Royal ‘Blu’

BHRR’s Gravel & BHRR’s Royal Blu
Two loveable nutbars!!

Both keep taking their bowls off of their stools, moving the bowls until they are just where they want them AND then Mr. RB likes to play bow and eat his food!

Silly boyz!

I also wanted to update on a few BHRR matters!

1) Our 9th Annual “Give It Up’ 4 Autumn Fundraiser ended last night and once we received the remaining participants monies; we will announce the grand total raised!

2) For those inquiring as to where to drop off their special Secret Santa’s; you can drop off in our donation shed at the road by the mailbox anytime that is convenient for you – this is monitored 24/7

OR right now; I have the following dates available to meet in the following spots and email contactbhrr@gmail.com for the exact address!
*Sunday November 22nd – Nepean 3:30 PM
*Monday November 23rd – Kanata 1:30 PM
*Monday November 23rd – Kanata 7:15 PM
*Saturday November 28th – Nepean 11:00 AM
*Saturday November 28th – Nepean 6:00 PM
*Sunday November 29th – Kanata 11:30 AM

Closer to December, I will have more drop-off dates and will post!

3) Stay tuned! Our 3rd Annual Holiday Season Empties For Paws Event will be starting December 1st.

BHRR’s Royal Blu!
November 17th, 2020
BHRR Haven Dog

Someone does not like early AM’s! My sight at 5:00 AM as that is the time to get up and at ‘er! 

One dog bed to lay on and one dog bed for a pillow! 

Mr. Royal Blu had his bilateral entropion / cherry eye surgeries earlier this summer and with COVID-19; we are still in a hold pattern re: those two front legs.

After 8 months, we finally have a surgery date for Mr. Coupe and so we remain patient as does Mr. Blu as to what the ortho specialist may feel is in his best interest as he had ortho surgery already prior to being a rescue transfer from another wonderful group. Thank you again to them for all that they did for him!!!!

Mr. Royal Blu is also now completely blind in his right eye and does not see the best in his left eye. Does not hold him back…..

He has lost weight, muscled and toned up and is such a wonderful handsome boy!

He is also quite the vocal boy!!! He loves food and treat time the best. LOL

My last post of my night!

Time for folks to think about what they plan on giving up for 14 days in our 9th Annual ‘Give it up 4 Autumn’ Fundraiser! 

Starts Thursday November 5th and we already have 4 people signed up to date! Be creative! Some people have even done a swear jar in the past putting money each time they or someone in their office swears and then donating the monies raised at the end of the 14 days.

All money raised shall go towards helping BHRR’s Symba and BHRR’s Coupe!

More details in the poster and please do email contactbhrr@gmail.com if you would like to be part of our 9th annual event!

Here are the blog links to BHRR’s Symba:

AND for BHRR’s Coupe

For those who wish to consider making a financial donation to their worthy causes, you can do so via PayPal gwen@birchhaven.org or via email transfer to contactbhrr@gmail.com OR you can do so directly to Liston Animal Hospital 613-591-0966

We have many many many thousands of dollars to raise and we are now set back even further as sadly, BHRR’s Oslo has needed emergency care today…..

From our home to all of our friends, family & supporters, the best of good night wishes are being sent!

 

NOTICE:

Unfortunately, we find ourselves having to address the below issues once again. Every few years it seems we must re-visit this despite being very clear on our website, Facebook and Petfinder as to how we operate.

This last 24 hours we have had not one yet, two extremely unpleasant moments.

Let us be extremely clear that if people continue to disrespect what is openly stated; we will involve legal and take the necessary action(s).

Our camera’s are running.

1) we are a foster based rescue that operates out of our home and our approved fosters. NOWHERE does it state that you can just drop by, visit or ‘get’ a dog because you want one.

It is NOT even ok to leave a voice message as a ‘courtesy heads up’ that you are on your way or will be on your way shortly to our PRIVATE property which is our home.

We would never do this to you; so do not expect it to be ok to do it to us. We get so little quality family time as it is and your blatant disregard for being mindful of our family time is not going to be tolerated.

We have a very thorough adoption process which is and has been posted over and over and over again in the last shy of 25 years.

All of the steps to be considered for a BHRR approved adoption is found on our websites and even in the application. We have done our job to have the information there. It is now up to you to read and follow the instructions.

