Jack's Barkaritaville Trip

Hi my name is Jack and I live with a houseful of girls – Lexie, Ruby and Kelly in Hanover, PA. I was adopted by my forever family in August of 2011 from SRC. At the end of September my family traveled back to Ohio to spend the day at Barkarittaville 2012 at Gill Lynn Park in the Cincinnati area (Dayton, KY). Boy was it a fun day – with some excitement thrown in as well.

We arrived early to help set up – so that meant we had to stay overnight in a hotel – Kelly wasn’t real thrilled with the elevator – but she managed by laying completely down on the floor with all 4 legs spread out – it was really kinda funny.

We got to the park and it was a little chilly – Mom had found this neat little pen to put us in – she said to keep us safe and out of trouble (more about that later). We had practiced using it once before and it worked pretty well. Kelly is pretty reactive when she is outside her normal environment so she was barking up a storm and bouncing around the pen. Not to be out done I decided that I needed to keep up with her and we had our own mini bark fest going on. That is when we got banished from under the pavilion, to under an Easy- UP and Dad got to sit with us. Kelly also figured out how to nudge the zipper open on the pen and left us out, but fortunately we stayed right there – Ruby being momma’s Velcro girl went right for her and Kelly and I just walked around the pavilion until we were corralled.
 


Banned to the Easy UP

Banned to the Easy UP We met many new friends and mom was able to finally put faces to names that she sees every day in her emails. I got to snuggle again with my Auntie Shirley. Auntie Shirley and Uncle Kirk were my saving angels and nursed me back to health from February 2011 until July 2011 when I beat the nasty heartworm and was cleared for adoption. I also got to take a walk with Uncle Ray and he was amazed how many times I needed to stop and leave messages for other pups.



Auntie Shirley and me

We had adopters come from Nashville, TN, Lexington, Louisville, Indianapolis, and Cleveland. It was neat to see the pups in person whose pictures were on the adoption collage of the 2013 SRC calendar and throughout the calendar pages. It was funny mom recognized the pups and knew their names but couldn’t remember their parents’ names.

We had several SRC members, Ann and Tom Bess-King and Kathy Lewellyn as well as my parents Wendy and Jim travel quite the distance to come. We had lots of schnauzers all sizes, colors, and heights and a few schnauzer wanta bees there as well. There was a group of children that were amazed at all the pups and wanted to help walk us as well. My mom and dad talked to them first and explained that we were all very special pups and needed to be handled with care and respect to keep us safe.

This being our first Barkarittaville; we were told that the attendance was down from past years. People did come eventually; some later in the day. The food was great, and the cupcakes were fantastic (at least that is what I am told), there were also doggie biscuits for us. There were so many things for sale for pups and pup lovers. We came home with new toys and stuff to wear. There were comfy crate mats made by Tom Bess-King – seamster extraordinaire.

Bess-King Clan

We had raffle baskets that were donated by outside donors and SRC members. The baskets ranged from baskets filled with all sorts of doggie stuff, to neat pictures of Schnauzers donated by artists, a schnauzer umbrella, to miscellaneous baskets with really neat things in them, to gift certificates for the ARK and Dr Z and several other places. We had over thirty raffle baskets there.

Later in the afternoon the wind picked up and we had some excitement – in particular we had several strong gusts that knocked over some x-pens and for a few minutes had the Bess-King clan on the loose. Then another gust came thru and blew over the Easy up and our pen. Fortunately we were out on a walk and no one was hurt. But it was scary since no one knew for sure that we weren’t in the pen.

Barkarittaville 2012 was fun and I hope that the tradition continues on – however SRC is in need of volunteers to take over the project. Amy Meyer and her family have diligently led Barkarittaville for the past three years and SRC is so thankful for their help. Please consider volunteering to organize Barkarittaville 2013.

Also before I sign off – let me remind you that the 2013 SRC calendars are available now for immediate delivery. My mom and dad worked real hard on this project and we have a few more calendars left – please consider buying one today – If you haven’t gotten your calendar yet; you don’t know what you are missing. If everyone who hasn’t gotten a calendar yet, would order one then we will be sold out and that would be great. This calendar has the Jack seal of approval and you can see my sisters- Ruby on May and Kelly on August. See below on how to order and thank you from the bottom of my four paws for your order.

ORDER YOUR 2013 SRC CALENDAR TODAY!!!!

This is a great calendar highlighting our schnauzers, featuring 28 pages; jam packed with SRC pups – schnauzers and schnauzer mixes. The calendar has pictures of this amazing breed with wonderful backgrounds showing off their true colors! Calendar purchases benefit the SRC Medical fund.

The price is $15 and $2 S&H. They make great gifts; so order several for your schnauzer loving friends and relatives.

