We had always gone to a breeder for our dogs. When Magic died from the Dog Food Recall of last year, we decided to try rescue for our next dog. Through a friend of a friend, we were put in touch with a Doodle Rescue Group in PA. That weekend I drove about an hour to pick up our girl. I had never met her and the hour drive home was quiet, she didn't move. When we got home, she sat in a corner of the kitchen and wouldn't move. She wouldn't eat or drink and had to be carried outside to do her business. She didn't know what to do with grass, was afraid of it. That night she started to cry. I went down a couple of times to reassure her and finally took her on my lap and slept with her in the Lazy Boy the rest of the night. That's when I knew this was going to be different.

When you rescue a dog, they come with "baggage" that you can't know. What did they go through? Who hurt, scared or even abused them? It takes time to bring them around. With Ginger it was about 2 weeks before she felt fully comfortable with everyone in our home. But if someone new was around, she would hide and shake. Our friends were told to leave her alone, let her come to them. Then only let her smell them. Slowly, she has become a trusting girl. Today, she has been with us 1 1/2 years and still is leary about new people or situations. But she is so much more relaxed and willing to meet new people than she was.

Rescue or rehome has to be approached differently then going to a loving breeder. You can't know what that dog went through, but have to be patient and calm and they will come around.

What are your rescue stories?

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Comment by Debbie on July 23, 2008 at 12:59pm
I met a beautiful black doodle in 2006 and fell in love with the breed. I was not a dog person either, having had cats all my life. Dogs were outside and were just THERE if you know what I mean. I started researching doodles, found a breeded about 20 miles away and went for a visit. I was crushed --- she wouldn't consider letting her dogs go for less than $2700! As a single woman I knew it would never happen in my lifetime! Push on to February 2007 and I saw an ad in the local online site in my community that the Petco's weekly adoption would feature 5 labradoodle puppies. I was so excited but I had to be out of town on the Saturday and was so afraid they'd be gone on Sunday. I hurried there Sunday as soon as they opened and they had 2 left --- a girl and a boy. While waiting to fill out adoption papers I played with the 2 and decided that the girl was destined to be MY girl, held her in my lap and just cuddled. THEN the volunteer helping me told me the woman being waited on wanted one of them and she would have first choice even though she had done nothing with the puppies. The woman asked me which one I wanted and I quickly told her the girl and she said "Cool, I wanted the male." We finished the adoption paperwork, I went and picked a kennel, food/water bowls, dogfood, treats and toys and they bathed her. I took her home at 12 weeks and she slept in my room in her kennel where she remains. She is the sweetest animal and loves people. My neighbors think she's precious and she never meets a stranger. i am so thankful that we came together that Sunday... my life has been so much richer for her in it. And my cats --- they sleep on her, around her, under her but with her every night and play every day. She's great!
I Rescued a Human Today
By: PetPlace Dog Lover
S.G. Thomas


I rescued a human today.

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.

Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.
Reply by Karen & Jack on December 19, 2008 at 5:09pm
It is so wonderful to be rescued by a homeless dog! I know, because I was!
Reply by Lynne NJ on December 19, 2008 at 5:41pm
Me too! Twice. Three times if you count my Cody.
Reply by Janie on December 20, 2008 at 2:03pm
Lynne, I loved reading your story. I am so glad you have each other...you have to be a very special person.
Reply by theresa on December 22, 2008 at 7:15am
i don't have a rescue yet, but i am going to look at a 7 month old mixed terrier.(he could be a small doodle.) they told me he does have poodle in him. i wish i could send the picture, but don't know how. he is on petfinder in troy, va. his name is corbin. i will be going tuesday or christmas eve. i just hope rudie gets along with him. i know he did not like the large doodle we looked at friday. but if anyone could look at his picture & let me know what you think. if he is a doodle or not!!! (but that does not matter anyway)
theresa & rudie
SAM I AM

Because of old age, we had just lost two more of the many animals that we had saved from abusive situations. I was not in the mood to take on any more animals, mainly because of the high veterinary costs that we had incurred throughout the years. A process we began almost ten years ago; one that that has caused us many hardships.

As the wife and I were driving near the airport, all at once she turned into the Glynn County Animal Shelter and came to a stop.

"What are we doing here?" I asked her.

"I'm not sure," she replied.

I watched as she opened her door and began walking toward the fenced building.

"Going to come in with me?"

"I'm not going in there," I almost screamed.

I sat watching, as she disappeared into large white building.

