Photos

1-12-10

I thought I'd share some photos of our hike in Apple Valley this past Sunday. We had our two girls: Amikah and Ginger, and the fosters we had there were Trudy, Jaxson, Suki, Aztec, and Luna. (We had left Miley and Ziggy at the kennels, didn't think that they'd be up for a multi-mile run, LOL).

We had a blast, though it did get a bit muddy in places. The dogs SO much love to just run and run and run. Every single one of them is great off leash.

Little Paddy O'

1-11-10

Paddy is a little Patterdale Terrier that we picked up from the shelter today. He came with his name, and as unoriginal as it is, it fits him. LOL.

I have never in my life seen a little dog that is this cute. He is about 10 months old, almost fully grown, but he looks like a 8 week old lab puppy with a wee beard. LOL.

He has got the cutest little personality! He's fun, and happy, and absolutely loves the other dogs.
He's only about 14 lbs, so I think that labels him as our smallest foster so far (not including the puppies).
I can't get over how stinking adorable he is. He will stand on my lap and rest his head on my shoulder.

His tail wags almost constantly.
(we call it his Paddy Waggin, hahahahahaa!).

Oh and yes, he's all black. In those photos, he'd been rampaging around the yard with the girls for about an hour, and he's filthy. LOL. He got a bath shortly after that, and he's got gorgeous fur.
What a pretty little boy!

1-12-10

This little guy is so stinkin adorable.
He's a chewie hoarder though. LOL
Look at this.. he's got all the chewies, AND he's got the coveted dog bed. LOL. Don't know how he managed to do that.
What a character.



1-16-10

Paddy was adopted today at our adoption event! He went to a really great family that was perfect for him. He's going to be a spoiled little guy!

It was SO much fun having him in our home for the little while that he was here. What an absolute darling of a dog. :)

Jaxson again!

1-6-10


Jaxson's story starts here.


After being with his family for over 3 months, Jaxson came back to us.
They ended up not realizing how much time it takes to train a dog, and because they didn't have the time to work with him, he was not turning into the dog that they wanted him to be.

It wasn't working out for them or for Jaxson, so she called us and asked us to take him back. I was all too happy to go get the little guy.

He was SOOO happy to be back here with us and with the other dogs!

They told us that he was destructive, chewing things. And that he was an escape artist, getting out of the yard all the time.

Since he has been here, he's been an angel. No issues whatsoever, though he has lost almost all of his manners and we need to retrain him in basic commands.

I think he was bored there, and didn't get enough interaction, so he found things to keep him busy. That's going to happen, and it's understandable considering the circumstances. You can't leave your dog alone in the backyard and not work with him, and then expect him to be a perfectly well behaved dog. It doesn't happen that way.
A well trained dog takes time, patience, and love. And it takes all 3 of those things. If even one element is missing, it won't work.

We all went hiking at Apple Valley Sunday, and Jaxson had SO much fun! It was a blast to watch him running with the girls, and jumping over sage brush.

It's fun to have him back, and we'll be sure to find him a home that has the time to be with him, and lets him be the dog he was meant to be.

1-19-10

Jaxson got accepted at HWAC today! They will find him the perfect home!

Serra

1-10-10

Miss Serra was pulled from the shelter quite some time ago. She is shy and timid, and terrified of men.
She's been in another foster home for several months, but she isn't getting any better with her fear because that home doesn't have any men in it. We put her there because she was comfortable, but it hasn't helped her at all.

So we brought her here, and we are immersing her in her phobia. She already loves Wade, so that's not an issue. Josh and Colton have been really great with her, working with her. If one of them walks into the room, she just goes crazy.. barking and backing up. But she is slowly learning to trust them.

She will take treats from them now, and she is realizing that they are going to be nice to her.

She is such a sweet dog. We don't know what breed she is.. some kind of terrier/cattle dog mix. She's got a broken tail, funky looking little thing. But it adds to her charm. She has the sweetest little face.

She's getting along well with the other dogs so far, and is leaving the cats alone, though she seems interested in them.

We'll see if we can get her past her fear of men. Wish us luck!

1-14-10

Took Serra to the dog park today with Aztec and Amikah.
She did SO great! Twice, she did her scared/back away barking at guys, but when the situation was explained to them, both of them were willing to work with her on it, and by the time we left the dog park, she was running around playing with the other dogs, and not having any issues with the guys there at all.

