DAWG Happy Tails

JADE

2010-09-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

Jade has been a great addition to the Dwight family. She is by my side 24/7 and will not leave it. She loves to run free in the back yard and she enjoys her daily exercise. She loves to play fetch and go on evening walks with us. She really enjoys her turkey treats and snacks. Jade is just the right dog we've been looking for and we appreciate you for letting us adopt her.

Shio

2010-09-16T21:30:00.001-07:00

My husband and I were ready settle down and get a dog, and were looking in particular for a cattle dog, but did not want to go through a breeder. We met Shio at DAWG and we brought him home the same day and haven’t looked back since. He has made our family complete and we look forward to the next 15 years with him!
Calli and Chris

Bamboo

2010-09-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

Bamboo is the greatest! She has been such a wonderful addition to our family. She is so eager to please and love. Bamboo is gentle, curious, and protective of our 3 month old Casssidy. She loves to go on backyard adventures and play imaginary games with our 4 year old Mikey. With my wife and I she is always loving and attatched to you wherever you go. She has been the best dog and is such a smart dog. The only fight we have is that she figured out how to open our bedroom door, so when we leave her we come home to a snoring dog in our bed. (not a bad problem I say)
Thanks for all the time and love she was given! Bamboo is the best dog!

Thanks Again,
The Stamer's

Shannon

2010-09-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh Shannon is soooo perfect! My boyfriend is about to get home from work and he is beside himself with excitement! You saw that we have a garden, and she is a gopher dog! She was trying to get one because she could hear him underground! But when I told her to leave it she walked away :) I can tell her former owner trained her very well, because she already knows how to sit and stay, and listens very well. I took her for a walk to explore the neighborhood right after you left and she played with Shiloh (my roommates huskey boy) for a bit, and she actually did very well on leash. I stopped a few times when she would pull, but she had slack in the leash (only 6 foot), almost the entire time. The only thing she did do was every time she saw someone's grass she would try to run over and roll in it! SO cute. She is a great dog though, no issues, no food guarding or agression. I just wanted to say thanks again for bringing her over, she is so happy here! She's pounding around with Shiloh, running and playing outside, chilling in the living room with us :)
-Carly

RIO

2010-08-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

Dear DAWG,
We just wanted you to know how happy Rio has been since we adopted him almost a year ago. He has brought so much joy to our family. He is the perfect walking and hiking companion. He's always by our side, ready to play or just hang out.
Thanks so much for helping us get our dog!
The Todds

LUCY (was Destiny)

2010-08-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Lucy is a Border Collie-Akita mix that I adopted through DAWG about a month and a half ago. She loves Hendry's Beach, the Jesusita trail and Red Rock. She is a real treat.

Mancha fixing things

2010-07-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

Sunny

2010-07-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

My family and I would like to thank you for a wonderful friend. We adopted Sunny back in April 2010. Ever since he has become such a treasured member of the family. Even my mother that doesn't like dogs has fallen for Sunny. Attached is a photo of my 12yr old Son Saul and Sunny at the park.
So thanks again for this awesome friend
Sincerely,
Mercedes L.

Pops

2010-07-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

Pops (dawg medical foster) and kita (recent Dawg rescue) playing. From his fosters: "We have never seen Pops behave like this! Watch and be amazed!!"

Roo

2010-06-29T09:34:00.001-07:00

When ROO first arrived at DAWG, she was withdrawn. Since ROO seemed so sad, volunteers LeAnn & DeAnn started fostering her and bringing this little girl to work.

Immediately, little Roo captured our co-worker’s heart, Paul. Now Paul and his girlfriend are the proud parents of Roo!

Another happy story for dogs : )

Haley

2010-06-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hello DAWG Staff -
I just wanted to send you an update to let you know that Haley is doing geat since I adopted her and brought her home. She is settling in just fine and seems to especially enjoy our walks around the neighborhood and harbor in Morro Bay. I have attached a couple of photos of her out on one of our walks. Thank you again, and particularly Kelsey, for making it possible for me to have such a wonderful and fun companion!
Kathy

Baxter (was Buster)

2010-06-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

Hi, I thought I would send you a quick update of Buster (now Baxter). Baxter was an owner relinquish and I just happened by DAWG the very next day and it was love at first site. I first saw him on a Thursday the end of April and returned to visit him again on Friday. On Monday I could bring him home after his vet check and dental care.

