Westminster Dogs

Jeanne, our Richmond rep (and my Rescue Assistant), went to the Westminster Dog Show in New York. She was able to see the dogs UP CLOSE!
Here is the Newfoundland-- a big sweet dog.

This is the Tibetan Spaniel, often confused with the Pekingese. But, they are different (I'm been confused by them!).

Here is the Standard Poodle-- don't you love the ears. What these dogs do to be beautiful!

This is the Chinese Crested-- it's called a powder buff because it has hair. I know, you thought they all were hairless-- so did I! :-)

Here is the beautiful Chow Chow. He looks very happy to be competing there. And of course, the beautiful Pekingese! This one placed second in the toy breed competition.

They're all beautiful dogs!

RESCUE UPDATE, FEBRUARY 2010/FAREWELL TO ALLIE

I want to extend sympathy to Carey and her family on the loss of Allie, her Blenheim Cavalier, that she rescued from a puppy mill in Utah. Allie had a life of love for six years with her family and her two best friends, Zoe the Lab and Fu Shing the Peke. Rest in peace, sweet Allie.
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I sent this out to all our PVPC members, but also wanted those who are not members to have an update on our club's rescue work. We have had two more adoptions since I wrote this-- JuJu and Carmen. Thank you to all who help us!!

Linda

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February, 2010 Rescue Newsletter Update

2010 has started with a lot of activity in our Pekingese Rescue. We have already had quite a few adoptions (BB, Chloe, Betty, CoCo, Nobel, Nutmeg, Stitch, Tony, and Matilda. We have also taken in quite a few-- Tony(adopted), Amelia, Heather, Lacy, Matilda (adopted), Oscar, Katie, Sugar, Ty and Caleb, Carmen and Chester. Many miles are driven by our foster volunteers when we have this many Pekes coming into rescue or helping with transporting them to their new homes. We make a lot of vet visits and shelter visits. All our volunteers have been SO generous with their gas and travel time-- we couldn't do it without them. Our foster homes are so dedicated and I want to thank each of them. We have added some new foster homes and we love having the help. For each foster home, it means we can help another Peke or two. The difference these homes makes in each Peke's life and health is amazing. I want to share some before and after pictures with you. Here is Anna-- she came to us from a Maryland shelter-- with a missing lower jaw, blind in one eye and extremely thin at 8.4 pounds. Here she is when she came to us:

In spite of all she had gone through, she is the most incredibly sweet girl who loves to be on the couch or behind me on the chair as I work at the computer. She had to have several abdominal surgeries and jaw surgery to help correct the damage done. It doesn't stop her from eating though-- she loves to chomp on dry food (mixed with canned) with her top teeth and the few bottom teeth she has. Look at her now! She has gained two pounds and is healthy now ! (I will be doing a blog just on Anna soon.)

I love this little girl!! She is now in a long-term foster home in N.Va. Was it hard to let her go??? YOU BET! More on that story later.

Betty came to us from a NC backyard breeder. She was testy and thin-- but she had so much potential. Jeanne, in Richmond, fostered her. Here she was when she came into rescue. She was really pathetic.

Look at her now! It is hard to believe this is the same dog! Others who have made huge progress are Lilly Faith (with Melanie), Chance (with Sonia), Missy and Amelia (with Beth and David). We want to thank our foster moms and dads that haven't been mentioned yet: Kris, Essie, Robin, Shanyn, Kim, Britney, Jon and Ann, Gloria, Paige, Maria, Jenny, and Chris/Steve. We couldn't do this without you!

We have taken in a few more that are new to the web site. We just got four from the same shelter-- the owner was going to be taken to court if he did not relinquish them to the shelter. We were called to help-- and they are so sweet! Here's a video of Ty, Katie, Sugar, and Caleb. Check out their bios on our web site. Click here: YouTube - 100_5092.MOV They are a sweet group and I hate to separate them. Maybe someone will want to adopt a pair. I can always hope! (If you want to foster one, let me know-- I need foster homes!)

