Send Good Thoughts/Prayers for Edward

Hi everyone!

If you're still following Edward's story, please send him some good thoughts and/or prayers. This morning I got this email from his poor dad:

Just wanted to send a quick update to let you know
that Edward had to undergo emergency surgery last
Wednesday. I noticed that Edward was unable to stand
up by himself or use his legs so I took him to the
animal hospital where he was admitted overnight.
After an MRI, they noticed he had a disc rupture,
where part of the spinal cord and appending cartiledge
breaks off and lodges itself into a different area of
the spinal cord, suppressing it and leaving him
paralyzed. He underwent surgery and he's home now,
although in a lot of pain =( He's slowly beginning to
walk again though his recoup will be about 2-3 weeks.

Just wanted to let you know that he's OK and will be
back to normal in a short time.

Edward's dad is a hero for giving him the surgery, and our family as well as Young At Heart is wishing Edward a speedy recovery. Poor, poor puppy!

We love you, sweet-eared Edward! Feel better, baby!

KP

A Lukey Update and Another Foster

Hello everyone!

Very firstly, here is an update about Luke from his Mommy:

Luke is doing great! He continues to be the perfect dog. He is so sweet and lovey and just wants to be with his family. He loves treats and toys and walks and especially loves snuggling and petting and snoozing. He has free run of the house and has never misbehaved - he ignores all items that aren't his, including food on the counter! He greets us at the door, wagging and kissing, when we get home. We can't imagine a home without him in it.

Charlie's doing great also, although I will say that we'd forgotten what it's like to have a puppy. Exhausting work! He's still devilish and has brought much excitement to our lives - let's just say that I'll be getting the new back porch I've always wanted! Good dog!

I'd like you to tell prospective adoptive parents that this experience has been truly rewarding for all of us. Luke has brought us much joy, companionship and unconditional love. It seems like he knows what he's been through and is so grateful to have someone to take care of and love. He is not someone else's dog that we've agreed to take care of. He is, most definitely, our dog.

We would adopt a senior dog again in a heartbeat and will do so in the future. Krissy, you and YAH are the best - thank you for bringing us Luke.

Peeps, we could have kept Luke. He was such a wonderful dog and we could have stopped at that moment. We were very, very tempted. However, we just were never as perfect a family for him as the one he has now and the three dogs that have come after Luke might have been killed instead of finding their forever homes.

So, we read about how well Luke is doing and love his family dearly and call them angels, because they are, and we move on to the next foster dog.

Click here to read about Buddy, and even if Buddy isn't for you, consider visiting the website and adopting your perfect pooch or kitty from Young At Heart Pet Rescue today.

An Update From Luke's Forever Mom and a Plea

Hi there! I wanted to give you guys the opportunity to see how well Mr. Luke is doing in his new home! His Forever Mama writes:

Luke is terrific! We all love him so much and it seems like he's always lived with us. There was absolutely no adjustment time needed, he fit in from the beginning. He's incredibly well-behaved and very snuggly. He loves car rides and walks and "swimming" in his baby pool. He sleeps on his bed right next to ours and waits for me to get up in the morning. We never thought we could love a dog as much as we loved Jack, but we do.

Luke has been busy this summer training his 12 week old puppy, Charlie . For Charlie, I prefer the names el Diablo or Knuckles. Luke is very patient with his puppy antics and the trainer who comes to the house (for the puppy) said Luke is a terrific dog. He has even shown that he has some puppy left in him. He jumps off the porch (skips the stairs!) and runs full speed around the yard, grabs a toy, falls on his back and wrestles with me. Funny boy.

I attached a pic of Luke and devil boy.

Luke's Mama

Click here to see the gorgeous photo of Luke and his new little brother!

Also, if you're still following Luke's story, I wanted to let you know that our foster dog Candie has gone home, and this weekend we are bringing in Pearl.

Click on her name to read more about her and follow her adoption journey!

Love,

Krissy Poopyhands

Shameless Plug

Hi there, everyone!

