Arnie found a new forever home today!

We're pleased to announce that Arnie (our foster) has found a new forever home in San Francisco! It has been two years since he was rescued and began his socialization but he now takes long walks in the dog parks and at the beach. We are thrilled at his amazing progress, from the boy who was so scared of people that he hid behind the couch for 3 days when we first brought him home to the spunky socialized happy dog he is today!

Arnie is in a new foster home but still needs a forever- family

Arnie is available for adoption in the San Francisco bay area.

Description:
Hair/color: Gold with white markings, medium length
Gender: Male
Age: 4-5 years
Breed: Golden Retriever mix
Weight: 100 pounds

Arnie is a submissive 4-5 year old male golden retriever mix. He is microchipped and neutered; is gold in color with white markings on his nose and chest. Arnie is a sweet boy who suffers from fear of the unfamiliar. He is completely housebroken but not leash-trained and needs a home with direct access to a secure yard. He is somewhat of a couch potato and prefers to spend most of his time in his bed except when he's letting you pet and love on him. He gets along with dogs of all sizes, age, and gender, and completely ignores the cat in his foster home.

Arnie was rescued along with 150 other dogs from a hoarding situation in the Nevada desert. When Arnie came to his foster home a year ago, he hid from humans, cringed when he was approached, had never worn a collar, and never slept indoors. Now he comes to his foster family and their visitors for attention, will sit on command, sits up and begs, and is currently working on offering his paw for a treat and walking on a leash.

Arnie takes medication for his anxiety (costs about $25 per month) and would do best in a quiet home without children. He needs someone with patience and understanding to allow him to get used to his new surroundings and who can offer him a fairly routine life. Experience with fearful dogs is a plus.

At a recent routine vet visit, Arnie sat patiently while shots were administered, ears were looked at, blood was drawn, and tarter scraped from his incisors (his back teeth are beautiful for a dog his age).

With Arnie's fear and trust issues, please do not consider him unless you know for certain you can care for him the rest of his life. He is a darling who wants to give love in spite of his rough start in life. It wouldn't be fair for such a great boy to end up back at a shelter or out on the street.

If interested, email:
info@gratefuldogsrescue.org
or go to website:
http://www.gratefuldogsrescue.org

Thanks!

Urgently seeking a new foster or furever home!!

URGENT! My foster family has to move across the country in a couple of months!!!

Contact Kim at http://www.gratefuldogsrescue.org/noFrames/index.shtml for more info on fostering/adopting me.

I'm still working on my training in my foster home. My foster mom says my bathroom habits are outstanding because I always ask to go outside by sitting at the back door and if nobody notices, I will make a little bark and sometimes make "wookie" sounds until the door is opened.

I will sit on command for the people I trust (those who have been feeding me and giving me treats) and am generally a sweet, loving fellow. I especially love to have my head, neck, and super-soft muzzle rubbed.

I need a home with people who have quick reflexes because sometimes when I get scared, I will run for cover (my bed) and anything in my way gets run over. I'm typically very gentle but when I'm afraid my brain only sees the safety of my bed and wants to get me there as quickly as possible. My body responds without being aware of anything around me.

I need a home with direct access to a securely fenced yard because this is the only way I get exercise. I like to go out there and jump around and act silly with my foster mom and the other dogs. I'm currently working on leash training but it's a long, slow process and because of my fear of the noisy, scary world my foster mom wonders if it would ever be safe for me to be outside on a leash. In a panic, I might thrash about and try to escape and that could lead to injury.

I need someone strong because I have to make my trips to the vet in a crate in order to feel safe and at 80+ pounds, I'm quite a heavy guy. Or if you have a mobile vet, that works too.

I like a routine because it helps me feel secure. I'm used to my morning and evening feeding schedule, for example. When it's time for my dinner, I get nervous until I've been fed. Then I'm ready to snuggle down in my bed and keep you company for the evening.

I love to be brushed and combed. My foster mom will call me to her and I sit right in front of her for my daily groomings. As long as she moves slowly, things are great. Sometimes I will flinch if the comb or brush comes down more quickly than I expect but I never run away because I really enjoy these sessions with her.

Outside of the fraidy-cat thing, I'm fairly low maintenance. I'm mostly a couch potato who enjoys the company of my human friends but also does okay when I'm by myself as long as I have something to keep my occupied. I like to pick up toys and put them in the bed with me. I like to chew on pressed rawhide bones, bully sticks, and raw meaty bones. I love having a kong stuffed with food and treats too.

In your home, I may be shy for several days to a few weeks but if you give me time to acclimate, I promise to be a good furever friend to you. It would be great to be in a home with a confident, non-aggressive canine companion.