He is a very happy little dog. He immediately felt right at home, jumped up on the couch next to one of my cats and fell asleep. He gives me 'the look' when it is time for one of our 2 daily walks. He is a quick study and has already learned: sit, down and, of course, NO. he can get a little crazy when he wants the kitties to play with him. He will toss a stuffed toy in the air and he and Magic (the female kitty) will both run and chase it. Then Baxter has to toss it again himself.

He is currently cuddled up right next to me on my bed in his usual spot. Baxter has brought great joy and happiness to my home. Thanks so much for being there for those that can not speak for themselves.

Judy

Dixie

2010-05-24T20:21:00.001-07:00

When DIXIE first arrived at DAWG 2 yrs ago, she was very sick and couldn't walk. Today, this little girl hikes with her mom and dad and runs like the wind!

Pippin

2010-05-17T19:46:00.001-07:00

Update from PIPPIN's adopted mom, Debby

"PIPPIN gives me so much love and enjoyment. You should see him at the dog park. EVERYONE knows him by name because he’s such a rascal. I didn’t think I could love a dog as much as I loved Chloe but he has completely stolen my heart. I now understand completely why people love little dogs so much! " DAWG - Thank you for bringing Pippin into my life. I am so happy that you did!'

Winston (was TJ)

2010-05-17T17:38:00.000-07:00

Winston is the perfect gentleman and fills Lil’s days with love. He has filled our days and nights and continues to reveal wonderful traits. This morning he leapt from the bed, grabbed one of my sox and jumped back on the bed. He wanted Lillian to toss it, she did and he leaped again to retrieve it. He’s incredible!

Traveling with Winston along the American River in Coloma , CA., site of the first gold find by John Marshall in 1848.

Scout's Dioji Adventures

2010-05-10T22:00:00.000-07:00

The wonderful people at Dioji took this video of our boy Scout playing on one of his days off & I thought you all might like to see it!

Gypsy

2010-05-03T17:06:00.001-07:00

The Armstrong family reports, "GYPSY is wonderful and fits in perfectly with our family

Ginger (was Hazel)

2010-05-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

Wanted to send you an update on how well Ginger is doing Yesterday afternoon she went to Pierre laFonds for a late lunch and then shopping at Nordstroms! She has dozens of friends in my condo complex and plays with them daily and runs on the beach! Thank you and everyone at DAWG for finding her! She is a wonderful companion and has a pretty nice life now! Best wishes, Linda

Jake (was Drake)

2010-04-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to give you and update on how Jake (the Border Collie formerly known as Drake) is doing.....

2 little negatives: On Day 1 he peed on my armchair and on day 2 he pooped in the living room, but on a positive note, I told him off and he hasn't had any accidents since. I figured he had to get used to where he could do his business and no dog is perfect....................................but Jake is damn close.

Here are the positives: He is great with my kids. It seems like we have had him for ages. He has fitted right in and loves playing ball with them.

The residents at the retirement home where I work love him and he has been fantastic there. He doesn't get under their feet, lets them pet him and amuses them by chasing tennis balls and pouncing on shadows. I don't know if you saw him do this, but he notices shadows on the ground and leaps in the air and pounces on them. The residents think he is marvelous and nobody can understand why he was given up. Yesterday, I walked into our Lounge and 6 residents said, in unison, "Hi Jake." Someone later pointed out that nobody acknowledged me.

He is so obedient. When I tell him to lie down, he does so immediately. On only his second day with me, we were at work when I told him to lie down as I was helping our frailest residents into the dining room. Even though he kept on losing sight of me, he hadn't moved by the time I returned 10 minutes later.

I have only been working there for 6 weeks, but I have seen some residents smile more with Jake than they have done in the last month and a half. He is having a great effect on a lot of people.

BTW, the bed in the photo that I emailed you has hardly been used. He has been sharing my futon. He is the first bed partner I've had since my wife left me and is a lot more affectionate than she ever was!!!!!!!!!!! Just kidding.

Thanks again ladies

love

David and Jake

Marty

2010-04-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

Marty is in foster care while recovering from hip replacement surgery. He is available for adoption - contact DAWG for more information. Here is the update from his foster mom:

Marty had his 2 week checkup yesterday and he is doing great. Everything is healing up nicely and he managed to charm all of the staff and clients at VMSG! He is very relaxed in his bachelor pad at our house and keeping him separated from our other dogs has really worked out well. None of the dogs care as long as they get walked, fed and loved.