You can order your calendar two ways! – Via PayPal - http://schnauzerrescuecincinnati.org/calendar.html or Snail Mail.

To order by Snail Mail - Mail checks and order information to Amy Meyer, 10940 Elm Circle Aurora, IN 47001

Oh one more thing I forgot to mention – our next big event is the Pet Affair – so save the date Pet Affair 2013 at Gill Lynn Park in the Cincinnati area (Dayton, KY) will be Saturday - April 27, 2013 with the rain date on Sunday- April 28, 2013. Please, Please save the date!! Please plan on helping with this event.

Thanks so much!!!!
Jack

Rehabilitating Traumatized Dogs

By Tracy Dudlik

All too often in rescue we get dogs that have lived through trauma.  Whether from the streets, puppy mills or abuse, they are traumatized.   These precious cases come to us, they are fearful and lost.   Often they have learned to be defensive, to avoid contact with humans, or even to growl, snarl and bite to keep people at a distance.     While they might have been loving and friendly pets once, or might have never learned that people can be good to them, they are afraid and distrustful of the humans they encounter.   

Given the trauma and horrors they have suffered at the hands of people, how do we teach them that there is good in people and that they can once again trust and allow themselves to be close to the humans that want to care for them and show them a love that they may have never known?     One such dog I have been working with is Dobbie.    He came to our rescue afraid of everyone and using aggression to keep all humans at bay.    In the first encounters I had with him, it was simply me sitting in his kennel run and feeding him bits of cooked chicken.   Soon he was coming close and I was able to touch him.    After a week or so, I even was able to get a leash on him.  Granted it was a slip lead, and I needed to get him reaching for chicken to put it over his head, but once it was on, I could take him out of the kennel and he bloomed.  

Now I am happy to say that Dobbie loves to walk with me and a few others.   I am working hard to find a foster home for him, and have very high hopes that he will become someone’s loving pet in the near future.    Seeing him come from the terrorized nearly feral dog I met on that first day to the loving dog with the potential as a wonderful pet that he is now might be the most rewarding part of the rescue work I do.

We are pleased to announce that Dobbie has found his furever home and will be adopted this month!! 

For pictures of Dobbie and to keep up on all the SRC Happenings - be sure to visit us on FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Schnauzer-Rescue-Cincinnati/121729811184804

From Street Dog to Dog Scout...a letter from Madison to her foster Mom

Dear Aunt Shirley,

It has been a long time since we have written to you.  It has been a rough year for my Mommy but we are helping her by keep her busy and being very good (most of the time).

Mommy has introduced me to so many new activities and I am pretty good at most of them.  I am sending you pictures of some of the fun we have had.  I became a Dog Scout and have earned seven badges so far.  I am working on my Community Service Badge (which takes a long time and a lot of work).  One of the things we have to do is raise money for a shelter for homeless dogs.  Mom and I decided to best way for us to do this on our own was through my agility trails, so we asked for donations for all my good runs at several of the trails we went to.  Mom took a picture of me with a lot of my ribbons and title certificates.  I raised $242.00 by the end of the year and another $75.00 for this year.

I have also helped raise money to buy oxygen masks for pets for all the fire stations in Columbus. 

I just got a really special badge for that.  I have been going to the library so kids can read to me and to the Central Ohio Youth Center to visit “troubled” teens (that is my favorite place to visit and the funny picture of me and my friend Hank standing against the wall is where the boys were teaching us “spread em” like when they get searched.  We did not mind because we get lots of treats while they are teaching us).

Mommy and I went to see a Girl Scout Troop and a Cub Scout Troop (boy they were wild) to tell them about taking care of pets properly.  We also went to a Middle School and visited some kids there. Kerry had to go to a first aid lecture and she fell asleep.

I am working on an art badge, doing both painting and playing in a doggie band.  I got 5 agility badges so far and I am trying to learn about “earth dog”, which is where we go through a tunnel underground to find critters (we can’t really get to them).  This was not my favorite thing to do.  I am waiting for the test for Rally Obedience badge – Mom says I am pretty good at that.  Kerry and I also met Brutus the Buckeye when we did a demonstration for OSU Vet Students.  I am not sure who Brutus is but he was really nice.

Kerry, Spirit and I got to go for an Easter Egg Hunt.  The eggs were really plastic, but they had good doggie treats inside.  Than a lady took our pictures.  Kerry was supposed to sit beside me but she went over to see if there were any more treats in the bucket and the lady took her picture.  We also got to go to our friend Hank’s Birthday Party.  There were lot of games and special treats for all the dogs.