Please check out our web site. Click here: Potomac Valley Pekingese Club - Home We have a new Valentine's home page, which is great! Jeanne and her friend Larry do the web site now and are incredible. We also have a link on Karanda dog beds-- many shelters use these now because they are comfortable for the dogs to rest on, and we hope to get some for our foster dogs. Check out the Success stories and Adopted Pekes-- it's constantly being updated. There is also a "Must Love Pekes" blog, Click here: Must Love Pekes . Please share your pictures and stories for this site. Just email: Linda at haveninhim@aol.com. (If you're reading this on the blog, you KNOW about the blog!)

Thank you to all of you who have donated to help our efforts to save these precious Pekes. It is a continual challenge to have enough funds to pay for the medical needs of our fosters. Because of you, we have been able to continue our efforts to help these homeless little Pekes. Every donation, large or small, makes a huge difference. One friend in rescue said their friends give donations to PVPC instead of giving gifts at Christmas, birthdays. Here's what she said, " The perfect gift for dog people....a donation to help dogs...so much more meaningful than store bought stuff."

Keep your eye on the web site-- we're planning a Spring Garden tour/party at Jeanne's house in Richmond. Jeanne is a master gardener, and her garden has been on the blog. We're also planning a big yard sale at Jeanne's, so if you have things you want to donate, let us know.

Linda Maxwell Rescue Director
Jeanne Reeves Assistant Rescue Director
"Saving one pet does not change the world, but it changes the world for that one pet."

DOING DISHES--MERIT HAS A JOB

Remember Merit? Like many Pekes, he likes laundry baskets.

And cat litter boxes.

Now he has a job! He helps do the dishes. :-)

He gets right up on the lid, because that's where he can do the best job.

My Pekes, Scooter and Cranberry, like to help, too. It must be a Peke thing!

Betty Before and After/Within the Heart....

Just in case you ever need it, here is a link to dog heimlich. Click here: Heimlich For Your Dog

Within the heart of every stray
Lies the singular desire to be loved.
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Betty came into rescue last October. She was thin, her hair was short and she was a "breeding dog."
She was afraid and unsure of her new surroundings. You can see how thin and short her hair was. We get a lot of dogs in this condition (I just got one!). They don't have the right nutrition for their bodies to be healthy.

Lack of good nutrition affects the body, but it also affects their emotions and their spirit. Betty was one unhealthy girl.

After time in Jeanne's care, she filled out, became sure of herself, learned manners, and became a BEAUTY!

Just look at the difference. It's hard to believe this is the same dog!

But, it is. Look at her clear eye and full coat. Betty is now adopted and loving her new life. Her new name is DeeDee. :-)

All of us foster parents do our best to do this for every Peke we bring into our homes to help. It takes time, it takes patience, it takes money, it takes good food. When we look at the before and after, we can each say, "IT WAS WORTH IT!!!"

I just received an update on Betty/DeeDee-- "Little Dee Dee acts like she has always been here. The girls are using the dog door now. They sit on the back of the couch looking out of the window and sleeping and when I come home they go crazy. It's so great to see them acting like sisters and that DeeDee feels so comfortable. Thank you so much for sharing Dee Dee with us. We dearly love her. Boy, what others missed not looking at her but lucky us. "

Linda haveninhim@aol.com

Shamisen

I want to remind everyone who has a puppy to make sure it is vaccinated again Parvovirus. It is fatal to most puppies who get it. Here is a connection: Click here: Parvo FAQs ++++++++++++++++++++

Shamisen lives where it doesn't usually snow.

But, it sure snowed this year!

It was a winter wonderland in Maryland!

Everything was covered.

And Shami didn't quite know what to make of it!

He is much happier in the house-- sitting up and begging for something.

Or just sitting there being cute and showing his teeth. :-)

LIVE LIKE A DOG.../Farewell Wu-Ling

I want to express my sympathy to Wu-Ling's mom. Wu-Ling was one of our foster dogs who was adopted twice and returned. He couldn't seem to stop marking in his home. After his second return, I found a spot for him, and he lived there several months. His new owner had his bladder checked out and we realized he had bladder cancer. No wonder the poor guy couldn't stop marking. This wasn't found on earlier tests. Wu-Ling was loved by his owner, and it was a tough loss for her. Rest in peace, sweet boy.
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LIVE SIMPLY.
We should live like dogs-- dogs that are cared for and loved! Carbona, above, was one of the puppy mill dogs. Our group took eleven of them. One of our reps went back to get a few more! Carbona was missing most of her lower jaw (like Anna). Her chances of adoption were slim. If people just knew how sweet these dogs are!