I take him back to the vet in a month. I've attached a picture of him doing pet therapy at Maravilla. The woman that is petting him is blind so it was a really nice experience for her to feel such a BIG calm dog!
Talk to you soon.
Deborah

Tommy

2010-04-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

“ Hi friends at DAWG, We thought we’d give you an update on Tommy (on the right-- the little brown dog), who joined our family earlier this month. Here is a picture of him with his new house-mate Yogi. Although Yogi looks a little unsure of his new friend, they are getting along really well, and have fun running all over the backyard. Tommy is still very much like a puppy, and actually has really good manners. He knows “sit”, “stay”, “no, is potty trained, and walks really well on a leash. He is so funny and sweet, and has fit in so nicely with our family. Thanks to DAWG “ -- Sincerely, Angeli R.

Dooney, Now Izzy

2010-04-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Hi ,
Just thought I would share this cute picture with you and your staff. As you can appreciate Dooney (who we have renamed as Izzaboo, Izzy for short) is settling into our home and has become Roxy's best friend! I think this picture shows how close they have become :-) Thanks for taking care of her and we will see you again in a couple of weeks.
Cheers,
Jonathan and Keyla

Petunia

2010-04-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

Petunia is doing so great! Her addition to our crazy family has been wonderful, she fits right in. She sleeps nights in her crate, where we think she is most comfortable but is out and free the rest of the day. Slowly she is learning to enjoy the car, it has taken her this long but she almost gets excited when we get ready toleave. It has taken her months but she is finally able/willing to go in and out the doggie door on her own, she is very proud of herself. Next month we will be camping at Refugio for a week and it will be her first camping experience with us, we got her a "pet yard" to be in while we are there. I am a little anxious and hoping she will be fine "ruffing it" for the week. She has learned lots of fun tricks like sit, stay, give paw, dance and crate. We all feel so lucky to have her and want you to know you gave her to a family who loves her very much.
Eric, Minda, Charlie, Maria, Mocha, Daphne and "Princess"Petunia

Bella (was Susie)

2010-04-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

My dog Bella was a rescue from D.A.W.G., a shelter in Santa Barbara. She was found pregnant on the beach here one year ago, and gave birth to eight puppies at D.A.W.G. before she came to live with us. One of the owners of the puppies organized a family reunion on Easter Sunday (which also happens to the one year anniversary of the puppies' births). See the photo gallery http://www.maaia.com/levi/photography/bellapups-reunion/ for more shots from Hendry's Beach.

Momma Dog Shannon

2010-04-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

Shannon, our very pregnant pit girl, LOVES her whelping bed! She will probably have her pups in a couple of days! Shannon's foster mom Brenna is excited!

Jay

2010-04-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

Jay is doing great! My mom spoils Jay like crazy! Last time I was there visiting Jay followed her around the house and you could tell he considers her his mom. He now goes in and out through the doggie door with ease and is potty trained!

My mom is still working on him walking better on a leash but he is doing absolutely wonderful. I’ve attached a picture of him; my mom found him like this one day when she came home. I think he thought it was Halloween…

Arrianne

2010-03-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

This past December when Mazzy was rescued, she was terrified and scared. DAWG immediately placed into her a loving foster home where she slowly blossomed into a happy little dog. Best news - her foster family, Traci & Jim, just adopted Mazzy!!

Gracie (was Angel)

2010-03-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Gracie at play!

A home for BUZZ !!!!!

2010-03-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

Buzz is doing great!! Just wanted to share some pictures =)

Smuckers!

2010-02-20T19:47:00.000-08:00

Smuckers is doing GREAT!
The boys are "dig tired"!
Thank You!
Smuckers and The Nowak's!

Spruce aka Chipper

2010-02-15T17:10:00.001-08:00

Chipper is doing great!! He has become such a sweet & fun dog...I think he realizes that he has a really nice home now and he plays & plays & plays with Dobie (dog we adopted from you a few years ago) all day. He loves going to Tobano dog park...when we are on the street before turning on to Tobano, he does his "happy" cry. He is a hoot! I'll bring him by DAWG sometime to say hi!

Woz aka Oliver

2010-02-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone at DAWG! Josh and I just wanted to send you a quick hello and update you on how much we LOVE our little guy. We adopted "Woz" back in June, but did change his name to Oliver (Ollie). He's absolutely been the light of our life and we absolutely adore him. He's become the most spoiled and pampered dog around and just LOVES to snuggle! He's got a plethora of Aunties, as all the girls I work with always want to babysit him and take him for walks. I hate to say it, but I have a few outfits for him, and he LOVES them (I think he just realizes he gets extra attention with them and milks it). He was also a dinosaur for Halloween. He's currently laying on top of me (as he usually does) curled up in his little doggie snuggie. He loves laying by the fire and sleeps with us every night, of course sharing my pillow. I've attached a few pictures, hope all is well!
- Stephanie

Petunia

2010-02-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

Petunia is fitting into the family just like we knew she would. She is happy and wagging her tail almost whenever she is awake. She sleeps in her crate all night and when we leave the house. No accidents in the house so far, we are so happy to have her in our family. Thank you for giving us the chance to have such a wonderful dog come into our lives. Once her cone is off we will come out for a visit.
-Minda

2010-02-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

Hello,
I wanted to update you on Fremont and his new home.

