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December 16, 2015 Leave a Comment

Azul

The purpose of this profile is to provide Azul’s prospective adoptive family with what we know about him. Please contact us with any specific questions you might have if it’s not shared below. Thank you! - Kim/CalWEAR

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Name: Azul

Sex: Male, neutered

Age: 6

True birthday: November 2009

Weight: Approximately 65 pounds

Up to date on shots: Yes

Micro chipped: Unknown

Current location: Los Angeles, CA

Azul in Kim’s backyard in November 2015

Azul’s story:

Azul’s family bought him from a pet store as a cute little puppy. As he grew older (and bigger), the family realized they didn’t have enough time or space for him, so Azul spent most of his days in the backyard. That was fine until the family learned they were going to have a baby AND that they had to move from their current home. While Azul’s mom was packing her things, his “grandmother” called us to see if we could take him in. The following day, she dropped him off with his food, bowl, crate, and dog bed.

 

Azul at the vet.

General personality: Azul is a sweet, sweet dog. He’s friendly with people, dogs (large and small), and children. He has been in a few foster homes and has done well in all of his home environments.

 

Physical and health notes: Although fully “mature,” Azul is a very active dog and in excellent physical condition. He’ll do best with an on-the-go type of family who has time to run and play with him.

Dietary notes: Azul does not have any known food allergies. He is currently eating Taste of the Wild, Roasted Fowl blend, 2 cups 2x daily.

House notes: Azul is very reliably housebroken, and fully crate trained. He has not been destructive with anything in his foster homes, and does not appear to be a big chewer. He also hasn’t marked anything in the house.

Obedience Notes: Azul is STRONG and likes to pull on a leash. He will need some leash training.

Temperament notes: Azul does not appear to be an alpha dog and accepts being around other dogs.

 

Azul

Socialization and Exposure Notes:

  • Home environment: Easy keeper , not destructive.
  • Grooming: Fine, smooth coast.
  • Car rides: Has ridden loose in the backseat of an SUV for extended periods (over 45 minute duration) with no adverse reactions. Settles really well; naps or rests for the entire duration. No drooling, no panting, no restlessness. No problem being left in the car alone.
  • Other big dogs: Not reactive towards other big dogs.
  • Small dogs: Not reactive towards other small dogs.
  • Cats: UNKNOWN.
  • Small kids: Good with children.

Please click here if you’d like to be considered as Azul’s next foster or forever home. Azul’s adoption fee is $500.

Last updated: December 16, 2015 by Kim/CalWEAR

 

Azul at his foster home

 

 

Filed Under: Azul
November 17, 2015 Leave a Comment

Sadie Mae

Sadie Mae is a 6 year old spayed female Weimaraner ready for her forever home. She is up to date on her vaccinations and has a valid wellness plan with Banfield Pet Hospital. Sadie Mae currently lives with her Foster family in San Diego with 2 other dogs and 1 cat. Sadie Mae is well socialized with other dogs and already has an active social life. Sadie Mae enjoys an afternoon at one of the many off-leash dog parks. She has good recall at the park and tends to stay with her pack. She loves to walk. She will walk alone or with a pack.

Sadie Mae came to CalWEAR from Norco Animal Shelter. Sadie Mae’s owner passed away and the next of kin surrendered her to the shelter. While at the shelter, Sadie Mae had a mass removed from her face. She now has a fully healed scar on the left side of her face. She recently (10/18) had another mass removed from her left side above her leg. The histology report came back that the mass was a Benign Mass Cell Tumor. She is fully healed from the procedure and doing well. She did not mind the cone or when the sutures needed to be examined/removed. She is a very tolerant dog. If you would like to support Sadie Mae and donate to her medical expenses, visit www.youcaring.com/SadieMae

When first placed, it appeared as if Sadie was experiencing difficulty urinating and holding her urine. After tests and re-learning potty training, she is on medication for Incontinence. Her daily medication regimen and bathroom schedule have been successful in treating her Incontinence. The vet said there may be a chance she is incontinent due to her long stay at the shelter but only time and stability will tell.

Sadie Mae is a calming force and polite. She loves to rest her head on your lap to let you know she is ready for pets. She is well aware of personal space and is not an overbearing cuddle bug. She will make a great companion for an already established pack. She is not a fan of getting on furniture but will sleep on a comfy dog bed. Sadie does not seem to be too interested in toys. She loves bones, antlers, bully sticks, etc. However, she is not a bored chewer. She has only chewed on appropriate bones.