LOVE GENEROUSLY.

This is Betty-- now DeeDee. She was adopted this week and now lives with her new best friend, Buffy. They play and run in the snow and enjoy lap time with their owners.

CARE DEEPLY.

This is sweet Mattie. All of us in rescue who were around when she was in our care fell in love with her. She was severely abused and suffered a bad accident-- she lost her sight, but knows her owners!! She is so loved.

SPEAK KINDLY.
This is Maggie-- Kay and Claretta's Peke. They have the NICEST kennels I've seen! The dogs aren't in them often, but they sure have a nice place to go hide out if they want to. She is best friends with Teddy, who was adopted from us. They love to tear through the house together!

WHEN A LOVED ONE COMES HOME, ALWAYS RUN TO GREET THEM.

This is Amazing. She was another of the puppy mill rescues. She's with her new dad here and adores him! She loves to be in the yard and is best friends with Grace, another puppy mill rescue. Amazing knows how to sniff out treats in the refrigerator-- she gets chicken and cheese treats. She is so loved now!

NEVER PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO FOR A JOY RIDE.

Here is Grace. Look at that face-- you can't pay for this kind of devotion and love! Her new parents just told me that she loves to throw her knitted ball into the air. Last night, it flew into the water bowl! She ran all around the kitchen trying to find where it went. She knows how to sit on command-- how could she know this? Wouldn't it be great if she could talk to us and tell us about her life.

ENJOY THE FRESH AIR AND WIND ON YOUR FACE.

Grace is posing-- this is not her natural stance-- that would be looking adoringly at her dad and playing in the yard! :-) TAKE NAPS.

This is Carbona-- she is in the shelter in this picture. But, get ready for the next one!

STRETCH BEFORE RISING.

Carbona is with her best friend Bently. Bently is a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. He and Carbona were best friend at the rescue shelter. He has a serious heart condition (from poor nutrition and treatment in the puppy mill) and Carbona is missing her jaw-- but they are precious and in their forever home.

RUN, ROMP AND PLAY.

Carbona is with her new mom. Her mom has a little Dachshund who "owns" all the toys in the house. But, when Carbona came, he brought her his special rabbit toy. Now, if he comes near the rabbit, Carbona growls at him! So funny! Carbona now rules the house.

THRIVE ON ATTENTION AND LET PEOPLE TOUCH YOU.

This is Cesar-- he's been on the blog before. He was also rescued from the puppy mill raid. He was in pretty rough shape, but now he is just beautiful! I love the before and after pictures that show how far they've come.

ON WARM DAYS, STOP TO LIE ON YOUR BACK ON THE GRASS. ON HOT DAYS, DRINK LOTS OF WATER AND LIE UNDER A SHADY TREE.

Cesar enjoys his days now-- with a family that knows he is special.

WHEN YOU'RE HAPPY, DANCE AROUND AND WAG YOUR ENTIRE BODY. (JEANNE, I CAN JUST SEE YOU DOING THIS-- REALLY!)

Cesar has made his new parents so happy.

DELIGHT IN THE SIMPLE JOY OF A LONG WALK. BE LOYAL. NEVER PRETEND TO BE SOMETHING YOU'RE NOT.

AND WHEN SOMEONE IS HAVING A BAD DAY, BE SILENT, SIT CLOSE AND NUZZLE THEM GENTLY. YOU CAN TEACH THEM TO BE GRATEFUL FOR EACH NEW DAY.

THE LIFE OF OUR DOGS IS JUST GREAT!

Amelia

Amelia came to us through a Virginia shelter-- she is incredibly sweet. She is all settled into her car seat to ride to her new foster home in S.E. Virginia.

But, first, we stopped at Yankee Candle in Williamsburg. They let you bring dogs in!

Amelia loved it! She was checking out everything. And everyONE was checking her out! I didn't think Jeanne (who met me there) or I would ever get out of the store because so many people had to greet Amelia.

Amelia didn't know a stranger! It was really fun to walk around with her-- we met so many people!

She settled right into her foster home. Look at that pillow! BIG!

She asked to go outside, whining at the back door until her foster mom came for her. She played and seems very happy to be part of a family again.

I don't think this one will be in foster care long! Yes, Amelia, you are beautiful!