When it got so hot outside, Mommy set a pool for us up and I am learning getting wet does not have to be so bad.  Also we all went to Doggie Day Camp and got to play a lot of games.  We went to Alum Creek to go on a hike.  Since Spirit cannot do agility anymore (because he is 12 and it is too hard for him now) Mommy let him try some scent work.  The lady hides smelly food in lots of places and the dogs have to sniff around and find the food.  Spirit thought this was the best game ever.  He cried when it was not his turn (I would make fun of him crying but I used to do the same thing in agility class when it was not my turn).

I passed the Therapy Dog test and I like to go visit at the retirement homes (especially my “Grandma Virginia”) and I went to the Heath Care Center to see a very sick lady.

Last May, Mommy took us to the Capital Area Humane Society and the next thing we knew we had a new tiny sister.  Her name is Kerry and she is now eight years old.  She only weighs 7 pounds but she can be very ornery.  Mommy said Kerry has trouble seeing, especially out of her left eye but she still gets around pretty well.  Spirit (my big brother) fell in love with her right away.  I think she is okay but I don’t know why we needed another pup in the family!   Kerry passed the CSC test and Dog Scout test.  She loves to go to school with me and visit with everyone.

I am sending you some of the toys I have gotten for doing agility and rally and hope you can find some pups who will enjoy them.

Mommy said she will always be grateful to you for taking such good care of me when they found me on the street.  My hair has grown in so beautiful where it used to be yellow from infection on my back.  Everyone comments how pretty (and long) my beard is now.

I hope you are all well and you have not had too much trouble because of the heat and the storms.  We were lucky but I know a lot of people have been having a hard time.

Lots of Love,

Madison

The Joys of Those Senior Citizens

By senior citizens I of course mean those senior dogs that come into rescue. Those that people say are too old, or worn out to be good pets anymore. Well let me tell you about one such boy. Tyger came to our rescue from an elderly woman who was no longer able to keep him in the retirement community she lived in. He showed some signs of aggression and was not welcome there. His so-called aggression turned out to be a reaction to anxiety that he was being over medicated for while nothing was done to address the roots of it. With behavior modification and time to wean down his meds this has largely disappeared. Tyger was eight and a half years old when he came to us, and he has been my dog for about 6 months. Yes I am a failed foster. While Tyger presents a few challenges, he also brings gifts that only the older ones can give. He does not jump and bounce, he does not need house breaking, and he does not chew everything in sight (or reach of his mouth). These are just the most obvious benefits to adopting older dogs. The biggest benefit is companionship.

Older dogs, say those over the age of 7 or so, are happy to just be with you. They want to sit with you, walk with you at YOUR speed, and they still have that willingness to play when you initiate a game of fetch or tug of war. They are not ”boring”, they are not “set in their ways”, and they are not unable to learn new routines or tricks. Tyger quickly learned to sit for his dinner; he learned to respond to us and to adapt to our household very quickly. But we did not have to teach all the manners that a puppy needs to learn. He came with those mostly already part of his behavior.

I have met many of these “seniors” in my time with rescue and have found again and again that they are well mannered and sweet creatures who want nothing more than to be your companion and friend. Some will argue that they won’t get enough time with these dogs, but consider this; a 7 year old dog still has many good years of life ahead. With modern vet care and good diet they can live 15 years or more. I look forward to Tyger being in my life for years to come sharing my couch during TV watching and sharing the path during walks. He is a joy, to have with me, and even with a few quirks left over from not having the best upbringing is a member of the family that I can’t imagine doing without.

Failed foster,

Tracy Dudlik

Schnuazer Rescue Cincinnati has many older dogs in foster that would love to be your new friend!  Be sure to check them out at our PetFinder site at:  http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/OH447.html
 

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Planes, Trains and Automobiles…………by Artie.

Hey all you Schnauzer lovers, I want to share the news about my happy rescue and happy adoption with all of you.

I was rescued by SRC in 2011. And boy was I ever so happy to have Iris as my foster mum!!! I settled right in with Iris and all of her 2 and 4 legged family. I loved being there, running around the massive yard, floating on the raft in the pool, going for walks in the woods and doing my bit to help keep the property clear of pesky critters. Life was good, and I finally ended up in a home where I was loved and where I could give back loads of love. I was even allowed on the sofa – bliss!!!

I was not very good at playing with other dogs, but another rescue Schnauzer called Destin loves playing, and he used to play with me. He was a good teacher and helped me to learn to play with dogs.

I have anxiety/separation issues and marking problems, so I happily allowed Iris to crate train me to overcome these issues and problems. It was strange at first being put into a kennel, which is furnished with a really comfortable cushion, but I soon realized that the crate was exclusively for me and helped to contain my anxiety when Iris left the house. The crate is my kennel and l am the King of the kennel.

My new Dad is called Mick. He rescued two Schnauzers locally, called Pepper and Dusty, in 2001. They grew up together and were great buddies. Dusty sadly passed away in 2011 and Pepper and Mick decided that they would like a new companion.