He loves digging in the yard for gophers. He also loves being in the yard so much that he daily moves his toys outside and places them throughout the yard. (We bring them in each night.) We put a bed outside in the shade each day and we keep the back door open so that he can come and go from house to yard as he pleases. He just loves sitting outdoors. We try to strike a balance of spending time outside and inside since he likes us to be with him so much.

He chases butterflies and anything else that moves in our yard. He buries his doggie treats in the back yard after he digs a hole with his nose.

Fremont is a lot of fun and folks seem to really enjoy meeting him wherever we take him. We take him to the off leash doggie park regularly so he can play with his friends. He goes to meetings, shopping, and anywhere else we can take him. He loves going for his daily walks along the river each morning to start our day.

Thank you so much for your help with getting Fremont. Our dog, Jeff, who we lost late in 2009, was of course very different from Fremont in many ways but quite similar in many others. We are so glad to have found Fremont.

Sincerely,
Elaine

Nanook 2/2/10

2010-02-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone at DAWG,
Just wanted to send an update on Nanook, who we adopted a little over a week ago now.
He’s settled in very nicely. Very sociable, smart and has responded terrific to training. I’ve already got him ‘off leash’ for morning runs in the snow. Here are some photos from our weekend up in the mountains, he’s a natural at pulling the sled of gear from the car in to the cabin!
Thanks for everything! Bob and Deb

Riley (was Missy)

2010-01-29T07:59:00.000-08:00

You asked us to send something for DAWG tails . . . here's our beautiful puppy, Riley (formerly named "Missy" and adopted from DAWG around Aug. of 2007). She is quick to learn, athletic and healthy. Lots of exercise, work and training goes into our daily lives. She brings us tremendous joy and laughter. ;) Here's wishing you, your pup and DAWG a great 2010!!

Janette & Bruce

Blue

2010-01-29T07:55:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to email you and let you know Blue is doing great. We love having her and she has made friends with our other dogs, particularly Ricky. The two of them play together a lot. Attached are a couple photos taken at my parent's house in December.

She is she a great dog, it is sad to think it took so long for her to be adopted. Her main thing is that she just wants to be with us and be part of a family.

Thanks for being such an advocate for her and the other dogs at DAWG.

~Tahara

2010-01-02T15:55:00.000-08:00

We adopted Sonny Boy in March. Sonny has come a long way from the time we got him. Sonny feels that he can trust us & we won’t hurt him. He has become a very happy dog. He knows what dog treats are now & when he is hungry, he let’s me know. And, boy, does he love to play ball. I could go on and on with some funny stories as to how he has come to have trust in us, etc. Just in the past week, it seems, he has put on a few pounds. He gets plenty of exercise, but I think he needs even more.
Merry Christmas to you & give all the pets there a big hug from us.
Joyce & Gary

Champ's New Family

2009-11-29T17:27:00.000-08:00

I thought you might like a shot of Champ relaxing by the fire. Somehow he found himself a pillow to go with his bed. I only caught it with my iPhone so the quality isn't great. I also included a picture of Champ in our family photos from the second day he was with us. It was tough to catch Champ and Hannah looking at the camera at the same time. Champ is having fun with the neighbor dogs and getting on well with Hannah (my daughter). He is definitely relaxing into our home. I hope you had a good holiday, Mary

Charlie fetches big-dog sized sticks!

2009-11-13T22:55:00.000-08:00

Charlie (AKA Daikon) enjoys playing fetch with logs at the park, so much so that he decided to take one home!"

Haloween @ Diogi for the DAWGs

2009-11-03T10:09:00.001-08:00

DAWGs enjoy Halloween at Diogi!

2009-11-03T10:07:00.001-08:00

Check out our alums: Jenna, Lucy, Lola and Koa...what lucky pups!
Koa won Judge's choice (1st prize), while the other 3 were disqualified for being staff dogs :) Otherwise, they would've won!

DAWGs enjoy Halloween at Diogi! part 2

2009-11-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

Howl-o-ween!

