Hedgesville Hounds Blog

New dogs!

Over the next few days, we are going to be posting information on some new additions to our flock (or some dogs that our volunteers are fostering for other groups). For the moment, here's a bit about them...

Monty, chihuahua mix, 13 pounds, 2 years should probably put on a pound or so. Sweet and enthusiastic. A lapdog half the time. Ridiculously cute. Monty came from an overloaded West Virginia shelter.

Logan, fine-boned retriever mix, age 2. Beautiful feathery coat. He gets along really well with other dogs -- a true doggy diplomat. He's almost serene at times -- a laid-back guy (when he's not playing with other dogs). He's also quite compact -- about 35 pounds. Logan came from the same shelter where Monty was.

Sammy, Papillon, young, former puppy mill dog -- shy and sweet, needs love and protection, making progress all the time.
 

Colby, setter/lab, 50 pounds, 11 months -- another really elegant looking dog. Colby has wonderful natural instincts, and is very sweet-natured, has been learning very quickly and gets along well with dogs and cats. Colby's owner couldn't take care of him and surrendered him to the authorities. Although he wasn't getting enough care, it was clear he was never treated harshly -- he really likes people.

And finally, Lucky, a beautifully behaved 10-year-old beagle. He is perfectly housebroken, non-destructive and loves the finer things in life, like a nice long walk or a snuggle with a human who is watching TV. Lucky was given up due to reversals in his family home, but he was clearly valued greatly and he has no issues (except that as a beagle, he does love his food and sniffing). He is happy with his life in that "suburban country squire" way that beagles sometimes project -- he loves going out for a long leisurely walk, sniffing with great importance at everything nature has to offer, but then he loves to come home to a plush bed and a warm home.

 

  

In Memoriam: Shasta

One of our fosters sent along this note about a dog owned by another one of our volunteers/fosters. Please take a moment to read this.

Please indulge me in posting this tribute to Shasta.  His life and death should be acknowledged and there is no one else to do it.

Shasta was a Pyrenean Shepherd (Pyr-Shep) (http://www.pyrshep.com/). ; He was rescued by my friend Mary about 8 years ago from a breeder who was going to have him euthanised because he was difficult to work with and the breeder didn't want to bother with him.  Mary had titled her two other dogs in agility (multiple titles, in fact) and believed the Pyr-Shep breed was ideal for agility work.  She proved to be right and she and Shasta did very well in the agility trials, earning many ribbons.

About five years ago, financial difficulties necessitated that Mary and her dogs retire from agility competition.  Mary taught Shasta some dance steps, but otherwise, the dogs became dogs-of-leisure and enjoyed a slower pace.  Mary had to be careful with Shasta because, as a herding dog, he could be nippy with strangers and, also common to the breed, was a one-person dog who doted on Mary, but didn't care much for anyone else.

Three years ago Mary was diagnosed with bone cancer and went through chemo, radiation treatments, and many doctors' appointments.  Recently her decline accelerated and she became incapacitated.  Mary wanted to remain in her home with her beloved three dogs and three cats.  Her sister and I tried to make that possible for her.  Sister Betty tended to Mary's needs while I tended to the pets.  Just over the last few days, it became apparent that Mary needed to be hospitalized and, most likely, would not return to her home but live out her life with Betty at best.

On Monday Mary was taken to the hospital. Two of Mary's dogs, the "good" dogs, went to live with sister Betty but she could not take Shasta the "difficult" dog, the dog who loved and needed Mary the most.  So, I took him to my home.  He had met my dogs several times before and they got along; and he was very friendly with me.  Last night when I came home from work as I opened the door, Shasta pushed through it.  I tried to prevent him from getting out the door, but he kept biting me and I just couldn't hold on to him while he bit me.  I cornered him on my porch but his speed and maneuverability were no match for me.  He ran off my property at top speed, down the road, and was struck and killed instantly by a car.

Shasta was headed for home.  It was the only place he wanted to be and he would not be deterred.  Rest in peace, little Shasta.  I believe you will be reunited with your beloved Mary very soon.

For Adoption: Molly

Here is Molly with some neighborhood children who come to play with her and visit her. Molly LOVES children. She would be a perfect only dog in a family with children.

 
 
 

Fosters Needed

In addition to the beautiful  and wistful Molly, we've been contacted by a rural shelter we have worked with in the past. They are in desperate need of help and have  asked us to find rescues or adopters or fosters for two of the 30+ dogs they need to help.

The two dogs pictured here are Lucky and Chloe. Lucky is a beagle mix of some sort -- easygoing, peaceable and a bit shameless. He's about 2 years  old, short legged and medium-sized. Chloe is a shep/hound mix who is also about 2 years  old. She is incredibly sweet, which  makes it even harder to fathom that someone tossed her out of a moving car. Chloe's breed combination is a great one -- by the way -- smarter than the average hound, but less ambitious than the average shep.

