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Meet some families who have adopted an ARF puppy/kitty into their lives and were kind enough to share their stories with us!!
TannerHi Karen,Tanner is doing wonderfully! I can’t believe it’s been two months already! He is about 38 pounds and will be weighed again at the end of the month. He has already been neutered and the surgery and recovery went very well. His colour is really starting to turn from white to more tan. Especially along his back, ears, and tail. He has been a great fit to our household. We had our first session with Awesome Dogs on Thursday and it was great. Tanner gets to join us next week which will be fun. Tanner has also been a great fit to our extended family. He has met all his doggy cousins, aunt and uncle and they get along so well! :) It’s so nice that he has friends so close. He gets to play at my parents with the two dogs there at least once a week. Also, with the walks to Springbank and Komoka park, trips to the cottage and fishing, he’s been kept pretty busy (and keeping us busy too!). Again we thank you for all the work you put in with Tanner in the first couple months. It has truly made this a whole lot easier, since it is our first puppy. Good hearing from you, Jenn and Chris |
LustigHi Suzanne,Hope all is well with you and the Hennessy clan! Just wanted to let you in on Mr. Lustig's Progress now that he is almost 5 months old….. He's now almost 35 lbs and smart as a whip.. His Big Dog teeth are starting to come in and we are preparing for the "BIG SNIP" in a few weeks time…. So a lot has changed since you last saw him. He also maintains those wonderful manners and playful, yet seriousness he seems to have had since he came home to the Bellshire (my house)… Thomas and I could not imagine not having him in our lives! He's a ROCKSTAR…. Anyway, was just thinking about you guys and thought you needed an update. See the attached picture I just took of him - still has the funky ears (his trademark if you will)… Take care! Regards, Janine Sungaila |
PaisleyHi Angela,Paisley is 6 months old now and doing great. She is still a bit excitable and sometimes anxious but has made great strides with a lot of socialization. She loves to play with her other doggy friends at the dog park but her favourite place is the beach. We are so pleased at how well she has fit into our family. The kids absolutely love her and spoil her rotten. She is getting big too! 45lbs as of today. As of a few days ago we have two new kittens and she seems to be getting along fairly well with them so far. She did a little bit of barking at first but I'm sure they will be the best of friends in no time. Especially since she is getting lots of treats whenever they are around! Anyway, she is just the best and cutest dog around and we are so glad to have her. Cheers! Karena, Oscar, Harriet, Paisley, Mr. Freakypaws (Freddy) and Chloe Calico-y. |
JayceeDear ARF,Well, it has been 7 months since I left my foster home and came to start a new life with my “people”. As you can see I have more than doubled in size since I came here..but even as a pup they never let that hold me back. I can remember how challenging my first 8km hike was. Now I can do over 20km with ease. My favorite things are; park visits with my girlfriends Nori and Dana (a Norwegian Elkhound and an ARF rescue hound’a’like), collecting sticks to put in the backyard and I LOVE the water. I have been to many parks and quickly find a lake or river to play in. No matter which beach I am at, the same big eared puppy is always there staring back at me from the water. My game is to scare her by barking and biting at her, I always end up wet and she just keeps staring back. Oh, did I mention that I am a “touch” dog? I love to be with my people all of the time even if it means spreading my 60lb body across the cooking area so that they have to step over me when they are making dinner. My personal favorite is to run up the stairs ahead of them, stop half way and turn sideways to block the path with a wagging tail. They never seem to mind and with a laugh say “move it, move it, move it”. Thank you ARF for getting me started on the right paw. I love my life and my people say theirs would not be complete without me. Love, Jaycee |
KenadieDear ARF:I just wanted to take this opportunity to send a big "shout out" to all my brothers and sisters - Hershey, Copper (now Cooper), Alex, Gloria (now Lilo), Samson and Bromley, and to our mom, Dolores. On Sunday, July 4, 2010, my brothers, sisters and I will celebrate our first birthday!! Thanks to ARF, we have all found our "forever families" and can look forward to many more happy birthdays. By visting the "Success Stories" page on the ARF website, my forever family has been able to watch all of us grow into healthy, happy dogs, a true picture of what opening your heart and home to a rescued animal can accomplish!! I really love my forever family (especially the kids!) and I know they love me. I'm not so sure about the cats, though. I'm a very lucky girl because, since being adopted, I've met several friends in my neighbourhood and am especially fond of my next door neighbour who is a lab named "Izzy". Oh, and I musn't forget to say a special thanks to my foster mom, Bonnie, and her family whose love and care gave me such a great start in life. If I had only one wish for this birthday, it would be that every dog and cat is given the opportunity of having their "forever family" so their story could have a happy ending, too. My forever family never misses an opportunity to spread the word about ARF and how beneficial an adoption is to both animal and human. Well, here's hoping you all have a great birthday and who knows - maybe I'll see you again on the "Success Stories" page!!! Luv, Kenadie |