2009-11-01T16:57:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Charlie & Banjo (a former DAWG dog that we are pet-sitting) decided to dress up for Halloween! Charlie was a spider to my zombie Little Miss Muffett, and Banjo was Tinkerbell to my sister's Peter Pan.

They both looked so good, I just had to share! They both wore their costumes all night, with no complaints.

~Lisa

Morgan and Mark

2009-10-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Mark and I've been a DAWG volunteer since September, 2008. At first I helped by walking dogs, but with a big yard and extra time in the evenings I then asked if I could foster someone that might need training and socialization to help with their adoption. I was given the care of Morgan, one of three Pit Mix puppies that came to DAWG in the summer of 2008 after being removed from an unloving home in the North County along with their father. Morgan saved his family by taking an opportunity to get away and overcoming his fear of other people to seek help at a nearby house, who immediately called the police. The puppies were nursed back to health in a first foster home, and then were fostered here in Santa Barbara with three separate DAWG families. Morgan and Stuart Little are both cinnamon brindles and a little bigger than their dark brindle brother Koa. They all have Great Dane tongues that seem too big for their mouths, since their father Blake is a Yellow Lab/Great Dane mix.

Morgan turned out to a dream dog- friendly and loving and anxious to learn. He was a little shy and nervous at first but once I sat down with him on the floor, he climbed into my lap and licked my face. I think he really felt that he belonged with us when we bought him his own bed. He was so happy and proud to have it, and could hardly stop wagging his tail. He likes to rearrange his blanket on his bed with his nose and paws to be more comfortable and then flop down in a circle with a loud satisfied sigh. At first he had a lot of bad dreams and we helped him by gently laying our hands on him without waking him and soothing him until he was sleeping peacefully again. Over time the bad dreams decreased until now mostly his dreams are about running and smelling- his favorite activities at off-leash areas. He's always been good about staying near his person off-leash and loves other dogs, even the really large intimidating ones. His favorite activity is the sniff and sprint, enjoying the scents of the outdoors and other dogs and then catching up to his person at full speed with dirt and sand and tongue flying everywhere. It's best to stay alert when he's at full speed because he doesn't always have full control of his direction- he's been known to run into knees and trees and dogs, and when he does it feels like he's made of rawhide and bone- no soft parts!

Morgan has had several energetic playdates with brothers Koa and Stewie. Koa was adopted by a former DAWG kennel attendant and her three roommates and is thriving as the center of attention in their active house. Recently he won a Dioji Howloween contest by dressing as a pirate with a peg-leg! Stewie was adopted by his DAWG foster family with three teens and a golden lab companion and is very happy there. Morgan's Dad Blake who was at the County Shelter for nine months has recently been added to our household. Blake has been teaching Morgan new play and stick-chewing techniques and is ecstatic to be at a home- his tail has hardly stopped wagging since he got there. He loves to exercise and is wearing out both our treadmill and the wheels on my scooter with his energy and enthusiasm.

Like many of the DAWG stories, this one started badly and then was transformed into a heartwarming tale by the efforts of all of the people involved with rescuing them and giving them a chance at a better life. I personally would like to thank everyone that had a part in it, and hope that through my volunteer efforts I can also play a part in giving other dogs a chance at a better life!

Koa's Costume!

2009-10-27T21:53:00.000-07:00

Check out this costume that won 1st prize at Dioji's Halloween Party last Saturday, October 24th. For those of you that don't know, Koa is CinnaMorgan's three-legged brother and Blake's son who gets together with Blake and CM to play.
Yay Koa!

2009-10-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone: My husband and I adopted a great little dog named Lennie from you about a month or so ago. I just wanted to let you know how happy we are to have him in our family. He is now good friends with Lola, our other little adoptee, and is finally friendly with our 3 cats. He is a most loving and sweet little guy and we love him to pieces. Here are some pictures I hope you will enjoy. Thank you for everything you did for him.
Best regards,
Clarice

Sweet Princess - now known as Lucha

2009-10-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

First off, sorry for taking so long to send this report. Life with our new dog, Sweet Princess (or as we call her, Lucha), has just been so great we haven't wanted to get on our computer. We adopted Lucha on December 26th, and she has been a great addition to our family, which now consists of two dogs and two people. She has grown into a very well mannered dog, that loves nothing more than to curl up on the couch or her bed and spend all day enjoying the good life. However, Lucha also loves hiking with our other dog Django, playing at the Butterfly Preserve, and chasing pretty much anything at the beach. She has also turned into a great friend of Django (they are pretty much inseparable), and we frequently get asked if they are related. All in all we are extremely happy with adopting Lucha, and very grateful to DAWG for being an organization that truly gives great dogs like Lucha a second chance at life.

