(Ottawa Dog of the Week for January 3rd, 2011)

“Paul is an almost 5 year old dachshund who was adopted from a woman who had 4 kids and was going back to work. He is so docile and loving, you never have to look far for him because he is usually glued to my side. He is the little spoon to my big spoon when bed time rolls around. We call him the pig because he grunts when we play.” – Paul’s Mom, Lily.

Paul’s brother is Oscar the Pekingese/Terrier Mix

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Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship.

A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well. Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

Written by Janine Allen CPDT, Rescue Me Dog’s professional dog trainer. Janine’s passion is working with people and their dogs. She provides demonstrations for those who have adopted shelter dogs, lends email support to adopted dog owners that need information beyond our Training Support Pages, and aids shelter staff and volunteers in understanding dog behavior to increase their adoptability. Copyright 2010 Rescue Me Dog; rescuemedog.org

(Ottawa Dog of the Week for October 25th/10)

“This is Rory, she turned 3 years old on August 28th. She is a Bernese Mountain dog, and is the sweetest little girl. She loves attention, especially from men, but will sit on anyone’s feet if they will give her a good rub. She has a few hobbies which include Carting, learning tricks (we are working on “play dead”) and doing obedience just for fun. She loves to chase Squirrels, birds and ducks. She likes to wade in the Rideau river but will not swim. She is a fantastic girl and I am so lucky to share my life with her.” – Rory’s mom, Shoshi.

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Stella’s Day from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.
A day in the life of our dog. Shot on a Canon 5D MKII. Music by Jef Gibbons: www.jefgibbons.com

This video is just the sweetest thing. We all wonder what our pets do all day, and this cute video shows the day of Stella, a Boston Terrier who likes to sleep under blankets.

Found via Phetched.

(Ottawa Dog of the Week for January 4th/10)

“Tisha is a sweet little Maltese who is nearing her 10th birthday. She loves everyone and spends her days relaxing and hanging out with her dog-friend, Panda. She enjoys being pampered almost as much as she enjoys treats. She is not too fond of the cold, but instead prefers a warm lap to snooze on.” – Tisha’s Family

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It is with great sadness that I announce that Duke, Ottawa’s most famous Great Dane, has passed. Duke was laid to rest last Thursday July 23rd at 3:30pm after a battle with bone cancer. Duke was a staple to the Ottawa and Kanata Bark and Fitz stores. He helped to raise thousands of dollars for charity and brought smiles to many people’s faces over the years.

Although he weighed in at a whopping 180lbs, Duke was the best behaved and gentlest dog I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and working with. He appeared in many fundraising campaigns for “Photos with Duke” or “Shake a Paw for $1″ and always did so happily and lovingly.

Corduroy, at one point in her life, decided that all big dogs were bad – she’d bark non-stop and let them know that she did not like them, except for one, Duke. She loved Duke and never barked at him. He even let her climb all over him, even though he wasn’t too fond of puppies. That was the kind of dog he was, patient and accepting – people would come to the store just to see him!

Duke brought true meaning to the phrase “gentle giant” and will be missing by many, dogs and humans alike. He is remembered by his humans, Amanda and Matt as well as his doggy siblings, Bosco and Angel and by the entire Bark & Fitz Ottawa and Kanata staff, past and present.

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