FranklinHi Lisa,I just wanted to give you a little update on Franklin. We had a fun day competition on Saturday with all the dogs at his training... anyways Franklin came first in the agility competition! He did so well and the judges think he could have real potential as an agility dog in real competitions. We're considering it and he's currently moved up to another agility class now on Wednesday evenings with 2 English Setters, a Golden Retriever and Lab/Collie Mix. They are much older than him and have been training for years but are a great influence on him and he gets along so well with them. Last visit to the vet (about 2 weeks ago) he weighed 75 lbs! He's thickening up and is super FAST (not many dogs can catch him) Jessica |
KiptonHow does Kipton greet our guests?With a big SMOOCH!!!! Thank you for bringing Kippy into our world, we absolutely love him! He is such a good boy and has really fit in with our family and with our son Adam especially. He is a very patient dog not to mention very personable. Kipton thinks he is a lap dog but, at 86 pounds that is not too realistic!!! I truly believe that if Kippy started out his life under better circumstances that he would have made a terrific service dog. We are blessed to have him and Peaches would agree that our choice for a big brother was a good one. Kippy loves escaping to the trailer on the weekends and soaking up the sun on the deck. He is a bed hog but we let him!! Thank you ARF for rescuing this gorgeous boy. Sincerely, Vicky, Rick and Adam Spadoni |
KittlesHi Cindy!Locks (right), now known as Kittles, is doing great in her new loving home. We introduced her to Akbar (left) and ever since they have been best friends. They love to sleep during the day and play at night. Kittles loves to make the cutest little sounds to get what she wants and when she wants. You can hear her purring from across the room, which she does quite often. She is definitely a different personality than Akbar, which just makes our family full of love and character. We are very happy with Kittles and are very grateful for the opportunity to adopt her into our home. Thanks! Jenna & Zach |
DahliaHi Angela,Dahlia (formerly Jayden) is a month older and I'm just now getting time to update you on her progress. She is very gentle with new people and learning to be more gentle when meeting new dogs (the building manager's dog hates all other dogs, including Dahlia, so we felt it would be a good idea to teach her not to jump over an unfamiliar dog). She now sits and lays down and waits for the dog to approach or the signal from either Simon or I that it's an okay situation. :) She's also grown so much. Everyone who sees her (as she's very popular in the building and neighborhood) has noted that she's twice the size she was when we got her (not sure on how accurate that is but she's definitely growing up very quickly). Dahlia has also taken to training really well. As a testament to her intelligence, she pulled one over on Simon one night: she was chewing on his house shoes so he gave her a squeaky toy to chew on instead. She seemed content but Simon didn't hear the squeaking after a few minutes. He looked but she was still chewing on the toy. He figured it was safe so he went to the washroom and watched her from there. He was shocked (and amazed) that she was chewing on the squeaky toy once or twice and then working on his shoes. :P She's quite good at pulling stuff over on us, so we keep a sharp eye on her since she's quite creative at getting away with things. :) And she enjoys going to Victoria Park each day (weather and events permitting). She loves chasing squirrels and birds (particularly Robins). Thanks for suggesting her for us. We absolutely love her and can't imagine our lives without her. :D Cheers, Christine & Simon |
