Mister Marcus needs a home!

When I received an email request to transport a dog from the MDSPCA (http://mdspca.org/) to a boarding facility/daycare in Dundalk, I couldn't say no. The trip would be quick and easy and this dog really needed to leave the SPCA or he would be in danger of being put down. When the trip was confirmed, I received a picture of my future little traveler..

Marcus, the Shepherd mix is from a shelter in rural West Virginia called Animal Friends of Barbour County (http://www.afobcwv.org/). He was transported to the MDSPCA to be adopted. And was. And, sadly, was returned to the MDSPCA one week later. It wasn't his fault. Marcus just wanted to be with his new family. He finally felt love and he wanted more! According to his paperwork and the conversation I had with the kind staff members at the SPCA, Marcus went to his new home and was a nothing but a love bug when he got there. When his new family had to leave him at home alone to go to work, they put him in his new crate. But Marcus didn't understand why he wasn't cuddling on the couch and decided to bust out. He went to the door to look for his new family and pawed at the screen until it came apart. Then he saw this huge cooler sitting on the floor and thought, "well that looks like an awesome chew toy!" and decided to give it a nibble. Marcus's family came home and saw what he had done and decided that he had separation anxiety and returned him to the SPCA. 

Because the SPCA is a shelter, they don't have the means to deal with dogs who supposedly have issues...for this reason, they asked Animal Friends of Barbour County to reclaim Marcus and transport him back to West Virginia. In the matter of one month, Marcus has been from a West Virginia shelter to a Baltimore shelter to a new home then back to the SPCA and now...to boarding until he can hop on the transport back to West Virginia. No WONDER he's a little unsure of himself. He just wants a person that he can love forever. He wants his next car ride to be to his forever home. And I don't think that that is too much to ask. 

I sat in a room at the SPCA and waited for Marcus to be sprung from his kennel. He confidently walked into the room and came right up me to get some love and some pets. He's a gorgeous boy with big paws, a few black toe nails, and great markings. He's friendly and gentle but his eyes are a little sad. His tail was hesitant to wag but when it did, it was a full force wag fest! He had two SPCA staff members come to see him and send him off with warm wishes. This boy has certainly made friends during his SPCA stay. As we were walking through the parking lot, Marcus heard a car door slam and he dropped to the ground. He looked at me for reassurance, stood back up and we were back on our way to the car. I opened the door and he jumped right in. He immediately saw the bag of clothes in my back seat that were on their way to the dry cleaner and he walked over to them, laid on top and curled up in a ball. He felt safe. 

We listened to "Through a Dog's Ear" (http://throughadogsear.com/) on our way to Dundalk and Marcus felt relaxed. At stop lights, Marcus would get up and look out the window at all of the city sights. His tail would wag when he saw other dogs running or walking down the street. He didn't bark. Or whine. He was just...Marcus. At one point he did this...

And it was awesome. In the very short time we spent together, Marcus and I formed a bond. I can not possibly let this dog travel 5 hours back to a rural shelter in West Virginia where his chances of being adopted are slim. He needs to stay in Baltimore. He needs a home of his very own. Please share Marcus and his story far and wide. We need a local rescue to step up and help Marcus find his forever family. You won't be sorry.

Marcus is approximately 4 years old. He is handsome, he is gentle, he is awesome. He is up to date on all of his shots. He is neutered and micro-chipped. Best of all, he loves love. Please contact me at seramatteo@gmail.com for more information about Marcus. 

Charles in charge!

A cute little dog named Charles needed a ride to the vet today, so at around 5:45 this evening, he gleefully hopped into my Soul and we went for a ride through the city. We didn't get to hang out for long, but he's one of the best little car riders I've ever had the pleasure of driving.

Charles is an adoptable Puggle, who was recently rescued by AARF (http://animalalliesrescue.org/). He was in a kill shelter and was reported to be Deaf and possibly blind and 13 years old. He didn't have a good chance of making it until AARF stepped in. And thank goodness they did. Charles is an all around great boy. He's amazingly sweet and loving and very happy. He was happy to see me and I was just as happy to pet his soft little ears. He was very curious about being in car and kept switching between looking out at the Christmas lights and laying on the seat with his head in my lap. When we walked into the vet, Charles was greeted by a very huge and jumpy Lab puppy, but he didn't really seem to mind. You see, Charles couldn't hear the puppy barking at him, so he could have cared less. He just wanted to get to the back room with the vet so he could get his stitches out and go to bed.

