Adopted Dog Update: Bart the Dumpster Dog

A couple years ago, we got a plea from Karen Good of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue along with a photo of a mangy puppy who had obviously been through major struggles. Here's the beginning of Bart's Happy Tail written about a year ago: " Starving, severely infested with fleas, and freezing in the cold of winter, two pups huddled together against a metal garbage dumpster fighting for their lives. A good samaritan happened by and delivered them to Red Lake Rosie’s Rescue in Red Lake, Minn. Sadly one of the brothers died two days later, but brother Barton, later shortened to Bart, was stabilized and sent on to Pet Haven for longer term care and adoption."

Well ... just this week we got an update from Bart's mom: Bart, now 2 1/2, weighs about 82 pounds... "He's graduated from obedience school and walks nicely on a leash. He is due to start his canine good citizen training but they want him to be a little less excited to see other dogs so we're waiting another six months or so, as he is still a puppy (a giant puppy) Once he has that he'll be available for visits to the kids in the hospital.

His favorite little rascal trick is to sneak up on you under the table and chew your shoelaces off and run away. Unfortunately he can do this in about 30 seconds. No dinner guests are safe so we usually tell them to take off their shoes if they have laces.

He is a digger so Greg built him his own little sandbox in the corner of the yard to dig in. Unfortunately he still prefers the bushes.

He had arthritis, kind of like carpal tunnel, in his front leg but completed a session of PT at the University of Minnesota in the water treadmill and is doing well. They said it was a combination of a weak leg and growing too fast.

He is the sweetest natured dog in the world, never aggressive and loves all people and other dogs. Everyone asks what kind of dog he is.

He has about 1500 followers on twitter and would like more fans on his facebook page (just search for Bart the Dumpster Dog on Facebook)

His memoirs "The Adventures of Bart the Dumpster Dog" are expected to be published spring of '10 as a children's book age 3-6. More info on that later this year."