ScoutHi Angela and Derek!We wanted to send you some pictures and update you before Scout (Nevayah) becomes a full grown dog. It seems that this pup is growing faster than we can keep up: she has almost DOUBLED her weight in the last four weeks! At four months, Scout weighs in at 29 pounds, and the vet guesses she will be about 70-80 pounds full grown. She is doing really well health-wise, and has become a social butterfly. She absolutely loves other dogs and is the life of the party at the dog park. As her health has improved, Scout has gained boundless amounts of energy, and we take her to the dog park often so she can have some time to run and let loose. She has recently developed a keen interest in balls and chasing, and that has been really entertaining to watch! She is now four weeks into puppy classes and is a very quick study. We work on our training every day, and we are proud to say that she is the star of the puppy class. We are thrilled to say that Scout is fully housebroken and has learned to paw at the door when she needs out! Natalia Gorska & Chris Hietalahti |
MaggieMayDear Bedard Family,I'm told I'm an unforgettable kitty, even though it's been about 5 months since my forever family adopted me, so here's a little update on what I've been up to: I have adapted well to my new home, glorying in the sunshine of the big front window ledge, hiding my numerous toys in every nook and cranny possible and sleeping wherever I please. My "parents" adore me (can you blame them?) and are really good at throwing balls for me to bounce after - they say it's funny that the cat plays fetch, whereas the dog won't, but I don't know what they mean by that. Speaking of the dog, I LOVE my big sister Penny Lane. She is my hero and teaches me lots, like how to drink from the toilet. We eat from her bowl together, sometimes she lets me snuggle up next to her while we nap, and despite our 70-pound difference she's pretty gentle when we wrestle. I'm not sure about this game called "chase the cat in circles" but Mommy says I need the exercise, that I have a bit of baby fat 'round the middle, so I'll put up with it. All in all, I have a pretty sweet life here, and thanks to you and your care & love, I've grown into a rather affectionate little kitty. Thank you! Love, Maggie May |
SneakersHey Cindy,A little update on Sneakers (now Arthemis): she is doing great and we love her so much!!!! She is a crazy hunter and really fun to play with!!! She is around 1 year old now but still looks petite. Arthemis still has this awesome cute expression because of her big eyes...! No more ear biting, just loud purrs at night close to my ears..! Thanks again, Cheers Laura |
CooperErica,Copper is now named Cooper, and she is very healthy and extremely active. She and I moved into a town house with a great yard out back that she just loves to run around and play in. On weekends, I tend to open the screen door wide so that she has free run to be inside and out while I am doing house work or just relaxing. She loves this because it gives her the freedom to come in and out with out having to ask all the time. The yard has full privacy fence, and an extra pad lock on the gate to be sure she doesn't Houdini her way out! She is very well behaved and has play dates with her brother Mouse (my parents golden retriever) at least a few days a week and they love every minute of it. She is great on walks and is very friendly with people once she has been introduced and gets the ok from me. I really couldn't be happier with Cooper! She is wonderful and everything I could have asked for and more in a companion. Again, thank you so much for the adoption and bringing us together, we have so much fun I just can't imagine being without her. Jillian Langley |
JasperHi Tracy,We changed Grizzly's name to Jasper and he now responds to it. We had him neutered in February. Jasper and Dupree have bonded well. Although they do occasionally fight, we know they do actually like one another as we have caught them either cleaning each other or sleeping together. Whenever Vernon or I come home, they both come running to the door. Jasper still makes those chirping sounds but so does Dupree! Jasper has also grown alot - I'm guessing he is about 7 lbs and although the cats are about a year apart, they are almost the same size! We are extremely grateful for Jasper. He is the perfect addition to our home and thank you again for fostering him. I've attached some recent pics - enjoy! Karli |
CashHi Dawn,Thought I'd update you on Cash. He's filled out a lot (over 60 pounds now) and is a real couch cuddler, even though he sometimes takes up more space than is comfortable. I've attached a picture of him wearing a party hat at Aaron's birthday. I'll see if I can get him to stand still long enough so that I can send you a picture of how big and handsome he has gotten! Every time we go to the dog park people always stop to ask what kind of dog he is and compliment him on his looks and permanently wagging fluffy tail. Hope all is well with you! Jackie, Aaron, Juno and Cash |
AbbeeHi Melanie,Today was Abby's (ARF's Libbie-Lu) first day at puppy obedience class and she did great. Her only weakness was that she wanted to meet and play with everyone else there human and dog so she got a little vocal halfway through. Everyone loved her though so it was fine. We worked on sit, watch me and then come. Thanks to the great job you guys did with her she breezed through them all. The last part of class was spent passing around the puppies to get them used to interacting with people other than their owners. Naturally, Abby nailed that part too. Its amazing how much she loves people. The class only had two other puppies, but one was a Shepard mix like Abby that could have been her twin sister. After class we stayed for about a half hour and visited with the humans while Abby and her long lost twin (Alice) got to play and wrestle. They finally tuckered each other out so we headed home. -Jer & Deb |
