Month: August 2020

BHRR’s Symba

He weighed 61.70 kgs(135.74 pounds).

We sedated him at work today so that he could have a thorough exam on his hips and knees.

We did x-rays on hips and knees and it has been confirmed that he does have a blown cruciate in his back right leg. His hips look ok, so good news there!

We did pre-op bloodwork including testing for heartworm plus tick borne diseases and the results were all normal.

We did ear cytology’s as his ears were yucky and we cleaned them plus put in ear meds as he has infections.

We did a big nail trim on him too as his nails were very overgrown.

He also had a cartrophen injection. He will be on Gabapentin and Deramaxx for pain and inflammation.

He will begin flea/tick & heartworm meds plus be de-wormed.

AND this dog has an incredible temperament!! Just outstanding!

X-rays & bloodwork will be sent off to his ortho specialist and we will schedule his TPLO surgery ASAP

He is the Bull Mastiff that was scheduled to be euthanised by his owner and a group stepped in and asked for time so that another group could be found to help him.

This boy is absolutely heaven and we feel so privileged to help and he will need the BHRR village to surrround him with support as he has a long surgery and rehab journey ahead of him…

He also needs a XL Costco dog bed to call his very own if anyone may help….

Donations 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!*

Thank you in advance from our hearts for any consideration to his care….

Got him!!!

Pouring rain, flooding and thunderstorms did not hold back this rescue!!!

Thanks again Cassy for picking him up and meeting me! Rescue angel!!

He is scheduled to see the Vet tomorrow @ 5 pm and his rehabilitation journey begins now.

Welcome to BHRR Mr. Symba!

Now to get home, get him settled in and get dried up!

 
 
 
 
 
 

AND Cassy now has him!

BHRR’s Symba.

After much stress, this handsome boy(Bull Mastiff) is now safe!

Apparently, he has a blown cruciate – diagnosed in the spring and was recently scheduled to be euthanised as O. cannot afford the medical care. Another rescue worked with the Owner to gain some time to see if another organisation could assist.

O. also had two other dogs(MastiffX) they were seeking to re-home.

It was a worrisome and difficult process yet, we finally have him.

Thank you Cassy for the transport assistance, drive safe!

I shall be hitting the road a bit later to meet up with them…

He will be brought into work shortly to be assessed and to begin his medical rehab journey.

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.

Another pic!

BHRR’s Coupe!
(NewfX)

He had his second special play date from our unique creative 9th annual online auction – this one was an overnight play date on August 23rd. 

From the home who won this amazing time with him:

‘Thank you so much for the opportunity of our overnight date with Coupe!! We had lots of fun – two shorter walks (3rd drowned out by rain), time in the backyard, Coupe was unfazed by our cat Wiley but he loves squirrels, there were belly rubs and ear scratches and cuddles, and loads of love. He was very well behaved and we miss him already.’

Thank you to this caring home for giving him this wonderful experience!!

BHRR’s Devaney!
6.5 month old Black Lab Puppy
**DEAF & Visually Impaired**
AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION!

Miss Devaney is ready to make her own special announcement!For those that have followed Miss Devaney’s rehabilitation journey; they shall be as excited as we are to see her make her own special announcement!She has overcome being kept in a crate, having burns, wounds plus lesions on her neck due to being kept in a shock/prong collar 24/7 AND since her arrival to BHRR; she has not had ONE seizure; leading us and her Vet team to believe that they had been stress induced.Health: She is healthy, has had two thorough exams, been spayed, microchipped, is on monthly preventative for flea/tick/heartworm, been de-wormed, has had three rounds of blood-work done, is up to date on vaccines and has not lacked for anything! She is DEAF/Visually Impaired and nothing has held her back once she was brought into Rescue.

Type of Home: It would be great to see her in a home with at least one other right matched personality fit dog. She is super social so having a strong doggie social network shall be key. She is fantastic with dogs.

Home With Children: She can come to a home with older children, 10+ and said home can have no more than 2. She came from a home that had lots of very small children and the home did not have the time to spend with her and she was not properly taken care of as a result.

