"Happy Tails" - Adoption Success Stories

If you have a successful adoption story you'd like to tell everyone about, email scfourpaws@hotmail.com along with a digital photo and an update!

STAR

Hey everyone at Four Paws, its been almost three years now since I adopted Star and she is the best companion any teenage girl (or anybody for that matter) could have. She loves being outside (especially hiking) and we've gotten her used to being on the raft, even though she doesn't like the water. (strange lab, eh?) She definitely added at least a year onto our German Shepherds life, as he sparked up immensely when she joined the family. I'm sad to say that he's passed on now, but he remains to this day the only dog Star would submit to. That being said, she's not mean to other dogs, she just would rather not have them around. My family is absolutely in love with her and are going to die when I move out in a couple years and take her with me. Anyway, she's my best friend, and we hate being separated, she sleeps on the foot of my bed (well more like takes up the whole bed) and snores quite loudly every night. In addition while we are hiking she gets very worried about me and never runs to far off, and always comes back and will sniff every hand in the group of people until she knows that she's found me and I'm safe. So thanks for helping me find such a good friend and for all you do for the needy animals.

~ Acadia

P.S. I want to give a shout-out to Melissa who adopted Cole Train. Cole was my favorite dog when he was in the shelter and I loved walking him, he's such a goof, and I'm glad he found such a good home, Thanks!

SADIE

We changed her name to Sadie (from MOOKIE) and she is a joy to have! I just wanted to send you some pictures of her. She loves going to the Duck lake in Layton and has several friends in our neighborhood she enjoys going to the park with. And our border collie Ann has a new best friend, they even sleep together, it's so sweet. With the loss of Mikey, Sadie, truely has been a blessing and she reminds us alot of Mikey's in personality. She is happy all the time. Enjoys the backyard and going around and around in circles not sure what she is chasing but she loves it. lol She loves to play fetch. And doesn't wait for us to go to bed at night , we have to scoot her to the middle so we can sleep. lol Its her bed! So here are some pictures of her, I know with the rescue I was with in Memphis , Tenn. it was nice to see pictures and updates on the ones we had adopted out, I hope you enjoy!

~ Aundrea

AUSTIN

I adopted Austin back in November of 2007, and wanted to send his happy tail your way.

Austin is doing great in his forever home! He is best friends with our Siberian Husky, Ani, and has even learned to tolerate our cat. He is a very happy, energetic dog, and enjoys going on walks and hikes, wrestling with Ani, and playing any game that involves a ball. He is also a very smart boy, and has learned a lot of tricks. At times he thinks he is a lap dog, and loves to snuggle. You can tell that he is very grateful to have been given a second chance to be someones pet. I would encourage anyone who wants to add a new pet to their family to consider adoption, because it makes you feel great to be saving an animal's life, and the bond created is indescribable. Thanks to everyone at Four Paws, especially his foster mom, Karen, for helping Austin find me.

~ Bre

ROSCOE

Hey! Just had to write a quick note and let everyone know HOW much we are enjoying Roscoe. I am not kidding. He is THE perfect dog for our family. We just can't get over how great he is with the kids. Even our littlest 2 year old girl. He is so mellow and sweet indoors-- and SO playful and fun outdoors. He has adapted so well. I think he's enjoying all the love and snuggling he gets, and romping around in the snow with this contagious joy that actually makes me want to go out in the 20 degree weather with him! Anyway. He is just darling.. So well-behaved.. Never jumps on people, rarely barks-- o.k., I'll stop, ya get the picture. But I just had to thank all of you who devote so much of your time to this cause. If it wasn't for you, perfect companions like Roscoe would never have a home. And people like us would never be so lucky as to find them. Thank you for everything. We are truly grateful, and feel really blessed to have Roscoe in our family.

~ Katy and family

SADIE

We received Sadie's adoption paperwork in the mail today and will get a check in the mail to you this week. I thought you'd enjoy seeing some photos of Sadie and her two sisters--Lulu and Fang the Wonder Cat, also rescue critters. Sadie is wonderful!!

~ Brenda

MOOSE

We wanted to drop you a line and say hello from an old friend. I hope you remember Moose (aka Mitey Dog) who we adopted from you in 1998. Moose is doing great and is now about 11 years old. We are living in New Hampshire now, and Moose enjoys many walks in the woods and hikes in the White Mountains. During the summer months he gets to swim in our local lakes and loves to play in the snow during the winter. He is such a big part of our lives and we couldn’t love him more. Thank you for all the work you and all the Four Paws volunteers do to help find loving homes for so many dogs and cats – and to provide people like us wonderful dogs to love. We have attached a couple pictures of Moose. He says Hi!