If you are looking for a wonderful little-ish dog to keep you company, Charles is your boy. He doesn't mind other dogs and can co-habitat with cats. And most importantly, he will be forever grateful to the person who gives him a warm lap and lots of love. If you are interested in adopting Charles, please visit his AARF page (http://animalalliesrescue.org/adopt_a_dog.html) for more info.

King of the WORLD!

Hi, Bmore Lucky fans! My name’s King! Let me show you around my foster pad and introduce you to my host siblings. It’s pretty cool here. I was an outdoor dog my whole life but now I get to enjoy the outdoors in a whole new way. Here I get to lounge around and enjoy the sunshine while my foster mom is out gardening. If it wasn’t for the comfortable dog bed inside, I could lay here all day!

This here is my foster bro, Scruffy, and my foster sister (Zuzu, the cat). Scruffy is a lot of fun. He likes to play all the time and makes me feel safe when I get nervous. The cat is ok too, I guess. She seems to think she rules the house. But that’s fine with me. I don’t pay her much attention.

Inside the house I’m not quite as confident since I didn’t grow up there. Scruffy has got the whole “inside” world figured out so I look to him to help me out when I get a little overwhelmed. You know, like when there’s a loud noise I don’t understand or when new people come over and are talking loud and moving fast. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do with myself in those situations, so usually I’ll just go upstairs for a bit to get my courage back.  Now that I’ve been in my foster home for over a month I rarely have to do that though. I’m adjusting.  

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about my favorite things!! So my first and most favorite thing is to go for walks at the park. Why? Because I get to smell everybody that’s already been there and then let them know I’ve been there too! Actually it’s best when I get to meet another dog in person. For those occasions I have a special happy dance!! Oh yeah, you should see my moves. I’ve coined the most adorable “hop and circle” technique. It makes everybody laugh.  The only other time I use it is when I’m about to get my dinner.  You’d dance too if you were getting such delicious morsels!

The only other thing I might love as much as going for walks and eating is attention!! Scruffy and I compete all the time for who gets to be the center of attention. Unlike him, I’m not pushy. He likes to poke and lick people. I prefer  a gentle head rest on the lap. Every once in a while I’ll also ask for a belly rub. For that I turn on the real charm. I make eye contact and then gently rollover so it’s clear what I want. Hahahaha, my foster mom is no match for my adorableness. It works every time.


So I guess you probably realized I’m up for adoption, huh? My foster mom said she’d love to keep me because I’m such an angel but then she couldn’t continue to save other dogs like me. So maybe you would like to adopt me?  I’m really easy going. I don’t bark, chew on things I’m not supposed to, or get into stuff. I’m past that stage.  According to my foster mom, I’m the easiest foster she’s ever had! Wow, now that's saying a lot!

If you would like to learn more about adopting me, please visit http://www.dogsxlrescue.org/ or see my Petfinder page: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/21432627

Lucky Number Deuce.



Deuce loves love.



If you have been keeping up with Deuce's story on the Dogs XL Facebook page (http://tiny.cc/ddv2v), you would know that our favorite fluffy Malamute has really had a rough time during the past two weeks. Shortly after the first Bmore Lucky blog post about Deuce, he went to his first adoption event and then went home to hang out with Dogs XL foster mom, Mary, and her lovely family. After about 24 hours of rest and relaxation in Mary's home, Deuce started to cough a lot. Then he coughed up blood. Then he became very, very weak. So weak that Mary and her husband had to carry Deuce to the car to get him to the vet's office. The vet diagnosed Deuce with kennel cough, gave him meds and sent him home. The next day, he hadn't improved so we sent him to another great vet (http://www.montgomeryvillagevetcenter.com/) that monitors their patients 24/7. Dr. Petros said that Deuce had a very high fever, pneumonia and possibly complications from his heart worm treatment. Essentially, in the span of a week, Deuce had been from North Carolina to Baltimore, neutered, treated for heart worm, diagnosed with kennel cough and pneumonia and was in heart failure. He should have died. Dr. Petros didn't think that he was going to make it. But he didn't give up hope. Deuce didn't give up hope. No one gave up hope.