Prefers Men? Women?: She LOVES people! AND food! She came into rescue out of shape and fat. She is so much leaner and fit and we want to keep her that way!

The home can be a ft, pt, work from home, semi-retired or retired home. Miss Devaney is another very versatile BHRR doggie!

Previous Special Needs Experience: Previous special needs experience is not required yet, the home MUST be attentive to working to learning to communicate with Miss Devaney. She has been learning a mixture of ASL and made up hand signals.

We want her set up for success!

Good With Cats: She has proven to be fine with our Clinic cat, yet, integration is key!

Good with Pocket Pets: Unknown yet, would not recommend as she wishes to play – and can play rough! – and make friends with everything/one she meets.

Grooming: I have had no issues doing her nails at work and she is easy to groom – brush out and bathing.

Car: She is fine in a car.

Housebroken/Crate Trained: She is housebroken and crate trained.

Obedience: Her manners are coming along. Our mandatory obedience clause in our adoption application will ensure that the right matched personality fit home will work to build up her trust and respect.

Personality/Temperament: Loving, affectionate, sweet, social, playful, active/busy, mischievous. She is a puppy!

Previous Dog Experience: Previous dog experience is ideal yet not required if that right matched home is set up for success.

Activities Suited For Her: She is smart and we would love to see her go to a home that shall give her a job to do! She LOVES the water – dock diving? Therapy dog work is another possibility.

Loves & Bad Habits: She gets into things that she should not…..shoes, toilet paper etc. and there was one incident in her foster home that she got a hold of a 40 g chocolate bar. She is a growing, learning puppy and it will be important for the home to continue her training and obedience with consistency, kindness, structure, routine. We want her to be an asset to home and to community. A positive balanced recognized obedience program – obedience is one of the least regulated professions in Canada – will be necessary per our BHRR adoption contract.

Anxieties/Worries: Not much fazes this girl!

BHRR will NEVER adopt out a dog until / if they are ready. We are not desperate to find homes for our dogs. To us, having a dog come in to rescue is one time too many and we are here to help the next dog in need of us; not flip dogs or rush through any placement.
We are a highly focused special needs Rescue and Miss Devaney needed our assistance urgently and she is beyond deserving!
We do not take in hundreds of applications and then ‘choose’ the best out of those applications. We review completed applications ONLY in the order that they arrive and ONLY a right matched personality fit application shall be approved.
To us at BHRR, Miss Devaney is MORE than worth everything and to all that have met her to date, they can confirm that this girl is a WOW dog….super special, smart, affectionate and gorgeous!
BHRR’s Miss Devaney, it has been a true pleasure to be able to assist you……AND thank you again to your fabu foster home for taking excellent care of you!
You are such a wonderful girl and are going to make that right matched personality fit home the most amazing of addition!
Thank you also to Josée Lavoie Pet Photography for the gorgeous pictures!

REMINDER: Do read Miss Devaney’s extremely detailed blog plus our adoption processes, procedures plus policies prior to submitting an application to members of the BHRR BOD to consider.

NOTE: That we are not accepting any applications to consider until at LEAST September, subject to change due to COVID-19. We will not be responding to inquiries on her, only completed applications that are submitted after we are open again for adoption application consideration.

 
 
 
 

BHRR’s Devaney
*Deaf/Visually Impaired 6.5 month old Black Lab Puppy
August 24th, 2020

Thank you to Josée Lavoie Pet Photography for their incredible talent and generous time once more to help capture one of our BHRR dogs!

Thank you to Gracie Honalulu for being such a wonderful temp foster home for her! They have been extremely kind and have covered her food/treat bills since she arrived!

In a few days, Miss Devaney will be ready to make her own special announcement!

BHRR’s Miss Devaney(deaf/visually impaired Black Lab Puppy) had a special trip yesterday!

She had her professional photos done yesterday and cannot wait to see the final product!s!!

Thanks to Josée for her talent and time again for taking the pictures plus to Miss Devaney’s foster Mama for all that they have been doing for her!