We were excited to hear about your shelter facility- it sounds great and solar powered to boot! Congratulations and thank you again!

~ Audrey, Brian and Moose, NH

JACK

Attached is a picture of Jack, whom I’ve adopted from Four Paws. What a gem he is! When we first brought him home he was a biter and a devil-dog! But with love, positive reinforcement training and good food, he is now putty in my hands. Who could resist that face! Thank you Lisa for such a wonderful organization. Jack is my “little man” whom I love dearly.

~ Marcia

TESS

We adopted Roxie (aka Tess now) - a little border collie - from your facility last summer.  She had been found in a house which was for sale, with her pup.  We just wanted you to know that she has become a delightful addition to our family.  Her fur has brown out and she is a beauty, has delightful manners, listens, gets along well with our bigger dog, Scout, and doesn't seem to be interested in our cats.  She has thrived, gotten over her kennel cough and we are so happy to have her.  Thanks.

~ Marilyn and Bob, ID

BIRCH

Hello Lisa, Shannon and all at Four Paws! Here is very belated "Happy Tail." I adopted Birch during the summer of 2005 while I was working in Logan as a member of the Utah Festival Opera. After a summer in Logan, Birch returned home with me to San Francisco where he has turned into a true CA dog! His first trip to the beach was one of mild suspicion as he investigated these strange things called waves, now, he splashes and runs for hours as the Pacific Ocean has become his absolute favorite place to romp and roam. Birch has covered an enormous amount of ground in CA, UT and FL as he accompanies me to almost every gig. He is a "freelance dog" in the truest sense of the word and my constant companion. His incredibly sweet demeanor, inquisitiveness, and huge smile bring happiness to my life every day. Thank you, thank you Four Paws for bringing the two of us together!

A fun video of Birch too!
href = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX1W__pgrLs

~Kelley, CA

MOCHA

Hi to everyone at Four Paws Rescue. On Saturday January 12, 2008 we adopted Mocha. We wanted to let you know how much we love Mocha and let you know how he's adjusted to his new home. Mocha loves his new back yard and playing with me in the snow. Attached is photo of Mocha in one of his favorite resting places. Thank you so very much for our Mocha-boo.

Mocha has made my dream complete. May God Bless the Four Paws staff and volunteers for many years to come.

~Debbie and Amanda

PEPPER

We actually decided to call her Pepper - seemed to suit her for us anyway. She is great. We are really enjoying her, and appreciate her previous training. She has been a great choice for us, being 1st time dog owners She stays with us in the house and wants to be with us wherever we go. We are really lucky to have her.

~Leston and Family

SAGE

I just wanted to express my gratitude to you for helping us find our dog. You knew her as Glory but we know her now as Sage. She's a Staffordshire Bull Terrior about 4-5 years old now. We adopted her from your organization about 18 months ago and have never regreted the decision. She's a sweetheart and is a great companion to our family as well as the puppy we got a few months later.

The work you are doing to rescue pets is amazing and deserves the highest praise. Thank you for all that you do.

~Megan

BOWSER

[Bowser] and Missy get along real well, he is quite the eater, but is looking much better (not so skinny). I took him to the vet and she said he was about 20 lbs underweight, but in good health, she gave me some antibiotics for his ear and its is looking great. He is so happy here (I knew he would be ) and we all love him so much. I attached some pictures you may like.

Thanks for caring, but no need to worry he is in great hands and loves his new family.

~Cheri

GROTTO

~Amber, Montana

MOOSE

~Maria, Colorado

WILLOW

Her name was Emma, I changed it to Willow when I got her due to her sickly size. She is now about 2 1/2 and more like an Oak than a Willow. She is an exceptional dog. She is sweet, yet protective, minds well, plays nice with my cat and my "bitchier" border collie (another rescue dog). I can't imagine not ever having her. I happened upon her during "Half off Black Dog Month." What a great investment!

Thanks again for all you guys do. It truly matters.

~Kristi

COLE TRAIN

Cole is doing so well. He has perfect manners but he is coming out of his shell more and more. He has no problem demanding pets when he wants them. I think he's already slimming up too.

He did great in the bath, he has a new collar and tag, and he LOVES his dog bed. He went to the dog park for the first time this weekend and he ran and ran. He's so big though, that when his feet hit the ground it sounds like a horse.