Flash

2009-08-13T10:21:00.001-07:00

It's Jen - Flash's mom... Not sure if there
are a bunch of people checking the DAWG email or just one,
but just in case...I adopted Flash in March of 2002, after
he spent two years being loved and cared for at DAWG.

Anyway, every so often, I like to drop y'all a
little note and let you know how our big boy is doing...
He's now about 10 and a half, although you'd never
know it from watching him play. He's developed a
thyroid condition in his oldish age, so he takes a pill with
breakfast and dinner, which he doesn't even seem to
notice - just gobbles it right up with his kibble. Just
had his annual vet visit, where he weighted in at 86
pounds...

The hubby and I are still in San Francisco, and after
spending the last 5 years in our amazing apartment (one
block from the Alamo Square dog park!) we've bought our
first house - complete with a yard for Flash! (and my other
SB adoptee, Apollo. He came from next door, though, not
from you guys.) Attached are a couple of pics of the pups
enjoying their new yard (still a work in progress, though
they don't mind a bit), and from the recent "Dog
Days" at AT&T Park (you get to bring your doggie to
the ballpark for a Giants game!)

Hope all is well in DAWG world,
Jen

Miss Parker

2009-07-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hello,

I have been wanting to share with you how Miss Parker is doing and how she has captured my heart.

We brought home Miss P. on New Year Day, If I remember correctly. Her name at the shelter was Ariel. Dominique's childhood dog had passed away at his parents home while he was away in college. We had decided on getting two cats almost a year later and unfortunately after
falling in love with them one had internal bleeding and had to be put down the other ran away in the middle of us moving across town and was never found. Oh we were all so heart broken. So as usual every weekend I would go down to the shelters to look for our cat and after 3 months I began to slowly consider maybe our kitty wasnt going to come home.

On Christmas morning I asked Dom if we could go to the shelter because last time I was there I saw a dog that looked just like his dog that had passed away. I looked in the small dog cages for that dog but she wasn't there anymore. However, there was this funny looking little dog with its paws up on the fence giving me the most interesting stare. I dont know where my heart would be today if I hadn't have had seen this dog that day. She was such a silly looking dog. I mean that in the best of ways. She had curly, messy hair, just like mine. She had black white spots all over. She looked like a little cow with a perm. All the little dogs wanted attention but she really stood out. Dominique could see that I was interested and we decided to take her for a walk. She took us for a walk. Then when we brought her back we sat with her for a while and she just layed on our laps belly exposed and fell asleep. We knew..this dog was SPECIAL. She trusted us, she was so smart and sweet. A week later we were the luckiest family in the world because we got to bring her home. I took her to work with me everyday and she just sat on my desk, quietly and patiently waiting for me to take her on a walk on break time. Everyone said "wow she just sits there, or wow what a cool dog". And SHE IS! She doesnt need a leash 98 % of the time she just walks with me everywhere, stays right next to me, even in stores she just sits in the cart. Gosh, she is the cutest dog in the world. Everyone loves her. They ask what kind of a dog she is, sometimes I call her my pound puppy and people say wow you really scored!

When Miss Parker came home I was 7 months pregnant and people would say what is she going to do when you have your baby, because it was pretty obvious Miss Parker was my baby.
:)
She slept right in between my spouse and I. Giving us an almost equal amount of kisses before bed time and in the morning. (I have to admit I'm her favorite though). I began to put her to bed with my daughter in preparation for a soon to come baby. But every morning she runs into our room jumps on the bed like its christmas morning, with so much excitment and love. She showers us with kisses and pounds her tail vigorously it almost hurts us. She is the cutest! When the baby came we wondered how she would behave. I came home with the baby boundled up and and Miss Parker slowly get close to her, sniffed her, licked her and layed right next to her. Oh Miss Parker is the best the dog. My baby is 3 months now and Miss Parker has been a complete angel. She protects her, sneaks the baby as many kisses as she can and simply waits
patiently for me to get freed up so she can have me and Miss Parker time.

I can go on and on about Miss Parker. The last thing I will share with you is her cute sense of humor. She likes to get out of the shower and run around the house at top speed. She likes pretending we are chasing her and will go from room to room jumping on and off beds faster than the speed of lightning. She loves fetching, keep away and tug of war. She has completely won my heart in the most special of ways. She is the first dog I have ever owned and I could have twenty more just like her and it wouldnt be hard it would be a blessing. Miss Parker brings us so much joy! Shes a toy poodle by measurment but she thinks she is a BIG BIG DOG when it comes to protecting us and our home. She goes with us everywhere except those places that wont allow dogs. Like some grocery stores. Its such a shame because she behaves better than most people. hahaha. Just looking at her makes most people happy.

