever and wants to share the news! First, he joined the fun at The Austin Dog Fair, entered the “I’m So Ugly I’m Cute” contest, and won 3rd Place! The prize—a gift certificate from Midtown Groom and Board. Woohoo! Then tonight, Homer was the spokesman for Blue Dog Rescue at Bark in the Park night at The Round Rock Express game. He got to hang with Spike, Rob and the whole crew there, playing games with fans between innings and sharing Blue Dog information with the crowd. A big thank you to all the members of Team Homer who have contributed to his success: Midtown, The Canine Center of Training and Behavior, Premier Animal Hospital, The Round Rock Express crew, and all his Blue Dog buddies.

Congrats on the 2000th saved life (and saved humans, too). Sending lots of love to Happy Homer 2000! Love, Mark & Lisa

Ruffles

Ruffles is a chameleon of the dog world. She has a huge personality and will be anything you want her to be. Want to sit in and watch a movie? She’ll cuddle on your lap. Need to get some work done around the house? She’ll grab a toy and keep herself busy. Need a running buddy? Strap on her leash and she’s ready for an adventure! She will steal your heart in no time at all. Ruffles is a 2 year old, twenty pound Corgi/Terrier mix. Her size makes her great for apartment living but she also wouldn’t mind burying her rawhides in a big yard. If you are interested in meeting Ruffles, please email lisa@bluedogrescue.com.

Thanks to Chris Bratton for helping the dogs.
A donation to Blue Dog has been made In Memory of Buddy Baldwin

Mayo

There are some dogs that come along that really make a foster wonder, "what the heck happened to you?" Mayo is one of those dogs, in the best way possible. It took four hours of shaving off matted fur until the true him fully emerged. Mayo seems to have enjoyed the wilds of Texas the last couple months (at least) but he has now been reborn into the sweetest, happiest guy around. This guy doesn't know a stranger be it person, cat or dog. He fits the description of "small dog" in that he loves curling up in his foster's lap. He even sleeps in the bed....needless to say he's a spoiled yet grounded pup. Mayo is a 10 pound, year oldish Shih Tzu. Due to his small, fragile frame he would do best in a home with older children. Check out his transformation here http://imgur.com/a/qNAoL . If you are interested in Mayo, please contact his foster at nick@bluedogrescue.com.

Thanks to Carolyn Muise for supporting Blue Dog.
In loving memory of Lance Miller Paulsen, cherished companion of LeAnn and Jon Paulsen.

Genius

His name says it all, he is a Genius. All the other dogs at the shelter were barking and jumping non stop. There sat Genius the perfect gentleman. He gave a his tail a nice wag, and then play bowed, to let you know that he is, a fun dog. But also a dog who has has perfect manners, and he does. It didn't take long for his foster Mom to figure out he was a Genius. So home he went that day and has been a joy in his foster home. He is friendly with all dogs and even ignores the cat. He is around ten years old and weighs eighteen pounds. He would like a home were he can live out his senior years and he only has two requests- lots of love and a soft bed to sleep in each night. If you are looking for a senior friend with wonderful house manners then e-mail lisa@bluedogrescue.com.

In loving memory of Baxter, our best friend and companion.

Charlee

Sweetness. There's really no better word to describe Charlee. This girl has a terribly big heart and would like very much to please everyone around her. Charlee likes learning tricks, going on walks and loves attention. Charlee is a 60 pound, two year-old, Golden Retriever mix. This lady is very smart with a medium energy level. She would do best in a home with structure and calm energy. Although Charlee does fantastic around children, she would do best in a home with kids 8 and up. She would do well as an only dog or with another canine companion. She also has a sweet spot for cats as she currently lives with her cat brother, Toad. If you are interested in Charlee, please contact her foster at emily@bluedogrescue.com emily@bluedogrescue.com.

Gloria sends love - in loving memory of Sydney Lyons
Thanks to Deschutes Brewery for supporting Blue Dog.

Mario Lopez

A good Samaritan found Mario Lopez living under an overpass in rural Martindale. Extremely afraid of humans, he proved a challenge to catch. This good Samaritan refused to give up on saving this sweet boy and decided to set up a live trap in order to get him to safety. Two weeks later he was successfully rescued and Blue Dog accepted him with open arms! He is a true gem-he has a zest for living life to its fullest and born with a heart full of love. He immediately won the heart of Foster Mom’s oldest dog who rarely plays with new dogs. They chase one another around the house and are near each other’s side at all times. And although he loves his play time, he equally loves quiet time with his humans. Maybe because he didn’t have a life around humans or maybe humans didn’t treat him well in the past, he takes his time warming up to people. However, it doesn’t take him long to realize that we’re here to love and adore him. He loves ear scratches and belly rubs from FosterMom and enjoys being near her. You will have no problem winning his heart! He will certainly win yours.