She doesn't bark at Josh or Colton anymore when they walk into the room, and she will actually go sit by Josh to get some love.

PROGRESS!

2-08-10

Serra is on a trial! WOO HOO!!!
These are REALLY great people, who know everything about her, and are willing to work with her on her issues.
Rather than an overnighter, or a weekend trial, they want to give her a week to see how everything goes, and if she warms up to them.

Oh I hope I hope I hope.

2-13-10

We got Serra back from the family who was keeping her for a week. She was doing well, and they absolutely loved her, but she nipped at their brother in law, and we couldn't let her stay there as the family had young kids. Not worth the risk.
They were very sad and reluctant to give her back, as they had bonded closely with her.
It was a good experience for Serra, and I'm glad that she was able to try that and see new things.

So we got her back, and have had her for a few days, and she just met another family tonight who are willing to work with her on her issues. They came and met with her for a while and we'll take her to them tomorrow afternoon for a week-long foster trial.
They have another dog, and have had a dog before with issues similar to Serra's.

Keep all fingers and toes crossed. This seems like it will be a GREAT fit for her!

2-25-10

SERRA IS ADOPTED!!! WOO HOOO!!!!!!

We finalize everything on Monday!

*doin the happy dance*

Suki

1-09-10

Suki came to us as an owner release. She had the misfortune of belonging to a couple in the midst of divorce who found that they no longer had the time to care for her properly.
She's spent a lot of time in a crate lately, and her energy level is through the roof.

She has a sweet personality and is getting along really great with the other dogs.

I think we are going to take her to Apple Valley and let her run there for a few days to wear off some of her pent up energy, then bring her back here for some much needed socialization and training.

1-11-10

Suki is at Apple Valley for a few days to make some room here for a couple new fosters. She is LOVING it out there! We went for a long hike in the mountains, and she was doing so great.
You can tell that she loves the freedom and running. Though she preferred to stay close to Wade and I rather than run off with the other dogs too much.

We'll let her stay there for a little while till a space opens up back here, or Lorraine might take her to her house to see if they can get her muscles built up in her back legs.

She is such a sweet dog, and I love her personality. She is in a constant state of wonder.

1-14-10

Suki went to a GREAT new foster home. She's got another dog to play with, and will have constant interaction with her foster mom. She'll get to go on several hikes during the day to work on her leg muscles.
YAY! This new foster home with be amazing for her in every way. :)

2-13-10

*doing the happy dance* SUKI GOT ADOPTED!!!
WOO HOO!!!

It was SO awesome! She went to a GREAT home with kids for her to play with! YAY!!!

April 2010

SUKI:
Suki was returned to us by her owners because they didn't have the time to exercise her like they had promised when they adopted her. She is looking great, and is SO sweet. We'll only have her for a bit longer until we can find her another foster home.

Update 3-27-2101: Suki is being fostered at Mandy's house for awhile now. She is doing great there, and gets along really well with their dogs! It's a good place for her to be, she gets LOTS of exercise, building up those muscles!

4-10-10

Suki got adopted! YAY! It's a great fit for her, and they are willing to work with her, knowing that she has a lot of energy, and needs a lot of attention. I'm SO happy for her!

UPDATES!

It's been a flurry of activity the last couple weeks!

Have had several of our dogs adopted.
Bonnie and Aimee both found great homes.
The puppies went to HWAC on Wednesday.
Sierra went to her new home on Wednesday as well.
Levi and Aztec both went to their new homes today.
Trudy is adopted and awaiting her adventurous trip to New York.

We had little Nikki here for a few hours, and she was a hoot. Such a sweet little 4 month old Staffordshire Terrier.

We've got a new foster that I'll be posting in a few minutes.

And we've got Jaxson back.

Never a dull moment in this house!

Aztec

1-06-09

This gorgeous girl came from the shelter and has been staying at Apple Valley for a couple weeks.

She's one of our fosters now, and is fitting in nicely. She is so mellow and very very sweet. She absolutely did not like her crate, so she got a dog bed in our room last night.
She seems to have a little bit of separation anxiety, but it's not too bad. I imagine it will go away altogether once she realizes that we aren't going to leave her anywhere.

