Beryl - impound # pending

Hi, it's me! Beryl again. I know, you haven't heard from me in a while. But I'm still here!

After I had emergency surgery to repair my leaking neutering incision, I spent weeks confined in the observation area. Every time Susan the Dog Lady came to visit me, she brought along Mandy and she gave me treats. I never barked at Mandy during those times.

Finally, Susan and Chuck, a shelter employee, moved me back to building 2 with the available dogs, so everybody could see me. Susan didn't write down anything today, but she'll let you know my impound number and cage number.

If you've read my history, you know that I get scared around other dogs. Susan the Dog Lady had tried a number of ways to help me get over my fear. She tried walking me with a head collar, but we decided it wasn't very helpful. I already mentioned that while I was in observation after my surgery, Susan would come by with Mandy and slip me some chicken treats, so that I would experience something good in the presence of another dog.

Now, Susan thinks I am a little better. I can do sit and stay for her, and she has me sit and stay and look at her every time she thinks I am starting to freak out over the sound of dogs barking. She gets down in front of me to make sure I look at her. She has me sit immediately after exiting my cage, when all the other dogs are in a frenzy barking!

As you can see, I love the green dinosaur squeak toy. I love it so much that Susan stopped by Petco to pick up another one, so we'd have two to play with in the back play area. It has a great loud squeak and it is a challenge to try and bite down on. I love it when Susan throws one and I chase it and bring it back. Just when I lie down to try and bite it, Susan squeaks then throws the other one, and I chase the other one. I get tired after this game!

The great thing about this game is that it is so fun that Susan can distract me with it when another dog comes near!

The other day Susan and Rydecka, another shelter employee, tried walking me with another dog named Princess. I wasn't too happy about Princess being there but I did the walk. When we were done walking, Susan actually had me and Princess both in down-stays for about a minute. It didn't last, but it was an encouraging step.

Jojo - impound # pending

My name is Jojo. Susan the Dog Lady thinks I have a lovely thick glossy black coat.

I am normally very calm, but for some reason sometimes I freak out when I am about to exit my cage. Susan isn't sure if it's because I'm scared of the other dogs. So we're going to work on why I don't exit the cage calmly, as befitting my calm nature.

Today was the day after Thanksgiving, and I had a chance to spend some time with the Dog Lady. But she forgot to write down all the information on me, so next time she posts she'll tell you a little more about me.

We didn't do too much today, just walk a little and work on sit-stay.

You can see me a little better in the "body shot" below. I have a thick tail that curls up!

Princess - A3593911

Hi! I am also named Princess. I am a one year old female Shepherd Pit Bull mix. Susan the Dog Lady thinks I have the beautifully shaped head of a Staffordshire. I am a medium sized dog; I am not big. I am living in Cage 239.

Susan has not yet had a chance to interact with me much. I don't sit very well yet. But Susan finds I am relatively easy to walk. We're going to work on that sit!

Susan and I had fun taking these pictures together. She laughed and called me a Poser because I was so cooperative when she took the pictures!

Susan is going to try to take me out more and get to know me better. But she knows I really want to have a good home. Please come down to the Carson shelter and visit me!

Ruby - A1413771

Hi, my name is Ruby! I am a four year old female red haired Boxer. I am living in Cage 241 for the time being.

I am another exuberant dog who likes to jump and just lick you all over. I am also extremely strong, so I can be a challenge to walk. When Susan the Dog Lady mentioned to volunteer Cathy how I don't seem to feel the training collar, Cathy called me "Numb Neck." But Susan has been working with me, thank goodness!

Initially, we tried an Easy Walk harness, but Susan decided it is better to control my head and just be very strict (but loving) with me. One of the best things Susan learned from Kay the Trainer is - dogs pull because they can.

As you can see from this photo I like to crowd the cage or play area door. Susan has to be very firm with me and make me sit and stay. If I try to crowd the kennel door, she will body block me. Her insistence on my following a few rules is paying off. Susan no longer feels that I will lunge out of control.

Today Susan took me in the back to play, and I got a chance to play with the green dinosaur toy that all the dogs seem to like!

Is there anybody out there who would like a big exuberant red haired Boxer? I promise I will do my best to follow your rules if you give me the rules! If you give me lots of long walks and exercise, it makes it easier for me to follow the rules!

Chance - A3143241

Hi! My name is Chance. I am a four year old male Boxer Shepherd mix. Right now I live in Cage 217.

