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Monday, January 28, 2013

Hunter Celebrates 5 years at Home in Texas!

Contributed by his Loving Mom


Thank you Col. Potter for finding my Forever Home right away!

Five years ago Sunday, I picked up a Cairn mix with heartworms, my new Foster.  He was a little pistol from the very beginning, jumping out of the expen twice in the first 10 minutes after he arrived at our house!  We had to buy the lid for the expen!  

He was a cuddler from the very beginning, and by the time he had gotten through heartworm treatment (with some worrisome fever spikes included in that process) he won our hearts - and more importantly, he won CASSIE's heart!   

Happy 5th Gotcha Day, Hunter!

We are so happy to have this little guy as a member of our pack!!

 


Sunday, January 27, 2013

Roxanne Marks One Month at Home!

Contributed by her New Mom and a CP Volunteer


Roxanne aka Roxi joins sister Rye, also a CP girl, on her new favorite perch

“Roxie is going to be a project.  She has not gotten this way overnight and will not change overnight, but there is a loving little girl just dying to come out and I going to find her!” says her New Mom.

Roxanne started her life crammed into a small house with 100 other dogs, her hoarder/owner so overwhelmed that this poor little girl never even had a name before being rescued, along with the thirteen other Cairns in the group, by Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network (CPCRN) on Valentine’s Day, 2011…  CP’s Famous Lovers. 

With no loving Mom or Dad to care for her and guide her, Roxanne spent the first two or so years of her life relying on her own instincts to survive.

One of her former housemates, Aphrodite, nka Tess, was known to be pregnant at the time of rescue, giving birth to six healthy puppies three days after arriving at her CPCRN Foster Home.  The big surprise came when Roxanne was taken in for her spay and the vet announced that she too was pregnant, and was within two weeks of delivering her own litter!  Roxanne gave birth to three healthy boys soon thereafter, and her Foster Mom in Kansas saw her through the whelping and helped her raise her little boys, until they left for their Forever homes.  After she had recovered from the pregnancy and the subsequent spay, Roxanne moved on to a new Foster Home in Indiana, determined to further her education in the ways of Freedom.  There she stayed, gaining confidence and social skills until December 28, 2012, when she left for her Forever Home in New York – 22 ½ months after her rescue from an unimaginable life as a neglected, nameless little girl.

And here a new chapter begins!

Roxanne joins brother Jasper, sister Rye, and nephew Reno for a 1st Family walk

Roxanne now has a brother, Jasper (a shelter rescue), and a sister, Rye (another CP kid), and a big human sister who visits with her own rescue dog, Reno.  Roxie and Rye are getting along very well,” reports New Mom.  “A lot of tail wagging!”  

Roxanne was known to scale a four foot fence, so it was not a big surprise that she found a baby gate to be of little consequence.  “I finally let her into the living room while Jasper was outside, just for a few minutes,” says Mom, “and she found a toy that she really, really liked.  She picked up the toy and headed for her bedroom, got to the baby gate, and jumped right over!  Yes that's right she jumped the gate to get back into her room - not to get out!”

Roxanne’s New Mom and Dad knew all about her troubled past and were determined to finish the job that the wonderful Col. Potter volunteers had started.  It was not all smooth sailing, however, given the reservoir of terror still deep in her little soul.  “We have been through feelings of excitement, to remorse, to jealousy, to heartening,” says Roxanne’s Mom.  “Roxanne’s start in this world was deplorable, to say the least.  Roxie has trust issues, as many of these rescue pups do, but it is our dreams for her that she will someday be able to experience life as innocently as the day she entered this world.  We are committed to helping her find her happiness.”

Roxanne gets a kiss from New Mom

After three weeks of lunging, snarling, and biting in fear, Roxanne has turned a big corner.  New Dad was the primary trigger, not because of anything he did, but just because he was a man.  A man she didn’t really know.  A man had hurt her before, and she reverted to instinct to keep herself safe.

With the welcome help of her Foster Mom, Roxie’s Dad learned to play the touch game with her, and slowly, ever so slowly, started earning her trust, progressing to meals and walks.  “God bless his soul,” says Mom, “because he has been patient, persistent, and gentle with Roxanne, while most men would have tossed her out like the garbage.  He has stepped up and looked beyond her aggression (all fear based) to become her main caregiver!”

New Mom continues, “Roxie’s scars from her past may not be physical, but they are quite apparent.  It is shameful to see the way so many people treat animals.  There is a sweet, loving little girl under all the fears and aggression.  Although the road will be rocky and long, we will continue this journey with Roxanne for she so deserves it.”