While Mick was busy at work, Pepper was surfing the web and she loved SRC’s website. She filled out all the application forms online and hey, I was matched with their profile.

And that’s where I enter the new picture!!

Well, it was planes, trains and automobiles to get to my new home and meet Pepper. Me and Mick drove from Iris’ house to the airport, got a train from the car drop off to the hotel bus shuttle, got a bus to a pet friendly hotel, and the next day I flew with Mick to my new home.

Mick and I drove for about 5 hours after leaving Iris’ house, and we had great fun bonding. I sat in the passenger seat and did all the navigation. We never got lost once, and Mick kept giving me praise and hugs for barking when it was time to change lanes or take an exit. The more praise and hugs I got, the happier I was to be front seat passenger and in charge (I still haven’t told Mick that I was using the built in GPS in the rental car – ssshh – that’s my secret!!!).

We had room service at the hotel (how posh!!)  and then retired for our early morning flight. Mick insisted on me sleeping on the bed with him, because he said that is what Pepper and Dusty do. I didn’t object - this was my new heaven. Hey – life’s good!!! I curled up and didn’t budge once, even during all his loud snoring!!!

Pepper met us at the airport with Mick’s friends, and we all drove home. Pepper is 13 years old, but still very active. We sniffed each other and kissed. Mick took us for a long walk on the local nature reserve that day so that we could get to know each other better. We are now best buddies and get on very well.

Pepper recently had some surgery and I was her recuperation companion. Mick calls me Nurse Artie because I was looking out for Pepper.

Pepper doesn’t play much now because of her age, but me and Mick chase each other up and down the corridor and wrestle on the bed. Pepper sometimes joins in, but I always beat both of them. I had good training from Destin!!!

Mick is helping me with my anxiety and socialisation issues. He has great friends with dogs, and we regularly socialise. Mick’s friends have two Schnauzers and a Sheep Dog. They live around the corner from us, and all of them come by to let me and Pep’s out if Mick can’t make it home at lunchtime.

We also have more friends nearby with Schnauzers, and we go visit them and they come visit us. I am gradually coming out of my shell and playing with my new 4 legged friends and lying on my sofa with the people that we Schnauzers allow into our lives!!! Life is good!!!

I still have some marking issues, but Mick is helping me big time to deal with them. He wants me to have the complete run of the house during the day with Pepper. And so do I – there are sofas, futons, beds and loads of rugs to crash on – the choice in never ending. I may be King of the kennel, but King of the castle sounds much better to me!!  

I love living in Bermuda!

We live on a quiet lane and I know all the neighbors. They stop off to say hello to me if I in the garden. I am a great guard dog and bark to let Mick know when they are at the gate.

I love the walks every morning before Mick goes to work, and I love the car drives with the windows down and my ears flapping in the wind!!

I love my new home with Pepper and Mick. It’s what I always dreamed off – to be able to give lots of love and get back lots of love.

Scooby and Jazzy

Greetings.... Schnauzer Rescue Volunteers and Sponsors,

Scooby and Jazzy

Wow.......how things have changed at the Days' house since we made contact with the Schnauzer Rescue. To explain, we lost our little ten year old Schnauzer a few months ago, due to liver disease and had planned to purchase a new puppy. We contacted numerous breeders from newspaper ads and online but did not have a good feeling that any of them were reputable breeders, so we decided to take our time and maybe not even have another dog. After a few weeks, my older son visited with his rescue Shepherd and recommended we check out a rescue instead of dealing with a potential backyard breeder. I had never considered a rescue because I assumed "rescue dogs" had too many issues and would be too difficult to train..... WAS I EVER WRONG!

 

When we contacted Schnauzer Rescue website, we immediately knew we would be adopting a rescue dog and completed the application. We first adopted Scooby, a healthy six year old who came with a heartbreaking story and a massive scar on his back to prove it. Scooby is the best mannered, best trained and smartest dog I have ever seen but there are days when he seems lonesome. Through our discussions with Kathy Lewellyn, we decided to adopt another Schnauzer (a friend for Scooby), and thus Jazzy ( a 10 month old fireball) became ours, four weeks later. Jazzy loves her new home and our "cerebral palsy" handicapped son especially; she sits on his lap and plays with him as if she understands he is handicapped. Scooby and Jazzy really.....really like walks, car rides and playing in the fenced backyard with just about any toy....they are an awesome pair.

We are blessed to have met such nice people as those that volunteer for Schnauzer Rescue (especially the Lewellyns) and to have two such wonderful new family members.

Donald R. Day

Scooby

 

Daizee, The Seed From My Heart That Blossomed...

By Michelle Andrews,

Mirror, mirror on the wall.....

