Puppy Bowl 2009

Those who don't care much about football...or just really love puppies...know that every year during the Superbowl, Animal Planet airs the Puppy Bowl. The Puppy Bowl is 3 hours of all the puppy cuteness you can stand. Some Pet Haven volunteers held their own Puppy Bowl to watch the fun on Sunday. The group included 3 Pet Haven dogs. Bode (the goregous black boy) and Penny Lane (the beautiful blond girl) are adopted Pet Haven success stories. Suzy Q, the little hound mix, is a current Pet Haven foster dog. Here's a note from Bode's mom:


On Sunday Bode decided to invite a few of his fellow rescue buddies, along with their humans, over to our house for a Puppy Bowl party. Dempsey, Penny Lane and Suzy Q all showed up excited and ready to party! Pretty soon it was like a doggy roller derby in the house with dogs skating on the wood floors and crashing into people, furniture and each other. Before long they were all tired, Suzy Q especially; it's hard work trying to keep up with such short legs! Since being adopted by their humans, all the Pet Haven dogs have been doing wonderfully. Bode received his Canine Good Citizenship certification and is considering extra training to be a therapy dog which would allow him to work with kids in schools and give educational presentations. Penny "The Tornado" Lane has boundless energy and loves being a big foster sister to Suzy Q who is still waiting to find her perfect forever home.

Top photo, clockwise from left: Bode, Suzy Q, Penny Lane, Dempsy
Bottom photo: Bode and Dempsey

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Clyde, a 4 year old Tree Walking Coonhound who is currently in Pet Haven foster care has started his own blog -- check it out: http://thelifeofahound.blogspot.com/

Ruby: Ready to serve, protect and love!

Ruby is the perfect example of a dog that loves life and is an explorer. She finds great pleasure in chasing shadows and light, along with her squeak toys or a stick on the yard. She's very loyal and good with people true to her lab breed, and at the same time manages to patrol the perimeter of our house inside and out almost hourly to make sure she hasn't let any intruders on our yard--the vet has suggested she has some shephard in her which that would make sense. She does bark, but also responds when asked to be quiet. (not every squirrel needs to be announced). I find it quite nice actually and enjoy the comfort of having a dog that is protective, yet good with children and other people.

Ruby is fully housetrained--yet still in training overall so requires a crate during the day when gone. She's VERY trainable--- knows, sit, stay, come, down, shake and kennel up for commands. She loves to go for rides in a car (you forget she's there because she is so quiet) She is a true cuddler and her ideal spot to sleep would be on a couch in the lap of her owner. Often, she just sits or lays down on our feet for comfort. If her name wasn't Ruby--I'd consider calling her shadow because not only does she chase shadows, but she is literally my 'shadow' around the home.

Ruby would be IDEAL for a retired couple or family with children that can give her attention and spend a lot of time with her. She loves to play and romp with other dogs. She's a fence jumper, so needs to be 6 foot fence minimum or on a tie out. She requires lots of excercise--so daily walks or to the dog park are a must.

This dog is going to be a fabulous dog for someone. If you are interested in learning more about Ruby, please email pethavendogs@yahoo.com.

Photos courtesy of Sarah Beth Photography.

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Pet Haven has declared February as Black Dog and Cat Month. All month long we will be featuring our adoptable black dogs on the dog blog. We will also be working to educate people about "Black Dog Syndrome" and encourage everyone to take a 2nd look at black dogs when they are considering adoption.

Adopted Dog Monday

I am so glad that we are kicking off Black Dog and Cat month with some black dog adoption news!

Bentley, a black Pomeranian mix, was adopted this weekend. I think we will all remember him for his LOVE of tennis balls. He showed off his mad skills at his photo shoot with Sarah last week. I couldn't pick just one and had to include 2 photos for his adoption update!






Levi, an English Cocker Spaniel, also went to his new home this weekend. Levi has a penchant for eating things that he should not -- like socks. He is very lucky to have found a new family who understands just how important it is to make sure that all tempting items are kept out of Levi's reach to avoid (another) expensive surgery to remove the foreign object. His new family has owned English Cockers in the past as well and they are looking forward to enjoying all of Levi's finer qualities as well. We also want to thank Levi's surrendering owner who put Levi's needs before her heart and helped us to find him a new home without small children where stray socks and other tempting items can more easily be kept out of his reach.

Two more big black lab boys -- Garth and Buddy -- went to foster-with-intent homes this weekend. We have our paws crossed for these guys as well.

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Pet Haven has declared February as Black Dog and Cat Month. All month long we will be featuring our adoptable black dogs on the dog blog. We will also be working to educate people about "Black Dog Syndrome" and encourage everyone to take a 2nd look at black dogs when they are considering adoption.

A New Lexus at Pet Haven

Lexus drove to us from a shelter in northern Iowa a couple of weeks ago and we are sure glad that she decided to end her journey with us!

This girl has one blue eye and one dark eye, so we are guessing that she has some Border Collie or Australian Shepherd heritage, possibly mixed with Shibu Inu or another smaller prick-eared breed. Only a DNA test can tell us for certain, but as a rescue it is not financially feasible for us to do it. So, give us your best guess.

Lexus is staying at Pampered Pooch Playground, where she truly is pampered. The staff loves her there!


She is a quick learner and we think she would enjoy agility training or some other activity that would keep her sharp mind active and interested. Lexus gets along very well with dogs of all ages, sizes and temperaments at Pampered Pooch Playground.

She's a great size -- around 40 pounds -- and very affectionate. She would love to be your snuggle companion!

If you would like to meet Lexus or any of our other fine pooches, drop us a note at pethavendogs@yahoo.com.

Girl Scout Pet Supply Drive

As part of Girl Scout Troop 10460 earning their Junior GS Bronze Award they have organized a drive to collect supplies for cats and dogs rescued by Pet Haven. Bins are available for your donation at the following two locations, and the drive will run through Sunday, 2/22.

- Calhoun Chuck and Don's Pet Food Outlet
- Richfield Petco (66th and Lyndale)

Please help make this a success for all!

Items needed include: Toys, food, treats, bedding, kitty litter, leashes and collars.

The cat division has a special request for the following as we get lots of orphan kittens during kitten season: Nutro canned kitten food, Royal Canin baby kitten/kitten food, Wellness or Innova/Evo dry food and canned Evo, Science Diet dry kitten food, plastic or soft-sided carriers (new or gently used).

Many thanks to the Girl Scouts for organizing and helping raise donations/supplies for homeless dogs and cats! And thanks to Chuck and Don's and Petco for participating in the supply drive!

Black dog adoption event tomorrow - Saturday, January 31st

Do you recognize this pose? No, it's not doggy yoga...

This is the pose and face of a dog who desperately wants you to pet her, but also knows that she needs to keep all 4 feet on the ground to get attention. So she is streeetching her nose up to make it as easy as possible for you to give her a little loving.

This sweet girl is Suzy, a 2 year old black lab/collie mix, and she is just one of the many wonderful black dogs that would love to meet you tomorrow.

Please come out and meet all of our great black dogs at the Richfield Petco from 10am to noon.

Where do they come from?

One common question that we get is "where do your dogs come from?" Pet Haven takes in dogs from a wide variety of sources.

Sophie is a Schnauzer who came to us from a rural shelter in southern Minnesota in 2008.

She is available for adoption.

In 2008, we took 172 dogs into our foster program:

• 78 dogs came from animal control facilities, rural shelters and smaller rescue groups

• 68 dogs were owner surrenders


• 14 dogs came from private citizens/good samaritans
  
• 12 dogs were Pet Haven returns (once a Pet Haven dog, always a Pet Haven dog)