In conclusion, I want to thank DAWG from the very depths of my heart for keeping dogs from being put down. I cant imagine my life with out Miss Parker. She is everything I have ever needed and wanted and so much more. She rescued me!

I make sure to tell everyone where I got her from so they can go out and get rescued by a DAWG dog. :)

I've attached some photos of her and her with us.
Thank you again, sincerely,
Priscila and Family

Luigi in his new home!

2009-06-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

Luigi (was Zephyr) with his new brother, Tiki.
A very happy home!

Cooper (was Timmy)

2009-06-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

Thought you'd like to see your friend Timmy, now adorably known as "Cooper," and send you a couple of photos to affirm that you and Cooper made the right choice.

Much love and appreciation,

Lisa, Charlie, and Cooper's boy, Cole

Gracie

2009-04-16T18:26:00.000-07:00

Thank you for rescuing Gracie and finding us our new girl. She loves laying around in bed with us and on the couch to watch TV with Daddy. We go the beach one or two times a week and shes still pulling Daddy on his skateboard, too. She's a great girl! Thank you again. - Erika

Buddy

2009-04-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

What can I say about Buddy? He IS a Rottie, through and through: a physically strong dog yet gentle all the same, a wonderful buddy to me, great with my sons and all of our animals, even our day-old baby chickens. He is always ready to go, anywhere, or, just lounge around the house. He even seems to have come with some commands that he responds to very well. When adopting him we didn't think he'd be a 'ball dog' or a 'water dog' but he has proven us wrong; he loves to swim and play at the beach and river and sometimes even plays fetch, perfectly! We love Buddy and are thankful that DAWG recommended him to us.
-The Southard Family

Benji

2009-03-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

We adopted Benji from you and we just wanted to say thanks for all you do. We are soo happy we got to take Benji home. We love having Benji as our new dog. I am sure he Loves it here too. We play with him in our back yard all the time, he can really bring the puppy out of him. We will bring Benji down to the beach and he loves seeing other dogs! He is just a doll baby he will just sit on your lap and wants to be rubbed all the time. It is so funny he has to be the center of attention all the time. He always gets a little sad when we leave but he sits up on the bed and looks out the window waiting for us. We are soo happy we got Benji. Thanks again for everything you do.

Stewart Little

2009-03-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

"Stewart Little isn't so little anymore..after surviving a rough few weeks early in life where he was abused and starved, this sweetheart now loves to go on long walks where he can romp in the grass, roll in who knows what, and chase after his best dog friend, Kody Bear (Golden Retriever). His family of three kids LOVES him and Stewie (for short) gives back big time...lots of wet kisses and snuggles. Stewie was a foster for about 5 months and his family couldn't part with him..stay tuned for more...hopefully some pictures of Stewie and his brothers Morgan and Koa, who he hasn't seen in a long time. Hoping to get them all reunited soon!"

Morgan and Koa

2009-03-04T20:25:00.001-08:00

Morgan on the left and Koa are two out of three brothers that are being fostered and adopted out of DAWG. This is a picture from an outing to Hendry's beach when the brothers were reunited after living at their houses for a few months. They had a great time chasing each other and even dove into the murky water of the lagoon there- normally they don't like water but apparently stinky water is okay! They play hard together and can forget to watch where they go- it's best to keep an eye on them and get ready to sidestep when they're playing hard!

2008-12-03T09:05:00.000-08:00

Our sweet Milly passed away Wednesday night. She has left a big open space in our hearts and our house. Think of her tomorrow when we will bury her in our back yard. We will plant a fruit tree over her so her sweetness will sweeten the fruit it produces.

We adopted Milly on Valentine's Day, almost five years ago, from DAWG (Dog Adoption and Welfare Group) in Santa Barbara. I asked them, "Who is your oldest dog?" and they brought me
to Milly who I knew at first sight would come home with me. She quickly adjusted to our home in the hills of Santa Barbara and fell in love with Rick and took him to be her charge for the next four years. Yes, she loved me, but when Rick came into the room her tail wagged and her whole
demeanor perked up.

She and Jack, her "kennel mate" at DAWG (who joined our family two weeks after Milly)were known as "Pancho and Lefty" by our neighbors who regularly saw them on their daily walks down our dirt roads. Milly was the leader and Jack devotedly hopped beside her as they explored Refugio Road.