It was one week ago that Deuce went to stay at Montgomery Village Vet Center. For the last week, Deuce has been the best darn patient that Dr. Petros and his staff have ever seen. They LOVE him! And who WOULDN'T love him? He is the fluffiest, sweetest guy EVER! Seriously.

Shortly after I posted Deuce's story on Bmore Lucky, I got an email from a woman named Judy. Judy said that she and her husband, George, saw Deuce's story (and his cute little face!) and fell in love. They wanted to talk about adopting him. OMG! They wanted to talk about adopting him!!! My heart raced. I looked at their adoption application. I talked to Judy on the phone. Everything was perfect. And then Deuce became ill. I knew from my conversation with Judy that she and George had been extremely dedicated dog parents. The three lucky dogs who were fortunate enough to be a part of Judy and George's lives were also rescued pooches. Dedicated is putting it mildly. You see, Judy and George live in New York. Deuce lives in Baltimore. Actually, his vet is in Gaithersburg. Despite the long trip and despite the fact that Deuce is very sick and they could easily adopt a healthier dog, Judy and George made the trek to see him today. The visit was amazing. Deuce took to them instantly. They sat with him for hours, petting him, loving him, talking to him, taking pictures with him and just being a part of his healing process. Judy and George were sad to leave Deuce. They were hoping that Dr. Petros would say that Deuce was well enough to travel home, but that wasn't what happened.



Judy and George say, "until we see you again" to Deuce.

Deuce still needs our help. Dr. Petros said that Deuce is still in critical condition. His heart is still enlarged. He is still very weak and he is so very, very skinny. Please keep Deuce in your thoughts and prayers. He needs to feel our love. It's what makes him stronger. He is not going to give up. He wants nothing more than to jump in the car and head to his forever home in New York. Long Island, to be exact.

Deuce's heart shaped fur.

To donate to Deuce's growing vet bills, please visit the Dogs XL Critical Care Blog (http://dogsxlrescue.blogspot.com/).



Deuce loves his treats!



Special thanks to everyone who loves Deuce, including but not limited to, Suzanne, Jan, Donna, Giullia, Vinny and Sal, Ozzy, Mary and (of course), Judy and George.





Deuce and George.

The One Called Deuce

Before they arrive, I get to see the pictures and bios of all of the dogs that we are bringing in to our rescue, Dogs XL...each and every one makes me so sad to see them behind the bars of their shelter kennel and then instantly overjoyed that WE are the ones to give these great dogs a second chance at life. That's exactly what happened when I saw Deuce's sweet face pop up in my email. If you know me, you know that I have a crazy soft spot for Huskies...especially white Huskies with blue eyes. Blue eyes that sometimes cross. And a big fluffy, curly tail. Deuce isn't a Husky, but rather an Alaskan Malamute...the cousin of the Husky. Just as cute, just as fluffy, just as wonderful. My sister recently moved back to Baltimore from Alaska and I thought that perhaps my little nephews needed a doggie foster brother to liven their spirits and remind them of Alaska. If only Deuce could have come with a snow storm!

Deuce, on the way to his foster home!

Before Deuce arrived, we learned that he had heartworm. Heartworm in dogs is totally treatable and dogs with heartworm go on to live long, active lives. Dogs XL didn't give up hope and committed to pulling Deuce out of the high kill shelter he was in and transporting him to Baltimore for a better life. When Deuce arrived, he headed to an animal hospital in Baltimore to be treated for his heartworm. I picked him up yesterday and delivered him to his new foster home. When he walked into the waiting room at the vet's office, he greeted me with a big old tail wag and I don't think his tail has stopped wagging since.

Deuce and I headed to my sister's house so he could meet his new foster family. He LOVED his car ride and was perhaps the most well behaved dog that has even been in my car (my own dogs included). His new foster brothers were so excited to see him and Deuce greeted them with little gentle kisses. The boys were learning to gently pet Deuce's tail, but one of their little hand's slipped and accidentally hit Deuce's recent neuter stitches. This is what happened...

Don't worry, guys...you won't hurt me! I'm just so happy to have belly rubs!