Soon Miss Devaney will be ready to make her own special announcement. 

We have made the decision to move both BHRR’s Gravel and BHRR’s Giselle to our Haven Program.

They will continue to be adored, cherished and beyond well taken care of for the rest of their days.

BHRR’s Miss Volt!
**AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION** 
She was once available for a foster to adopt situation yet, now is available for straight adoption to that right matched forever loving adoptive home!

As many that follow BHRR’s Volts’ blog are aware, she was once available for a foster to adopt situation as we worked out her ‘vulva’ issue per her specialist Dr. Philibert plus her Vet Team.When she was spayed, she was to have an incisor extracted yet, per her post spay post; this was no longer needed! Nature took care of things as she grew from a wee puppy to a young lady.

Health Status: HEALTHY! She has recovered from her prior to being rescued situation of being electrocuted. We have also addressed her vulva issues, her teeth issues AND though, she tested Lyme positive – her QC6 levels test shows that she does not require treatment. She is to be re-tested every 6 months; remains on proper year round tick preventative(Nexgard Spectra) and gets her Lyme Vaccine yearly. Her next QC6 blood-test is due early 2021. In the spring she will then be due for her next 4DX test – Heartworm and Tickborne disease testing – which we know that she will test positive for Lyme which is why every 6 months she needs the Quant C6 blood test.
*THIS IS MANDATORY TO ANY HOME THAT IS APPROVED TO ADOPT HER!*

Type of Home Ideal For Miss Volt: We are seeking a home that ideally has at least one other right matched personality fit dog for Miss Volt is uber social. She will need a strong doggie social network as she LOVES to play and be around her doggie bffs.We will consider homes with children as young as 5 and prior Rottie experience is not required.If a home already has children, we do not wish to see her placed in a home that has more than 2 children.

She can go to a home that works ft, pt, works from home, is semi-retired or retired etc. She is another versatile BHRR dog!

She will NOT go to a home that seeks to make her fat or obese – yup, one of my biggest pet peeves! She is lean and looks fantastic!

Personality/Temperament: Loving, affectionate, sweet, social, playful, active/busy – not over the top, quietly so, gentle, can be a bit pushy with her wish to have attention, if not handled properly – she has the propensity to develop SA behaviours, can be easily excited, settles down wonderfully to watch tv/movie/read a book and when it is time for bed.

Previous Dog Experience: Previous dog experience is ideal yet not required if that right matched home is set up for success.

Good With Cats: She has proven to be fantastic with cats too! Yet, integration is key. Her last play date had a cat – she has had a play date there before without issue yet, this time she really wanted to play and be friends.

Good with Pocket Pets: Unknown yet, would not recommend as she wishes to play – and can play rough! – and make friends with everything/one she meets.

Grooming: She is a dream to wash, do nails!

Car: She now loves the car! Gets in readily and settles down beautifully!

Housebroken/Crate Trained: She is housebroken and crate trained yet, does have a love of paper towels so be warned!

Obedience: Her manners are truly quite impeccable. She can still pull on the leash when she gets too excited yet, re-directs/re-focuses well.

Activities Suited For Her: She is smart and we would love to see her go to a home that will consider therapy work with her. She has the perfect temperament! She is too awesome of a dog to not share with the world.

Loves & Bad Habits: She loves her walks/hikes and to snuggle and cuddle and her one vice is hooking her front legs around yours and almost tripping you!

Or, she has been known to take the bottom of your pant leg as you walk too! Working on it!

OK, she has another vice….she LOVES to dig holes…..big ones, gigantic ones….not quite sure where she is going for she digs them in every direction!

Lately, she has also begun to jump up on people – greatly discouraged and being addressed and shall need continued positive balanced enforcing to not do this.

Is she the perfect dog? No…no dog is yet she is as close to bomb proof as any dog can be. She is truly magnificent.

We encourage her to be curious and passively ignore anything that she may show initial uncertainty.

To Miss Volt, as much as she loves people, places and things….she loves home the best! Walks on our trails, hikes, car rides, outside of the home adventures and then snacks by the fireplace/tv are her evening big moment of happiness.