I'm great with cats. I usually don't notice them unless they decided to come close to take a look at me and then I freeze until they leave. Don't tell them, but they kind of scare me.

I come with two travel crates. My foster family uses one to take me out for vet visits and I sleep in the other one. I also get to keep my favorite blanket, some of my favorite toys, my collar and leash, and my kong.

If you want a quiet, gentle friend who you don't have to take out for walks and who will be loyal and devoted to you, I'm your guy.

My foster family's move will take 4 days on the road. They know this trip will be much too traumatic for me so if you have the right stuff and think I would be a good fit for your household, please consider giving me a chance.

See www.gratefuldogsrescue.org or call (415) 587-1121 for more info on fostering/adopting me.

Things I've learned as a foster dog

Just a year ago I was living outdoors on the desert in a fenced run with hay bale huts for shelter. I had never worn a collar or played with dog toys or been inside a house.

Today I like to lie in my bed in the family room with my foster family. I used to prefer solitary life sleeping in the garage and it took me a while to realize that it's warm and cozy in the family room and nobody is going to hurt me if I fall asleep. I even sleep on my back and snore sometimes with my foster mom right there in the room!

I still don't play with toys when people are around but at night I like to round them up and put them in my bed with me. Sometimes I even get out of bed and pick up a chew bone if the little dogs aren't around (I'm still afraid of them).

The first time I was allowed in the back yard, I hid under some bushes and they had to be cut down to get me out. Now my foster mom tells me to sit at the back door and wait until she opens it to let me out and I make a little bark when I want to be let back in. And I always, always ask to go outside to potty.

My foster mom and dad taught me to touch their palms to receive my dinner, which they feed me by hand. I recently learned to sit on my hind legs for treats, which is quite a feat for a big guy like me!

My foster family is still working to get me to go for walks on a leash. I will step out of my bed with the leash on, walk 2-3 steps, and go diving back into my bed for cover. I'm still afraid of having pressure on my neck but you have to remember the catch pole they used to drag me off the ranch was terrifying!

I'm learning that humans are okay. I used to pant heavily and drool from anxiety when my foster parents had visitors and they kindly allowed me to go to my spot in the garage at these times. Now when visitors come, I still feel a bit anxious but I usually just lay down and keep my ears open for any signs of danger.

I'm learning. I have a very long way to go and may never act like a normal dog but I have come so very far this year. I hope some day someone with a big heart and lots of patience will find me and help me learn more and more because I have a great big heart and lots of love to give back!

Flexi-lead recall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2008
Release #08-387

Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 296-3807
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Worldwise Inc. Recalls Retractable Dog Leashes; Metal Clasp Can Break
and Cause
Facial and Body Injuries to Dog Owners

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in
cooperation
with the firm named below, today announced voluntary recalls of the
following
consumer products. Consumers should stop using recalled products
immediately
unless otherwise instructed.

Products: SlyDog Retractable Dog Leashes

Units: About 223,000

Importer: Worldwise Inc., of San Rafael, Calif.

Hazard: The metal clasp connecting the leash to a dog's collar can bend
or break
while in use, causing the leash to recoil back unexpectedly. This poses
a
serious risk of injury to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Worldwise has received five reports of injuries,
including
facial cuts, a broken tooth, displaced eye lens, and a bruised collar
bone.

Description: This recall involves the SlyDog Retractable Dog Leash with
a metal
clasp. The leash has a handle composed of a blue plastic case with a
black
plastic grip. The leash is made of a black woven strap and measures
approximately one-half inch wide. The end of the leash has a metal clasp
which
connects to the dog's collar. The SlyDog retractable leashes with a
plastic
clasp are not included in this recall.

Sold by: Dollar General Stores nationwide from September 2007 through
August
2008 for about $5.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using these leashes immediately and return
them to
Worldwise Inc. for a full refund, including shipping costs.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Worldwise toll-free at
(888)
296-3807 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit
the firm's
Web site at www.squareonesystem .com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including a picture of the
recalled
product, please go to: http://www.cpsc. gov/cpscpub/ prerel/prhtml08/
08387.

Settling in

I've been in my foster home for two months and a lot has happened. First I ran away, not because I don't like my foster family but I was looking for my former pack. I never found them -- lucky for me my foster family found ME!

Soon after I was found, my foster family took me to the vet to be neutered. This was a very scary experience but after I was back in my home, I found out that my family really cared about me. They were very nice while I was recovering.

