Rae Ann: Loving life in her foster home

Rae Ann is a 1-2 year old hound mix who came in to Pet Haven shortly before Thanksgiving from Rosie's Red Lake Rescue.

As you can see, it hasn't taken Rae Ann long to make herself right at home in her foster home. She has just enjoyed her first Christmas as an indoor dog and treasured family member -- there's no going back now that she's had a taste of the good life. Pet Haven wouldn't have it any other way!

Here's an update from her foster:
Well, she is a bit of a goof ball. Very playful with Annie [beagle] but especially Rufus [Great Dane mix]. It's like they are in love. They follow each other around all the time and rough house inside and outside. She is starting to really play with toys and loves all and any treats. Her tail is healing [she had "happy tail" - where she made the end of her tail bleed from wagging it so much] but is always going, she wags it like a propeller (round and round) She loves the backyard, chasing rabbits and barking at the squirrels in the trees. I had to block the top of our compost though because one night I looked out and she was standing in it and having a snack! What a silly girl, and she came inside with Cauliflower on her feet,Yuk. She's just going to make someone really happy.

These happy beginnings would not be possible without the tireless work of Karen Good and her volunteers at Rosie's Red Lake Rescue. They are currently a couple hundred dollars away from their Holiday fundraising goal of $5,000. All Minnesotans know that winter is especially brutal in northern Minnesota. Funds raised will be used to provide shelter and food (they burn more calories keeping warm in the winter) for the animals at RRLR.

If you are interested in learning more about Rae Ann, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com

Daisy's new years resolution

Daisy's new years resolution is to lose the last 1.8 lbs to reach her goal weight of 17 lbs. She has lost almost 3 pounds since she arrived in her current foster home a few months ago, so she is on the right track!

As you can see from this photo, Daisy's still searching for her workout motivation. She knows that losing weight is a popular New Years resolution, so if she could find an adoptive family who is also recommitting themselves to daily walks it could be a match made in heaven!

If you are interested in learning more about Daisy, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com

Adopted Dog Monday!

We have a very exciting adopted dog Monday!

Maggie has been in foster care for 14 months and we have often wondered why no one has fallen for this girl in all that time. All that changed this weekend when she headed to a new foster with intent home! This is the type of home that her foster has dreamed of for Maggie -- a farm setting where she can run, explore and engage all her herding and hound instincts. She also has 2 kids to call her own and a new dad who has had both shelties and hounds and knows what to expect with Miss Maggie.

Ahnung - working with urban youth!

Ahnung arrived in Pet Haven's foster program in mid-November from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. She is currently being treated for heartworm and lymes. For the past month she has been cared for, and pampered, by our partner vet, Bloomington Veterinary Hospital.... for the remainder of her treatment I have decided she will fit in nicely in our home :) This incredibly gentle, calm spirit has a presence about her that needs to be shared. We decided she would be a perfect candidate for Pet Haven's expanding efforts in education and outreach. Pet Haven was approached by The Lab, a program of the St. Paul Public schools working with at-risk urban kids, to present to one of their classes. A week ago, Ahnung (means "star" in Ojibway) just shined in her debut outreach effort with the kids. With pride, she wore the bright orange Lab t-shirt. Prior to class beginning, Ahnung made her rounds with the kids stopping at each desk as they had a chance to say "hi" and learn the proper way to approach a dog.

The kids were extremely engaged and excited to learn more about homeless animals, Ahnung's story (how she was abandoned in northern Minnesota with a litter of 8 puppies), and how to be responsible pet guardians. We also had the opportunity to dispel some myths surrounding bully breeds. The class session was filled with lots of great questions from the kids and an eagerness to both share what they knew about dogs and to learn new information.


At the end of the class, with a big smile on their face, each kid came to the front of the class to have their picture taken with Ahnung. Ahnung will continue to volunteer her time at The Lab and her next outreach event with urban youth is scheduled for January.

Year end reflections on fostering...

Laura is one of our indispensable volunteers and always has room for at least one foster dog in her home (she can always find room for a Springer Spaniel!)...