OH, yeah, she still wants to climb in my shower and tub more often than not too! LOL

Anxieties/Worries: Miss Volt worries at the Vet Hospital in a run. She has spent significant time at various Vet Hospitals during her life to date to get her healthy and what works best when she has to come to work with me is to tether in in our treatment area and she is calm/quiet and amazing.

We have also used Trazodone with her to aid in her anxiety/worries. This helps take the edge of her stress level as we work to make sure her visits to work are not all about vetting – fun and people picking her up for play-dates etc.

We recommend anyone that may be interested in sweet beautiful BHRR’s Volt, to read her extremely detailed blog and our adoption processes, policies and procedures prior to submitting an application to the BHRR BOD to consider.

BHRR’s Volt is almost a $25,000 dog to date in our efforts to get her physically healthy. We have SO many to thank for standing by her and our sides as we have gone through this extremely long yet, necessary rehab journey.

BHRR will NEVER adopt out a dog until / if they are ready. We are not desperate to find homes for our dogs. To us, having a dog come in to rescue is one time too many and we are here to help the next dog in need of us; not flip dogs or rush through any placement.

We are a highly focused special needs Rescue and Miss Volt needed our assistance so badly and she is so deserving!

We do not take in hundreds of applications and then ‘choose’ the best out of those applications. We review completed applications ONLY in the order that they arrive and ONLY a right matched personality fit application shall be approved.

To us at BHRR, she is MORE than worth every dime and to all that have met her to date, they can confirm that this girl is a WOW dog….super special, smart, affectionate, deserving and have I mentioned how stunning she is?!

She is a small female Rottie and yes, her tail was incorrectly docked and to us, she is perfect in all of her imperfections.

BHRR’s Volt, it has been a true honour, privilege and joy having you with us……I shall shed many a tear when it is your time to go yet they will be so worth it!

You are a gift and we know that you will leave an incredible mark on the world!

My final note is a special thanks being shouted out to Alta Vista Animal Hospital…..without you, she would not have even had this opportunity. THANK you for saving her and then entrusting her to BHRR……THANK you to Dr. Philibert for all of his expertise and equal amazing care to her!

Thank you also to Josée Lavoie Pet Photography for the gorgeous pictures!

 
 
 
 

BHRR’s Devaney(6 month old deaf/visually impaired Black Lab). 

She is recovering from her spay from last week and after we get her professional photo’s, she is going to be ready to make her own special announcement!

SO Exciting!!!!

The next in need of us!

4 year old Male Bull Mastiff

Medical: Blown cruciate

Another kind Rescue worked with the O. to get them to cancel the scheduled euthanasia apt. they had made so that they could see if another group could step up to assist.

ETA to BHRR TBD

*NOT AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION*

The BHRR/Boerskins no couch rule in full swing…. 

So much news to catch everyone up on!!

I have been working very long days since Friday…bit longer than usual and so here comes the first of several posts!

BHRR’s Burst(DaneX) had her own special DAY Date on Sunday from our recent annual online date auction fundraiser.

They LOVED her!  I mean, what is not to love and they feel we have aptly named her. 

They loved their visit with her so much so much that they would like to submit an application for members of the BOD to consider when we re-open for adoption application intake.

Thank you to them for giving Miss Burst a wonderful day!!

Someone had her spay today!

Miss Devaney(Deaf/Visually Impaired Black Lab Puppy) had her pre-op bloodwork, was spayed and I microchipped her.

She now weighs just over 45 pounds at 6 months of age.

It was lovely to see her again!!! 

Once she heals from her spay, she will be ready to have her own professional photo session and then to make her own special announcement! 

She is now back home with her foster family.

 

As we continue to receive inquiries and/or applications re: adoptions, we are making yet another blog post – there is one also made on June 8th AND another one made on July 22nd – on all of our adoptable dogs’ blogs re: our current positioning. Our Facebook page and Petfinder also state our present closure for adoption applications.