We have posted many times over that only completed applications shall be considered/reviewed. We are NOT going to respond to ANY inquiries sent via email, text, voice message, Petfinder or Facebook. This is and has been posted many times over. So Stop. Spamming via email, text, phone, and/or Petfinder is not going to receive a response. They will be deleted and if you continue, marked as spam/junk/blocked.  It is equally NOT acceptable for you to come uninvited; to our home, private property with or without any completed application in hand.

As we also post, if a dog is listed on Petfinder, on our Website or on Facebook page as being ‘Available For Adoption’, YES, that dog is still available. We directly state that we work to keep everything up to date.

We have equally posted many times over that we are not going to make exceptions to our adoption contract, processes, policies and procedures.

2) the steps to surrender a dog is also openly stated on our website.

Do NOT leave a message and then only a couple of hours later show up at our home expecting us to drop everything and put your request above all of the other needy dogs that are equally ‘urgent’.

This is our home. This is private property.

AND do not say to one of us that you left many emails or voice messages re: said dog when we communicate closely with each other and know that this is a lie.

YOU are making our work more difficult that it ever should be and trust me, operating a highly r/q Rescue is damn hard.

BHRR is not about you; it is about the animals and please allow us to do our jobs; our non paying, 24/7, 365 days a year jobs.

We have been doing this since 1996; know what we are doing, are the experts in what we do from rescue to transport, to rehabilitation to adoption, from feeding to vetting, to training to behavioural modification and so much more.

If you want to adopt; please follow the process. If you have a dog in need; please follow the process.

The Boerskins
BHRR

BHRR UPDATE!

1) In having a discussion with several members of the BHRR BOD; we shall be open as of Septermber 1st – subject to change if need be – for the intake of completed applications ONLY to consider for approved adoptions.

BHRR ONLY places per right matched personality fits and has an extremely thorough adoption screening process.

2) Unfortunately, again….in 2020 we will not be doing a BHRR Calendar. The cost is too high for what comes out of our personal pockets when that is monies that are desperately needed to keep BHRR open.

3) ISO: Auction Items for our upcoming 9th Annual Dine with the BHRR Doggies Event. Human, dogs, cat, gift baskets, gift certificates etc. ALL are welcome!

We also need draw prizes!

Please do not post your kind offers here, please do email contactbhrr@gmail.com

4) It is that time again! Time to think about being a special Secret Santa to the BHRR doggies! 2020 marks our 18th year doing this!!

As of today, we still have 21 deserving BHRR doggies in need of a special SS to call their very own!

To learn more and to sign up, please do visit the link!

5) BHRR is in urgent need of the following items:
Garbage bags – all sizes
Laundry soap
Fabric Softner
Fabric Softner Sheets
Giants Sized Dog Toys
XL Costco Dog Beds
Blankets, Duvets, Towels
Paper Towels
Pinesol

6) Please do reach out if you or someone you know has a Great Dane/Giant Breed Dog in need. We are also a highly/strongly focused special needs rescue so take in other breeds as we can that are also: Deaf and/or Blind, Sick, Senior, Neuro, Injured, Pregnant, Palliative, Nursing, Other Medical, Orphaned & Behavioural

It hurts our hearts to see dogs being put to sleep when there is an organization – we have been around since 1996 – OR to see these dogs end up in disreputable places.

Please do email contactbhrr@gmail.com if you or someone that you know needs assistance.

BHRR’s Royal Blu!
 
Another uber handsome blue Great Dane in our BHRR Haven Program!
 
In seeing his photo vs. BHRR’s Fred, you can see the difference betwen the euro blood lined Danes vs. the american blood line.
*AND that is not dirt on his chest. It is his drying drool from the few moments we took to do photo’s! Those big flews of his create a lot of drool! Not for the faint of heart!*
 
He awaits patiently to have his own bilateral entropion and cherry eye surgeries, a Dental plus to also have surgery on both of his front legs. – this picture does not show the true severity of his biltateral valgus deformity as we worked to show off his beauty over his current extreme medical conditions. 
 
If you read previous blog posts; you can see the x-rays of both of his front legs that we took upon his arrival into our special needs rescue program.
 
These are the animals that you are supporting with your kindness plus generosity!
Here is our givinggrid fundraiser link as we remain in great need of your support for Ottawa just announced that no public events can be held until at least the August, therefore, our biggest annual fundraiser of the year that we host in July cannot be held. 
 
If BHRR, operating since 1996 is going to withstand this COVID-19 pandemic and continue to help those that most other groups cannot or will not; we urgently need your help. 
 
Donations can also continue to be made via PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org or via email transfer to contactbhrr@gmail.com and all of those donation totals are being added to our giving grid fundraiser total….
 