I am a big exuberant boy. I jump for joy when Susan the Dog Lady or another volunteer is here to keep us company. But Susan does not want me to jump all over her. I just can't help jumping!

When Susan is ready to walk me, she pulls down the kennel separator to keep me on one side. Then she gets into the cage on the other side. She slowly raises the separator and when I start to poke my head through she instantly slips my head into a training collar with a leash. That way she can control me right away, and I don't get a chance to jump. Then she immediately has me sit and stay while she slowly opens the cage door to the outside. It works for us!

I wish I had a real home. Of course all the other dogs here wish the same thing. I need somebody who will make sure I get lots of walking and lots of play time. I need somebody who will firmly but lovingly make me sit and stay so that I don't jump. Will you take me home?

Princess - A3593911

My name is Princess. I came to the Carson shelter with my brother. I am a one year old female shepherd mix, and right now I live in Cage 230.

I came in very skinny, and twice I was put with other dogs that ate up all the food in our cages. Susan the Dog Lady and Evelyn moved me twice so that I could be alone for a while and get a better chance to eat more food. Susan has also been feeding me a big bowl of extra food each time she comes to the shelter. Today she gave me a whole avocado with some moist dog food.

I am a little shy and a little scared. The other day Susan had me out with another dog that doesn't like dogs and I got really scared. Susan wants to test me with a few other dogs just to make sure I will get along with other dogs. She hopes to do that on Friday.

Rex - A3583328

My name is Rex. I am a four year old male and the Carson shelter thinks I am a Lab Shepherd mix. For now I live in Cage 244. I am known as one of the quiet dogs here.

Susan the Dog Lady thinks I am a dead ringer for Mandy, and I think she is right! We are not siblings though.

Like she does with all the other dogs, Susan is starting me off with sit and stay. She does not like it when we rush the cage doors. Like the other volunteers she thinks that I am a pretty nice dog.

Susan the Dog Lady took me out back today where we played with squeaky toys. I almost never get a chance to play. I was so happy to be able to play with the green dinosaur toy that I started growling when she pressed another squeaky toy against my muzzle while I still was chewing on the green dinosaur. She didn't try to take the green dinosaur away from me, and I didn't try to bite her. But later she marked down on my card that I am squeaky toy aggressive. It's not a major problem, as long as you are aware of it. I just need to be taught it's not OK to growl or be threatening while playing. And to teach me that, I need lots of walking, lots of exercise, and lots of meaningful play time!

Pappas - A3593880

Hi! My name is Pappas. I am a seven year old male terrier mix. Right now I live in Cage 247 with a roommate.

Susan the Dog Lady thinks I'm very cute! Whenever all the dogs start barking, I get up on my hind legs and wave my paws!

On Monday Susan noticed that my fur seemed a little stiff and matted, so today she gave me a shampoo and creme rinse and she tried fluffing out my fur a little more.

It's a little thin, but I think I look better now.

I am very easy to walk, I don't complain when I get a bath, and I love to be petted. I'll bet you'd enjoy having me curl up in your lap! Won't you take me home?

The Puppies

Hi! On October 23, nine of us were turned in to the pound. Mary asked Susan the Dog Lady to clean us up, because we were covered with filth and muck.

So the Dog Lady pushed our big roll cart in to the back laundry and grooming room. Then she found a crate she could put us in as she cleaned us up one by one. Boy did we howl when we got our baths! Another volunteer named Cathy came to help Susan. Cathy dried us off and helped pick off fleas. They wrapped us up in fresh dry towels and let us sleep in the crate under a gentle blow dryer.

Tammy the animal control officer said to put us back in the clinic so we could be examined by Dr. John. So in a double cage, Susan made us a nice snuggly area with blankets. Paul, another volunteer, got us a few bowls of food. We ate and ate, then we fell asleep in a big pile on top of the blankets.

There are only five of us in the photo because Susan took this photo a week after that first bath, after some of us got adopted out. The rest of us were adopted too.

And that's what some of the shelter workers are concerned about. You see, it's always so tempting to adopt a cute little puppy. The shelter workers are worried that they are going to see us again, ten months from now, with our adopters saying, "Well we didn't know the dog would get that big!

So when you adopt puppies like us, please remember that we are going to be adults someday. Don't let us do something when we are still puppies that you wouldn't want us to do when we are adults. That is how you train and discipline us. Will you love us when we are full-grown and think we are still cute?