1-09-10

Aztec got adopted today! Wow, that was fast. I'm going to miss her. She is such a great dog. She's got a gentle soul.... and the way that she would look into your heart with her eyes. Just wow.
Goodbye sweet Aztec! Enjoy your new life with your family!

1-10-10

Nope, it didn't work out with Aztec's new family. The called this morning and asked if we could come get her. She just wasn't a good fit for them.
That's ok.. the first 2 days of an adoption are a trial to make sure that it's a good fit, and if it's not, then it's ok.

1-19-10

Aztec did great with us after she came back. She is such a sweet dog. So full of love.

She got accepted at HWAC today. I will miss her terribly. There's an empty spot on Wade's side of the bed that still has Aztec's blanket there. :(
I know that HWAC will find her a wonderful home, but sometimes it's hard to let them go without seeing them with their new families, ya know?

Puppies Puppies Puppies!

1-01-09

Our newest fosters, just till Jan 6th when they will all go to HWAC.
The first 2 are male, the others 5 are females.

They are just under 6 weeks old... so freaking CUTE!
My whole car smelled like puppy breath when I brought them home.

1-06-09

Puppies are now safe in the capable hands of Helen Woodward Animal Center. They'll be in foster homes till they are old enough to be adopted. What an adventurous trip they had!

It was so much fun having them here.

Little Sierra

12-30-09

Got Sierra from the shelter today and brought her home.

She is a little overwhelmed with all of the activity here, and she's a little shy, but oh so so sweet.

You know the soft spot I have in my heart for a hound of any kind.

We had gone to the shelter to vaccinate her, and I couldn't leave without her. LOL. I'm a sap.

It's ok though, as Bonnie went to her new home today, a few days early. So we have a space for Sierra. And I'm so glad. :) Thank you Lorraine, for taking Noah, so that we could take Sierra. Give him a big hug for me. :)

1-06-10

Sierra went to her new home today. It was the perfect home for this sweet little girl. We took her with us on our way to HWAC, and dropped her off in Vegas with her new mom and dad.
She is going to have such a great life with them!

1-08-10

I've gotten an update from Sierra's new family!

They've changed her name to Molly, and they say that she is doing GREAT! They love her, and she is settling in nicely.
I'm so so happy for her. How wonderful.
Just think...a week ago, her life was a cement kennel in a shelter. Now look what she has! It is nothing short of awesome.

Aimee and Bonnie

12-15-09

Got these two adorable girls from the shelter today.
Bonnie is the one with the brown spot.

They are 3 months old, and oh so freaking cute!
Of course, they are ALL puppy. Full of energy (and poop! LOL) and fun fun fun.

They love playing with Luna and Trudy.

We will take them to our event this Saturday, and hopefully they will find wonderful homes!


12-30-09

Aimee got adopted on the 19th! She got a fantastic home with a great new mom. :) Her new name is Isabelle.

Bonnie got adopted and went home today, the 30th. She gets to be a Trucker's dog, and when she's not on the road, will spend time at home with her new family.

Both girls got great homes, and I'm so happy for them!!


3-2-10

We get photos and stuff from Bonnie's family all the time. Today we got to see Bonnie for a few minutes while they were passing through St. George. It was SO awesome to see her!!

Trudy

12-14-09

Oh my goodness I love this gal. She is so sweet.

She was a stray that was taken in by some people who decided that they couldn't keep her.
She is well behaved, and eager to please.

Ginger didn't like her right away, but Luna LOVES her. She and Luna rampaged around the yard for a couple hours the first night we had her.

I had to give her a bath, as she smelled pretty bad, but I couldn't brush her mats out. So I did what I could, and let the AMAZING wonderful gals at All Fur Love groomers to do their magic on her today!
Then we took her to the dog park to play while we visited with some good friends (we got to see Kiya too!) and laughed as all the dogs played.
Wow, she sure was having fun!

I'm sure that we won't have any problem at all finding this special girl a home. She's gorgeous and sweet... doesn't get any better than that.

12-30-09
Have a couple Trudy videos to share.
First one is at the dog park with Luna and Kiya.

Second one is Trudy playing outside with me (she has no interest in the ball, LOL!)
and then her with Luna in the house, playing.