He also got to go to Granny's House (my mom) and he won over everyone's heart there too. My parents live in Loveland and their backyard backs to open space and they are only allowed a 3' fence. Well, Jack saw some people walking dogs on the trail and he sounded the Beagle alarm and all the dogs jumped to attention. Twig [see below in another tale] actually went over the fence, Jack tried but he was caught up in some tumble weeds, and my parents' Lab thought about making a break for it too. Cole just stood there and waited for us to come back with Twig. He plays all the time now too.

He loves the Walker pup and the Bullies the most. He makes everyone look tiny. His ears are MUCH better. They don't stink at all. I've still been cleaning them out about every other day but I got some drops from the vet and only had to put them in twice. He hasn't been shaking his head or digging in his ears for over a week. I'll keep you updated. Please tell Cole Train's foster family that he is doing great and we love him already.

~Melissa, Wyoming

SMOKEY

Today was marked on my calendar to email you so it must have been on yours too!

Smokey seems to love his new home. He is VERY attached to me. The first days were rough as he literally shadowed me everywhere and went bonkers if I left him at home. But he is calmer now. Does not complain so much when I leave or even get too wild when I return.

He tolerates the cat, is gentle with our 3 year old granddaughter, and actually has truly no bad habits. He has had his teeth cleaned and today the vet said it is definitely a thyroid problem causing continual scratching and a rash (actually he had it when we got him so you may have noticed). Anyway she thinks he looks great and so do we just will all be happier without the rash. She is also concerned about the lack of muscle (strength) in his hind quarters but we'll see what six weeks on the thyroid medicine does.

We walk twice a day down around the river by our home and up to the badlands. He seems to know to never leave my sight but can go without a leash now once we are well out on the trail. Sleeps all night eats well but is staying slim. Thank you so much for giving us a forever friend.

~Annie, Wyoming

MADELINE

She is better than we thought. She is so precious. We have renamed her Madeline and call her Maddy. She took to her new name rather quickly. She also learn the dog door in just a few tries. Because she is so mellow she gets along with our other pets. I think she is happy in her new home.

Thanks so much for you help in adopting her. She will be very loved and taken care of.

~Jill

PORTER

~Anita

MADDIE

Hello again!! I was just going through my "inbox" and I stumbled across the Four Paws address. I just had to write again and share some pictures of little Maddie, who I adopted in June.

In the few shorts months that my husband and I have had Maddie, we've taken her to Zion's Nat'l Park, Bear Lake, Causey Dam, and so much more. Our experiences with Maddie have been so rewarding!! She has learned to "sit," "shake," "dance," "lay down," and is getting really good at "stay."

The pictures I'm including show Maddie being the cuddly pup that she is, as well as hard-core adventurist. She goes rock climbing with my husband, she loves hikes, and she'll even brave the water (my mom couldn't resist buying Mads the polka-dot life vest!!). Maddie honestly has enriched our lives immeasureably. Thanks again for all your hard-work during the adoption process. I am truly so very very grateful for Maddie.

~Livia, Kevin and Maddie

DUTCHESS

These are some photos, that some friends forwarded to me of Dutchess that we
took this summer on one of our many hikes. Dutchess and I hiked every odd day in Millcreek Canyon all summer long. It is an off leash area on odd days.

She gave me a scare when she took off running and found me again after 30-40 minutes. She looked a little scared when she came back. I just waited where I had last seen her on the trail, and called every few minutes. That was at the beginning of the summer, and she has NEVER done it since. Perhaps, she did scare herself with that willful behavior. On even days, when dogs have to be on leash in that canyon, we either hike a different canyon, or play fetch or swim/fetch a tennis ball. She has
been the assistance that I needed to get back into shape. We are excited for the ski season to start, again.

Please share the photos with Lisa, and Rex(her foster dad), if you are still in touch with him. Hope things are going well, with many more placements of the animals. We are getting ready to celebrate the 2nd birthday of Dutchess.

Thanks again,

~Ginger

LOGAN

BRUNO

Bruno has been with us since January 2007, and has made himself quite at home. He's grown quite large since Four Paws last saw him...up to 95 pounds and counting. Only trouble there is he thinks he's a lapdog!

Bruno loves being outdoors, whether it be running the trails in summer or accompanying us on ski outings in the winter. As you can see, he also likes dressing up for photo-ops. Thanks!

~Scott and Julie H.

DUFFY

Yahoo! Duffy is an perfect match. I can't see Barry parting with him for anything... Duffy has fabulous manners and knows many commands...

I thought you'd like to see some pics of Barry and his new buddy Duffy. They have bonded very well!