There was just something about dog pounds that I hated. Maybe it was being locked in a cage. Maybe it was the sounds of the animals wanting to be rescued and loved. Feelings that I had know very well as an abused little boy.

"Roger," yelled Judy, several minutes later.

When I turned around I saw her standing in a small fenced area, a midsized black and tan dog jumping all over her. I got out of the truck and walked over to the fence.

"Isn't he beautiful?" she asked.

I just shook my head and began walking back to the truck.

"Will you please come in here," she hollered.

I stopped, turned around, and began walking toward the main building. Once inside I was led down a long hallway, dogs barking everywhere. It was almost deafening. As I walked along I tried not to look at the hundreds of animals screaming and barking at me.

As I enter the small fenced viewing area where Judy was waiting, the dog began to jump on me. When I ran my hand down his back I noticed a large scar. I asked the attendant what had caused the injury. She told me that he had been beaten with a metal coat hanger. Looking down at my legs I looked at the many scars that I had received, as a child, while living in a Jacksonville, Florida orphanage. I too had been beaten many times with such an instrument. I felt my neck begin to swell and my throat began to tighten. Very quickly I began walking toward the main entrance to get out of the building as quickly as possible.

"HIS NAME IS SAM AND HE IS GOING TO BE PUT DOWN TOMORROW!" yelled Judy.

"We just can't afford to save any more animals," I whispered.

Unable to speak I walked to the truck, closed and locked the door and I wiped my burning red eyes.

As Sam lies on the bed, between my wife and me tonight, for some reason he begins to lick the scars on my leg. In the faint light of the television, I reach over and I begin to pat him on his large scar and I whisper to myself, "Yes, I am Sam."

True stories from “The Life and Times of Roger Dean Kiser, author, child advocate.
http://www.geocities.com/trampolineone/survive/srv080.htm
How we met:

We saw Goliath on Petfinder, and we had to meet him! We took him home from the shelter that same day, which was a few days before Christmas, and he's been with us ever since.



My family heard about Lola from an email list we had joined about helping to transfer and foster dogs, as well as adopting them. When we heard about Lola's sad start, we decided Goliath needed a friend, and wanted to help these puppies.


What makes my dogs special:

Goliath is an affectionate boy who loves to be around his human family, and little sister. Lola is a rambunctious little girl who loves to be under your feet and loves to play with everybody.


Goliath's Story:
This gorgeous boy was dropped off at the shelter in an overnight box with only a note. The note told us his name, that he was only 10 months old, and that he chewed. Well, all puppies chew! To us this seemed like an absurd reason to get rid of a dog, so we brought him home. We later came to speculate that he was beaten with newspapers, might have been trapped in a bathroom for long periods of time (he's afraid of bathrooms, and held his bladder literally until he almost burst the first two days we had him, no matter what we did), and that he might have been owned by elderly people, since he appears to have a fear of them. We also don't think he was played with very much, since he didn't even know how to catch a ball!After quite a bit of work, Goliath may go to the bathroom more freely, and isn't as afraid of elderly people. He is still a little wary of bathrooms though, and refuses to go into our dining room which has slippery hardwood floors, or any store with tile floors. He is now a playful boy who has grown quite tall and handsome. He can, after lots of practice, catch anything you throw to him, and almost everything you try to throw around him as well. He also loves to tell you his "oh-oh's" when you come home, and enjoys having sing-alongs with the family.

Lola's Story:

Lola was one of twenty puppies from two litters that were a nuisance to their owners once they were weaned. So her owners decided to take all of the puppies to a truck stop to hand them out, when they were only 5 1/2 weeks old, and had never been vaccinated or wormed. A kind woman named Yvonne Kratzer, from Far Point Collie Rescue, decided to take all twenty puppies into her own home, in addition to the seven dogs they already had. Word got passed around, and we received an email about the puppies' plight. So we decided to try to help a puppy out, since Goliath was lonely since the last dog we had temporarily fostered. Well, roley-poley Lola fit right in with the family, and has since grown into what looks like a miniature German Shepherd. She had quite the potty training problem since it is hard to house break twenty puppies all at once, but she has outgrown that, and will even wink at you to let you know she needs to go out. Lola is now quite the mooch, and throughly enjoys eating apples, carrots, and broccoli, as well as any other vegetable or fruit she can get her hands on. She also has an ice cube fetish, and will come running whenever she hears someone using the ice maker. She has one heck of a personality, and our house would be far too quite(not to mention sad!) without her.