Jordie&QHi Ladies,Thank you so much for providing temporary, loving homes to our beautiful cats. Jordie and Q, names from Star Trek, the Next Generation, although there is some debate about Q being for Q-Tip/Cue Ball, (formerly Mr. Black/Mr. White) have settled in nicely into our home. They are truly the best of friends and it is endearing to see how close they are to each other. Bonnie, I was able to get my niece to purchase the same food at Costco which has been good for their tummies. They also enjoyed some turkey from our meal tonight, another sign they'll fit right in! Thanks again to you all and to ARF. Thanks to you we have found our forever friends! Angie, Dennis, Elizabeth & Andrew ps: We are so glad that we've added these guys to our family! |
LilyHi Morgan,I wanted to take a little time to send you and your family an update on Lily (ARF's Clarabel). She's doing great! She's gotten so big since she came home. She still gets 3 walks a day and the longer one happens at lunch time when our dog walker Samantha comes by to take her to the dog park. Her group has a 5 month old puppy named Jake and 3 other Labs that are about 1.5 years old. She LOVES playing with Jake. She has a great time and looks forward to the walks every day. On weekends we take her to the beach first thing in the morning where we spend a couple of hours. She is wonderful and everyone always remarks that she is very sweet and beautiful dog. Have a great week, Karla |
LokiBonnie,Hi there - I hope this message finds you well. I guess it's been a while since I sent you some pics of Loki. Needless to say, he's become quite the rounded, and solid young man - that cat is just pure muscle right now! Thankfully, the 'kitten' craziness seems to be largely over. He was a rather 'bitey' kitten, and we have subsequently nick-named him 'Pokie' for his sharp teeth. He's still oodles of trouble, but a lovely little guy none the less. We're really happy with him! Our other cat now tolerates him, but still doesn't like him. Hopefully when he stops chasing her so much they'll be become better friends. We took care of Sarah's sister's cat for a while and they got along just great.. I guess he just needs a friend with the same energy level as him! Anyways, we moved to a new house over the winter, so here are a few photos of Loki doing what Loki does in the new place. Loki seems to enjoy Sarah's filing box too....he's a helpful little critter! Cheers, Richard |
BromleyHello ARF,Bromley is a very handsome boy, about 82lbs now and is still a bouncing puppy! His favorite thing to do is give many kisses to everyone. He also loves playing ball/tire/kong fetch. He thinks you should have to wrestle him to get the toy first though before you can throw it for him. He and the cat are getting along much better now and our daughter and Bromley are best of friends. He loves to play and demands lots of attention. Cheers, Joanne |
LukeHi Susan and David,It's been 6 months since Luke made the long trek across the country to his new home in the north (London,ON to Hay River,NT), and we couldn't be happier. We love the way he waggles his whole body in excitement when he greets us at the door. Luke has learned to give kisses, shake a paw, has become a really good walker, and likes to snuggle in our bed. Luke loves to get in on the wrestling that goes on in our house, he's very gentle and makes noises like Chewbacca! He's hilarious! It took Luke a little while to get used to the cold winter conditions here, and some days was reluctant to go outside. ( I'm thinking booties and a sweater next winter.) We are looking forward to spending a lot more time outside with Luke this summer. He hasn't seen our yard without snow yet. Thank you for the Dog DNA results, it was a lot of fun, and gave us some insight into his personality. When I'm walking Luke, people stop and comment on how handsome he is and try to guess what breed he is. I love that I can tell them that he is Chow Chow, Border Collie, German Shepard, American Eskimo, and Golden Retriever. Thank you again for allowing us to become Luke's forever family. You did a great job training him and we know how hard it was for you to say goodbye to him after 8 months. Rest assured, Luke couldn't be any more loved than he is here. Beth, Ian, Lauren and Sean Gilbert |