With the postponing of our annual Microchip/Nail Trim/BBQ and so much more event; we have had to up the total in our givinggird fundraiser that we need in order to keep operating. 
 
Extremely difficult worrisome times.

BHRR’s Royal Blu came to us via a request of a rescue transfer.

He came into their Rescue back in 2017; had two surgeries on one leg for a congenital Vulgras deformity; and as mobility had been improved, the other leg did not have surgery.

A surgery had been done on the one eye, for cherry eye and as is very common, it failed.

He had been adopted about 7 months ago and recently a dog bite occurred in the adoptive home.

We are told that he love kids and is good with other dogs, people etc. and was therefore adopted to a home with two children, 5 & 8.

Unfortunately, recently, an incident occurred in the adoptive home.

We have been told that this boy has always been a ‘bit iffy’ around food & has demonstrated past behaviours of some food resourcing issues.

He was in the kitchen when food was being prepared and one of the children was also in the kitchen, petting/touching him.

To be honest, let me state that if this Dane wanted to cause damage he could have and did not. He snapped and as the child is as tall as he is, a connection was made – and I have seen a picture of the bite. Bruising, teeth grazing with one spot from the angle of the picture that I can see broken skin. A scary moment for all involved.

This was not an easy decision for this home who adopted him to return him to the rescue. In turn, the rescue reached out to BHRR to see if we could safe harbour him.

We are here to 100% support the rescue and this adoptive home during this truly heart-wrenching time.

He arrived to BHRR February 22nd and we had him at the Vet February 23rd as we had some concerns.

He has been diagnosed with:

1) Severe Entropion
2) Eye infections
3) Cherry Eye
4) Vulgras Deformity – the right leg is much worse than the left

*He was scheduled on March 10th for his eye surgeries yet, that has had to be postphoned. It will be rescheduled ASAP.

On March 17th, per Dr. Philibert, ortho specialist states that he believes that BHRR’s Royal Blu needs bilateral corrective osteotomies. He has requested additional pictures of BHRR’s Royal Blu standing and from the side.

We have kept his previous Rescue also updated and shall continue to do so.

They have made an incredibly generous donation to his care.

Donations can continue to be made direct to Eagleson Veterinary Clinic 613-383-8381 or via PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org OR via email transfer to contactbhrr@gmail.com *Please let us know the password.

My final post of my night!

All of the winners of our flash online auction have now been notified via posts in the album, so please check the item(s) that you bid on! 

Additionally, with spring, it brings mud and it means lots and lots and lots more of daily laundry and in this picture; we are down many dogs beds as we work both of our washers nonstop to get them constantly cleaned!

For those not yet aware, BHRR’s Coupe – seen in this picture -is also now bunking in with The Boerskins and has settled in beautifully. He is such a low maintenance chill dude! 

With COVID-19 on the minds and conversations of so many, we sincerely hope that everyone is doing as well as can be expected during these uncertain and worrisome times.

Per a previous post made, The Boerskins are in self-isolation as Sean was away in SF and while he can work from home; I sadly; cannot and no work means no income and we deeply can empathise with everyone that is in the same situation. The Boerskins are all doing well overall and we are keeping the world in our hearts and best thoughts……

I do know that I find it hard not working as I know how busy my fellow veterinary team members have been at EVC and I wish I could be there assisting them.

From our home to all of our friends, family and supporters, good night wishes are being sent and please do remember that, if, we can do anything to assist you during your own time of need; please never hesitate to reach out……as a community we must be there for each other, united and keeping that social distancing so that we can flatten the curve.

BHRR’s Royal Blu
March 13th, 2020

As I recover from some surgery had earlier this week, this boy has been the best hot water bottle, bed hogger, snuggle bug, drooler and companion a girl could wish for!

He was to have his own surgery on March 10th – bilateral entropion surgery along with a cherry eye yet his foster mama(FEEL better soon) took a nasty fall and is healing from a fractured arm.

So, he is back bunking back in with moi and doing fabu!

He has been learning manners as he clearly felt he was ‘king’ and he is coming along beautifully. He can still be grumpy to some of the other dogs yet, is learning to share wonderfully!

Everyone in our home must share the communal water bowls and he is now doing this nicely.

We do not reward inappropriate displays of behaviour and not long after his arrival, he wanted to rear up with SA type behaviours and that was a big no-no.

AND after only a few days of marking the correct behaviours, passively ignoring after a calming word/touch all inappropriate signs of behaviour; he is fantastic.