Roxanne’s Mom and Dad are so very appreciative of all that the Col. Potter volunteers have done to help their new little girl, and truly that is a two way street.  The volunteers who give so much of their time and resources to save little Cairns like Roxanne are deeply grateful for this wonderful Forever Home and their absolute commitment to see Roxanne through to a Happily Forever After!

 

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Stitch fka CP Halifax Transitions to Texas!

Contributed by her Foster Mom and New Mom


Stitch fka Halifax fit right in with brothers Hunter (fka CP Goose) and little Gizmo!

You never know, sometimes, when something starts, where it will eventually end, and so it is with little Stitch fka CP Halifax.  Her Col. Potter story began before we ever knew about her, when a wonderful group of our Canadian CP family held a fundraising event, parking cars for several days, raising funds for Col. Potter.  With the money they raised, Col. Potter was able to secure the freedom of a large group of dogs from a commercial breeder, a group known to us as “O Canada!”

Thus Halifax found her way into the safety of Col. Potter, getting her first real taste of Freedom at her Foster Home in Kansas, and when her Forever Mom saw her little face, she decided this little girl needed to make her way to Texas!  And so it was!

Halifax became Stitch, and she was delighted to find she had a new Cairn brother, Hunter (fka CP Goose), and a little bitty brother, Gizmo.


Sister Hailey gets a kiss!

Stitch is making great strides in her new home!  As far as her new Mom is concerned, “Stitch is absolutely wonderful and a great little girl!”  She gets along wonderfully with Hunter and Gizmo, and she can sleep peacefully in her crate all night, but she prefers to sleep in bed with her human sister, Hailey. 

 
Hailey has her hands full with Hunter and Stitch!

She follows Hunter everywhere, and she loves to play with him in the back yard.   Hunter is teaching Stitch how to use the dog door.  She has "in" perfected and is working on the "out".   Her housebreaking is almost perfect!


Stitch is quite the little Princess!

Hey!  Need some help?

Yes, we think we’ll keep each other!

Stitches new Mom says, “Stitch is such a wonderful addition!  Thank you all so very much for making this possible!”

Friday, January 25, 2013

Sarut Celebrates 2 years at Home!

Contributed by her Happy Mommy & Daddy


 Happy Gotcha Day, Sarut!!!

Two years ago today, I paced around all day, waiting for it to be time to leave for the airport to wait for Sarut's plane to land.  We still arrived a couple of hours early because we just couldn't sit still at home any longer, even though we hadn't been able to sleep the night before! 

That morning, I imagined everything Sarut was going through, from the ride to the airport until the moment she landed.  I even hoped my hair and makeup looked good enough for her!  I was so excited and also amused at myself, behaving like this. 

My heart was pounding when the plane landed, and right up until I was handed the little black carrier.  I peeked inside and caught a tiny glimpse of black hair!  I will never forget the warm feeling that overcame me at that instant…  It only got better from that moment on! 

We are still blessed, each and every day, with the love our sweet, precious little Sarut has brought into our lives.  She has been the most absolutely perfect baby, and we just adore her so much!  Sarut is a very happy little doll, and adapted to her Queendom immediately! 

Sarut is truly amazing and we thank Col. Potter and all who contributed to saving her so she could know a life of freedom, love, and being what she was born to be.  We have learned a great deal from her and are so grateful for all she has to offer.
                                                                            
Happy Gotcha Day, Sarut!!!

Mommy, Daddy, and your Fur & Feather siblings

Thursday, January 24, 2013

“Penny” (fka CP Madeira) Settles In!

Contributed by her Happy New Mom


New Mom & Dad think I am Sweet!

Penny (fka CP Madeira) is doing great!  She is such a sweet and good girl!  Her New Dad and I were off work for the MLK holiday and we spent the whole day at home with her!

I have my own new bed for the living room!

She and I went on a nice long walk in the morning, and then I gave her a nice warm bath after she played in the snow.  She had a ton of energy after her bath - running laps around the living room and picking up her various toys and shaking them around!  I got her a special bed that she can sit in when we are all in the living room together, but on Monday, in the afternoon, we all fell asleep together on the couch, watching TV!  It was a wonderful lazy day, but I think she enjoyed it, and we certainly loved getting to know her personality a little better.

I am learning to be comfortable in my new crate

She is such a snuggler!  Even, at this very moment, she is in my lap under a blanket!  She likes to follow me everywhere I go to see what I'm doing.  We have had her sleep in her crate each night, and at first she does bark a few times, but doesn't take long to settle down and fall asleep.

I have to follow Mom & Dad so I don’t miss out on anything!

I showed her pictures off all day my first day back at my office!  Her new Dad gets to come home every day for lunch, so she has a good time exploring our backyard during that time. For me, Tuesday felt like the longest work day in my life, and I was so happy to come home to my furry baby!