Milly adjusted to Madison and grew to love her daily neighborhood leash walks, but she kept her independence, leading the way as Rick and I walked behind her. Although she became deaf her last few years, she knew our hand signals for "follow us". Her sense of smell took top billing and she could sniff out a dried up worm on the road from three feet away.

Milly passed away in our bed, lying between us. We think she was about 14 years old.

Rest in peace, Mildred.

2008-12-03T09:04:00.001-08:00

My husband Brian and I adopted our dog Daisy (aka Merry) on October 2nd, 2007. I was going to send you all a holiday card but I didn't get around to cards this year, so for the time being I wanted to at least send this and tell you how thankful we are for everything you do. Daisy is a sweet, happy dog (almost 60 pounds now!), and she makes us laugh every day. She loves playing in the canyon behind our house...she likes to run ahead of us on the trail, hide behind a bush, and then jump out and scare us - she's hilarious. We know that part of the reason she is such an amazing dog is the time she spent at DAWG and all the great volunteers there. Thank you for taking such good care of her until we found her! I will try to send you some pictures of her one day. Thank you again for all your hard work...we love Daisy so much, and if we ever get her a little brother or sister, we will definitely come to you first! Happy Holidays!!
~Lindsey & Brian ~

2008-12-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

Pacita's Happy Tail:
In October 2007, Pacita and her son, Tommy came to the shelter. Because Tommy was smaller and younger than his mom, he was found his new forever home very quickly. For Pacita, days turns to weeks and weeks turn to months. Pacita was still there! When people came to the shelter and said they wanted a lap dog, we would always point to Pacita and said, "Pacita is a lap dog!"
Time and time again we would hear, "oh we are looking for a younger and smaller dog". In the
meantime, Pacita's other dog buddies were also being adopted. Then 6 months later it was Pacita's time! One sunny Sat afternoon this past March, a few of us volunteers were standing outside the shelter and a car drove up and parked in front. We saw a man get out of his car and walked to the passenger side. He opened the car door and tenderly helped an elderly lady out
of the car.

I said to the other volunteers, "Here comes Pacita's future mom". We learned her name was Rose. "I am looking for a small dog that wants to sit on my lap", said Rose. By this time, Rose was sitting on a chair on the front lawn. Naturally, LeAnn got Pacita and placed Pacita on her Rose's lap. There was a connection. A few days later, Pacita went home with Rose. When Rose came back to finalized Pacita, we asked how Pacita was doing. "Since I have 4 caretakers, Pacita gets lots of love and attention. Also I have a dog walker who takes Pacita on a daily walk. But the best part is Pacita loves to sit on my lap," Rose replied.

2008-12-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!
My new folks thought that you might like to know how I am doing these days. As you can see, I have a new summer haircut. Most of the time, I am a very polite and good boy. Also, I am walking every day, and no longer pull on the leash. With my new feeding program and exercise regimen I am getting a little thinner (at least my Mom thinks so). Robbie and I are getting used to each other and still working out the boundaries thing.

I'll bet that you did not know that can shake hands. My family is so surprised that I had already learned this. What a smart boy I am.

Anyhow, I want to thank everyone at DAWG for the great care that you gave me while I was there. And I want to thank you for finding a new family for me. I really like it here. Could you please contact the nice person that brought me in and let them know that I am in a new home and doing very well.

Hugs, wags and kisses,
Your friend Barney

Sponty's Happy Beginning

2008-10-02T18:26:00.000-07:00

Hi to my good friends from Sponty and his new family.

I really like it here with this big yard that I can run around in as fast as I can. Sometimes Maggie chases me. There is so much to explore and I am finding places where I can find something to shred.

Bonnie and Dan really love me although I try their patience at times, it is only because of the new rules I am learning.

I can sit and stay even for my dinner. and leash training is going slow but with progress each day on our walk. I still get so excited that I can barely contain myself.

I am looking forward to spending my life here, it is a good place for a dog or people. I want to thank all of you VERY much for loving me and taking good care of me in my lost years, it was all worth it now.

Love and wags,
Sponty

2008-09-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

Charlie (aka Daikon) with new family member Lisa. It didn't take long for Charlie to grow accustom to enjoying hikes in the mountains, and walks at the beach. He has already become an integral part of his loving family of 4 humans, 3 turtles, and 2 orange cats.

A smile or two...

2008-09-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to DAWG's new Happy Tails Blog. Keep checking back to read all about our dogs' happy endings! If you have a DAWG dog, please send your stories and photos to: DawgTails@gmail.com

Thanks!