He bonded hard and fast to me and has been guided plus encouraged to learn to like his own company, to self-soothe, selt-comfort and to self amuse. We are not here to set him up for failure.

We are not here to create ‘monsters’ in manners or behaviours. SA is what my PhD is in and he is an excellent pupil.

We took him off of all behavioural modifcation medications shortly after his arrival to get to know and understand him and to best assess plus put together the right program for him.

He has not had any need to go back on any medications.

He reacts as we act to things as is often the case with most dogs.

He is quite chill and in any situation that he is exposed to that is new or foreign to him, we work to set him up for success and now, he just takes things in stride. Cautious yet curious which we want him to be interested in this big gorgeous world around us!

We have stress tested him also and his first reaction is avoidance…not fight….proving that the bite he had in his prior home was him escalating his communication re: his level of being uncomfortable with what is going on.

He has been in the kitchen as we have cooked, cleaned up etc. and he has been respectful, not one issue with resourcing.

The one thing that he is clear with his level of being uncomfortable is in the taking of his collar at times. He will mouth. Not bite, not growl, yet mouth. We do not push the boundary further at this time. We also have our theories on this yet, we are not setting him up for failure. We will get there….

When he communicates with his body language that he does not wish to have his collar touched, we just take a leash – many of them at easy reach, ask him to sit, hook him up and off we go. No issues….

I am extremely proud of his progress to date and we remain also waiting to hear from his ortho specialist re: those legs. He was to be back from Vacation in early March and are aware that he is a very busy man.

We will have BHRR’s Royal Blu’s eyes rescheduled ASAP.

AND thanks to all for their patience as we work to get our Flash Auction set-up. We have been very busy behind the scenes as well as mourning the death of two BHRR doggies….

BHRR’s Royal Blu
February 23rd, 2020

He arrived February 22nd and based upon what our two transport Volunteers plus what we saw, we had him booked into our Vet Hospital for the very next day

1) He has severe entropion in both eyes – upper and lower lids and that need to be surgically corrected.
2) He also has a cherry eye
3) We did a fluorescein eye stain to look for scratches and ulcers
4) He has eye infections in both eyes & is now on antibiotics
5) We sedated him to do x-rays on both front legs & they were emailed to Dr. Philibert, one of our ortho specialists to advise – re: his extreme valgus deformity
*Dr. Philibert is away on Vacation until the beginning of March. We will be posting copies of the x-rays we took in this album too.
6) We did a nail trim while under sedation as his nails were overgrown
7) We did his anal glands – they were full
8) We did bloodwork – He is negative for Heartworm and Tickborne diseases & his Pre-op plus Wellness profile are normal
9) We are doing a fecal sample and he has now been de-wormed
10) He has been placed on Deramaxx for pain & inflammation
11) His coat is dry, flaky and brittle, so we are changing up his diet
12) He has a bit of a cough that shall be closely monitored
13) He is overweight – he weighed 65.5 kgs(144.1 pounds) and so we will be working on that

AND he is 100% amazing!!! This picture was taken as he was waking up from the sedation given during his time at Eagleson Veterinary Clinic

He is now scheduled for his eye surgeries on March 10th, 2020 and we are ISO: Auction Items for between BHRR’s Coupe and BHRR’s Royal Blu, we are in huge need of financial support to get them healthy!

If you have any item(s) that you may like to donate, please do email contactbhrr@gmail.com

Donations to his Vet Bills can be made direct to Eagleson Veterinary Clinic 613-383-8381

OR via PayPal to gwen@birchhaven.org

OR via Email Transfer to contactbhrr@gmail.com
*Please let us know the password

With two big medical cases on our hands, our doors remain closed for intake…..

We will continue to think of creative fundraising ideas to raise much needed funds for both of these incredibly fabu pooches!!!!

Got him!

On my way home!

Welcome to BHRR Royal Blu!  So thrilled to finally get to meet you and even more touched to get to assist you!!

I am hoping to get him right into our Vet tomorrow.

Will post more soon!!!

 

Lucie picked BHRR’s Royal Blu several hours ago and now he has safely been transferred to Michele’s loving care!

I will be on my way shortly to meet her…..drive safe!

I always say the world is a small place….However, I must be getting ‘old’ as it took me up to just a few days ago to click in to just who this Great Dane was. 

It was not until I received his previous Vet Records and when the Rescue that first had him mentioned a name associated with his time with them, that I truly clicked in.

Turns out, that we know who he is…..and we are well aware of his journey to Canada in 2017 and quite a bit of time while in Canada from when he first arrived. The Dane world is very small.