Sadie Mae loves children. She is already sweet and gentle with adults and other dogs that she has no problem with children. She is also curious about cats. Since she lives with one, she is getting daily exposure to appropriate social interaction.

Sadie Mae has great recall and knows her name, both in public and at home. She is being re-trained to understand common commands with hand signals. She is food motivated and is more obedient when treats are involved. She is also great in the car and out in public. She has already attended various happy hours, play dates, dog parties and beaches with friends in the San Diego dog community.

To see more of Sadie Mae and her adventures in San Diego with her Foster sisters, follow @DivaandSonata on Instagram or stay posted here on the CalWEAR Facebook page.

Filed Under: Available Dogs, Sadie Mae
October 14, 2015 Leave a Comment

Scarlett

SCARLETT UPDATE (AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION!): We are so pleased to share that Scarlett is healthy, happy, socialized, trained and READY TO BE ADOPTED! Read on for more information about this amazing puppy who beat all the odds during 21 days in intensive care, and visit www.CalWEAR.org to submit an adoption application!

Age: Approximately 6 months (estimated DOB 4/6/2015).

Breed: Although Scarlett appeared to be a purebred Weimaraner until 4.5 months of age, it turns out Scarlett is a Weim/American Bulldog mix. She has lots of Weimaraner traits (scenting and tracking, using paws in a feline manner, problem solving aka committing minor/silly “Weim Crimes”), but is more easygoing and less vocal than a typical Weim puppy.Sex: Intact female (Scarlett’s veterinary team recommends waiting until she is 12 months old to spay her; consult with us if there is a need to spay her sooner).

Location: Southern California (Los Angeles/Orange County)

Vaccination status: Up-to-date on all vaccinations (copies of all medical and vaccination records to be provided at time of adoption).

Health status: Although she acts like a normal 6-month old puppy — she plays with and chases dogs, tennis balls and toys without fatigue or breathing issues — Scarlett has residual scarring of her lungs due to her bout with severe pneumonia. (Her veterinarian puts it this way: “Scarlett has the lungs of a 15-year-old Great Dane who has smoked its whole life.” This is hyperbole, but her lungs don’t look great on x-ray when compared to a dog who has not triumphed over severe bronchopneumonia with pneumothorax and pleural effusion!) This means that not only should she not be taken running or exercised excessively, she must always be current on vaccinations — especially canine influenza and Bordatella — and should not be socialized or kenneled/boarded in environments where respiratory ailments (e.g., kennel cough) are prevalent (e.g., daycare and boarding facilities, veterinary hospitals). There is a possibility that Scarlett could experience recurrent pneumonia if exposed to respiratory illnesses. For these reasons her adoptive family must be willing and able to provide routine veterinary exams and vaccinations and take measures to protect and monitor Scarlett’s respiratory status.

Socialization: Scarlett was initially shy and a bit overwhelmed by the world outside of the hospital, but is now confident, outgoing and social. That said, she prefers to be the one to approach new people as opposed to having them run up to and touch her. NOTE: She “submissively urinates” when reunited with her people (even after short absences) and during particularly exciting encounters with new people. We think she will grow out of this.

Temperament: LOVE BUG. Scarlett is affectionate with people and dogs (see kisses, above), and loves to be close to her people. Like any puppy, she enjoys alternating play with naps and LOVES to eat. She is quiet, obedient, curious, playful, sweet, loving and an utter joy to be around. (She can also be adorably naughty like any other puppy, but is not destructive.)

Status with other dogs: Scarlett absolutely LOVES all dogs and is very social and appropriately playful. She is a favorite at the dog park, where she plays well and gives kisses to every dog and human.

Status with cats: Scarlett has been in a foster home with kittens (now adolescent cats) and loves to play with them. While she is generally gentle, she is an exuberant puppy who doesn’t always know her size and strength. Therefore she should not be left unsupervised with cats.

Crate training: Scarlett can be left in a crate/kennel for up to 3 hours, and is known to retreat to her crate at whim. NOTE: In her foster homes she has slept on the bed and has been allowed on the sofa. She likes to mix up her sleeping areas, moving from floor to dog bed to crate to human bed to sofa and so on and so forth.

Potty training: Scarlett is fully potty trained

Leash training: Walks well on a leash attached to a flat collar. She doesn’t pull and has not needed a Gentle Leader or Easy Walk Harness. (NOTE: CHOKE AND/OR PINCH/PRONG COLLARS ARE NOT TO BE USED ON SCARLETT.)