Thanks for all of your help and patience!

~Laurie D.

FERGUS

Thanks for changing my life in the most fantastic way that is only imaginable because of my first two Border Collies of 14 years.

The world needs you more than you may be shown and realize and all the people and creatures who have a better life because of you will give you a calming sigh as we close our eyes for another night of dreams coming true.

Scotty has become "Fergus" and it seems to fit his goof-ball look and cartoon character smirk.

~Elf

MIA

I thought you would like to see these pics. I'm sure my husband has told you all about her and what she has learned in such a short time. She is a sweetheart and has learned in just 24 hours that we will spoil her rotten when she doesn't feel so good---as if they are not spoiled anyways. When it is time to get off the bed she waits on me to put one arm under her behind and she sits right on it and the other arm in the front to lift her off the bed. My oh m,y she is too smart for her own good sometimes. She is doing well after her spay so she will soon be back to her rambunctious self. Dakota takes good care of her and assumes the role of Mama. Please let me know when you receive this.

~JoAnne and Tom Gross Dakota, Mia, Misty, Keri and Baby

KIRBY

Here is the picture as promised of Kirby(left) and Oscar. Thank you so much for all the work that you do and for helping us find the perfect dog. Hopefully we can make him as happy is he makes us.

~The Etheridges

DINAH

Dinah keeps getting better and better. We have had her out on 2 backpacking trips and she carries her own food. The tent was a little scary at first, but when she realized she was going to get to sleep with us, she was really happy! She has a HUGE amount of energy, which is sometimes daunting, but she has such a sweet dispositon that it makes up for puppy high-jinks.

I have included a new picture of Dinah from a hike up High Creek Canyon.

~Linda and Jim

TATE

We got Tate from you about 3 years ago, He is an amazing dog. He has turned into my 2 yr olds best friend.

I just thought you might like an update on him. I know a lot of people really fell in love with him. He is very protective if men come in the yard that he doesn't know, especially if the baby is with him, only growls until they stop and meet him first. He doesn't get that scared look anymore ( that he had at first). He is just an all around good dog, I don't think we will ever find another one like him. Plus he doesn't get on the furniture.

Just wanted to say thank you, and let you know how Tate was.

~Cindy

HANK

Hank taking a nap!

~Rebecca, Idaho

WILEY

I wanted to let you know that "Will" (now, Wiley) is working out great ... better than we could have hoped for. He walked into our home as if has always been a part of the family. It took a few days before the puppy within awoke but now that it has, he is an active bundle of joy. Suprisingly well-behaved and a quick learner. He is respectful of the cats and already has a place by my side when I go out to feed the chickens, rabbits, and goats. He will be an amazing, loyal companion for years to come. I wish everyone could realize the blessings an adopted pet can bring. We feel very fortunate to have not just one, but two, "perfect" dogs from Four Paws.

~Becky

JOSIE

I just wanted to thank you for all of your help. Josie is a very wonderful dog, and she is the perfect addition to our family.
I can honestly say that I have never met a sweeter dog.

Thank you sooooooo much.

~Steve & Amber

SALLY

My dog, Sally (was previously named Allie) came from Four Paws. I found her at the PetsMart ‘expedition’ in September of 2004 in Salt Lake City. I had meet around a hundred dogs previously to her but knew she was the ‘one.' Granted, we struggled to match up our quirks for a few months but my God, she is the most wonderful friend in the world. She came my way nervous and unsure, but so eager and smart. Patience and routine have helped her to develop into a funny, spontaneous and outspoken character as she has become an adult.

Sally will be four years old in April 2007. She is kind with a little sly sense of humor which must be the Aussie in her. She loves to chase balls, play with her toys and her walks more then anything but I know I am a close second. She loves our trips to see my family and to the mountains. Snow is the most splendid thing to try to swim and crawl and roll in.

She has two issues; one I was prepared for as I was raised with Aussies who had skin irritations (she has a severe allergic reaction to the salt on the sidewalk, her pads bleed in minutes but shoes easily avoid that one.) The second is mild asthma but the vet has a shot for that and lots of walks keep her lungs strong. How easy is that? Such simple things for such a great friend!

Thank you again for rescuing the ones you can. There is not tons that I can do but I should like to help where I can. Keep my email and let me know if there are things to be done that can help and I will see what I can do.