My dogs' likes/dislikes: Goliath likes running in the yard, chasing the cat, car rides, playing with his younger sister Lola, waking up his family (esp. Jason!), walks, ice cubes, and chasing and catching squirrels. He dislikes knocking, the door bell, not being allowed to chase the cat, getting his nails cut, baths, and the neighbor dogs who run in his yard and go to the bathroom all the time.
Lola likes playing with the cat, watching birds, eating, ice cubes, playing with Goliath, waking everyone up, eating, talking, car rides, and unstuffing her toys. She dislikes having her nails cut (not as much as Goliath though!), baths, being ignored, and not being able to eat Goliath's food.

My wikiFido friends: None, so far! Hopefully that will change though...



My plans:
I would like to open my own kennel and doggie daycare, with some training on the side after I graduate. I have worked at a vet's office where there was boarding, and I have visited a few other kennels, and have decided that the kind of place I would look to board my babies is not available to me in my area. So I decided to make one available for people like me, who want their pets to be able to have a good boarding experience, even though they are away from their parents for a little while. I also plan to foster some dogs that are in my local shelter until they find a home, as well as pocket pets and exotics. If anyone has any animals that need a home in my area, please contact me, and if I am unable to take them, I can put you in touch with someone who will. My email is martincn@delval.edu if anyone needs to contact me.


Adopt A Shelter Dog!!
Our Dog Rescue Story


I found my buddy at the Regional Animal Campus in Las Vegas Nevada. We were driving home one Sunday afternoon when we came across the animal shelter. As we drove towards the shelter, my son’s eyes lit up. It was his birthday and he had been hounding me day and night for a dog. Are finally going to get a dog? He asked while trying to contain his excitement. I told him we were just going to ask look around first and see whether we can find a good one. Bobby was nevertheless very excited since he got out of the car so fast and went straight inside the shelter. He was ten years old and a dog, I thought, might teach him to be responsible.

It was my first time visiting a dog shelter and was surprised to see that there was a good many dogs in there. I realized that a lot of them might not find homes and would be put down. It was a horrible thought. Then Bobby tugged at my sleeve saying “I want him Mom” while pointing to a young white and black terrier. I noticed that the dog was missing one of his hind legs. I tried to talk Bobby out of it, asking if maybe he might prefer another dog, one that wasn’t “defective.” Then he answered “But Mom, if we don’t adopt him, who will?” Confronted with such kindness coming from my own son, I finally agreed. It was the best decision I ever made. That dog was such a darling; he ended up teaching me a lot of things too.
Reply October 18, 2008 at 10:17pm
I wanted to share my response letter to Adina with everyone on DoodleRescue. For those of you who have rescued Puppy Mill Doodles, please see my post on Rescue in the News for more details on Amish dog breeding practices. Thanks!

Thank you so much Adina...and thank you for creating this wonderful site!... I felt that it was important to tell Blake's story. He is a wonderful, intelligent, loving, unique little soul in spite of his origins and in many ways I hope that Blake can be an Ambassador for rescue Doodles. In telling his story, Blake has a voice. He speaks on behalf of all rescue dogs that have survived the horrors of puppy mills.

In regards to the Amish, I have become quite educated in regards to their "breeding" practices, their beliefs and their mistreatment of all animals. I'm sure that I don't have to tell you that they are responsible for breeding 99% of all pet store puppies and view animals in general as nothing more than cash crop put here by God for their use....I was disappointed that Oprah did not address the "puppy fertilizer" issue on her show about mills or the horrible ways that the Amish dispose of their cash crop inventory once they become too old to sell to the pet trade.

It saddens me that because of their growing popuarity, Doodles have now become their "best sellers" and their latest victims as indescriminate breeding of these wonderful dogs and other hybrids by the Amish has increased dramatically over the last few years...Pennsylvania legislature does little or nothing to stop any of it. Can you imagine ever eating a piece of Pennsylvania produce again now that you know it was fertilized with the dead bodies of murdered innocent puppies?....Pardon me but I thought we were living in a civilized society!..It's hard to believe that in this country, in this day and age with the animal rights laws, not to mention FDA regulations being what they are today, that a cult of religious fanatics is permitted to continue these practices of torture, cruelty, mistreatment and murder- all for their personal financial gain.

I appreciate your post directing members to the Rescue Doodles forum and thank you again for this wonderful site dedicated to celebrating Doodles.

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