Sophie

How the dogs choose to spend the chilly Canadian winter wonderland! 
 
Works for me as I am feeling a wee bit under the weather, yet I do need to gather up strength, as my shipping container FINALLY arrived yesterday late afternoon.
 
We still have three amazing dogs in need of a special SS – Mr. Albar, Mr. Romeo, and Mr. Lewis.

Pretty girl!
 
Miss Sophie! 

Picked up the beds to sweep – white Dane hair so visible….sweeping is a three-times-a-day task still! – AND Miss Thing decided two beds are better than one!
 
Settling in for a snooze in the rays of the sun shining in….
 
Miss Sophie is still waiting for a foster to adopt or an approved adoptive home.
 

Today’s photo!
 
BHRR’s Athos(one of the 3 Musketeers), Miss Sophie, and the last Bean, BHRR’s Albar.
 
Mr. Albar & Miss Sophie remain AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION!
 
Miss Sophie is slightly on the dog bed!!
 
 
 

 
 

Miss Sophie!
 
Her first morning in our new home – she remains AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION!

This is Miss Sophie, a beautiful 1 year old Doberman that is Available for Adoption – either to foster to adopt or adoption.
 
Foster to adopt home or adoption home must be within 2 hours of Oxford Station, Ontario.
 
A thorough application process is part of the approval process.
 
She is up to date on vaccines, microchipped, on flea/tick/heartworm prevention, regularly de-wormed, detailed bloodwork has been completed twice and we also did clotting factors including two pre-op blood panels plus thyroid.
 
She has now been spayed, recovered beautifully and manners plus socialising has been worked on. She is now ready for her next wonderful chapters in her life.
 
She is crate trained, house broken, travels great in the vehicle, and loves all dogs!
 
Cats are unknown.
 
She is shy of strangers and will need a home that will not baby her, feel sorry for her – her previous owner tragically past away, and shall continue helping her to reach her full potential!
 
She is full of personality, active, happy, and healthy!
 
Weight: July 17th, 2025 (28.3 kgs – 62.26 pounds )

Total Raised:
$270.15 ($120.15 + $150 from Auction)

BarkFest 2025!

This Saturday, July 26th, in Gananoque!

This shall be our third year here. What a beautiful location!
 
AND the weather promises to be glorious!
 
Gananoque Town Park Corner of King and Park St. Gananoque, Ontario
 

A copy of BHRR’s Sophie’s spay invoice:

As we already had Gabapentin in our rescue, we declined to take more at the time of her spay.

Copy of BHRR’s Sophie’s repeat bloodwork, including T4:

Another photo of BHRR’s Sophie @ EVC!

A ‘boop’ photo!

Miss Sophie is doing well!
 
We checked her over closely at EVC and weighed her: 25.9 kgs. We can confirm to those who have asked that BHRR does have her microchipped. 
 
She is urinating well, has had a BM, eating and drinking, and we are watching closely for signs of a possible FB, as she was on the loose for over 20 hours. She would have been hungry.
 
As she is in heat, this nightmare experience shall change her spay surgery. As always, we will not get into a discussion regarding puppies having puppies, should she have become pregnant while she was loose, and in/near a dog park. She is 10 months old herself. We are also still working on getting her healthy.
 
Last Thursday, we had a detailed conversation with her Vet/Surgeon, and we have a new plan in place for her.
 
The detailed bloodwork that we did at the end of May – low T4, and indicators that she was possibly Addisonian – though not symptomatic – and was dehydrated even 6 days post arrival, we will be repeating some bloodwork and sending it out again prior to performing sx.
 
So many owners and rescue groups never do any bloodwork prior to surgery, let alone repeat it. We also did clotting factor testing as she is a Doberman. We will always go above and beyond for our dogs.
 
Almost 30 years of doing responsible rescue, and we are still exposed to people who should know better and still choose not to adhere to what is in the best interest of a dog, and set them up for failure, and this is deeply shocking. BHRR’s Sophie could have been seriously injured or even killed. 
 
To be very clear, and we do have the detailed documentation, the first foster chose to stop fostering BHRR’s Sophie the first time, and then again this time after she was found. BHRR’s Sophie shall not be going back to them.
 
The Founder reached out to them to join the search as they had temp-fostered BHRR’s Sophie for two+ weeks when the second foster lost her within an hour of getting her, and we remain grateful that they came out.
 