In the hours that followed, Deuce got comfortable in his temporary home. He followed Giullia and the boys everywhere! He got to cuddle and, most importantly, got so many belly rubs. Deuce is very receptive to learning and is already mastering basic commands. He doesn't mind being in his crate but spent his first night in his foster home by in sleeping in the doorway of his foster mom's bedroom. He woke her up at a reasonable hour by gently kissing her face to let her know that he needed to go outside to potty. What a good boy, Deuce! He obviously loves kids (especially two year old little boys!) and would make a great family dog.



Deuce gives a big smile! He loves hugs from Vinny.



Vinny and Sal think that Deuce is the sweetest boy!



Deuce and Vinny, just chillin'!

Deuce is a fantastic dog who needs a loving, forever home...for more information on how to adopt him, feel free to email me at sera@dogsxlrescue.org or view his PetFinder profile here: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/21966328 .

Bigger IS Better.

Attention Bmore Lucky pals! I'm now the Foster Coordinator for Dogs XL, a WONDERFUL rescue out of Baltimore. Check out the website, come to an adoption event, spread the news about a dog who needs a home, and (of course) consider becoming a foster parent. ;) I'm taking a mini-break from fostering, so until I get my next foster, this blog will be dedicated to pimping out available Dogs XL pooches.
http://www.dogsxlrescue.org/

Stay tuned...cuteness will happen.

Peace, love and dog kisses.

Sera
(and Olive and Macho and Hamilton the cat)

R to the Izzo.

How could I forget sweet Baby Rizzo? Maybe because his stay with us was quick. Rizzo arrived in the middle of the week. He came to my house because his previous foster was a wee bit neglectful and left him out in a yard with a fence that didn't close properly. What can I say about Rizzo? Just look at him!

He is one super fun little puppy. He came to work with me the day after he arrived in Baltimore. The rest is history. I walked in the door and my co-worker, Deb, fell in love. She called her husband, who came to work to visit The Rizz, and he fell in love as well. The next day, I took Rizzo to their house so he could meet their cats and the following day, they adopted him. They take him EVERYWHERE. He walks his new mom to work in the morning and picks her up in the afternoon. He is one spoiled little guy. And my last foster for Lucky Dog.

Little Lion Man

Since I am currently foster-less, my dear friend and fellow foster mom, Lindsey, suggested that I blog about a handsome guy who we all love. Meet Leo.

Leo's foster/our guest blogger, Catharine, would like the world to know why Leo is so flipping awesome:

Leo the Lazy Lion perfectly describes this adorable guy.  He is royal in appearance and loyal in love. He prefers to lay around and snuggle.  He occasionally sits in a lion pose (think sphinx) and watches everything that goes on around him. At the dog park you can find him sitting on the picnic table in his lion pose just so he can be closer to humans. He is very affectionate with the people and dogs he is comfortable.  He is friendly to every dog he meets, and after a sniff continues on his way.  He loves to go for walks, but doesn't really need a long one.  He will go for runs but only a mile or so.  Since he is a lion, the King of the jungle, he only accepts the best treats.  You better give him something with meat in it or else he will just spit it out.  He doesn't chew on your shoes (that is way below him) and only wants to be around people and get some love.  Don't be surprised if on meeting you he gives you a big lick!

Also note: Leo is wonderful with CATS! And KIDS! But seriously note the Leo has been in foster care for WAY TOO LONG! This guy is five years old and has been searching for his forever home for more than three months. Please help us find Leo the awesome home that he so deserves. Look at his face! Who can resist?!?

Thank you, Catharine, for being a wonderful guest blogger and sharing Leo's story with us. Leo is currently available for adoption through Lucky Dog Animal Rescue. Please share this post and his story. For more info on Leo and to find out how to adopt, please visit: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19010756

Ella went home. For real this time.

Ella went home yesterday. To her REAL home. She won't ever be found "running at large" again...unless her new mom is right there by her side. I worried about Ella since the day she left my house. I cried for her and was sick to my stomach thinking that she was so stressed out and upset. Then I got a report from the trainer and the boarding facility where she was staying. Both reports were great! The trainer reported that Ella was FUN! and just needed some training. The pictures I received from boarding were awesome! They showed a happy, playful Ella...just as it should be. Yesterday, my mom and I met Ella at the boarding facility. Ella's new mom met us there and brought a few friends with her. There were at least eight people standing around, but when the gate opened, Ella ran right into her new mom's arms and knocked her over with kisses. It was amazing. I knew right then and there that Ella would have a great life. The life she deserves. I didn't film Ella's homecoming (damn!), but this picture of Ella running is what she looked like when she ran into the arms of her new mom...only she was smiling...and I cried a little.