After I got over the surgery, my foster mom started taking me outside in a large fenced kennel where she is trying to teach me to walk on a leash. I don't remember ever having one of these things attached to me so it is a bit scary but I'm trying very hard. After I take a few steps with the leash, I start to get scared and eventually will sit down and wait for mom to take it off of me.

I really like my foster mom and am starting to follow her around the house. She won't let me go in the back yard by myself or near the front door but she's very nice and always pets me and tells me how brave I am to walk up to her. My tail is starting to go from being tucked away safely under my belly to wagging a little bit when I see her. And get this...my foster dad HAND-FEEDS ME!! Every single day! Am I a pampered pooch or what? I'm still shy around him but I'm trying very hard to be more trusting.

Oh, and mom and dad have me on a calming medicine that I take twice a day and I think it's helping me not feel quite as nervous. I used to spend all day hidden in the garage. The door into the family room was always open to me but I was scared to venture out of my safe place. Now I spend almost all of my time in the family room except when I go out to the garage to do my potty business. I think Mom really likes me being in the family room because now she comes by and pets me a lot and this week she even gave me a "bath" with some wet grooming cloths and brushed me for a long time. I really liked that!

It will probably be a long time before I'm adopted unless someone comes along who has a lot of patience with me. After living on a ranch and not knowing that humans could be more than just food delivery systems, it takes a lot to settle into a domestic situation. I wish I had known how great it feels to be loved and petted and fed great food.

We found Arnie!!

Poor guy was hiding in a neighbor's back yard in some bushes on the opposite side of our neighborhood. He had been howling for nearly 3 hours (9pm to midnight) as we combed the street looking for him. At about 11:30pm a neighbor reported he was in her back yard. We took his crate with us and managed to convince him to go inside.

Of course this means we are back at square one with Arnie's socialization. He has taken food from my hand and will eat in my presence but has not left the security of his crate in nearly 36 hours. Eventually he will need to go to the bathroom (he is superdog in this respect) and will hopefully will come out and go in the space we prepared for him in the garage. He spends his days/evenings in his crate in our living room and we carry him in his crate out to the garage after his meals to allow him a potty break.

We are looking for an inexpensive enclosed dog run or kennel enclosure we can set up in our back yard so we can put him out there. Now that we know he can scale our 6-ft privacy fence, we can't leave him outside unattended but at the same time, he is not yet leash trained so we can't take him out on a leash to do his business.

We are exploring whatever creative ways we can to get this guy to come out of his shell. He enjoys having his chest and under his chin scratched and his ears and face rubbed. When he looks at me with his beautiful brown eyes, I know there's a terrified soul inside that really wants to connect. It will take him time, love, and patience for him to learn how to trust and thankfully we have all three.

Please help! Arnie was last seen at Alta Loma Park, 2/25 at- 7:45am.

Please help! Arnie was last seen at Alta Loma Park in South San Francisco, 2/25 at 7:45am.

My husband and I have been fostering this dog for the last week when he apparently escaped by jumping our fence this morning.

Arnie is a golden retriever mix, about 3 years old and about 50 lbs. He is unaltered, and has medium length tan/gold fur with white on his nose, chest, and tips of his feet. He is wearing a collar with a southwestern design -- brown and turquoise collar with buffalo images and a yellow tag with contact information for Grateful Dogs Rescue, the organization we are fostering him through.

Arnie has been missing since 7:45 this morning. We saw him running towards the baseball field at Alta Loma park and he may have turned into the houses on the left or back towards the houses behind the baseball field parking lot.

Arnie is extremely fearful and NOT socialized. He has not shown any aggression toward humans but if you see him, please do not approach because he will just run again. He was rescued from the desert in Nevada where he lived in hay huts and ditches dug into the ground. He spent 3 weeks in a temporary shelter before we took him into our home one week ago. Currently he runs when he comes into contact with people or other dogs.

Arnie had quite a reputation as a ladies' man in Nevada and we think he probably got wind of a female in heat and took off to find her. He is still so fearful that he is likely to wind up hiding in the smallest space he can find nearby, like in a garage or tool shed or under a deck or shrubbery or in the nearest ditch he can find. We have filed a Lost Dog report with the Peninsula Humane Society and asking people to search their property in the area and to call if he is spotted.

Although Arnie has a collar with the GDR tag, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to get close enough to him to see it. If he is hiding somewhere it may take an animal control officer with a catch pole to extricate him.

If you see him, please contact our home# 650-588-7929, my cell# 650-303-0108, or my husband's cell# 650-438-5145 or you can call Kim with Grateful Dogs Rescue at 415-587-1927 or the Peninsula Humane Society at 650-340-7022.

You can see pictures of Arnie at the following link:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8EbMWTJu3Zt -6¬ag=1