2011 in Review

Looking back on 2011.....

 We fostered three dogs for Pet Haven. Tug took 9 months to find his forever home but he finally did!!

 Angelica came to us from Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. She was adopted in about two weeks.

 Ash was also a RLRR dog. He was so energetic-the opposite of Angelica. He was adopted a couple of weeks ago Happy new lives to all. Looking forward to getting a new foster dog soon.

 In June we had a family reunion to celebrate Walker's graduation. It was fabulous to have everyone together.

 Walker graduated with honors and went on to study at the U of M. He has finished his first semester and is interested in continuing his studies in anthropology. He has a band and is writing lots of music.

 Rescue Buddy Boarding & Beyond had many guests through the year. We had 'old timers' like Toby and

 Mister visit often.

And some new tails too like Edna and Captain.

                                                                            .

We are saddened by the passing of one of our guests, Jack, who crossed the rainbow bridge this past year. Jack, you were loved and are still missed every day.

As we reflect  on 2011 we are grateful for our family, friends and for all the furry kids that come to visit. Here's to some big changes in 2012! Stay tuned. Happy Peaceful New Year to all!

Simon Says.....

 Hey, let's play 'Simon Says'. I will be Simon of course.

Oh that sounds really fun!

 I am bored already.

Come on Buddy, it will be a blast!! Simon says, "time to play".

Good everyone. Way to try to join in Frannie. Buddy?????

 Let me know when Simon says it is time to eat.

 Simon says, "nap time".

 You all got it!

 Sorry Chloe, I said nap time. You are out. Where is that Buddy.

I am sure I heard you say, "time to eat a carrot". My bad. I'm out. Boo Hoo!!

All that playing director has made me really sleepy. Simon says, let's play more after lunch. ZZZZ

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas to all from Rescue Buddy Boarding & Beyond! And many adventures in 2012!!

 We have quite a crew here for the holiday week. And ALL are rescue dogs. Chloe is our newest guest. She was adopted from the humane society. Lucky girl! She is so playful.

 And then there is our beauty Fran, a Pet Haven alum. She calmly keeps everyone in line without them really knowing she is the boss.

 Here is a photo I call 'oreo'. The black dog on the right is Fran's brother Scout. He is quite the smiler. Fran even smiled at Walker the other morning.

No Dave I did not forget Jakey, another Pet Haven alum. The puppy Chloe really tires him out. Jake was returned three times before his original foster adopted him forever.

The dogs love Walker. We had a calm Christmas eve here at home. Off to see family this afternoon. Thank you to all our families for letting us take care of your little furballs.

Gideon and Bishop-see you tomorrow! Chloe is waiting.

One last note. I wanted to say Merry Forever Home to our last foster dog, Asher. Your Christmases will be bright from now on buddy. Looking forward to our next foster dog in a couple of weeks. If anyone is interested in getting involved in rescue in the new year please email me at dogs@pethavenmn.org.
Have a lovely Christmas Day!

Calmness.....it happens

Calmness does happen here quite often. But it is something  most customers do not see when they pick up or drop off their furry family members. So here is a video to show how serene five dogs can be. Ho Ho Hum. This is especially for Simon's mom who probably wonders if he gets bowled over by the big guys.

Cyber Monday

Since it is Cyber Monday I thought it was time to post a blog entry about our Thanksgiving weekend. It was a full house with Buddy, Ash, Edna, Monster, and little Simon the Pug. As with any party everyone congregates in the kitchen. Does anyone smell turkey?

It was such a lovely day outside that Ron cooked the turkey on the grill. We sat out on the patio with the dogs most of the day. Funny there are no dogs in this picture.

Edna was not too fond of Ron and continued to bark at him. But once he took the turkey out of the fridge she was instantly his best friend. Until dinner was over and he took the leftover meat out to his car. Then the barking resumed. Silly girl.

                               
                                                       Where is MY turkey??? Not you Ron, sorry.

We watched a lot of football. Ash our Pet Haven foster dog could do a better job than the Vikings. But hey Minnesota won. Go Gophers!!!!!

There was a lot of dog play this weekend. Rescue Buddy Boarding is so thankful for all of our great doggie guests and their families. It is truly a pleasure to take care of your furry loved ones.

To close, one of  my favorite photos of Simon. This sums up how we spent a few hours each day dreaming of turkey and pie. Sweet dreams to all!

Remembering My Dad

Repost of former blog entry:

Today marks the fifth anniversary of my dad's passing over the rainbow bridge to collect his favorite dog, Buster, so they could continue on in the afterlife together. I miss him dearly. He and my mom were married for over 55 years and my mom still lives in the same house they first bought in 1949. Dad loved his family and worked hard to provide for us.

Dad enjoyed camping, hunting, and spending time with his family at the cabin. He loved a good party because he was such a talker. Cabin gatherings on the Missouri River all summer long gave him many opportunities to chat up to 100 friends at a time. I can still feel his presence at every cabin celebration.

Dad was a strong man that needed to be busy. He was a plumber by trade. He fixed cars, built cabins, and remodeled homes. When he would come for a visit I would have to line up projects for him to do. He would start on one right after carrying in the suitcases.

Yes my dad was always working on something and was always ready to help out a friend with a leaky pipe or a broken lawnmower. Unfortunately it was this hard work around a lot of asbestos products that led him to develop a rare but deadly form of lung cancer called mesothelioma. This is a slow growing cancer that can take 40 years to develop symptoms. If you or anyone you know has been exposed to asbestos please seek medical and legal advice.

Vie Leonard Jr: Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Uncle, Friend

The Leonard Legacy will live on in your grandchildren, Melinda, Michelle, Walker, AJ and Cory. Your memory will remain with us forever. We love you.

An Angel Foster Dog

Our newest Pet Haven foster dog is just an angel. And she is named appropriately Angelica. She is around 9 months old and a mix of many breeds-possibly shep, beagle, corgi, collie. A real Heinz 57 of sweetness.

Angelica came from Ponemah on the Red Lake Reservation. Karen Good of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue saved her after she was surrendered at a MNSNAP spay/neuter clinic. She was from a hoarder situation and came in 10lbs underweight. As seen here her ribs were sticking out. After only two weeks of good nutrition Angelica is already on her way to her ideal weight of 42lbs.

Even with her terrible past Angelica is a velcro dog. She loves her humans and will always roll over for a belly rub. It is like she is trying to make up for all the months she never got petted. Angelica gets along great with other dogs and cats but does not know how to play yet.

This is her favorite place in the house. She picked the biggest bed available and stretches out the full length of it. Angelica is calm in the house. She is housetrained and walks well on a leash. She is crate trained too but she can be left out while you are away.

We are looking for a family that has someone home a good part of the day so Angelica can continue to flourish. And a playful dog would help her learn the good things about being a pup. If you would like to apply for this angel please follow this link. Until she finds the perfect home we will continue to enjoy her.