I haven't heard from Luke's family recently and I'm figuring that's probably because he's now their dog and who writes and tells other people about their animals? I'm sure they are loving and caring for him beautifully and I will let you know as soon as I hear something.

In the meantime, please Click on this link to go to our next foster doggie's website. She's a teeny Japanese Chin mix and our first female foster. OOoooo.

Speak to you soon,

KP

New Photos of a New Life

Check out the new photos of Luke with his family!

Luke's Mom said that he slept on his dad like that for 20 minutes and snored like a trucker. Eventually they moved him to his bed!

Does he have his own bed? I think I see it! Does he have his own stuffed monkey? I think I see that, too!

He's also becoming a neighborhood favorite and they are thinking of working with him to be a therapy dog.

Good dog, Luke!

Just How Perfect IS Perfect? An Email from Luke's Mom

This is an email that I got from Luke's new and true Mom this morning:

___________________________

Hi Krissy!

Just wanted to let you know that we have the perfect dog. Last night, Luke walked right into our house like he owns the place (he does). He sniffed around a bit, wagging away, and went to the back door and turned around and looked at us. He wanted to go outside. Out he went, sniffed some more, took care of business, and right back in! All in the first 5 minutes he was home. Good dog!

We loved him up for awhile and then [Luke's Dad] and [Luke's Kid] took him for a walk in the snow. I watched out the window and Luke was so good on the leash and the three of them looked like they'd always been together. It was my very own Norman Rockwell moment!

Then, when [Luke's Kid] was going to sleep, waiting to get tucked in, I walked in her room and Luke was sitting next to her bed, resting his head on the pillow next to hers. Cute! He waited to be asked to get up on the bed (very nice manners) and snuggled with her until she was asleep. He came into our room and nuzzled me and I let him up. He conked out and slept like a baby. He never left our bedroom until we woke up this morning and went downstairs.

He loved his early morning walk and right now is sitting at my feet, working diligently to remove peanut butter and carrots from his Kong.

We love him as if he's been here for years. Jack would be proud of us.

I'm not usually so corny, but Jack died the day after Luke arrived at your house. I think it was meant to be.

We can't thank you enough for everything that you and Young at Heart have done for him. We promise to take care of him and try to make up for all the years that noone loved him.

I'll continue to keep you updated and send pics once my camera is fully charged.

Thank you again for being his guardian angel.

[Mom, Dad and Kid]

Labby smootches from Luke
_____________________________

What a good dog. What a good story. YAY LUKE! YAY LUKE'S FAMILY!

Happy endings ROCK.

Thank you, Young At Heart.

The Very Happiest Day and the Very Saddest Day

For me. Luke has had many sadder days and not many happier ones.

Tonight Luke went home with his new family. They. Are. Awesome, Peeps. I have to tell you that if he has a chance at a blissful life anywhere, he has a chance with this family. He has a Mom and a Dad and a seriously adorable Kid who already feel like he's part of their family. Like they've been waiting for him.

The family lost a beloved Lab a few months ago. They've waited a time to mourn, but the house was feeling empty. They felt particularly close to their guy during his later years and were specifically looking for a sweet, older lab. Not to take the place of their best friend, but to make life that much better.

If anybody knows, I know, that Luke is that dog.

Of course, things can always happen. For whatever reason they may not be his forever family. Things that seem perfect at first can always turn around and particularly with older pups there is always a chance that something unforseen will come up. That's nobody's fault.; it just happens sometimes.

But I have a good feeling about this.

At the same time, as we waved to Mook and his forever family while they drove away, I did tear up. It's so happy. So, so happy. It's why we do this. We bring them in lost and scared and give them somewhere safe to eat, sleep and play. We give them people around to attach to and all the lovies they've been missing. Then when they are feeling confident and healthy and well we find them the place that will take care of them forever. That's what we do.

It's a good thing to do.

All of them are missed, though; all of them are thought of fondly. Luke was far and away the best behaved dog we've had here, and we've fallen in love with them all despite (or perhaps because of) their personal quirks. They are all worth saving.