~Emily

BEVERLY and COREY'S GANG

In November of 2003, my husband Corey and I moved into our first home here in the Cache Valley . Having rented for the first 5 years of our marriage, we had only had cats. We were, therefore, excited at the prospect of finally being able to have dogs, too. We had heard about Lisa and Four Paws from a friend and contacted her in late December about finding us dogs that would be good with our beloved cats, Argo and Cassie. She interviewed us and matched us with two that were absolutely perfect: Murphy and Sheba.

Murphy, a Golden Retriever/Australian Shepherd mix never showed well at PetsMart due to his older age and aversion to kennels. But his true lovable nature was apparent to me when I first met him. This gentle giant has become my shadow, keeping close and gazing at me with devoted eyes. I like to call him Murphy T. Shadow for this reason (the T is for "Thumper," due to his exuberant tail.) His alternate name is Fredrick von Murphelstein. (Yes, I am kind of weird.)

Sheba, a Cattle dog mix whose life up to now was that of an outdoor dog, quickly became a "daddy's girl," nightly hopping into Corey's lap and going for her cherished car rides. Her confidence and lovable spirit were a wonderful complement to Murphy.

Then in August, tragedy struck. Corey found our Sheba lifeless in the backyard. She had passed away most likely from either a seizure or anaphylactic shock (severe allergic reaction) not long after we'd left for work that day. We were devastated and Murphy was confused and depressed. Though I couldn't bare the thought of replacing Sheba , we felt that a companion for Murphy might help ease his pain. Once again, we called upon Lisa to find us a dog who would work well with our cats (now Argo, Cassie, Zeke, and Emmet), as well as provide a good companion for Murphy.

We met Lisa at the shelter with Murphy in tow to choose his new sibling. We decided upon Shasta, a stunning, young Black Lab mix with a mild, intelligent nature. She bonded well with us and Murphy. She loves to splash around in her baby pool and run laps in the back yard. This camera-shy little lady is quite exquisite. She sits on her bed with her legs crossed in front of her and looks at us with her deep brown eyes. Murphy was happy to show her around and she has found her place with us.

We are so grateful to Lisa and Four Paws for making our home complete.

~Beverly and Corey

VINNIE

I just wanted to let you know that Vinnie (aka Bobby the Boxer) [on the right] has settled right in to his new home and is getting along perfectly with his new “bro” Willis.  Thank you so much for all of your hard work and for helping to bring such a sweet little guy into our family.  By the way, when we applied to get Vinnie his profile said he doesn't even bark, well, actually he's quite a vocal little fellow.  We love it!!!!  

~Stephanie

TWIG and JED

In November 2005, we were buying our first house and wanted to add to our family with a companion for our Beagle.  Hounds are hard to find in Colorado but we found Twig on Petfinder and my husband said, "Twig is the one."  Cindy was coming this direction to visit family and generously offered to bring him here for a trial.  We knew right away that Twig was a perfect match.  He demands nothing and is so appreciative of everything we do for him and is always such a good boy. 

I didn't think there could be a dog as sweet as Twig and then in January Cindy asked if we would be willing to provide a retirement home to another hound, Jed.  He arrive here in March and proved to be just as sweet and loving as Twig and became my constant companion.  He was the most agreeable dog I have ever met and was always willing to comply with any request.  He gladly let me clean his ears every night with no complaints, would share his toys with anyone who asked, and would get a bath without a fight, even jumping in the tub by himself. 

Even though we knew we were providing a retirement home we were shocked and devastated in November when Jed died suddenly from what the vet suspected was an aneurism.  We had him only eight months and he acted like a puppy every day right up to his death.  I feel so blessed that Lisa was willing to adopt two of the most wonderful dogs to a couple from out of state, and that Cindy allowed them to hitch a ride to Wyoming with her.  Jed got to spend the last months of his life as a king here at Hound Palace, and I have such great memories of taking walks and days at the dog park. 

King Twig is still with us, spending his days sunbathing in the backyard, or lounging on our bed.  He eats three meals a day and he is sure to remind us if we are late in feeding him, then is happy to return to being lazy after each meal.  He does get excited to go to grandma's house in Colorado, or to go for walks around the lake, and Twig loves to go to the dog park because he can run like to wind.  I can honestly say that Four Paws helped us to complete our family and I will always look to Four Paws when adopting a dog.  (This photo is of Twig (on the left) and Jed (on the right) on Jed's last day with us.)  

~Melissa, Wyoming

SOPHIE

I completely forgot to take a picture of Sophie, but the Idaho Statesman did it for me yesterday. A new park by my house was opened last night, Sophie sure likes it. 