Commands: Sit, stay, come, go to your bed, go to your crate, “nuh-uh-uh” (no). Currently working on mastering “off”, “leave it” and the “find it” game.

Words: In addition to the above, Scarlett knows “treat”, “park”, and “do you want…”

Favorites: Bully sticks, chasing and playing in the stream from the garden hose, playing at the dog park, giving kisses, smiling, digging, treats, toys, sunbathing.

Car rides: She’s an angel. She’ll sit by an open window and take in the smells but usually lies down and sleeps during car rides.

Quirks: Picks up her food bowl and carries it around after finishing meals. Occasionally relocates items such as blankets, wine bottles (!) and clothing.

Any other questions? Just ask!

xoxo,

Team CalWEAR

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The #savingscarlett campaign:

Scarlett’s Story

Scarlett is approximately 3 months old and is a Weimaraner with a natural (undocked) tail and a white patch on her chest. She was left for dead on the streets of Los Angeles and impounded as a stray at a San Fernando Valley animal shelter on July 6, 2015. She was critically ill and was presumed to have Parvovirus, so she was scheduled for euthanasia.

That’s when a volunteer with Best Friends Animal Society of LA reached out to California Weimaraner Education and Rescue (CalWEAR.org) to help give Scarlett a much-deserved chance at recovery and a forever home.

Rescuing Scarlett

On July 8, a network of Best Friends and CalWEAR volunteers took possession of Scarlett and transported her from the San Fernando Valley shelter to Bay Animal Hospital in Manhattan Beach, where a wonderful veterinarian and his team of technicians donated their services to give Scarlett a full work up and come up with a treatment plan.

When Scarlett arrived at Bay Animal Hospital she was covered in blood, vomit and diarrhea, and was very weak and laboring hard to breathe. X-rays revealed that she had pneumonia but she tested negative for Distemper and Parvo.

Volunteers then transported Scarlett to a nearby 24-hour critical care hospital where she was immediately admitted and started on IV antibiotics, fluids, proteins, and medications for nausea and pain. A nasal tube delivered oxygen while nebulizer and physio treatments addressed the debris in Scarlett’s lungs.

Scarlett’s 21-Day Hospitalization

As of July 17, Scarlett’s gastrointestinal infection had completely resolved but she was fighting a SEVERE case of pneumonia with recurring pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs) and pneumothorax (collapsed lungs). She needed intervention. So on July 17, volunteers check Scarlett out of Advanced Veterinary Care Center (to the tune of $11,335.00) and transported her to VCA West Los Angeles where she underwent a CT scan, bronchoscopy and surgery to place tubes in her chest. These tubes drained air and fluid from around Scarlett’s lungs and helped to keep them inflated.

However, as of July 24, Scarlett’s left lung remained collapsed and she was scheduled for major surgery on Monday, July 27; specifically an exploratory thoracotomy with probable lung lobectomy/ies and/or left pneumonectomy.

As a last-ditch Hail Mary effort, on July 24 we elected to pay $100 (a drop in the bucket at that point) for Scarlett to undergo a blood pleurodesis in hopes that it would help heal the leak(s) in her lung(s) and prevent her from having to undergo a surgery that we weren’t sure we could fund. Blood pleurodesis, which is well-documented in humans but not in animals, involves injecting a patient’s own blood into his or her chest cavity, where the factors in the blood (hopefully) form a “patch” over the leak(s). It was a long shot for Scarlett because she still had fluid around her lungs that could dilute the effectiveness of the blood, but we proceeded because the procedure was painless and non-invasive. And then we prayed. A lot.

Imagine our surprise and delight when, 24 hours later, Scarlett was barely leaking any air from her lungs. By the next morning (Sunday, July 26), the leakage had completely stopped and Scarlett’s status on the next day’s surgery schedule was changed from “confirmed” to “tentative”.

By Monday morning, July 27, Scarlett’s doctors were so pleased with her progress that her surgery was canceled, her chest tubes were removed, and she was downgraded from “critical” to “boarding” in the ICU.

On Tuesday, July 28, CalWEAR volunteers busted Scarlett out of the hospital and took her to her foster home, where she is being closely monitored and cared for. She will be on several medications for at least a month; is being nebulized twice a day for the next two weeks; and will be having weekly blood work and chest x-rays. But most of all, Scarlett is receiving all the love and attention she — and every animal — deserves.

Every Donation Counts

Whatever you can donate — even a dollar — has gone and will continue to go directly to pay Scarlett’s actual hospital bills.