DesiHello Cheryl,I had Desi (ARF's Kneesha) to the vet today for her shots and check up. The vet was quite impressed with her demeanor. I explained how we adopted her after she had been fostered by your family. He said that her foster home clearly knew how to do what was best for her and that we were carrying it on. He was most impressed by her social nature with all of the staff and other animals. He said she was also unusually calm and tolerant during the exam. The nicest compliment was when he said he wished all puppies would have such a great start in life ! On Tuesday, we took Desi to her first "kinderpuppy" class. She was a star student. She is a quick learner and, as you mentioned, she is very food motivated which sure makes it all easier. I have attached some pictures. Hope you are all well and enjoying your puppy-free time ! The Moores |
PixieHello Robin,I was just looking at the ARF website for my supervisor who sadly had to put her 12 year old dog down this morning. After having a dog for over 20 years, we all think she would benefit and heal quicker if she had a new little guy. She's looking and thinking. But, I realized I'd should give you an update on Pixie - one of the Candy Kitties (Jessamyn's babies) that we adopted last August. We love her so much. She's doing really well and is so affectionate! We've never had a kitten/cat that was so eager to just be with us. As soon as my 8 year old daughter sits down somewhere, Pixie is right there on her lap. :-) She squeezes her way onto Danielle's lap even if Danielle is at the computer desk and there's really no room for Pix. She finds a way. And if not, she'll find a spot right near by. And for a cat, she is very much dog-like. Ha, ha.... I have never seen a cat come flying through the house at the sound of someone calling her. No matter where she is, or what she's doing, if we call her (especially if my daughter does) Pixie runs to where you are immediately! She knows when it's Danielle's bedtime and promptly climbs the ladder to the top of her bunk bed to take her place on the bed. She drags her "baby" (a stuffed cat that looks just like her) everywhere she goes and naturally she brings 'baby' to bed at night too. :-) Even if Danielle is in the tub - Pixie is right there on the toilet seat or edge of the tub to keep her company. She is truly a joy to have in our family. Thank you so much for making the process of adopting our new family member such an easy, enjoyable one. Here's a couple photos if you'd like to share on your website. I couldn't decide which to send. :-) Take care! Tina, Danielle and Greg. |
SamsonHi Angela,I promised you I would send you some pictures of Samson and have not got around to it until now. He is not so small anymore, you probably won't even recognize him. Bryan weighed him this weekend and he is 78 pounds. The neighbourhood has a bet on how big he is going to get, but I think he is pretty much done growing since he is 9 months old, maybe a few more pounds. Samson is such a suck and loves to be around you. He chewed a couple of things he was not suppose to but overall he has been wonderful! We really love him, his temperament is awesome, he is very gentle and loves kids. I am so glad we adopted him. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Jeanne and Bryan Cosman |
GlenDear ARF,Thank you for taking a chance on me and rescuing me from another shelter to become part of the ARF family. My new family loves me to bits and I've gotta say I love them lots too. They have another "dog" named Oliver...I'm not sure what breed he is but he's bald with a flat face and pretty drooly....everyone calls him "a baby"...whatever that is. Anyway, I am now Oliver's big brother and I am responsible for keeping nice warm spots on the rug for Oliver to curl up on and I am responsible for always making sure he has plenty of wet kisses on his chubby cheeks. I can't wait until my little brother is big enough to throw me the ball and play with me out in the yard. My new mom and dad give me tons of kisses and call me "the world's best hound". They seem to get a kick out of my nose that never stops sniffing and my big floppy ears. I have sent you a photo of me in my favorite place in the house. From here I can watch my family and I can keep an eye on our backyard to make sure no squirrels are trespassing. Pesky squirrels. Glen |
MaceyMorning Lisa:It’s been just over a week and we feel like Macey has been with us forever. I think she has made her mark on Chelsey too (our dog). She was somewhat hesitant toward her but now she just walks over her, if needed, to get to a window. She has ventured out back with us; she is timid but has the adventure in her. It could be all the birds and squirrels we have. I plan on taking her in for her boosters this weekend, wanted to give her some time before another car ride, not her favorite thing. When she wants to have quite time the bedrooms are her haven but when it is love time there is no looking for her. She follows us around like a little dog, almost saying don’t leave me alone. Adopting an older cat seemed somewhat different but I can say it’s the best thing to do for instant love. Kittens are fun but Macey is all love. Thank you ARF. We will definitely consider another rescue when another pet is on our mind. Thanks Lisa and keep up the great caring work. Thanks Mark & Barb |
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