As 2008 comes to a close I am reflecting on the past year's foster dogs. January started off with two beautiful springers, Sweetie and Jackson. Along with my own springer Buddy it was a houseful known as springer central. But not for long as both dogs were adopted quickly. Sweetie was from Rosie's Red Lake Rescue and now gets to spend long summer days lounging by the lake. Jackson lives with three young children and hunts muskrats in his very own
back yard pond.








The year was filled with 15 foster dogs. There were beagles, spaniels, a Great Dane, and several lab mixes. The biggest challenge and triumph of the year came from a big black barky one-eyed dog named Shadow. I thought we would have her forever. A true testament to the power of hope Shadow was adopted after only 3 months and is now residing on the shores of Lake Superior.




Just as the year started we just adopted out Junior, a springer mix from Rosie's Red Lake. He was my first puppy and spoiled me because he was so easy. It has been a rewarding experience to be part of finding homes for these helpless dogs. I look forward to the new dogs I have yet to meet. And hopefully Suzy our lovely black lab mix will be finding her forever home soon.

If you are interested in learning more about Suzy, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com.

If you are interested in volunteering your time to Pet Haven in 2009, please visit our website.

Letter to Santa

Black Dog Elves

Black dogs just want to be loved, they will do almost anything to get some attention.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Pet Haven dogs featured: Andy, Wilma, Foster, Bentley and Cody.

Adopted Dog Monday!

Our adoption event this weekend was a happening place and a big success, in spite of the weather. Thanks to everyone (volunteers & potential adopters) for braving the snow and coming out to visit out dogs -- they always appreciate it!

A few adoptions this week...we are very excited to celebrate these dogs who will be home for the holidays.

Ozzy, the little guy of his 3-pup group went home this weekend. His new family is excited to have a new family member in the home for the holidays. Congratulations, Ozzy!






Cody went to a foster-with-intent home this weekend. The family loves him, but just want to make sure that it's a good fit for everyone before making it official. Cody was surrendered by a family with children who loved him very much and he has found himself a new family with kids -- a perfect match! Thanks to his new family for opening their heart to an older, big black dog -- a demographic that is overlooked far too often.

Pet Haven adoption event tomorrow (12/20)!

Katie, a young female pointer mix, who is available for adoption!

We will be at the Richfield Petco tomorrow, Saturday, December 20th, from 10am to noon. Please come out and meet all of our dogs who are waiting for forever homes. Holidays are a busy time and if you fall in love, we can work something out to finalize the adoption after the craziness of family get togethers if that makes sense for everyone involved.

A holiday reminder: Pets are not good surprise gifts. All members of the family must meet the dog before the adoption is finalized.

The 12 Days of Christmas

Cookie, formerly known as Junior, has inspired a new holiday song. Quite an improvement on the original if you ask me. I'd take a puppy over hens and birds and swans and a partridge in a pear tree any day.

On the 12th day of Christmas a doggy gave to me--

A house full of puppies
A crowd of puppies
10 great danes sprinting
9 doggies playin'
8 pups-a-snoozin'
7 tails-a-waggin'
6 poodles paddin'
5 puppy treats!
4 collie dogs
3 westies
2 terriers
and a puppy that's named Cookie, Cookie!

-- Cookie's Boy, Age 8

Decey: A Happy Hound

Hey everybody! My name is Decey, and as you can see I'm a pretty handsome guy (if I do say so myself). I'm eight months old and a shepherd/hound mix, and I've come to Pet Haven from Iowa to find my forever home. I'm currently residing at Pampered Pooch – there aren't quite enough foster families, so that's where I call home for the time being. Everyone is really nice there, and I have a foster buddy who comes to see me every other day. I get really excited when I see her and give her a great big hug.

On Saturday, I even got to go out for the day for a walk around Lake Calhoun! At first, I wasn't so sure what to make of the walk – there were people walking and running by, and some were even on bikes! I haven't had a whole lot of leash training yet, and I'm a little on the shy side, so it was a lot to take in at first. But guess what? After awhile, I really got the hang of it and was walking on the leash like a pro! My foster buddy was so proud of me she took me across the street to Chuck & Don's pet store to pick out a couple treats! I made lots of friends there – even a parrot that told me I was a "good dog."