I knew Daizee was special from the moment I laid eyes on her.  She arrived at Barkaritaville in a pink stroller, inspecting the passerby like the Queen watches her loyal subjects.  Always the lady, she had flowers on her collar that one of her saviors, Bobbi, had adorned her with.  Daizee was a charmer, and she knew how to play the crowd.
Bobbi is Bobbi Hardy.  She and her husband Richard had picked her up a few days earlier.  She was a home surrender, stuck in a crate for close to eighteen hours a day.  At merely two years old, that was a lot of puppy energy that was going un-expended.

You would think that entertaining the crowds would tire a girl out, but not Miss Daizee.  That night, much to my Diva, Bunny’s dismay, she stayed at the hotel with us.  I had forgotten how curious the young ones were, and the next hour consisted of “Oh no Daizee, drop that” accompanied by lots of paper being removed from mouths, and heads from garbage cans. 

After all of the garbage cans were safely up on furniture, and all of the paper products were hidden away, she was content gazing at herself in the mirror and playing with Zedd.  Diva Bunny was still not amused, and spent the rest of the evening wondering if this was a plot to usurp her from her throne of cuteness. 

Daizee after the paper products were secured

Aside from one very amused drive-through employee somewhere near Zanesville, OH, the drive back was very uneventful, as Daizee called “shotgun” and rode up front while the resident peons, er  pups, rode in the back happy to gaze out the window.  I checked Bunny periodically to make sure she had not secreted any weapons on her person that could be used at rest stops against her new nemesis.

Luckily for Bunny, Daizee was soon adopted by my friend, Nancy Powell.  I treasure all of the friends I have made in the schnauzer rescue community, and Nancy is one of them.   I love that I get to hear about how Daizee is doing frequently and see new pictures.  There is nothing more rewarding to a rescuer than regular updates from the adopter of how their former foster is doing.   

Every time a foster dog is adopted, part of the foster parent’s heart goes with them.  That part becomes a seed that is nurtured by the love they are given in their forever home, and allows them to blossom into the dog they are truly meant to be.

Nancy graciously agreed to write about Daizee as well, here is her part of the story:

Daizee came into my life after losing 4 of my rescue schnauzers in the past year.  I've had 6 schnauzers for about 10 years and I was down to 2, and the house just felt empty.  Since I'm still working part time, I didn't really want to go with a puppy.  I wasn't actively looking for another dog, but when I heard about Daizee, she just touched my heart in the way it happens when one just seems special to you.  I hadn't even seen a picture of her, but something just told me I needed to have her.

Daizee was a little frightened when she first came but she soon met my 3 yr. old granddaughter, Rachel.  Something clicked between Rachel and Daizee from the start.  Rachel was used to being around all my dogs and she missed a couple of them that had passed.  Right from the start, they became best friends. 

Resting up....

As soon as Daizee hears Rachel's truck pull in, she is at the door waiting excitedly for Rachel to get in the house.  Her little butt just wiggles and as soon as Rachel walks in the door, Daizee is right there to play.  They spend all day chasing and running around with each other.  Daizee will chase Rachel and then Rachel will chase Daizee.  Rachel giggles from the time she sees Daizee til she goes home.  No matter what goes on, the two of them spend all their time together. 

BFFs

If Rachel lies on her tummy, Daizee will sit on her back, if Rachel lies on her back, Daizee will sit on her tummy.  Daizee will put her face right down next to Rachel’s....they are just the best friends ever.  I think they probably share secrets with each other.  When Rachel goes home, Daizee will sit at the fence and watch the truck leaving until it's out of sight.  She looks so sad but then Rachel is back the next week.

Since Daizee has been here, I've lost another schnauzer, Dodger...Koko is my other mini and she and Daizee have gotten along right from the start.  They play and play all day long.  They are both really pooped by bedtime. 

Koko and Daizee playing in the snow

I'm so glad that I got Daizee because Koko was with the others for 10 years and she really missed each one when they passed.  Daizee has given our house a lot of new energy.  She just goes and goes and goes.  She is such a loving little girl.  She loves to lay her head on my chest and looks up at me with such loving eyes.  What a sweetie she is.  Whoever gave her up didn't know what a terrific little dog they lost.

Furever Foster: Chewie, a Lesson in Love

By Chelsea Fournier, Chewie’s Foster Mom

Chelsea and Chewie

On Mother’s Day, 2009, I was told that a new foster was to arrive at my house later in the day. I had been fostering Miniature Schnauzers for just five months before Chewie ended up at my door. When he first arrived, he was weary of a new environment, but quickly adjusted. Chewbacca’s previous owners became sick and could no longer care for him. I was informed that he was ten years old, with his eleventh birthday coming up the following October. I was ecstatic to foster a “senior” dog, as I have a soft spot for the older dogs. Chewie sure didn’t act ten; he played about the house and ran the yard as if it were all his own. Although Chewie took a liking to pottying in my parent’s closet, I had his back and cleaned the messes before they noticed (usually).

