Our volunteer & foster mom Annetta sent us some useful information about her new foster dog, Bessie.
Bessie’s a doll! Very, very sweet. She’s going to make an amazing pet
for some lucky family.
Bessie is a sweetheart
Walking & Obedience
She’s already figured out walking on lead. She runs to us when called, and
we’re working on sit/stay and house training. There have been only a couple of accidents in the house, which is great considering she just came here and she's still a puppy.
She LOVES to play, play, play (what puppy doesn’t?) and is a toy fanatic. I
picked up a large rhino stuffy (half her size), and she carries it all over the
place. We’re working on teaching her what is okay to grab and drag around the
house or yard and what she should leave alone.
Crate Training
We’re going through the normal crate training stuff—lots of barking and
howling when she goes in at night. She's still not wanting to go completely in when
her meals are put in there.
Bessie is an exuberant barker when she plays, so I have a bark collar (beep and
vibration) on her when she gets too noisy, and she's a major counter surfer (bark
collar works for that, too!).
She's an absolute doll of a pup—a sweet,
exuberant, yet cuddly girl who loves playing with other dogs and people. She will definitely need a family who has the time to give her lots of exercise, playtime, and
love, love, love!
Chaco is a sweet giant with lots of love to give. He's been waiting for a forever home for nearly three years. He was found as a stray in Kentucky and was then placed in a pound. He was on death row when TAGS heard about him and rescued him. He knows that Canada will be the place where he will finally find a family who loves him unconditionally.
Chaco's Hobbies
Chaco is the kind of dog who is quiet in the house when nothing is happening but will get super-excited if he detects that there is something going on. He likes to play with stuffed animals, squeaky toys and balls.
I want to play!
Tricks
Chaco knows how to "sit" and "stay."
Walks
An enthusiastic boy, Chaco tends to pull when on a walk, but his foster mom is working on his training him with a Gentle Leader.
Friends
It's sunny!
Chaco is picky when it comes to choosing his buddies. He doesn't like busy, crowded dog parks, and he can be dominant with dogs that he doesn't yet know. But he does get along well with his foster siblings, Josie and Diesel.
His foster mom recommends for him a home with no other dogs, cats or small kids (ages 14+ would be preferable). As a high-energy dog, Chaco would be happiest as part of an active family. Please give Chaco a chance! He's got many wonderful qualities, but he often gets overlooked because of his fur colour (read more about black dog syndrome here) or his size.
If you think Chaco may be the dog for you, don't hesitate to fill out an adoption application form so you can meet him! More details about him can be found on our website.
When meeting Max, most people have to fight their urge to take him home and cuddle him all day. I myself was wondering if he'd just escaped from Build-a-Bear. He's been in the TAGS program since February. His current family had to make a hard decision to surrender him. They wanted the best for him, as they realized that they won't be able to take care of him anymore, due to unexpected family troubles.
Max sees a potential "petting assistant" in every person who approaches him. He will lick your hand, wag his tail and melt your heart. Not necessarily in that order! And after each petting session, he expects a cookie. You can't blame him—if you are good at something, you should never do it for free. And he is mighty good at being your teddy bear that came to life!
Max's Hobbies
He likes to chew on ropes or sticks and is used to roaming free in a big backyard. His favourite treats are apples and carrots.
Tricks
He knows how to "sit" and "wait," and he'll do these with extra eagerness if you have a treat at hand.
Walks
He walks well on a leash. He's a medium- to high-energy dog, so the more you can exercise with him, the better he will feel.
Friends
He gets excited when meeting new dogs, and he gets along with all of them, thanks to his calm and friendly nature. Max is always trying to win cats' hearts, but they don't appreciate his efforts at playing. Max is also very good with children.
Overall, he is a laid-back dog who will be happiest if you give him some belly rubs, treats and a nice walk outside. In exchange, he will always be there for you to cheer you up just by being cute and fluffy!
That's the spot!