That, we were approached to assist him and that he is now in our care, has made me one of the happiest people in the world!!!! 

I cannot wait to meet you and I am glad that we have spruced up your name to be BHRR’s Royal Blu for per Lucie:

‘He traveled wonderfully well. He is calm and very regal (the royal Blu moniker is a very good one).’

My last post of my night….

This handsome man arrives tomorrow!

BHRR’s Royal ‘Blu’ – his name is ‘Blu’ and we are making him royalty!
~5.5 year old Special Needs Male GD

He was adopted out almost 7 months ago by another Rescue.

They performed two surgeries on his front legs as he was born with a congenital deformity – they remain abnormal yet, his mobility has greatly improved. We will have our own ortho specialist exam him also. Maybe there is more that we can do, most likely not as the Rescue that had him has taken amazing plus excellent care of him.

We have been informed that he ‘gallops around like your typical happy Dane’. BHRR’s Mavie, Our Ironman can relate to that having had four surgeries on his own front legs.

We are told that he love kids and is good with other dogs, people etc. and was adopted to a home with two children, 5 & 8.

Unfortunately, recently, an incident occurred in the adoptive home.

We have been told that this boy has always been a ‘bit iffy’ around food & has demonstrated past behaviours of some food resourcing issues.

He was in the kitchen when food was being prepared and one of the children was also in the kitchen, petting/touching him.

To be honest, let me state that if this Dane wanted to cause damage he could have and did not. He snapped and as the child is as tall as he is, a connection was made – and I have seen a picture of the bite. Bruising, teeth grazing with one spot from the angle of the picture that I can see broken skin. A scary moment for all involved. 

This was not an easy decision for this home who adopted him to return him to the rescue. In turn, the rescue reached out to BHRR to see if we could safe harbour him.

We are here to 100% support the rescue and this adoptive home during this truly heart-wrenching time.

The wonderful rescue does not wish to see him put to sleep and asked if we could step up to assist.

Absolutely……

Due to our financial situation being extremely tapped with the further unexpected Vet Bills for BHRR’s Coupe, we have had had a delay in bringing him in and once he arrives, our doors will remain closed.

As no one wished to see him put to sleep, we are honoured to be here.

We thank this Rescue for all that they have done to date for him and we remain keeping his previous adoptive home in our hearts and thoughts. It is a tragic situation……just tragic.

From our home to all of our friends, family and supporters, the best of good night wishes are being sent!

BHRR’s Royal ‘Blu’
~5.5 year old Special Needs Male GD

He was adopted out 6 months ago by another Rescue.

They performed two surgeries on his front legs as he was born with a congenital deformity – they remain abnormal yet, his mobility has greatly improved. We will have our own ortho specialist exam him also. Maybe there is more that we can do, most likely not as the Rescue that had him has taken amazing plus excellent care of him.

We have been informed that he ‘gallops around like your typical happy Dane’. BHRR’s Mavie, Our Ironman can relate to that having had four surgeries on his own front legs.

We are told that he love kids and is good with other dogs, people etc. and was adopted to a home with two children, 5 & 8.

Unfortunately, recently, an incident occurred in the adoptive home.

We have been told that this boy has always been a ‘bit iffy’ around food & has demonstrated past behaviours of some food resourcing issues.

He was in the kitchen when food was being prepared and one of the children was also in the kitchen, petting/touching him.

To be honest, let me state that if this Dane wanted to cause damage he could have and did not. He snapped and as the child is as tall as he is, a connection was made – and I have seen a picture of the bite. Bruising, teeth grazing with one spot from the angle of the picture that I can see broken skin. A scary moment for all involved. 

This was not an easy decision for this home who adopted him to return him to the Rescue. In turn, the rescue reached out to BHRR to see if we could safe harbour him.

We are here to 100% support the rescue and this adoptive home during this truly heart-wrenching time.

The wonderful Rescue does not wish to see him put to sleep and asked if we could step up to assist.

Absolutely……

We are now working on an ETA for him as our financial situation is extremely tapped with the further unexpected Vet Bills for BHRR’s Coupe.

Yet, no one wishes to see him put to sleep and I know that the Rescue that he is currently with would not see that ever happen and we are honoured to be here.

We thank this Rescue for all that they have done to date for him and we remain keeping his previous adoptive home in our hearts and thoughts. It is a tragic situation……just tragic.

Please join me in expressing those sentiments…..

ETA TO BHRR TBA