I'm a really sweet, loving boy who is ready to find my family. I'd love to meet you sometime. Thanks for reading my entry; I'll write again soon!

If you would like to learn more about Decey, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com.

Andy: Happy Howlidays

Happy Howlidays from Andy!

Since you haven't heard from this guy since the election (I know, we can't believe that he is still here, either!), Andy would like you to know that he is still available for adoption. Andy has now been in foster care for over a month and is totally ready to move into your home. Andy is completely housetrained and cratetrained. He gets along with any kind of dog and is fine with other dogs bossing him around - he doesn't need to be in charge, he lets other dogs take care of all that political stuff. Andy doesn't need a ton of exercise. If you have another dog, Andy would love to play but also settles down when told to. And if you don't have another dog, Andy would love to play with you! The only animal that Andy would also love to play with but isn't allowed to is a cat, so if you have one, Andy probably will not convert your cat into a dog lover. Andy is well behaved in the house and likes to keep tabs on where you are. Andy doesn't even really beg which is amazing because his two foster siblings have PhD's in the art of begging. When Andy is excited to see you (this can be anywhere from 1 minute to 6 hours since he saw you last) he does the "Andy dance" where he pinches up his eyes and grins and wriggles all over (beware of anything within tail-wagging range when he busts out his dance!).

Andy is also a very good observer dog. While his foster mom was wrapping some presents for some family members who are traveling out of town, Andy supervised and tried to hide the scotch tape. Decorations are going up around his foster home and the stockings are going to be out for his foster siblings. Poor Andy doesn't have one of his own so his foster parents are using the one for the foster dogs they have had over the holidays. We know that somewhere there's a family out there ready to get a stocking just for Andy and hang it up year after year after year until it's worn out from all the holidays Andy spent with them and he starts to turn gray.

If you are interested in meeting Andy and adding him to your family, please email pethavendog@yahoo.com If you can't adopt but would like to help Andy and many other foster dogs like him, please consider a donation to Pet Haven. You can find a link to donate here: http://pethavenmn.org/donate.php. Feel free to stop by our Petco events (upcoming one is 12/20 at the Richfield location!) to drop off a donation (Pet Haven always needs dog food, treats, toys, etc) and meet the stars of the Pet Haven blog, including Andy, and give them some scratches, they love it!

Adopted Dog Monday!

Little Sierra has been adopted! Sierra is one of several puppies we took in from Rosie's Red Lake Rescue in November (see Junior & Lauren, below, who were also from RRLR). She has two new kids of her own to keep her busy and build snowmen with this winter! Congratulations, Sierra!












Sadie, now Sasha, has found her family. She counts among her new family members a lab named Sadie, hence the name change. :) She also has two little girls to watch over. Congratulations, Sadie/Sasha!















Lauren has also found herself a family! They are traveling for the holidays, so Lauren will hang out with her foster mom for a little while longer and go to her new home after the holiday. Congratulations, Lauren!















Junior, now known as Cookie (because he looks like an Oreo), went home this week. He has two boys of his very own and a stay at home mom. Congratulations, Junior!











Drake went to a foster-with-intent home this weekend. He has a new fur sister, Zoe, who is an Olde English Bulldog. Cross your paws that this is it for Drake (with only 3 paws its a little hard for Drake to cross his own). Congratulations, Drake!

Daisy: SWF seeks lifetime commitment

Single, white, female seeks lifetime commitment. GREAT personality (yes, code for she needs to lose a few pounds -- but she really is great too!). Enjoys long(ish) walks through the neighborhood and nights spent snuggling on the couch. Likes: petting, treats, hair bows. Dislikes: cats and dieting.