In February of 2010, I received Chewbacca’s very first application for adoption! I was thrilled; what bittersweet news. After doing the home visit for the new family and approving them for your adoption, he went off to his furever home.

Just two months later, Chewie’s owners got ahold of the Schnauzer rescue and informed us that he had developed bone cancer in his front left paw. I was shocked; I prayed for his recovery nearly every day. After an exceptional amount of treatment, Chewbacca’s owners came to the rescue with a problem: they could no longer afford to properly care for him. I was devastated; he had been through so much and this was terrible news.

Thankfully, I was between fosters at the time, and I was able to take Chewie back into my home to foster and help him through further treatment. Early July, 2010, his veterinarian advised me that he would have to remove Chewbacca’s toe where the cancer was most prevalent. After the big surgery, Chewie came home to recover comfortably. Later in the month, after a recheck by the vet, we learned that his cancer was GONE, but there was a terrible infection resulting from the removal of his toe. The doctor decided that the best route to take was to remove Chewie’s front left leg.

Shortly after this surgery, Chewbacca was out running in the yard, playing with other dogs, and loving life, cancer and pain free! This past October, Chewie turned thirteen, and yet he’s just as spunky as the day I met him nearly three years ago.

Chewie (left) attended Barkaritaville shortly after his surgery

About one month ago, Chewbacca began coughing. I took him to our vet, where they took X-rays. The X-rays showed a mass in Chewie’s lungs. I was recommended to a specialist and took Chewie there as soon as I could. The X-rays were looked at by an internal medicine specialist; they were nearly positive the mass was a tumor. The specialist then took a biopsy of the tumor; he said that Chewie was such a great dog that they didn’t even need to use sedation during the simple biopsy.

Just two days ago, I received a phone call from the specialist: Chewbacca’s tumor is carcinoma; a type of cancer that may spread within his body. I was told that there wasn’t a specific amount of time that Chewie has, but that a few months was likely. Chewbacca shows no signs of pain just yet. I know he’ll tell me when he does.

Chewbacca has taught me so much about persistence, strength, and optimism. He’s shown me that no matter what life hands you, to hold your head high and keep fighting. I’m so grateful to have Chewie as a foster and for the love he’s shown to me through his darkest times.

Chewie is one determined little man

What are the Symptoms of Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis?

By Tracy Dudlik
Last week we had a scary episode with our foster dog, and came to find out that it is a fairly common problem in several small breeds, miniature Schnauzers among them.     Little Coal started off Tuesday seeming to feel ok, but not wanting to eat and seeming a little quiet.     By mid day, she was vomiting and having diarrhea and was very lethargic.    We rushed her to the vet, and IV’s and testing were started right away.    Our first thought was pancreatitis, or some foreign body ingestion.    Tests for these were negative, but she had low body temp and soon began having blood in both the vomit and the diarrhea.  Our vet was concerned that her organs might be starting to fail.     We came to find out that she had a disease known as hemorrhagic gastroenteritis(or HGE).      This illness is caused by a virus and can affect some dogs very severely as it did Coal.  It causes the lining of the lower intestines to become inflamed, break down and bleed, causing the bloody discharge.   The good news about this is that with good supportive care it has a low mortality rate.    The bad news is that it comes on without warning very quickly, and without the supportive care is easily fatal due to dehydration and organ failure.    There is no medication for it.  Like any virus it has to run its course.   The treatment is to support the dogs system while they fight it off.  This means giving the dog IV fluids, and antibiotics and anti diarrhea meds to prevent secondary infection and combat the symptoms.   There is disagreement as to whether or not it is contagious.   Some vets say it is, and some say not.   Our vet said that the underlying virus (like any virus) is contagious, but not all dogs have a serious illness from it.   Our Jazz, who had a similar situation when we first adopted her, got mildly ill this time with just a day or so of soft stools, and lack of appetite.  Likely she caught a touch of the virus but had some immunity built up.    Miss Coal stayed with the vet until Thursday evening when she was able to come home.    With treatment she is now back to herself and being a bouncy playful schnauzer.  

Our little Miss Coal

This illness is common, but it is especially dangerous to the very dogs we deal with every day.   Dogs with low immune systems such as those who come out of puppy mills or those who have been neglected are particularly at risk for the more severe symptoms if they catch this.      They do not have the solid healthy immune systems to fight it off so prompt treatment is essential.     These little ones that come to us sick or worn out are a greater risk of being seriously or even fatally ill from this.   Happily I know that we are all very careful and vigilant about the care they get.   I am very happy that Coal is now healthy and happy.   I thank my friend who dropped everything to take her to the vet, my son who made sure she was carefully watched until she got there, the vet who gave her such wonderful care, and of course all the prayers that were shared for her that helped her get well, and us not feel so alone.