Mario is 2 years old, neutered and up to date on shots, flea & heartworm preventive. Due to his small size (a whopping 6.5 pounds!) he would do best in a home with kids 10 years old or older. You can email mara@bluedogrescue.com to inquire about Mario.

Thanks to Jesus Ontiveros for supporting Blue Dog and showing so much love.
Thanks to the Employees of Oracle, Safeway, Costco, Employees of National Instruments, Employees of IBM, Charles Schwab Foundation, and the Employees of Apple for including Blue Dog in their corporate giving programs.

Did you know that an average of 25% of all dogs in U.S. shelters are purebred? If you have your heart set on a purebred dog, but don't want to contribute to pet overpopulation by buying a dog, check out www.petfinder.org.  Breed-specific rescue groups are another great source--in Texas, there's one for just about every breed!

Hannah Blue

There are no words to describe Miss Hannah Blue. She is special in every way! Hannah was found as a stray in Irving, Texas and spent a month in the shelter before being rescued. She was VERY pregnant. Hannah is a 2 year old Pit Bull mix who gave birth to 8 puppies in November. She has been the best mom (better than we ever imagined) and now she deserves a special home. Hannah is so incredibly sweet and an EXTREME cuddler. She has spent time in a home with kids and other dogs and cats. She has a kind and playful soul and loves all dogs, all kids, all people but doesn't know what to do with cats so probably best if she finds a home without 'em. We adore her and we hope that a perfect home comes this girls way. She deserves it. If interested in adopting Hannah please submit an application or contact liz@bluedogrescue.com.

Lenora

Lenora is a special dog who has had a really hard life. She spent her puppy hood and first year and a half of her life living in horrible conditions at the home of a hoarder. She is now enjoying the good life with lots of warm, comfy beds to snuggle down in at night. Her favorite spot in the house is in her foster Mom's lap.

Lenora is a two year old, twelve pound Chihuahua. She enjoys playing with other dogs, and is good with cats. Her favorite toys are the ones that squeak. If you would like to meet this sweet girl please e-mail lisa@bluedogrescue.com.

A donation has been made to sponsor "Lenora" at Blue Dog Rescue in loving honor of Alice Osborn, from Karen, Butch and Elton Juan Hutson
Merry Christmas from Diego, Emmy and Violet all former Blue Dogs! - Love, Jeanne

Richard Gere
 
Seriously ladies, look into those big brown eyes.  Remember those eyes in American Gigolo?  An Officer and A Gentleman?  Yes, they stole your heart then, and they still do today.  Richard is a heartthrob, he wants to cuddle the night away with you.  He is the dog of your dreams.
 
Richard is a five year old, forty eight pound Black Mouth Cur mix.  He has wonderful house manners, walks well on leash, sits and shakes on command and is house trained.  He loves the company of other dogs but will do best with no cats.  If you would like to meet this handsome fellow please e-mail lisa@bluedogrescue.com.

Thanks to Claire for having a Blue Dog birthday party!
Blue Dog sends thanks to Century Animal Hospital for all the TLC!
William sends love to the Blue Dogs in memory of Nicole

Did you know?

A $25 donation will provide a basic vet exam and vaccinations for 1 Blue Dog.

A $50 donation will provide a basic vet exam, vaccinations, a fecal exam, and heartworm testing for 1 Blue Dog.

A $75 donation will provide a basic vet exam, vaccinations, a fecal exam, heartworm testing, and heartworm and flea preventative for 1 Blue Dog.

A $100 donation will provide a basic vet exam, vaccinations, a fecal exam, heartworm testing, and spay or neuter 1 Blue Dog.
 

Mr. Happy

Mr. Happy is happy go lucky guy. He is 16 months old and about 40 pounds. Happy loves to play with toys, especially ones with squeakers. Just a year ago, Happy was taken into the Bastrop shelter right before the fires, he was then evacuated to the Humane Society. Still no forever home, in October he was back at the Bastrop Shelter. Being back at the shelter was a little stressful for Mr. Happy and he started showing signs of demodex mange. For shelter dogs this can be a death sentence. Not many people want to adopt a stinky mangy dog but for his Foster Mom, those are some of the best dogs to rescue. A few baths, vet check, lots of high quality dog food, medicine and lots of love. Mr. Happy is all better and ready for his forever home. Mr. Happy has completed a basic obedience class and did beautifully, he is good at sitting and walks nicely on a leash. Mr. Happy is a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix (you can't see it in this picture but he has a really cool ridge down his back with a crazy cowlick at the top). If you would like more information on Mr. Happy, emailkathy@bluedogrescue.com.