**WITH COVID-19, WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING/CONSIDERING ANY NEW ADOPTION APPLICATIONS UNTIL AT LEAST SEPTEMBER.**
**DATE SUBJECT TO CHANGE & BE PUSHED FURTHER OUT ONCE AGAIN.**

Please note that we are NOT reviewing nor approving any new applications for approved adoptions until at least September.

We will re-evaluate this closer to that date as to if we need to extend that date.

We will not be accepting any applications or any non-refundable applications fees during this time. 

This is for several reasons:

1) BHRR requires a Vet Reference and as someone who works in animal medicine, I know how absolutely insanely busy we are at this time with our staff/hours. We are NOT going to jam up the phone lines doing vet references when people are trying to get through to make urgent appointments, asking for refills of lifesaving meds, needing prescription food etc.

Additionally, the government has only recently announced that Vet Hospitals can now open up to do non-essential appointments and not only operate on an urgent basis. The backlog to the Vet Hospitals is incredible.

People answering the phones at Vet Hospitals need to be answering the phones for many other reasons. Not for Vet references.

We need to focus on patient care at the Hospital and we respect and understand that other Hospitals need to do the same. We are an essential service and need to be able to provide that service to the best of our abilities and checking Vet references does not fall under that criteria.

2) We cannot nor will we do home-visits. I put my life and my family’s life at risk every day that I go to work to take care of other people’s pets. Doing a home-visit is not responsible nor does it follow the policy set forth from the government that we need to be practising self-isolating to flatten the curve.

Doing a home-visit is not urgent during this COVID-19 pandemic.

At this time, I go to work, utilize the ever dwindling supply of PPE available, I go home, I buy groceries, get gas and that is it for my public appearances. I am thinking NOT only of my dogs, yet, my family and you…I am thinking of all of the other people out there….

3) It does greatly concern us with the number of inquiries coming our way over the past few months with the vast majority being for the wrong reason(s) from people now wanting to adopt.

On a ‘good’ day, we get almost 1,000 emails and about 50 phone calls.

These past several months; we are up to almost 2,000 emails and almost 125 phone calls a day.

People telling us that they now have time on their hands. If you did not have time before you stopped working; what makes you think that you will have time once you go back to work?

Additionally, even with people going on EI; the monies coming in are not the same as if you were working and if you feel that you are struggling to pay bills, buy groceries, how do you feel that you can take on the costs of having a Giant Breed dog?

The average cost – and I have been tracking this since 1996 – of owning a giant breed per year, PRIOR to emergencies is $2,400.

All of this to say; we will not be processing any applications until it is ideal plus safe to do so.

If you send us a completed application along with the non-refundable application fee, we will be responding that we are not accepting nor reviewing applications and when we do feel that it is safe to do so, we shall begin to slowly open up. 

Our Petfinder and home websites as posted are kept up to date and all details re: said dogs are on their individual blogs. Once, we do open up again for new applications, we will remain ONLY responding to completed applications. You would be welcome to re-submit your application along with the non-refundable application fee at that time for members of the BHRR BOD to consider. We will NOT be holding on to your applications nor the non-refundable application fee from now to then. 

**EXCEPTION: We shall no longer be covering the cost of any banking or PayPal fees should people send this non-refundable fee. In May/June, we were out of pocket almost $100 as people were not be mindful. This is much needed money being taken away from the animals as we are covering the fees out of our own pockets and that is money that we would have used for the BHRR animals.**

Asking us what the cost to adopt is or asking to meet a dog; is all information found on our websites. Each BHRR dog has an extremely thorough individual blog that dates back to when they first arrived into Rescue. Emailing or calling us asking for more details, what our adoption fees are, wanting to come and see the dogs are not going to be responded to any longer. We have posted many times over that we are not a pound, shelter or facility and no, you cannot just visit a dog or make an appointment to visit a dog. We are an all Volunteer organization that operates from our own home and that of our approved Foster homes. 