Please let us know if you can help in  any way.

Foster Needed: Molly

Molly is an absolute sweetheart who needs a new foster home (her current foster has previous commitments in the coming months). We anticipate that this would involve a 2-3 month commitment. She is playful, generous of spirit and true of heart. In terms of specific foster home needs, Molly would do best in a home without cats where she can get regular exercise.  A high fenced yard would also be a plus. She would be a great running partner -- she is a true athlete.

Molly is housebroken and gets along well with other dogs (although her enthusiasm can sometimes be a turnoff at first).

Please consider doing a good deed and helping this sweet girl.

Why is Percy loveable?

One of the things that Hedgesville Hounds always receives praise for is its writeups of its foster dogs. This is because of a few things:

• We are fortunate to have many wonderful writers among our volunteers

• Because of the foster process, we know a great deal about our dogs and what they need

• We enjoy the challenge of explaining to prospective adopters exactly why a particular dog is special and loveable.

Percy, a Tibetan Spaniel, isn't a Hedgesville Hound, but he is being fostered for another rescue by one of our director's neighbors. She's having problems placing him and asked us to try to represent him on our site.

 

We hope our writeup will help add to the positive energy for this little guy.  Look for it soon.

 

 

Fosters Needed: Sherwood (who has a story you can't resist)

 

This is Sherwood. He is 3 1/2 months old. He is the offspring of a very lovely Golden Retriever (mother) and a very handsome coonhound. Although Sherwood and his siblings were unplanned, his mom is now spayed, and it is hoped that good homes were found for all his sisters.  Sadly, this was not the case for Sherwood. In fact, the young man who adopted Sherwood decided he did not want him anymore, and he "left" him at a small general store on Route 9. Little Sherwood wasn't sure quite what to do, so he bravely began trudging back to his mom, and the only real home he'd ever known - a journey of several miles over fields and creeks and along back roads. 
 
We have nothing good to say about the young man who abandoned Sherwood, but were touched by the incredible courage of such a young pup, and his determination to get home. 
 
Surprised and delighted as they were to receive the puppy back in one piece - albeit pitifully thin - his original family did not feel they could keep him, and were on their way with him to the shelter when a neighbor suggested they "check in with Hedgesville Hounds first." 
 
He is a beautiful little guy - his head and face are shaped like a golden retriever's, but his ears are much longer and quite voluminous. He has a soft, gentle and intelligent expression, and long, coltish legs. His coat is wavy on his back, and he has little bits of feathering on his front legs and breeches on his back. He delights in any attention, and was enchanted by the family's young children. He is an incredibly honest puppy of great heart. 
 
We have received assurance that some form of "country justice" - left unspecified - was meted out to the young man who abandoned Sherwood. Not that we encourage that sort of thing, of course.

If you'd like to foster Sherwood, please send an email to hedgesvillehound@aol.com.

 

In the News: Maryland requires more police accountability for dog shootings

Due to a tragic event last year where a small-town mayor's dogs were shot and killed by police who were acting on false information, Maryland police will be required to file a report with the governor's office whenever they kill a dog during a drug raid.

We applaud this requirement, which goes into effect next year. Incidents such as the one that inspired this change are too common, and they sometimes show a profound lack of judgment. For example, one of the mayor's labs was shot in the back while fleeing.

At the same time, the law does not prevent police from protecting themselves during a drug raid -- they just need to explain the situation and their reasoning.

We hope that this will encourage new awareness among both police and pet owners. 

Here's a link to an article on police dog shootings.

 

Success Story: Petunia

 

 

We got a nice update on one of our favorite dogs, Petunia, who was adopted by James and Anne in 2006. Here's an excerpt:

 

Petunia has been nothing short of a wonderful dog. She never barks or howls and is very smart. I am unsure whether her previous owner taught her to sit, but she definately learned shake from me. The dog has a ferocious appetite, having eaten such non-food items as vertical blinds, a lunch box and contents, a diamond earring and a library book (resulting in a donation to the library). She also ate an entire loaf of rye bread in a single sitting after we left it out. Petunia's vet has suggested that the only way to curb her appetite would be to "amputate her head."

 

Enclosed, please find a picture of Petunia in Ocean City, Maryland and one from Dogfest 2008 in Cockeysville, Maryland.

 

Guess the DNA: Amelia

A few of our adopters have taken advantage of the new technology that determines their dog's breed composition.

This gorgeous girl is Amelia.

Here's a full-body shot.

Take a guess at her DNA, why don't you, and then click here to see the results...