Ella Ella Bo Bella

Whenever I tell someone that I'm a foster mom, the response is usually something like, "Oh, I could never do that, I would want to keep all of them!" The fact of the matter is, I DON'T want to keep all of them. I want to find them good homes. I want them to have a smooth transition from the shelter to their new home. I want them to be happy. On Friday night, I met Ella. Ella arrived from South Carolina where she had been found running at large and was turned in to a shelter. A high kill shelter. She was then moved to a foster home where she lived with three kids, three cats and two dogs, until she became a Lucky dog. I was so happy to meet her and when the crate door opened and she was free from her former life, she jumped off of the van and wagged her tail! We got back to Baltimore where she met Olive and Macho. She got to eat a good meal and sleep in a warm, cozy place. On Saturday morning, I took Ella to meet her new family. She was not happy. She didn't seem to enjoy the company of the dog who was supposed to be her new canine sister. She didn't get adopted. I was devastated. So...we came home. She tried to play with Olive and Macho but something wasn't right. Suddenly, playing wasn't so much fun. Ella didn't seem to enjoy the company of Olive and Macho, either. We had a rough day. On Sunday, Ella went to an adoption event and then to a boarding facility where she will be able to properly adjust, decompress and de-stress. I can not tell you how much I cried. I felt like I failed her, but she couldn't stay somewhere that she couldn't relax. So I let her go. I am more determined than ever to find this girl a home. She's awesome. She's a sweet girl who loves people...she loves to give hugs and she loves to give kisses. With the proper training, she will be a well behaved girl who will thrive in any environment. If you know of anyone who is need of a new canine friend who will give them years of happiness and friendship, PLEASE tell them about Ella.

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19247923

Happy. Tails. Tale.

Herbie went home tonight. His new mom is a friend from high school. She saw Herbie's blog/pictures posted on Facebook and fell in love. I think a lot of people fell in love with the little stinker. He sure did have a lot of people cheering him on. Herbie now lives with a wonderful mom and dad who are spoiling him rotten, and a canine big sister named Cinderella. He is going to live a long, happy life and I'm so happy for all of them.

Last Saturday, Herbie and I went to the Lucky Dog adoption event at the Towson Petsmart. He howled like a freak the whole entire time. I think he was trying to tell me that he didn't want to get adopted that day. Perhaps he knew that no one there was his true match? Dogs are so smart.

When I decided to foster Herbie, I knew that there was someone in my circle of friends/family/acquaintances that he was meant to be with. And we found them. Herbie traveled a long way to get to them. He is a survivor. He could have been killed when he was hit by a car, but instead only lost a leg. And that certainly hasn't slowed him down in any way, shape or form. Before his leg was amputated, he dodged death again...he was scheduled to be put down if Lucky Dog didn't pay for his surgery. He traveled all the way from North Carolina and was adopted. His adopters returned him because he chased their hamster. Yeah. He went to doggie daycare in DC and was really well taken care of...and then I picked him up and brought him to Baltimore. He loved running around with Macho and Olive and terrorizing Hamilton. We will miss him and we hope that he comes over to play a LOT.

Oh, yeah...and I cried.

Herbie's big fat weekend of fun

Thanks for the shout out, Jenna!



Herbie did not get adopted this weekend. He's feeling okay about it. He knows that his forever home is out there somewhere. On Friday, he came to MICA. We're lucky enough to be able to bring dogs to work and it's awesome. Herbie loved meeting new people, laying around all day and getting belly rubs. On Saturday, Herbie went to the Lucky Dog adoption event at the Petsmart in Towson. He had lots of people pet him and inquire about his missing leg, but no one wanted to take him home. Today he went to meet Ruby, a blind basset. She may want Herbie to come live with her but she's not sure yet. So here we are. On the couch. And that's okay.









Herbie and Ruby







Night night









 





Less talk, more cute