AND yes, we are not other groups – we are NOT going to take chances that our dogs could be set up for failure – and as it is the prerogative of other groups to adopt out during this brutally difficult time, it remains our prerogative to not do so. Our adoption success rates are second to no other group out there – 100% for over 10 years of operating and now 98% as we go through year 24. We will not compromise on our policies, procedures and processes.

We are NOT desperate to adopt out our dogs. All dogs that are deemed adoptable shall ONLY be adopted to right matched personality fit homes that are approved via our thorough adoption screening process.

Thanks!

This handsome love had his special DAY play date today!

BHRR’s Coupe!

I was told how amazing he was and he really is!! 

He has an OVERNIGHT Play Date coming up soon too.

Lucky amazing boy! You deserve to be spoiled and cherished!!

Thank you to Elaine and her family for winning this date in our recent 9th annual online auction and giving him such a wonderful experience! 

Miss Olive (1.5 year old Saint) is settling into her palliative foster home.

Her latest recheck showed that her eyes continue to heal slowly from her bilateral entropion surgery and are doing well! She has eye drops and when she came in for her recheck, I did a thorough clean up on both of them.

She is back for her next recheck in 2-3 weeks time.

Thanks to the generous monies that have been raised through our fundraising efforts, we have her bills for meds/special food covered until October. 

I will also be working on her getting another professional groom session in September. The first one we did was shy of $200 to get her looking and feeling beautiful.

Her monthly bills are just shy of $700 and if anyone would like to consider her cause to support to help us cover October and beyond; 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

Even $5 would mean the world to her and to us! 

 

BHRR’s Nimbus says Gwennie is home!

He is the 14 month old Giant Schnauzer that has a bite history that we took in July 25th.

He very much has lacked boundaries, manners and has felt that he can rule the world. On the flip side, he also did not have his own needs/wants met as they should have been.

From the moment I first brought him home, not once but twice, he has lifted his leg upon first meeting Sean to urinate on him.

He has jumped, mouthed, has demonstrated serious intent to bite – especially where his collar is concerned. He is extremely sensitive/reactive to his collar/neck being touched.

We do not attempt to touch his food or toys at the present, items that he only gets when he is in his crate or in the one fenced in yard or in a room by himself to enjoy. We are a long way off from sharing water bowls too with the other dogs.

When he first arrived, he was wearing a muzzle that his previous O.’s had put upon him – the man in particular was highly fearful of him. We managed to swap out the collar he was wearing to a martingale – as his previous loop collar was ill fitting and he is a big flight risk – and then took the muzzle off.

He has been doing well with his crate training – yet, is reactive in any situation he feels cornered.

He has proven to be excellent with the dogs he has been integrated with to date – BHRR’s Fred – who has his own bite history prior to coming to BHRR; BHRR’s Walter and my two Wolfies, Torin plus Brogan. He has zero issues with BHRR’s Caramel; yet, as always Mr. Caramel feels threatened and worried about any new dog and thinks they may eat him so, he barks at Mr. Nimbus…so, baby steps. Mr. Nimbus was also excellent with BHRR’s Valour may that sweet soul RIP and was the first one to get her to do a bit of a play bounce.

He is riddled with anxiety and has been torn between wanting to hurt me and wanting desperately to trust me and have me take care of him. This picture demonstrates that I am very slowly getting through to him as he was so happy to see me!

Before anyone steps up to impart their own opinions; I have not just a Masters yet a PhD in Psy(behaviour and development) and for many dogs; BHRR is the end of the road. If it were not for us; many a dog would have been euthanised instead of living great quality filled lives……

I am not going to rush out to have him put to sleep due to his behaviour – which is what his breeder wanted his O.’s to do as the breeder refused to take him back, plus the one O. was open to doing. We know many a group wanted him due to his breed; yet, many a group would not have been prepared, experienced, knowledgeable to manage him.

Behaviour is NOT changed; it is modified to be the best behaviour that it can be. Due to his resource issues, he has been allowed to rule his previous home and there was a set up for failure when the one O., who was already fearful of him; attempted to take something away and Mr. Nimbus snapped, made a connection with the O. While the previous O. did not need sutures/staples; he did go on both oral and IV antibiotics.