Daisy is an 8 year old Bichon/poodle mix who is looking for a serious relationship with a new family. Bichons are sometimes called "little clowns" and Daisy is no different. Unlike some small dogs, she loves to be outside and "plow" her nose through the snow. She doesn't care much about toys -- she's much more interested in hanging out with you and making sure that she is available for petting whenever the mood strikes you. She also enjoys being groomed and primped so maintaining her curly coat is not a war of wills, she enjoys being fawned all over like the princess that she is.

Daisy is housetrained and knows her basic commands. She can be trusted with free roam of the house while you are gone and is ok with being left for a full work day. Like all queen bees, she tries to throw her weight around at times and needs someone who will keep her ego in check. It's not hard to understand how someone so cute could easily start thinking she's all that and a bag of chips!

If you are interested in learning more about Daisy, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com

Dakota: Beauty, brains and brawn

Dakota is a gorgeous 7 year old husky/lab/heeler? mix who has been in Pet Haven care for several months. She is enjoying her time in foster care and patiently waiting for the right family to come along who will appreciate all she has to offer.

Dakota is smart as a whip. She is very industrious when it comes to finding ways to amuse herself when she is left alone with free roam of the house. She enjoys prosciutto, peanut butter, rugs and couch skirts. The good news is that she is fine hanging out in a kennel during the day where her creativity can be curtailed. She has, however, proven to be totally trustworthy when left alone in the car -- and she loves to ride along on errands! She would also love to put her mind to work tracking down treats hidden through out the house (intentionally hidden, mental stimulation games for Dakota!).

As you can see from her photo, she is also very athletic and she loves to leap through the air to catch her toys mid-flight. She likes to play fetch and throwing a ball is a great alternative to a long walk on those cold winter days when it's just too cold out (for people - huskies think the below freezing temps are just right!).

After a hard day of play Dakota loves nothing more than to snuggle up on the couch or in bed with her favorite person. When her foster dad wakes up in the morning, Dakota is right there to steal his spot and hit the snooze button with her foster mom. Reduce your heating bills -- adopt Dakota!

If you would like to learn more about Dakota, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com.

Santa photo fundraiser

Get your pet's photo taken with Santa and raise money for Pet Haven at the same time!

This Saturday, at the Richfield Petco, $5 from every Santa session will be donated to Pet Haven. For $8.95 you receive a photo of your pet(s) with Santa in a holiday frame. A wonderful Pet Haven volunteer will be standing in for Santa - so don't forget to say "hi" to Santa Dave while you are there as well.

Photos with Santa for Pet Haven
Richfield Petco
710 West 66th Street
Saturday, December 13th
11am - 4pm

Adopted Dog Monday!

Wilma, a sweet black lab, was adopted this weekend. Her new dad works from home so she will have someone to hang out with most of the time. They also live across the street from a dog park -- what a lucky girl!






Cocoa was adopted by her foster dad this weekend. Dave said that it became clear that Cocoa already thought she was home and given all the change that she has gone through recently he couldn't stand the thought of making her go through another adjustment. Congratulations, Cocoa!






Buster has also found a foster-with-intent home. He will pack his bags and move next week. Congratulations, Buster!

Pet Haven adoption day tomorrow (12/6)!

(Cody is an 8 year old lab/dalmatian mix who is availble for adoption -- he is good with dogs, cats and kids!)

Please come out and meet our dogs at the Minnetonka Petco from 10am - noon on Saturday, December 6th. Dogs and cats should not be given as Christmas presents (lifetime commitments should be well-thought out and not surprises!), but if you have been considering adding a new canine family member, we would love to help you find one before the holidays!

Most of our dogs available for adoption can been found on our website. However, we have several new recent arrivals who are not yet posted including a 2 young hound mixes (Decey, a male, and Rae Ann, a female), a female yellow lab (Lady), a female black lab (Ruby) and a male black lab (Garth).

We also have 6 puppies (read about them here and here) who will not be at the adoption event, but we would love to tell you more about them if you come to the event.

See you you Saturday!