1-06-09

Well, I think it's final now. Trudy is being adopted by a woman in New York. We are still working out travel plans, but looks like it's going to happen!
What a great adventure ahead for Trudy!

1-19-10

Just got news that Trudy has landed in NY! I'll share stories and photos when I get them.

1-23-10

Trudy's new mom just sent me video! Click HERE to see it!!!

2-1-10

More video!
Please be sure to subscribe to gidgetgormley on YouTube to catch all the new Trudy videos!

Merry Christmas from Cisco!

12-09-09

Got a photo of Cisco and his dad said I could share it with you here!
Isn't he oh so cute?

Simon

12-09-09

Simon was one of the HWAC rejects today. LOL.
He has a little bit of a cough, so they sent him back to us along with Levi.

So he gets to stay here tonight, and maybe a little longer till he goes back to his foster mom.

He's a sweet boy, and SO soft. What an adorable face, huh? Those eyes just make you fall in love with him.

He's not liking his crate so much, so sleep might not be happening for me tonight.

12-12-09

Simon went back to his foster mom today. It was fun having him here.. he is SO sweet.

12-21-09

Simon was accepted at HWAC today! I'm sure he'll be in a home before Christmas. :)

Updates

Had a great trip to HWAC this month! Several of H.A.R.T.'s dogs got accepted, and 3 of them were our fosters! YAY!

Syd, Sacha, and Sampson got accepted. Click on their names to read their stories.

Levi got rejected because he was coughing, but they will take him once he's healthy.

Sampson

12-05-09

Sampson had been at our house once before, but only for a day between the shelter and Apple Valley. I knew that we'd bring him back to our house eventually, and I was right!

We went and picked up Sampson and Syd from AV so that they could spend a couple days at our house before going to HWAC. He is such a great dog. He's got so much energy, but once the initial excitement is out of his system, he is REALLY well behaved, and oh so sweet.
I enjoy having him here. He's a sweet sweet boy.

12-08-09

Sampson got accepted at HWAC! They almost didn't take him because of his energy level, but he calmed down after being there only a little while, so they decided to accept him, and ended up loving him!

I'm so glad.. he is a great dog! I'm glad we had the chance to have him here for a little while.

Update on Luna

12-01-09

Luna's story continues.
Go HERE to read her whole story.

Levi

11-30-09

I went to the shelter today to pick up Simon and take him out to Apple Valley, and ended up pulling Levi as well. He's got kennel cough, so I brought him home so I could get him started on antibiotics and see if we can't kick it before it gets too bad.

Guessing on his breed.. a lab mixed with Red Doberman?
He's only about 4 months old, and has got a great little personality. He knows 'sit', and he learned the dog door almost right away. No accidents in the house yet, so I'm thinking he may already be housebroken, which is a huge plus.

He seems to be ok with crating, and doesn't argue with me about going to bed in his crate.

He's super sweet, and has the most darling face.

12-08-09

Levi went to HWAC, but got rejected because he still has a bit of a cough. I thought for sure it was gone, he hadn't coughed in a few days, but that CA smog did him in. LOL.
So he's back at our house, and we'll put him back on antibiotics to see if we can't kick this cough in the butt.
HWAC loved him, and will take him back as soon as he's completely healthy.

12-12-09

Levi went with Simon to Lorraine's house till he gets better. It sure is quieter without him here, LOL!
I miss him though. He is a really great dog!

12-21-09

Tried Levi at HWAC again, and he is STILL coughing. We brought him back to our house though to give Lorraine a break from him. He is a great dog... just a little loud. LOL.

12-30-09

Levi is such a good boy. He really is. He's gorgeous, and well behaved. Yes, he is loud, but he listens and will stop it when told to.
He is being so great with the other dogs, and good with the cats.
He was great with our new foster that we brought home today.

I'm looking forward to the day when he finds his forever home, but I'll miss him when he goes.

Thought you'd enjoy a video of Levi learning to fetch. :)

1-09-10

Levi got adopted today!! His new home is in Vegas, and I think that he will do really great there. I've talked with his new family tonight, and it sounds like he is settling in nicely. (Though he has a bit of an upset stomach from the excitement of it all).

I'll miss the little bugger. He is such a great dog.

It sure is quiet here. LOL