~Eric, Idaho

DUTCHESS

I called Lisa to let her know that we are delighted to keep Dutchess.  She is such a sweet dog. She has been easy to walk on leash, she sits at intersections before crossing the street, sometimes has to be reminded with the cars, people, and dog activity.  She has a license, name tag, and rabies tag, clanking under her chin. She can entertain herself in the back yard for hours with her tennis ball.  She tosses it in the air and chases it around. She also loves to tear around in the fresh snow.  [One winter morning], she finally found her tennis ball, which had been buried under the new 6 inches we got yesterday.  So glad you saw her, Rex persisted, and Lisa was able to work her into his home.  Thank you for everything.. 

~Ginger, Greg and Dutchess:)

MAYA

My name is Shay and I rescued an American Pit Bull (Maya) from you guys during the big Pets Mart Adoption about 2 months ago.  She is doing great, we have her in obedience class at Brickyard Kennel and she LOVES it.  She is getting so big, weighing about 45 lbs now.

~ Shay and Emma Leigh

MOLLY

Just wanted you all to know that we got home safely and Molly is fitting right into our family.  She loves it here and won't let Jim or me out of her sight.  When we are together, she doesn't know which one of us to bug.  It is funny, she goes back and forth like a ping pong ball. The first night in the hotel was great.  We put her in her crate and covered her up and she slept all night and when we got her out, we took her outside and she did her duty.  She is very friendly and wanted to talk to everyone.  We kept on telling her that "those aren't your people" and "we are your people".  She seemed to understand that.  She is very smart and sooooooooo sweet.  Judith did a very good job at fostering her.   Molly did very well on the ride home.  We stopped often and she loved riding up between us in her crate and on my lap sometimes.  She tried to get in Jim's lap while he was driving and when we wouldn't let her, she would have her nose out of joint for quite a while.

We live on a very large property and we take her out on her leash.  She sits and we put on her leash and she sits when we take it off.  I think this dog has been leash trained as she will heel on her own when we walk.  I think that Judith didn't have a chance to find this out because she had both dogs jumping everywhere most of the time.  Molly follows many commands and she is very happy to please.  She is doing well on the housetraining, although we have had some accidents (something that we expected).  What we didn't expect was to get a dog that soon that was so wonderful.   She is just what we needed and she already loves us, as we do her.

Thanks again for everything and for making the adoption so easy.  We are very pleased and hope to be sending you updates periodically.  We will send a picture at her next grooming (maybe after her coat grows out a little).  It was worth the long drive and we would do it again.

Take care and God Bless you all

~Diana and Jim, Washington

JILL

We are having so much fun with Jill.  She and my son Morgan have had an instant connection, she follows him everywhere. She has turned out to be just what we were looking for.  I thank you for all your help and hard work in finding us the perfect pet.

~Amber

RUSTY

Rusty [on the right] is great! He is a very happy dog. He has changed a lot since we got him. He gets along with my other dog and they play all the time. I have not taken him on any real hunts. But he points everything. Any animal on the ground or in the field and he locks up. He is going to be a good bird dog. He sits anywhere in my house where he can see out and looks for squirrels, deer, any kind of birds, chipmunks and on and on. He knows how to sit lay down, shake, come, and just about everything a normal dog knows. He loves any kind of toy as long as it has a squeaker in it. He will sit a squeak a toy until you have to take it away from him. He is the friendliest and happiest dog I have ever seen. He just always has to give you his paw, and lays his head on you no mater what your doing. He is funny when he sleeps. You can't wake him up. You can shake him or do what ever and he won't wake up. He is spoiled rotten. He even likes going to the vet.

~Megan and Scott, Ohio

KIRBY

Kirby is so cute. He has been enjoying my yard. I feed my fish on Sunday. The fish pellets look like small dog food pellets. He put his paw in the pond and started paddling, their by pulling the fish food towards him.

He has grown some in the past weeks, and is turning more of a cream color. He gets along with the other two poodles Buster and Trudy. He likes to go on walks, and enjoys playing in the yard. My mom met him (Kirby) for the first time a couple of weeks ago. She said he is a very happy little dog. When I come home from work he howls like a wolf at me, so we proceed to howl back and forth at each other. I am very glad I adopted him. He is happy, friendly, and a little guy who tries hard to be good. He loves Trudy [the poodle]. He gives us all kisses. He even kisses Buster my old man poodle. I am thinking about putting him in a doggie agility class.  He is smart, strong, and minds.