Scarlett’s bill at Advanced Veterinary Care came to $11,335 and her bill at VCA West Los Angeles was $13,597.06. Of the $24,932.06 spent to save Scarlett’s life, $8,728 was paid with YouCaring donations netted as of 2 p.m. on July 28 (WePay takes a percentage of each and every donation). The rest was paid with volunteer’s own personal funds. (Three volunteers paid, via credit cards, $10,397.06; $807; and $5,000 respectively.)

It is CalWEAR’s goal to repay the volunteers who put up their own money to save Scarlett and get her on her way to her forever home. (For more about CalWEAR’s financial model and rescue philosophy, please see the update posted on July 28. And for more information about CalWEAR, its mission and not-for-profit status, please visit CalWEAR.org.)

THANK YOU for loving Scarlett. She is truly a miracle and quite literally could not have made it this far without your generous contributions. But her recovery and fundraising journey isn’t over yet. Scarlett needs your continued support, whether that is in the form of good thoughts, prayers, donations and/or sharing her story far and wide.

Link to Scarlett’s fund on our YouCaring account, here.

Link to PayPal to make a direct contribution, here.

Again, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Filed Under: Available Dogs, SCarlett
September 6, 2015 4 Comments

Bob

The purpose of this profile is to provide Bob’s prospective adoptive family with what we know about him. Please contact us with any specific questions you might have if it’s not shared below. Thank you! - Kim/CalWEAR

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Name: Bob

Sex: Male, neutered

Age: 6-8

True birthday: Unknown

Weight: Approximately 55 pounds (and at least 5 pounds underweight)

Up to date on shots: Yes

Micro chipped: Yes

Current location: Los Angeles, CA

Bob and his foster mom, en route to meet a prospective new family. (It didn’t work out.)

Bob’s story:

Bob’s former owner used him and another Weim as a breeding pair to produce 4-5 litters out in the sticks (Lancaster, CA). Once their breeding careers were over, she dumped them both at the local shelter as “strays.” Of course, they were micro-chipped (back to the person who surrendered them), but by law, they needed to sit there for 21 days anyway, just in case the owners changed their minds and wanted them back. During this time, Bob missed his buddy, was super stressed out in a shelter environment, and stopped eating. The girl was spayed and went to another rescue. Bob couldn’t be neutered because he had a scrotal hernia, so we ended up getting him neutered ourselves after we got him out. The poor boy just wants to be loved. Not a barker. Not a whiner. Either crate trained or doesn’t mind being stuffed into one. Wags his tail at the kitties. Actually, wags his tail at EVERYTHING. He’s just grateful to be here. So for now, he’s kickin’ it with us.

There are lots of special moments in rescue. One of them: cutting off the “shelter ID” from a Weim who has busted out.

General personality: Perhaps it’s his age, but Bob is a sweet, sweet dog. He likes to follow his people around the house, not to get in the way of what they’re doing, but just to be near them. He likes to be underfoot while the humans work on their computers, do some gardening, or watch television.

Physical and health notes: Bob is underweight, so he’s currently getting breakfast, lunch and dinner. His tail is docked, and dewclaws are removed. Bob has clean ears, but his teeth are worn down and he’s had a few little lumps removed. Bob also has a scrotal hernia, but we expect that will eventually go away. In the meantime, it doesn’t seem to bother him. Generally speaking, Bob’s in good health and we expect that he still has many good years ahead of him.

Dietary notes: Bob does not have any known food allergies. He is currently eating Taste of the Wild, Roasted Fowl blend, 2 cups 3x daily.

House notes: Bob is very reliably housebroken, and either crate trained or doesn’t mind being in one. So far, has not been destructive with anything in his foster home, and does not appear to be a big chewer. He also hasn’t marked anything in the house.

Obedience Notes: Bob is good on a leash and doesn’t pull.

Temperament notes: Bob does not appear to be an alpha dog and accepts being around other dogs. He’s currently sharing a foster home with three female Weimaraners; two of them are ALPHA and neither give him a hard time.

Bob in the backyard on the deck. Skinny boy.

Socialization and Exposure Notes:

  • Home environment: Easy keeper , not destructive.
  • Grooming: Coarse coat, we are conditioning with coconut oil.
  • Car rides: Has ridden loose in the backseat of an SUV for extended periods (over 45 minute duration) with no adverse reactions. Settles really well; naps or rests for the entire duration. No drooling, no panting, no restlessness. No problem being left in the car alone.
  • Other big dogs: Not reactive towards other big dogs.
  • Small dogs: Not reactive towards other small dogs.
  • Cats: UNKNOWN. Bob is good with cats.
  • Small kids: Unknown, but our best guess is that Bob’s Bgood with children.