We went on a long walk after I got home from work that day to get her wiggles out, and we met another neighborhood dog along the way.  Penny does pull a lot when we walk, so I try to keep her walking closely to me when she does this.  Progress!

We love her so much already!


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Shorty aka Ozzi fka CP’s Tolstoy now Shines Brightly in Florida!

Written by Shorty aka Ozzi (CP’s Tolstoy)

 Things are looking pretty good now!


Hi Foster Mom and Dad!  
Hi Everybody at Col. Potter!

It's Shorty aka Ozzi from sunny Florida!  Except its not so sunny and it'll be cold tonight!

My new Mom adores me and says my tail wags all the time, it must get tired!  She's says I'm a happy little gentleman!  I have to learn stairs though, and I'm not thrilled about that. I even won the cranky old husband over with a big kiss!  He's wild about me now!  There is also a fat cat around who sleeps all day.

Okay I have to supervise Mom now.  

Give Toto and the gang in Kansas a bark for me!

Love xxoo,
Shorty aka Ozzi


Gem Hates the Snow!

Written by her big sister, Abbie


You want me to do what?

Finally!  Enough snow to play in!  I have been waiting so sooooo long to play in this with my sister Gem!  You know, Gem is from Florida, so she never saw snow before.  Mom and Dad adopted her from Col. Potter during Spring, 2011, and last Winter we didn’t really have any snow, so this was to be her First real snow excursion!


How can I move?  Mom stuck me in this coat!

Well, Mom dressed Gem up in a pretty coat (not my cup of tea, thank you very much!) and off we went, out into the freshly fallen snow!   …Out, into the snow…


Come on!  This can be fun!

Boy, I tell you, I did my best to coach my little sister off that concrete walk and into the snow, but all she did was stand there, like she was in a straight jacket!  She even did her business over there!  Geesh!!!


Forget it!  They don’t have this yucky cold white stuff in the Sunshine State!
  
Maybe she should follow my lead and ditch the coat next time?  I’ll let you know how it goes…

Hey, Mom?  Put your boots on!  Got any green balls we can play with?



Monday, January 21, 2013

CP McQueen nka Chuck Celebrates 2 years Home!!!

Contributed by his Loving Mom


CP’s McQueen (nka Chuck), before he found his Forever Home

On January 19th, Chuck (CP McQueen) celebrated being with us for 2 full years!!!  I thank God for him every day!  I can't tell you how much he is loved in our home by all of our family members.  I can't imagine not having Chuck in my life.  

He is still a "talker" and he makes me laugh often.  He's a lot better in the car now, and on the leash.  It's hard to believe he's a Southern boy because he absolutely loves the snow!  You should see the handsome coat Santa brought him this Christmas! 


Chuck (fka CP’s McQueen) shows off his special bed!

Chuck is also a snuggler!  He loves to sit on the couch with the family and friends to watch TV (He loves watching football with the boys!).

Chuck's itchiness has been minimal, and pretty much non-existent in the wintertime. Although we still keep his crate in our bedroom, just in case he wants to go in it (which he doesn't anymore), last year his "Daddy" bought him a beautiful bed of his own with his name on it in big bold letters, and he sleeps in it beside our bed every night.  But before bed, he enjoys an hour or so of time with us in the "big bed" as we read and/or watch TV before lights out.

I can't help but give him millions of kisses every day - and he indulges me!  He gives me sweet kisses on my nose every day too.  I just love him so much!!!  I can't even express how my heart overflows with love for him.  He is such a blessing to us, and we know we are the luckiest fur-parents on earth!

Chuck sends his love, but he wants you to know he is very happy in his forever home and he knows he is loved and cared for! 

Thank you, Foster Mom!
 

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Madeira “Maddie” Moves on as “Penny”!

Contributed by her Loving Foster Mom


Madeira nka Penny already knows how to make New Mom smile!

Madeira aka “Maddie”, who will soon be known as "Penny," left today with her New Mom and Grand Mom. They are heading from sunny Florida to a somewhat chillier clime in North Carolina, where she will meet her New Dad in her Forever Home.


Madeira nka Penny cuddles with New Grand Mom

As you can see by her pictures, she has an ecstatic New Mom and a proud and comforting Grand Mom… who says she has told New Mom she has to send pictures!


Saying “Goodbye” is such sweet sorrow…

Foster Mom and Maddie shared a sweet, final embrace...  That final embrace is always so hard, isn't it?  Sometimes it seems that the ones who have been the most troubled and difficult become the hardest to let go after they have finally surrendered their defenses and fears and allowed themselves to be loved and cared for.  They take such big chunks of your heart with them when they leave…

Sweet Forever, little Maddie!