We love you, Mook. We will miss you, Mook. We hope you are really, really happy forever and ever and we were honored to be able to know you. The road was long and hard and I hope it's over and you can sleep the clear sleep of a contented baby. Thank you for living with us.

Happily and Sadly,

Krissy Poopyhands

P.S. - Luke's Mom has promised to update you all on how he does so watch this space for more info on Luke and his new life! Oh, and when, as the family leaves, you overhear, "Okay, now who's bed is he going to sleep on??" you know you have a good dog-lovin' bunch.

Good dog, Luke.

I Will Never Get Used to It

This is Luke's foster mom.

First of all, some of the requests for info on Luke have been interesting. There are situations that I think he'd fit better in than others, but of course there is no way to know until the meet-and-greet. We have to take people on a first-come-first serve basis. Everyone must get a fair chance to become Luke's forever family!

Peeps, last night Luke had a freakout, a total panic. He was sleeping in his kennel (where he'd put himself voluntarily- door open), had a nightmare or something triggered him, and he sat bolt upright out of a dead sleep and just ran. He banged his paw on the way out of the kennel and wound up curling up near the table and just juddering violently.

He never made a sound or an agressive move, but he turned in on himself and tried to disappear. His whole body was shaking like someone was actively hauling him around. It wasn't just shuddering, I don't even know how to describe it. It was like an earthquake contained in a small doggie body.

I immediately got down and gathered him up and started speaking softly to him and petting his head. It took five full minutes of soothing before he started to calm down. After about seven minutes the shaking was slowly replaced with tail thumping, and after ten minutes I had him all putty and calm on my lap ready to be snuggled back to sleep.

Peeps, I've seen this before. Bruno went through something like it. We get dogs who have been hurt and abandoned and neglected. Dogs, like children, can't change their situation or help themselves. They have to live with whatever their lot is; they have to live with the most awful, unlivable things.

The aftermath of that is so ugly. This dog, who is an ideal dog in every way, who should have been blissfully adored all his life and the trusted family hound, was obviously hurt very badly. Hurt so badly that in a second he can be mentally taken right back to that abuse and his only response is to shake and make himself as small as he possibly can.

I will never, ever get used to seeing this, Peeps. It will never, ever do anything but break my heart and make me so angry I can't even see. There are so many horrible people out there.

Poor Luke. I'm going to be making sure he's going to a family where they won't even raise their voices to him. He deserves the opportunity to sleep without fear. All babies do.

Possibilities for Mook

Dear readers,

This is Krissy Poopyhands reporting in that Luke (Mook) has had a few adoption requests! Yay for Mook!

But boo for us because that means he goes on to his forever home. He deserves a happy life with a forever family and more. He's the very best dog.

Please keep your fingers crossed for our Mook that he finally finds his mommy and/or daddy.

*sniffle*

Mook's Foster Mom

Hi From Not-A-Girl Luke!

Hi everyone!

I'm still here. I'm still awesome.

I live in this house now with these people and boy do they love me. They love me to bits. I'm a loveable guy and easy to adore.

The thing is, I wish I was in my forever home. This home is great, but it isn't where I'm going to be the rest of my life. I love my foster mom so much, but she isn't my MOM mom. My dad isn't my DAD dad. I want my Mom and my Dad.

Some people have come forward looking for an older, beautifully-behaved lab, and none of them have even wanted to even look at me because I'm a boy.

I've been neutered! I don't mark! I'm not interested in mounting anything, trust me. I was around another girl dog recently and I behaved like the perfect gentleman.

I'm loveable and there's not much left for me in the way of boun-chicka-woun-woun. I just want to lie on a couch.

Why do people not like me? I'm awesome! I haven't gone poop in the house ONCE since mom stopped me on the rawhides.

So, again, I'm not a chewer a licker or a biter. I am fully house trained, interested primarily in cuddling. I do not jump and enjoy a walk but am not interested in going much farther than around the block at most. I spend a lot of time sleeping and if you pet me I look at you like you are God's gift to the earth. You're certainly God's gift to me!

Don't turn me away because of a weenie. I can't help it! I was born that way! It's not a moral failing!

Wishing for a forever home.

Love,

Luke