We will also be very public in continuing to state per our clearly posted policies that we will never place a dog up for adoption until they are ready, will never adopt out a dog unaltered, we do not flip dogs, and we will not bow down to any demands. We will do what is in our dogs’ best interest and will not deviate from our successful mandates. This is not an unreasonable position as a r/q rescue. Every group out there will have similar and also different mandates, and every r/q organization does what they believe to be in the best interests of the dogs under their authority. 
 
With BHRR’s Sophie, when/if her time comes to be placed up for adoption, any home approved to adopt her will have to follow their legally signed adoption contract. We shall not consider any homes outside of our known approved network. We are committed to our dogs for life, their life.
 
Members of BHRR are so grateful that so many reached out to advise us that one of our dogs was loose. That is how we were initially informed that she was missing.
 
In close to 30 years of operating, there is an unreasonable expectation that our rescue has to have control over everything, while at the same time, that same control should not apply to some people. Double standards abound.
 
All we can do is proper due diligence, and if homes choose to ignore important guidelines regarding safety and setting our dogs and their homes up for success, we are only going to know and find out when/what we know.
 
We are an all-volunteer foster-based group, and we gladly give of ourselves 24/7 with sacrifices. Social media is both a blessing and a curse.
 
To those who feel/speak that they can do better, please do. Walk your talk. Lord knows we need more r/q groups out there!
 
BHRR’s Sophie, you are safe. We steadfastly shouldered some ‘armchair quarterback’ nonsense, and take the continued serious responsibility of ensuring you are done right by. 
 
She is going to be just fine. She is going to learn that she can stand on her own feet, that she can self-soothe and self-comfort, that she does not deserve to be pitied, babied, or felt sorry for. She does not feel sorry for herself. We want her to become the best dog she can be, and she shall!
 
She is a product of her past—RIP to her original owner—but she lives in her present, and BHRR, along with her fans/supporters, looks to her wonderful future!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

UPDATE: BHRR’s Sophie is safe at this time with the person who was her first foster.
 
The Founder strongly felt that if anyone could get Miss Sophie, it would be them and their dog, as that is who she was with for 2.5 weeks.
 
The Founder was up close to 40 hours straight, and after their overnight work shift, headed out with two work colleagues to search for her. The Founder notified all Veterinary Clinics in the area, all of BHRR’s extensive close to 800 rescue contacts in Ontario/Quebec, BHRR’s close network with HS’s, SPCA’s, by-laws, animal welfare groups, put up posters, gave out posters to bus drivers, taxi cabs, set up a Facebook group, worked on getting a drone(through an amazing BHRR foster!), made contact with local radio stations etc., to get BHRR’s Sophie back safely into our care. 
 
After barely getting two hours rest, and not a good one at that, The Founder came across a post from a friend and then others, along with messages and calls sent to our rescue that BHRR’s Sophie had been found. The Founder was then back to work for another long overnight shift. Rescue is 24/7.
 
The sheer terror that has been felt by those of us at BHRR.
 
Thank you to all who banded together to help BHRR find her after she went missing from this second foster home, ~1 hour after they got her. 

 

*****EMERGENCY*****
 
I have just learned – thanks to our amazing Network for alerting us – that one of our dogs in foster care is running loose:
 
UPDATE: She was last seen running on Autumn Ridge Road off Jeanne D’Arc.
 
The Founder has contacted her first foster, and they are on the way. BHRR’s Sophie knows them and her dog.
 
If anyone is available to assist, please advise.
 
Sophie is extremely skittish…..
 
She was moved to a new foster Tuesday night.
 
 
 

Here is a copy of BHRR’s Sophie’s von Willebrand factor (vWF:Ag) von Willebrand factor (VWF:Ag) = von Willebrand factor antigen measured in an ELISA testing.

Additionally, here is what her Vet has passed along to date regarding the other bloodwork that we have done so far.

“Sophie’s lab results came back with evidence of dehydration, NA/K ratio is 26 (concern of Addison, but she has no signs), also the ALP is slightly increased, T4 is borderline low. Negative 4 DX” 

In having an in-depth conversation with her Veterinarian, who will also be her surgeon, we will repeat the blood work the day before she is scheduled for surgery. According to her Veterinarian, this will give enough time for the results to come back, be reviewed, and if necessary, her surgery can be rescheduled, etc.

Through no fault of her own, Miss Sophie, the 10-month-old Doberman, is in need of a new foster.
 