~Joan and poodles

ANGEL

We are the Stapley family of West Valley , you recently contacted us in regard to how Cocoa was doing, we are happy to report she is very well. We renamed her Angel and she is fitting in here just fine. Last week she went to the vet to get tested for heart-worm and be microchipped. She has put on good amount of weight the vet said her weight is ideal now. She has a tooth the vet said will probably have to come out at some point but it isn't causing her any pain but we are going to have it removed before it does. She is now getting a lot of exercise (usually 3 walks a day)! She's getting along well with our other dog Rusty. The attached file is some pictures for you. Thank you for letting us adopt her!

~Stapley Family

BLUE

I am Blue (on the right) and this is my best new friend Smokey (on the left, also a rescue dog). I was listed on PetFinder.com with Four Paws Rescue and the perfect family found me on June 9, 2007. When I arrived at their house I was in heaven. A wonderful house to live in, a nice yard to play, and a small pool for me to drink and soak. I have a nice boy to sleep with, or I can sleep on the side of the bed of my new Mom and Dad. I go for lots of hikes and walks around the neighborhood. I am so appreciative of my new family, and Smokey is really nice about sharing everything with me. My adoption worked out great for me, and I know my new family loves me tons. Someone is always cuddling and petting me, and always telling me that I am a very good girl. Thanks so much to Four Paws Rescue for believing in me, because this is a dream come true for me, and adopting nice older dogs like me and Smokey is a blessing for my new family.

~Blue and Family

GRETA

We adopted her 3 yrs and a couple of months ago (this was WINNIE) and we renamed her... GRETA. Well, she is doing great! We just wanted you to know that she is Happy & Well. We Rescued another Weimi Girl from a Kill Pound in Globe Arizona about 10-11 months ago & her name is Baby. Her time was up and no one wanted her, so a nice boy at the pound called us. We are so glad that he did. Greta and Baby get along very well. (Greta acts like the Mommie). Thanks again for having her transported to Flagstaff for us. Greta has been on her RX DIET Fish & Potato by Eukanuba and has not had any health problems since she has been put on it!

Oh, Greta has come along way. She Loves to go out in the back yard and "HUNT".. she doesn't want to really catch anything though; she just loves to stalk & role play with Baby (Baby is 2-3 yrs old.but acts like a Pup). Greta tries to 'TALK' the big Ravens down off the Power Poles outside of our yard...totally comical, Baby doesn't understand that at all cuz the Ravens talk back to Greta! Greta & baby LOVE their daily trip to the Ball Park as they have a huge grassy area to Investigate! We also take them once or twice a week to Show Low Arizona, where the LARGE DOG PARK is. THEY absolutely LOVE that trip (we always do it after our shopping is done). THEY LOVE meeting & playing with all of their Furry Friends there!..They Sleep all the way home too!

~Bill and Rose, Arizona

GINA

Gina was part of an accidental litter that was listed on www.Petfinder.com. I wasn't so keen on getting a dog at first, but I drove out to meet her anyway with my husband. We picked out a shy, meek little girl and took her home. Oh, how this little dog changed me (little is relative - she's 58 pounds now)! Now I couldn't imagine life with a dog! Gina is my best buddy. She's a snuggler, joins me while I hike or mountian bike, and can even ride in a canoe. She went on her first backpack trip last summer and carried her own pack! The photo of her is in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. She is the whole reason why I volunteer for other homeless dogs - I know there's sweet little "Ginas" out there just waiting for their special someone to find them.

~Shannon

SOPHIE

My husband and I adopted Sophie on Jan 20th of this 2007. We intended to meet a black lab that I had read about online but she was not there, someone else wanted to see her last minute. I had read about Sophie but did not think she was the best looking dog. There was not much history on her but we think she got lost since she is just an incredible dog (who would ever want to get rid of her!) Once we walked her around and then did a 2 week trial period with her, we decided to keep her. My husband and I are planners, we really have to test something out before deciding. She has turned out to be the best dog EVER! She is approx 5 years old and has not shown any behavioral issues or physical problems. She loves everyone! I call her “lover dog” because she is all about love and gets so calm and cute when she is loved on. She was potty trained, crate trained, and knew “sit”. I have added “stay”, “come”, and “lay down” to her commands so far. She never jumps up on our furniture and usually just lies down on the floor wherever we are. I am still working on her jumping up to greet strangers (she does not do it to people she knows). We love to take her swimming, hiking, play ball/fetch or just driving around in the car (she loves the car!). She sleeps in a crate at night outside our bedroom…. She snores so loudly! (She is snoring behind me as I am writing this – funny). Otherwise she is with us in the house or in our mudroom waiting for us to get home. I will have to say to anyone adopting that it has been so advantageous for us to get an adult dog. No worries about messing in the house, chewing things, and they are just calmer and wiser than puppies. I would do the same thing again. And someone told me before I got a dog, “Don’t worry, they will adapt to you”. And it is true. She has really fit in with our lifestyle and now knows what to expect of us. She is pretty mellow like us! (and actually clean like us – weird). But dogs still need a lot of attention and it has made it easier to have both my husband and I taking care of her. And researching breeds and their personalities will help a lot in finding the right dog (labs rule). So that is my story. My husband and I both think we are so lucky to have Sophie. Here are my before and after pics. Isn’t she beautiful!!! Thanks 4 Paws Rescue for all you hard work.