Twice the Gift

Holiday season is upon us. If you are still looking for the perfect gift for a special person on your list, consider a Pet Haven gift card! This year Pet Haven was invited to participate in Twice the Gift, a holiday storefront underwritten by the Pohlad Family Foundation. Thanks to the generosity of the Foundation, 100% of the proceeds of sales of the gift cards go directly to the charities they support. In addition to Pet Haven, gift cards are available for more than 50 Twin Cities nonprofits. If you have someone on your list who is not an animal lover (I've heard they exist, but I am not sure I believe it), you can check out the full list of participating nonprofits here.

Pet Haven gift cards are available in $25 and $50 amounts. We also have fleece pet beds and notecards (featuring Ode's Stray Dog Arts painting) available for sale at the store.

I was actually downtown last week and stopped in at the store to check out the set up. They have a whole wall of gift cards for all of the nonprofits and you can select the cards that you want to purchase. The front of the card lists the dollar amount of the donation and what the money can provide for the charity (e.g. the $50 Pet Haven gift card provides a spay or neuter surgery for a rescued dog or cat). The back of the card provides a brief description of the nonprofit organization more generally. The gift cards also come with a coordinating envelope and look very similar to a gift card you would receive from any other store (only better, because they are for nonprofits!).

Twice the Gift is open now through December 31, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The store is located in Gaviidae II – 2nd floor/Skyway Level, 555 Nicollet Mall, Suite 295, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Gift cards can only be purchased at their Twice the Gift location and not via the Pet Haven website, however if you are unable to make it downtown, you can always make a donation in someone's name through our website and we will send them a note to acknowledge your donation.

Don't forget to put Pet Haven gift cards on your Christmas list this year!

Jasper update!

Here's an update from one of our adopted dogs. Jasper charmed everyone who met him while he was in Pet Haven care as well. Thank YOU Jack, Jan, Jeremy, Lisa and Sam for loving Jasper!

Jasper joined our family 7 weeks ago and WE LOVE HIM!!! He really is an amazing dog. He's got the puppy energy but he's so mellow and very quiet. Jasper's hobbies include playing tug of war and fetch with our 3 teenagers, daily walks/jogs with us, chasing squirrels and rabbits in the yard, and playing with our friends' and neighbors' dogs and kids that visit. With all that activity and his busy days he can't wait for his meals and treats! He gained 1 lb in his first week with us and has maintained that weight ever since.

Thank you to the wonderful rescue, Pet Haven, and Jenny, his fantastic foster mom. Without you Jasper would not be in our lives!

Jack, Jan, Jeremy, Lisa and Sam

They call it puppy love...

Three more puppies arrived in Pet Haven care from Rosie's Red Lake Rescue this weekend. Fletcher, Forest and Frankie (all boys) are 9 week old lab mix puppies who were found roaming around a northern Minnesota town. A couple of good samaritans rounded them up and got them to safety. All three boys are now living the good life in foster care.

Pictured at left (top to bottom) are Frankie, Forest and Fletcher. Frankie and Forest have short coats and Fletcher is more of a fluff ball. Frankie is the runt of the group, weighing in at 10 lbs on Saturday. His bruiser brothers are tipping the scales at just under 15 lbs right now. All three are mostly black with splashes of white on their chests. Two of them have little white tail tips as if they have been dipped in paint.

They are sharing their foster home with three resident dogs -- both large and small, so they are well-socialized with other dogs. They would love to be the only dog in their new home or a 2nd dog if the resident dog is willing to put up with some puppy antics!

The boys cannot wait to meet their forever families and go home, so email pethavendogs@yahoo.com if you are interested in meeting them!

Adopted Dog Monday!

No "new" adoptions this holiday weekend -- but two pending adoptions were finalized.

Koda's foster-with-intent-to-adopt home has made it official. I think we can all agree that he looks very comfortable already, snoozing on the teenager's bed in his new home. Congratulations, Koda!

Madison, the Doberman, also went home this weekend. Her new family reports that Maddie is very entertaining and quite the character. Congratulations, Madison!