He was falling asleep from all the rubbings!
If you think Max may be the dog for you, don't hesitate to fill out an adoption application form so that you can meet him at our dog park! More details about him can be found on our website.
Spike arrived at TAGS in September from a Sudbury pound. Despite the fact that he spent his first few years without a family, he's looking positively into his future and hasn't given up on finding his home.
He's very friendly with anyone who stops for a minute to give him a pat or a belly rub. Do you happen to have a bone as well? You'll be his all-time favourite person!
Spike's Hobbies
Chewing on bones can keep him occupied for hours but as he's a high-energy dog, he'll love a good run in the dog park the most. He will personally make sure that you're safe from the local gang of squirrels.
Tricks
He knows all his basic commands like sit and stay
and will shake a paw if you slip him some treats. He'd make it big in the corporate world, don't you think?
Walks
Spike is an enthusiastic walker, so using a Gentle Leader is best. He always gets excited before his walks because he loves meeting new dogs and people! As a 21st-century dog, he is even comfortable using a treadmill.
Friends
He is great with other dogs, although his enthusiasm can turn into bossiness if the other dog is not responding to his play requests. He lives with a couple of cats in his foster home, and he finds them quite funny. His dream is to play with them freely one day. But cats will be cats, and they are playing hard to get.
He's good with children, too, but since he sometimes doesn't realize how big he is, he could accidentally bump into them, so we suggest a child-free home for him.
Overall, he's a loyal and loving guy who listens well and learns fast. His foster mom recommends for him a home with preferably another young and active dog. He has a lot of energy to work off, so if you love to spend your free time in the outdoors, he would be the perfect companion for you!
If you think Spike may be the dog for you, don't hesitate to fill out an adoption application form so that you can meet him at our dog park!
Check out more photos of Spike on Pinterest or watch a video of him on YouTube (below)!
Are you sometimes forgetful? You don't remember where you left your keys or wallet? We have an excellent candidate for keeping things in order for you: Boomer! Boomer believes that once you've touched something and left it in a different spot than usual, he has to make it his personal assignment to bring it back to you a.s.a.p. Just remember to close the lid on the laundry bin because with Boomer around, your clothes may never get to the washing machine!
Boomer came into TAGS care a year and a half ago from a Kentucky pound (just like Dixie, our January dog). We think that this handsome fellow had to spend his days as a guard dog before he was found him and put in the pound. Miraculously, he didn't end up having food- or toy-guarding issues; all he has is a little suspicion when meeting strangers. He will quickly overcome this feeling, though, once he realizes that you're one of the "good guys." In fact, if you know that you'll be meeting Boomer, don't even bother washing your face that morning. He will do it for you. He won't even be ashamed of cleaning your ears, nose or mouth. What can I say? He's a perfectionist!
In view of these qualities, he considers himself somewhat of a polymath who has already mastered "the boomerang skill" and cleaning skills and also has significant experience in interior design. He might change the order of the pillows on your couch so that it's more comfortable (for him to sit on, that is).
C'mon, throw it already!
Boomer's Hobbies
Boomer's energy level is medium to high, so he'll definitely appreciate a nice, tiring afternoon at the dog park, chasing the ball (remember, he's a retrieving champion). He won't put up a fight if another dog gets to the ball first but will stay alert and grab the ball the minute the other dog drops it.
Tricks
Boomer knows the basics like "sit" or "paw." He won't mind a treat here and there, either. If you adopt him, the adoption fee will include an eight-week follow-up workshop, in which you can both learn more. Once you have gained Boomer's trust, he is all about you and really just appreciates any attention you give him.
Walks
Yes, that's the spot!
He walks nicely even without the Gentle Leader. At the beginning of a walk, he might pull a little bit out of excitement, but he will quickly adapt to your pace after that.