The Foster must be able to bring her to Vet appointments in Kanata, Ontario, so they should reside within 1.5-2 hours from there.
 
Some history: Miss Sophie was found in a home, along with a GS with her deceased Owner.
 
After being able to decompress for a month+(Sophie was understandably traumatised) with the GS breeder who was so kind to take her in when she took back her female GS to prevent Sophie from having to go to a shelter or be euthanised, we moved her to our rescue, BHRR.
 
We transported her to our Rescue, Birch Haven Rescue & Rehabilitation Services(BHRR), 10 days ago, and had her fully vetted on Friday, May 30th, after giving her some time to settle.
 
She is up-to-date on vaccines, dewormed, and on flea/tick/hw preventative. We performed bloodwork, including for tickborne disease/heartworm(negative), pre-op bloodwork, and are presently waiting on her clotting factor bloodwork results so that we can prepare to properly spay her when the time comes.
 
She weighed 55.66 pounds on Friday.
 
We also did a vaginal cytology on her.
 
We provide the food, dog bed, collars, leashes, bowls, some toys, treats, and you provide the safe refuge for her to continue to learn to be a dog, develop manners – she knows basic obedience, be safe, and be cherished!
 
She is good with humans, dogs – lived with big and little dogs, is skittish, yet Benny bully treats are your friend!
 
Please do email contactbhrr@gmail.com if you can assist.
 
Her vet bills on Friday were over $700, and we had one very kind, generous donation of $100 that has gone towards her bills.
 

AND Miss Sophie is now with her foster mama!
 
All tethered up safely by her foster mama and ready to go!
 
Tiny thing!
 
So pretty!

Still travelling well. Long day yet ever closer to your new beginning, BHRR’s Sophie!
 
We are still seeking toys for her. Durable and enriching! 

At just before 11 AM today, Miss Sophie, the Doberman puppy (who was found along with her GS companion in the home with their deceased Owner) began her journey to BHRR.
 
For the last month, we have kept her with the GS breeder to allow her to decompress due to how traumatised she was.
 
She is travelling well, understandably stressed, yet liver treats are helping her to make friends, and she should be in my hands for around 6 pm
tonight.
 
Thank you again to Katie for stepping up to foster her for me.
 
Another precious life will be saved….
 
She is the first that I have been able to assist in 20,25 as Miss Amy and the rest of the BHRR crew need their own gold standard care.
 
Thanks to Leanne B., I have a dog bed for her, a small super-soft fleece throw, and I am donating a leash/collar that I have not yet used for one of my Setters. Thanks to Pet Valu Brockville, two large bags of fish-based Acana food will be hers.
 
She does need toys – toys that are durable and enriching.
 
If you would like to make a donation of toys, please email contactbhrr@gmail.com to arrange a drop-off, or you can make a financial donation to contactbhrr@gmail.com. and we will buy some for her!
 
Thank you in advance for any consideration.
 
While this group may appear to be quiet, behind the scenes, it is anything but! 
 
She will need to be properly vetted, including spayed, and to have bloodwork, so fundraising efforts remain a priority!
 
Soon, baby girl…we shall meet very soon. 

Meet Miss Sophie – She is our first rescue assist for 2025! We are always about quality, not quantity.

We first posted about Miss Sophie on April 12th in our network.

We have all of the legal documentation for her surrender and will be working on transport shortly!

We are ISO: a dog bed for her to call her very own, and her own collar/leash. Please do EMAIL if you would like to make a donation or to donate a collar and/or leash for her. We would be seeking a 18-22″ cloth martingale collar. We do not believe in choke, or prong collars, nor shock.

Miss Sophie is an almost 10-month-old female Doberman(Born: July 20th, 2024), who was found in her home along with a female GS with their deceased Owner. She was extremely traumatised, and very skittish. Quite understandable.

The GS breeder took her in and gave her a safe place to decompress and begin her healing journey.

She is:
Good with dogs
Good with people, including children
Cats Unknown
Up to date on Vaccines – we will give additional vaccines, plus do bloodwork, including testing for heartworm and tickborne disease exposure
Dewormed – back in the fall was the last time – we will do further de-worming and place her on flea/tick/hw medication

*Yes, her ears were cropped by either her breeder or her past owner. We will not be drawn into a discussion regarding the cropping and/or docking of ears.

As she was purchased off Kijiji, no breeder information can be traced back to her.

We are working on her transport now, and if all goes well, she will be fostered in a home that already has a 6-year-old male Doberman.