~Keren

GUS

Last summer (2006) I started looking for an adult lab-mix dog that could be my jogging, hiking, road-trip buddy. I have two cats and lived with a roommate that had a dog, so I needed a dog that would be pretty versatile. In Teton Valley, Idaho where I live, there were not many lab mixes available at the time. On Petfinder's website I found that Four Paws had a bunch of adult dogs available and quite a bunch of the big black male dogs that most people don't seem to want.

After putting Lisa through a bunch of cat testing, I took the drive down to meet some. The first dog she brought into the cat area in Petsmart with her was "Tuff." When I squatted down to pet him, he melted. He had the most serious eyes. He and my roommate's dog were indifferent so my trek to Logan seemed like a huge success.

We've had our struggles. For the first 3 weeks I was really worried that he was going to kill my cats, he needed housetraining help, and he was really nervous around new situations (which of course was EVERY situation). Now, he's become my bud. He goes to work with me and after initially greeting everyone, he chills out on the floor. He's been my road trip buddy (the picture was taken in White Sands, New Mexico). He sticks close to me on hikes. He loves to please. And I love spoiling him rotten!

The hardest thing for me to believe is that Lisa said in the two years he was at Four Paws no one even wanted to look at him! Yes, he's horrible to try to photograph, but he's awesome. Thanks to Four Paws for keeping him safe for me!!!

~Rachel

LEILA

We adopted 6-month old Leila (Princess Leila as our boys call her) in early December 2006. At the time she had been recently adopted and returned after 2 days because they said she was defective and reclusive. After spending 2 weeks hiding under the bed and our family giving her lots of room and treats, she came out of her shell. Granted, she still doesn't like strangers, but when it's just the family her true colors come out! She is a sweet and spazzie pup! She loves to run and jump, play with balls, jump on the trampoline with our boys, and sniff our bunnies (they like to sniff her too). She has also made friends through the fence with our neighbor's two hound dogs. She gets so excited whenever a family member comes home; she just loves being with the family. She is also very smart and learning commands very quickly. We simply adore her!

~The Futral Family

SILVER

I have been living in the big city [New York City] for almost four months and I feel happy and healthy. People here are very friendly and I love to cuddle and talk all the time. I ride in the elevator and I am quite comfortable in our apartment. I get very good sleep in my soft bed and sometimes even have troubles getting up too early. The food here is good and I particularly enjoy the treats from Trader Joe. I have wonderful toys to play with. The green spider is my favorite. He has eight legs and makes three different sounds. When I punch his stomach with my right paw while I bite his leg in a faster rhythm it makes a great noise, so my mom says that if I keep practicing maybe they can use me in the percussion section.

We have many neighbors and on several floors. When I watch the apartment by myself I make sure that they all know about it. But I am told that a good watchdog barks only when it is necessary to alert people. I have had five lessons with my personal trainer and most of the time I do remember most of what I learned. Now I can walk very well on a leash but I am still wearing my "easy walk-gentle leader" harness.

There is a very large park very close to our building. I love my walks there and enjoy to sit on the lawn and look at the river, and to explore all the plants and trees. There are also a lot of special birds and squirrels. I find those very attractive, but so far I have not been able to catch any of them. Inside the park is a special dog park. There is a fence around it, so there I can run very fast. However, the social life here has been challenging and I have had to make adjustments. There are many dogs, in all different shapes and sizes and with various temperaments. The little dogs can become very upset if I tumble them around or speak too loud to them. I am trying to learn to approach the other dogs in a gentle manner and communicate appropriately. I have also had to realize that, should an argument arise, I cannot always get the last word. So there has been quite a lot to learn. I hope you and all my friends are well and send you all my best wishes. I much appreciate all you did for me.

~Silver (and Dorrit)