We take in the special needs, that is our focus – be it medical and/or behavioural and there is no timeline for these often lifetime labour of loves.

He has been moved to our Haven program – will he be moved back; who knows and it does not matter. BHRR has never been about adopting dogs…we have always been about assisting the next one in need of our highly specialised programs and if, said dog could be placed up for adoption, fine; yet, our Haven program is a massive part of what we do.

There is no rush, we are not desperate and though, originally Mr. Nimbus(what we are calling him) developed an early connection to Sean; it is now myself that he is very slowly developing a relationship with.

One small step at a time to get him to realise that trust and respect work both ways; that there shall be rules – we are a positive balanced approached program – that we will be clear and consise in our communication so that there is not any confusion with what we are asking of him.

There shall be structure, consistency, stability, obedience, love, patience and understanding and right now, he is figuring myself out and I am still learning about him.

We do not operate or rule with fear….he is realising that….we do not use prongs, chokes or shock/e-collars. Almost 30 years into working with animals – with knowledge, experience, formal education – 14 years post secondary let alone all of the continued CE.

I am beginning to get genuine nubby tail wags. I am getting more relaxed body expression. I am getting proper eye contact now. I have not been rushed or lunged at in days and he plus I are coming to an understanding…..there are compromises on both sides on some things as we work towards moving from the small picture to the bigger picture and that there shall not not be any compromises on others.

He is learning that his non verbal and verbal cues are being read and listened to. He is learning boundaries. He is learning praise and treats and that his tolerance/threshold is going to be listened too.

We have so much time to work on in expanding appropriate displays of behaviour and for the present, it is Gwennie Dog Boot camp….seeing how happy he was to see me when I arrived home today; small yet, also huge progress is being made…..Setting up for success!

When you get home from work at almost 2:30 AM and this is the first thing you see!

BHRR’s Sleet – one of our three deaf/blind mice completely respecting the ‘no couch rule’! 

What joy/laughter she brings, especially during such a dark time in our hearts right now…. 

The adventures of Miss Devaney, the almost 6 month old Deaf/Visually Impaired black lab puppy continue!

Forget the ‘no couch rule!’ Here she is on the table at her Foster Mama’s!

I am just loving the stories, pictures, video’s of this wee monkey! From being crated 24/7 to this….24/7 adventures!

Her pre-op bloodwork and spay are coming up and we will ensure that she is also microchipped.

Once she heals – she has remained not having any seizures since she arrived into rescue and her neck wounds/burns are all resolved – she will make her own special announcement!

She is such a hoot!

I wanted to extend from my heart, the biggest of humbled thanks to everyone that has extended their kind support over the absolutely horrifying loss of Miss Valour.

Additionally, thank you to the generous loving rescue angels that made a donation in her memory to enable us keep paying off her extensive vet bills. We have had $400 donated. Your thoughtfulness has been deeply appreciative and soul touching….

From our home to all of our friends, family and supporters, wonderful good night wishes are being sent….

BHRR’s Valour
? – Friday July 31st, 2020

I am not new to Rescue – almost 25 years with BHRR. I am not new to medicine – I was a Paramedic for 16 years and now am working in animal medicine for the past 16+ years.

I am not new to working with Danes or Giants – tens of thousands over the past almost 30 years between rescuing, owning, training, doing behavioural modification, rehabilitation etc.

I am not new to working with the special needs. That is our focus, our strength, our mandate.

I am not new to loss, the painful devastating painfilled loss that comes with having to let go or say good-bye to an animal in need.

We are here for the behavioural and/or medical dogs that others cannot or will not take on and as such, our devastating losses are higher than most other groups.

I am not stupid, dumb or uneducated. I even have a Masters and a PhD…. and I have NEVER experienced such a knife stabbing loss like yours BHRR’s Valour.

What I am new to is the not being able to explain nor understand why a dog died less than three hours after we got her home.