Friends
Boomer is quite the ladies' man! He prefers the company of female dogs but doesn't mind males, either. He used to have some issues with fellow alpha males, but ever since one of our volunteers, Nick Iordanis, started training and socializing him, his dominance issues have been quickly fading away. It all comes down to his suspicion of anyone he doesn't know. He was probably an abandoned guard dog who is, in fact, now eager to learn proper social skills to fit in.
We recommend that Boomer go into a cat- and child-free environment so that he'll be able to get your full attention—although he views older children as people who could possibly throw his ball, and anyone who can do that for him he will love forever.
Boomer is all played out!
If you think Boomer may be the dog for you, don't hesitate to fill out an adoption application form so that you can meet him at our dog park!
Click on the icon below to like Boomer on Facebook:
Clockwise from top left: Balin, Noelle, Rocky and Derby (the smoocher!)
It's time for another TAGS Adoptathon at Petsmart! This weekend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., come out to the Whitby Petsmart or the Oshawa Petsmart to support TAGS and (most importantly) to check out some amazing dogs.
Whitby Petsmart will be featuring Derby (noon-4, pictured above), Noelle (10-1, pictured above) and Amy (1-4) on Saturday.
Oshawa Petsmart will be featuring Bella (10-1) and Balin (1-4, pictured above)
On Sunday, Whitby Petsmart will be featuring Max (10-2) and Izzy (1-4), and Oshawa Petsmart will be featuring Noelle (10-1, pictured above) and Rocky (1-4, pictured above).
For more information on the dogs that will be featured on these days, please check out the TAGS website or Petfinder for their profiles.
Dixie is a beautiful 1.5-year-old Labrador retriever mix. She came into The Animal Guardian Society's care a year ago from a Kentucky pound when she was only a puppy.
Her arrival to Canada was adventurous! We laugh at this story now, but it wasn't so hilarious when it happened. She has always been a shy girl who doesn't trust people right away. Her travel from the States must have been frightening for her, because when the volunteers arrived at the dog park with her, she ran away the minute she found out that her collar was not tight enough! If you've been to our dog park, you probably know that there is a huge, open field behind it. That's where she ran, and she wouldn't come out to the calls of our volunteers (her having a new name made it even harder!). It was late at night and everybody was afraid that she would meet coyotes out there and get attacked.
For three days, we couldn't catch her, but our TAGS volunteers always made sure she had enough food and water by the fence. The other reason she stayed close to the area was Bart, another TAGS dog, who she made friends with. Our volunteers decided to put food out for Dixie that was "enhanced" with some Gravol, in the hope of making her drowsy enough to finally be caught. It was a great plan, except that Bart somehow managed to reach it and eat the whole thing by himself. He passed out right away! Eventually, an animal trap and a whole chicken was used to catch Dixie, and ever since, she's been safe and sound at her foster home!
She is still a timid dog, so you'll need some time to get close to her, but once she warms up, you'll see what a lovable dog she is.
Dixie's Hobbies
Dixie is not the biggest fan of the ball but likes to run after it if another dog is chasing it. She is social and active with other dogs. If the pack is up to something mischievous, count Dixie in!
Also, she would never miss an opportunity to show the local squirrels who is boss!
Tricks
She knows how to sit and stay and come when called. She is crate-trained as well. Dixie is an easily trainable dog, despite not being food driven. When she wants your attention, she will put her paw on your knee.
Walks
The gentle leader is the best choice for Dixie's daily walks so that she won't escape the collar like the furry little Houdini she was on her first day. She needs her walks at least twice a day, but spending some time at the dog park will tire her out the most.
Friends
She is very friendly with every dog she meets. Due to her good-natured personality, other dogs like her right away, too. She also gets along with cats.
The Animal Guardian Society is set up for an adoptathon event at the Pet Valu in Oshawa located at the intersection of Taunton and Harmony. The adoptathon will be on Saturday, January 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
June Bug, Noelle, Lexi Leigh and Tanya will be at Pet Valu on Saturday and can't wait to meet you! Click on their names below to view their profiles on Petfinder.
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