Thanks to Nancy for giving some love to Mr. Happy.
"In memory of sweet Speck who also had mange when I adopted him. After a few baths he was the most handsome dog I'd ever seen and he remained completely healthy until the old age of 13. Miss you so much sweet dog. Mr. Happy, I hope you find your forever home soon!" - Staci
Love to Mr. Happy from Mark & Lisa. He looks like Monkey did while she was missing her hair...and now life is good! She's beautiful and happy, just like he will be.

Angela Lansbury

Angela has one of those stories. One that makes you sigh a little and wonder why some just can't catch a break. About 5 years ago Angela ended up in a shelter after being surrendered by her original owner. She was a happy 6 year old dog that had just lost her family for no apparent reason. Enter Blue Dog and she was able to find a loving home. But it was not to be forever as her owner passed away leaving her homeless once again. And back to Blue Dog Rescue and back looking for a home - but this time as an 11 year old. Angela is about 15 pounds and is a Terrier mix. She needs a kid free and cat free home, and honestly would do best as an only child. She likes attention and doesn't always love sharing the spotlight. She would make a good couch companion and loves, loves, loves food! For more information please click on her photo to fill out her application.

Vivienne Leigh

Oh my! Vivienne Leigh is a catch. She is full of personality and fun. Vivienne loves to play but also has plenty of time to give snuggles. She's such a cute girl. Vivienne is a 4 month old Pit mix. She is crate trained and house trained. Vivienne is a smarty pants and is a master at sitting. For more information email kathy@bluedogrescue.com.

Boomer

Boomer was dumped at the shelter by his owner. His reason for dumping Boomer, was "dog did not meet my expectations". I guess if your dog won't serve you breakfast in bed or draw you a bubble bath, then he just does not meet your expectations. I guess all the happy tail wags, kisses and devotion were just not enough, jeez. Boomer would love to show you just how devoted he can be and share all his happy tail wags and kisses with you. Boomer is a three year old, ninety three pound (he needs to loose fifteen pounds per the vet) lab/retriever mix. He is house trained, crate trained and sits and shakes on command. Other than the weight loss he is in perfect health and is ready to get some exercise with you. If you would like to meet Boomer please e-mail lisa@bluedogrescue.com.

Update - Well, we finally know why Boomers owners dumped him at the shelter. After a few days of running and playing at his foster home, he started to limp. His x-rays revealed that he had a luxating patella and a torn ACL. He has now had surgery and will spend the next four to six weeks recovering and rehabbing his knee. The cost for his surgery was huge, but without it he would have had to live out his life limping and in pain. That is a big NO. We could really use some help with his medical costs and Boomer appreciates anything you can send.

Update - 3-21-2013 - Boomer is now attending physical therapy at the Central Texas Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Round Rock.
Click on his picture to view the video of him strengthening his knee in the underwater treadmill.

Kim sends love in loving memory of Stormy.
Sending BDR shout outs to Amy Rathbun.
Thanks to Nick Miller for the continued Blue Dog love.
Thanks to Mary Miles for always remembering Blue Dog.

Teef

Teef got his name for an obvious reason and his charming smile is contagious. Seriously. We dare you to come home from an awful day at work, look at Teef the dog, and not at least grin back. He makes his foster parents laugh every day. It never gets old.

Teef was rescued on Christmas morning on a country road outside of Austin. He was brought to the local animal shelter but was never reclaimed or chosen for adoption, likely because he had an awful skin infection that was left untreated and caused hair loss. Since being rescued from the shelter, Teef has had plenty of good food, medication, and bubble baths. He's making more progress every week. His coat is growing in very well and he's so incredibly soft compared to how he felt when we first got him. He is a young pup at only 6 months old and weighs about 20 pounds. Teef loves his dog and cat buddies and is always up for some cuddles. He would probably be happiest with a dog buddy (big or small) in his new home. He sleeps great through the night and is crate trained. A home with kids over 8 years of age would be best. For more info on little Teef, please email lisarae@bluedogrescue.com and check out some more pictures on his blog.

Update:
Unfortunately, Teef's skin issue has regressed recently. He will be visiting the doggie dermatologist soon and then hopefully back to his furry self again.
Wanna check in on the boy?! We will be updating Teef's Blog with stories and pictures.
Wanna know how you can help?! Teef LOVES toys, chewies, and anything else that can distract him from wanting to lick and itch. The cost of his medical care quickly adds up. With the help of our wonderful Blue Dog supporters, we are able to foster dogs like Teef and show them the life they were always meant to have. Thank you so much BDR fans!

Oh my goodness, sweet little Teef just makes me smile. We have a dog with chronic demodex mange, and know exactly how the poor little guy must feel. Here's hoping he feels better soon! - Kelly and Tom
Sending love to Teef from Bongo...his underbite brother from another mother. Love, Mark & Lisa
Thanks to the Austin Community Foundation