I think back to the time of her rescue, the findings I had, the taking her into the Vet the very next day, the emergency surgeries she had the day after that, her post op recovery, how she was when I took her home; how she was when Sean helped me bring her in – she was sluggish – she had a very long day/night; how she was when we settled her into our custom renovated recovery suite, how she was when I took her vitals after she arrived home…making the comment to Sean that she was a bit ‘off’ (we may not have had her long, yet we already were getting to know her); and we knew that she had gone through so much and it really was a really long day/night for her. We knew that she was not 100% well heading into her surgeries.

We got her settled in; I hunkered down in the same room with her ~600 square feet that has been put aside a dogs’ recovery oasis and monitored her closely. Her vitals were good at that time and the plan/recommendation – as it is with all of the dogs recovering; was to see her get settled in, rest and then offer her a bit of food/water and to take her next round of meds. We never got that far.

Shortly; her tongue came out, she turned purple, then blue, panted, flopped over and then died within mere minutes…from the first moment she turned purple, I was calling loudly for Sean and dialing Alta Vista with the other hand, to advise them that we were bringing her in.

We never got to bring her in….she died…..right then and there. It was surreal, it was shocking; it was horrifying.

Guelph college campus was not open for us to drop her off to have a necropsy done as we wanted one done for after she died so fast, she also then had bloody tinged fluid draining rapidly from her nose.

I am shocked, I am stunned….this girl was not just beautiful on the outside; she was beautiful all around.

Truly sweet and after fighting for well over a month to get her to safety in our rescue; she is now dead….

I have questions that I have nor shall ever receive the right answers for; I have regrets, I have doubts and I remain feeling like I have been hit with a ton of bricks….

YOU deserved so much better in your life prior to rescue and I wanted so badly to help you feel better and get the life of kindness, happiness and health that you deeply were so worthy of BHRR’s Valour.

I am still trying to figure out what the lessons are to be had in this tragedy….yet, I do know that when the time comes to help another in need; I will be an even stronger voice…I will work even harder to get the next one into rescue sooner and I will be a much stronger advocate. I will not take a backseat at any point and I am determined to remain front and centre for what is in the best interest of our dogs in need.

I have not slept since Wednesday night…..I am haunted….I am very sorry….just very very very sorry Miss Valour.

You will be remembered as the Dane who was beyond precious, sweet, gentle, wanting so desperately to trust, who began to lean into me with said trust beginning to show. I will always smile when you did a bit of a bounce outside enjoying the grass and sand in early morning sunshine.

Who did what was asked of her, despite her fear/worry….due to that trust and will always forever feel that I did not deserve said precious fragile trust in the end as you died….you died…just saying it, is still brutally difficult.

I am hurting hard and we shall plant a Bleeding Heart bush in your place of eternal rest for my heart shall forever be bleeding and you will forever be in my heart.

We shall not be collecting any more donations for they were to be lifesaving ones….

I will work to pay off her remaining thousands in bills out of my own pocket….

I wish I could understand the ‘why’ of her life, how awful it was prior to rescue……and then extremely short after her arrival into rescue. I wish many more people could have been touched by your incredible beauty and soft spirit……even with you feeling just poorly, being sick, having been horribly treated, it radiated from you…..you were a one in a million special girl…..one in a million….

RIP stunning gorgeous BBBBB Valour…..sorry, is just not enough to say to you with how I feel right now. 

*picture is credit to Rachel Ng*

Someone was a bad baby! 

One five month old mischievous Black Lab puppy named BHRR’s Devaney stole the toilet paper roll at her foster mama’s!! 

Got a good few nibbles in before being busted!!!

She is just thriving!!! Her pre-op bloodwork and spay are coming up soon and about two weeks after that she shall have her own special announcement to make!

She remains not having had one seizure since she arrived into rescue. She is learning sign language and manners.

She has been such a hoot to follow with her antics and sheer love of life plus joy in seeing her having all of these incredible experiences.

From being crated almost 24/7, being placed in a prong and shock collar 24/7 that caused burns and wounds on her neck to living a grand life as any animal should be living makes me so happy for her!

Thank you’s being shouted out once more to her fabu foster family!!