Please watch out for this.   It can make them very sick in a hurry, but happily with good care they get well just as fast.

Miss Coal is feeling much better and is looking for her furever home.

Who Need Four Legs Anyway?

By Amy Meyer, SRC Fundraising Coordinator

In the summer of 2009, Patrick and I began searching on Petfinder for a new fur face to add to our family.  Our faithful female schnauzer, Nikki, was failing fast at age 17 and we knew the time for her to cross the Rainbow Bridge was not far away.  To help us deal with the grief of losing her and to provide a playmate for our other rescue dog, Ringo, we decided to begin looking for that special fur kid to bring home.

 

Zippy at the shelter with his bad front leg

We looked at many different dog bios but kept going back to one in particular.  There was just something special about him.  His name was Zippy and he was a three-legged schnauzer/chinese crested mix in the care of SRC.  He had been found as a stray, with his leg still intact (right front) but badly broken.  It was suspected that poor Zip had gotten his leg caught in a steel trap.  The leg had healed together wrong and it was determined that Zippy would have a better quality of life if the leg was amputated.  Oh how sweet his picture was!  And his story so touched our hearts.  We just knew that Zippy needed us as much as we needed him.  After going through the standard SRC adoption process, Zippy came home to us on June 6^th. 

Zippy loving life in his furever home

Although his handicap didn’t matter to us, we weren’t sure what to expect having a three-legged dog.  Would he need special care?  Could he interact with us and Ringo like a “normal” dog?  Well, we quickly found out that Zippy is just like any other dog.  Just because he is missing a leg doesn’t mean he isn’t happy and doesn’t mean he is limited in any way.  As Zippy settled in with us, we became amazed a little more each day.  He quickly showed us he could jump on and off the furniture, play a mean game of tug (which he always wins!) and even jump a standard size baby gate we had up to block off part of the house.  He was eager to take walks, often almost pulling us off our feet as he tugged on the leash.  He and Ringo became fast friends.  They were soon playing with toys, wrestling on the floor and chasing each other around the house.  Zippy amazed us with his energy, his flexibility, his balance, his attitude in general.  If you didn’t notice his leg was physically gone, you’d never know he was any different.

 

Winston is quite the dapper fellow

We also answered the “foster call” and began fostering for SRC.  One day, we got an email from Pat Miller, SRC founder, asking us if we would be willing to foster a tripod named Winston.  Absolutely!  We could think of nothing better than having another tripod in the house.  Our hearts now had a special spot for them.  When we met Winston, he was so pathetic!  He was at least 5-6 pounds overweight, not good for any dog, especially a tripod.  And he was a matted, filthy mess.  His previous owners had not bothered to have him groomed in quite some time.  The first thing we did was give him a haircut and a bath. It took three hours to shave off the hair!  But you could see that it made him feel so much better and he was so grateful for the love and attention.

As the next couple days went by, we fell more and more in love with Winston.  He was a little gruff and growly, but he had a really sweet side and seemed starved for kind words and love.  He seemed amazed to be in a place where he was getting attention and good care.  It didn’t take us long to decide that we could not bear to adopt him out, he had to stay with us!  And so we adopted him, making him our fourth rescued dog and second tripod.
 

"I love hanging out with Winston"

Winston was not as active and eager as Zippy.  Part of the problem was him being overweight but he also didn’t seem to realize he could still play and do lots of other doggie things with a missing leg.   Soon we realized he was watching Zippy and imitating him.  He seemed to be saying “If Zippy can do it, so can I!”  It wasn’t long before Winston was lifting his leg to do his business, quite a feat when one front leg is missing!  But he watched his tripod brother do it and followed right along.  We put Winston on a diet and in no time he slimmed down.  Getting the extra weight off made a big difference in his personality and mobility.  He started being less gruff and grouchy and more loving.  Soon he was running around the house giving chase to his fur brothers and playing with toys.  When the leash would come out, he would be the first one at the door, anxious to be off on a walk to explore the neighborhood.  While not quite as fearless as Zip, Winston doesn’t let anything get in his way or keep him from living a happy, carefree life.
 

Best buddies

Owning tripods does not require any more responsibility or care than having a four-legged dog.  The only real concern is ensuring they don’t get overweight, a concern though with any dog, especially schnauzers.  Extra weight on a tripod is sure to cause them even more joint issues as they age.  And we try to prevent them jumping off and on the furniture as much as we can too, again ensuring there is not extra strain on the remaining good legs.  Fortunately, both Zippy and Winston are fairly young yet but we will need to watch for joint strain and damage very closely as they get older. 