Happy Thanksgiving! Love, Junior

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! My name is Junior and I am a very smart 10 week old puppy. I already know how to use the computer. My foster mom uses the computer a lot, so I have been watching her carefully and taking notes.

I wanted to write my own blog entry to let everyone know what foster dogs like me are thankful for during this holiday season. (Kelly, the usual blog writer, is thankful for a "day off"!)

I am thankful for my foster mom, who is molding me into a model canine citizen. She is tackling the no-fun job housetraining me so that my forever family doesn't have to work quite as hard on that one. She is also teaching me what objects in the house are "appropriate chew toys" and which ones are not (but those are always so tasty!!).

I am thankful for the donated puppy food that I am eating. YUM! I really enjoy all my food and treats and never having to worry about where my next meal is coming from.

I am thankful for my warm bed and my toys. I've never experienced "winter" before, but man, what a drag! I am so glad that I get to hang out inside now in front of the fireplace on my fleece blanket.

I am thankful for my foster fur siblings (even if they are not so sure that they are thankful for me). I appreciate all of their patience when I bite their tails and steal their toys. Sometimes they tell me to back off and look pretty annoyed, but I know that deep down they love me (how could you not love me?).

I would never admit it outloud, but I am thankful for my vet care. Even the shots. I want to grow up healthy and strong. Thank you to all of the Pet Haven donors who help to pay for my vet care.

Finally, I am thankful that somewhere out there my forever family is waiting for me. They might be looking for me now, or they might not even realize that they need a Junior yet, but soon they will come to meet me and we will live happily ever after. I am thankful for Pet Haven and Rosie's Red Lake Rescue for taking care of me until my forever family comes around.

I hope you enjoy your holiday weekend as much as I will enjoy mine. If you want to get together and maybe adopt me email pethavendogs@yahoo.com.

Love, Junior

The dog blog is taking the holiday weekend off and will resume posting on Monday!

Red Lake Rosie's Rescue puppies

Last week, Pet Haven took in 4 puppies from Rosie's Red Lake Rescue.
Three of the puppies are 7-week-old shepherd mix puppies from the same litter. They have been named Sierra (female), Ozzy (male) and Kix (male) by their foster family. Their foster family has been getting to know them and helping them settle in to home life. They are also sharing their foster home with Ode, another Pet Haven foster, who is taking her role of big sister very seriously.

The female who is also the largest is Sierra. Like a mountain range is has a very commanding presence, unlike the mountains she is not silent. Sierra is the first to cry and howl to get out of the kennel or play pen. She whines when she needs to go potty so at least she tips us off. The biggest of the three, she is also the most dominant and a bit of a bully to her brothers. Sierra loves to chase the other dogs around the house, especially Ode. She will even attempt to play tug-o-war with Ode who is more than 10 times her size.



The almost solid black male and the second largest is Ozzy. He is very playful and not nearly as needy as his sister. Ozzy loves to explore the house and follow people and dogs alike. He is solid black, very fuzzy with only a small patch of white on one paw and a tiny spot on his chest. Ozzy likes to play with doggie toys and Ode's tail. He is content to stay in the play pen with minimal fuss but loves to come out and join in the fun.

The tiny male is Kix. At barely three pounds, Kix may be small in size but large in sweetness. Watching Kix run through the house always makes us smile because his legs are so short. He, like his brother Ozzy, is more laid back. Kix loves to cuddle on your lap or with the other dogs. He is fearless and will go nose to nose with the much bigger dogs. He is often the first one to check out new places. He even tried to get in the dishwasher!

Photos (top to bottom) : Kix in Ode's water bowl; Sierra; Ozzy; Kix shredding paper; Ozzy and Kix checking out the dishwasher.





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If you found us from our appearance on TV this morning -- welcome!
In addition to these 3 puppies, we have 4 more puppies available for adoption that come to us from Rosie's Red Lake Rescue: Junior, a 10 week old male spaniel/collie mix and three 10 week old black lab/spaniel (best guess? - they were found in a ditch) mix puppies arriving in foster care on Friday. If you are interested in meeting one of these puppies -- or any of our dogs in foster care, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com