Zippy loves to help his Momma in the garden

Having the tripods in our lives has taught us many valuable lessons, like don’t take life too seriously, never let anything stand in your way, and be happy!  It amazes us to see these two guys so joyful and full of life despite their handicap and rough start in life.  We laugh when out with the dogs and someone makes a comment about feeling sorry for Zippy and Winston.  We always say don’t feel sorry for them, they don’t know they are missing a leg and are the happiest dogs we have ever seen!  Of course they both attract a lot of attention being tripods but we take advantage of that and use it as an opportunity to talk about SRC and rescue work in general.  And Zippy tries to help other “tripawds” by blogging about how great tripod life is.  You can read his blog at http:\\ameyer.tripawds.com.  To borrow a saying from Jerry, the tripawd inspiration behind www.tripawds.com:  It is better to hop on three legs than to limp on four!  So next time you are looking for a new fur baby, don’t pass up the tripod.  You may just find the greatest joy of life!

Rescue Angels Make Christmas Dreams Come True

Hi, this is my story and my Christmas dream really did come true. 

My name is Ace and I am so happy to be living in a nice warm home with a foster mom and dad that love me and take care of me.  Up until last month, I had no name; I was just a number living in a cage.  I had no joy in my life, no toys, no warm place to sleep and no human who cared about my well-being.  I only knew neglect at the hands of those that cared what profit I would make them from siring puppies. 

You see, me and my four friends were rescued from a deplorable situation in Kentucky.  The breeder who had us grew tired of us.  We thought we could retire, but we didn’t realize how much danger we were in.  He was going to shoot us to get rid of us, but luckily some angels intervened.

On Our Way to Freedom

Schnauzer Rescue Cincinnati was contacted, and we were brought to Cincinnati to start our new lives with names!

Marjorie was there to help us all get settled at the Animal Ark, and she was so nice to us!  We were all so stinky and matted from living in deplorable conditions; I so hoped they wouldn’t be offended and give up on us.  And they didn’t!  The wonderful rescue angels made sure we all got bathed and groomed. 

Boy, did it feel good to be clean and get the stink of those mean people off of me.  I was really good for the groomer, even though I wasn’t sure what was going on at first (and I was so matted they thought I was a girl till I got groomed – I really fooled them, they even had to change my name). 

At first, I stayed with my friends at the Animal Ark in Cincinnati.  Jan is so awesome, she lets us little rescues stay there when all the foster homes are full up.  I really liked staying there - there are so many cool volunteers that come visit us and walk us too.

I was the first to go to the vet for my check-up, and Sue was so great to come pick me up and get me to Dr Z’s.  I loved my ride in the car!  There were so many new smells and sights to check out.  The people at the vets were so nice too - I wasn’t used to so much loving attention.

I had to have eighteen teeth removed, and got treated for some nasty worms and an ear infection too – but I am better now!  I was in a lot of pain, and Shirley (my foster mom) wanted to watch over me while I recovered so she brought me home with her that night. 

Boy, it is so wonderful at her place!  Even though I didn’t feel really good when I got there, I ran around her yard for twenty minutes!  I loved how soft the grass felt on my feet.

I love napping in front of the fire place at my foster home!

I really love having seven other schnauzer boys to hang out with, being warm and safe, and having lots of good food to eat.  I even have a foster dad who cooks for me and my foster brothers.  How cool is that?  I am learning how to be a pet and not property.  I am interested in toys, but I am still not sure what to do with them.  I know I will catch on fast though, I already learned the doggie door!

I want to thank everyone who helped me and my friends to safety.  I made sure to thank Shirley when she was sorting clothes on the floor, I ran up and gave her a big lick to show her how much I appreciated her taking care of me.  If I could figure out how to send a lick through the computer, I would send everyone one!

I can’t believe how lucky I am, and Shirley always tells me how much I will be loved by my furever parents.  I know the right ones are out there for me (I sure hope they are reading my blog now), and I dream what my new home will be like every night when I sleep.  I know that prayers are answered; mine were to get my friends and me to safety.

Be sure to check out my Petfinder post, as well as my friends Ember, Raven, Ebony and Onyx.  We all would love to have our own furever homes in the New Year.  We are all well socialized and sweet, between the ages of four and six and all have so much love to give! 

I am so handsome all groomed!

Can you help foster so we can help even more dogs this coming year?  Schnauzer Rescue Cincinnati has found loving permanent homes for over 900 dogs and we need your help to meet our goal of “No Schnauzer left behind”.  If you can foster or volunteer, please complete our Volunteer form

If you would like to donate to our medical fund, you can do so at Donate Now