Please click here if you’d like to be considered as Bob’s next foster or forever home. Bob’s adoption fee is $500.

Last updated: November 11, 2015 by Kim/CalWEAR

 

Bob at his foster home

Bob’s original ad from the Lancaster Animal Shelter

 

Filed Under: Adopted Dogs
July 10, 2015 Leave a Comment

Save Scarlett

Welcome! This page is a duplicate of the “updates” page on Scarlett’s YouCaring site. Please feel free to leave Scarlett a message, below! Xoxo, Team CalWEAR

08/02/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Sunday, August 2: Relapse

Apologies for not posting an update in a few days. We were taking x-rays of Scarlett’s chest and getting opinions from a radiologist and Scarlett’s critical care and internal medicine specialists.

We are approaching another very difficult junction in Scarlett’s journey. Although she has been enjoying being a non-hospitalized puppy — the easiest, most well behaved puppy at that, according to her foster parents — Scarlett’s breathing has become more rapid and labored and x-rays show that her pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs) and pneumothorax (air leakage from the lungs into the chest cavity) have recurred. This means that the blood pleurodesis was only a temporary fix.

We can and will have the air and fluid removed if Scarlett’s breathing deteriorates further, but her doctors agree that she most likely does have an abscess and/or necrosis in her lung(s) and the major surgery we avoided last week [i.e., a thoracotomy with probable removal of portion(s) of her lung(s)] is inevitable.

We have completely exhausted our donations and volunteers’ own personal funds to pay for Scarlett’s 21 days of intensive care. Surgery seems like an impossibility at this point. We are applying for a donation match from a pet food company but it is a long shot.

We so appreciate your love for Scarlett and your contributions to her care. If you are comfortable doing so, please SHARE this fundraiser with anyone (everyone) you think might be able to help. We are also open to your fundraising and donation ideas and connections. Auctions, sales of donated merchandise… anything that can help raise another $10,000 (!!!) for Scarlett’s surgery. She has come so far and is enjoying life. We don’t want to have to let this special girl go.

With love and gratitude,

- Team CalWEAR

P.S. Please visit www.Facebook.com/CalWEAR for photos of Scarlett enjoying life out of the hospital. She loves shoes!

07/28/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Tuesday, July 28: A Message from CalWEAR’s Co-Founders

SCARLETT HAS BUSTED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL!!!!!!!

And now, a brief (or not so brief, sorry) message from your CalWEAR co-founders, Kim and Anne:

When we launched CalWEAR last year, we had a goal of sustaining a financially solvent operation. In other words, we weren’t here for the million dollar dog. CalWEAR was built on the philosophy that we were best utilized assisting Weimaraners who were generally healthy and of stable mind, and who just needed a little boost to get to where they were going. Over the last 14 months, we were able to quietly and steadily assist 36 Weimaraners without any fundraising. Not because we didn’t want the help, but because our model was getting by without it.

Enter Scarlett.

CalWEAR committed to getting Scarlett out of the East Valley shelter, but when it was determined that she was very, very ill and there wasn’t much we could do unless we had a LOT of money to put down, we tasked ourselves with buying her some French fries and just being with her until her time was up.

Enter an angel. With wings. And this angel said, “I don’t care how much it costs, I want to see if she will respond to the next 24 hours of treatment.” With this angel’s financial commitment, we were able to get Scarlett to Advanced Veterinary Care Center, where she was under 24/7 surveillance and treatment. Simultaneously, CalWEAR launched its first-ever crowd-funding campaign here at You Caring so that she would have a chance should she require continued hospitalization and treatments. A team was set up to monitor Scarlett’s progress and every evening we made the decision as to whether or not it was in Scarlett’s best interest to continue treatment and, if so, if we could fund it.

On Saturday, July 17, we got the call that Scarlett was not doing well. To make matters worse, we knew that we had exhausted every penny that had been donated and were already into our personal funds to pay Scarlett’s bill. With a broken heart, we authorized the team to let Scarlett go.

You know what happened next.

A Hail Mary effort that day bought Scarlett another day. And then another. And another.

And then yesterday, we got the call that surgery was NOT REQUIRED and Scarlett would be discharged TODAY. We broke down in tears of relief and joy.

We’re not out of the woods, but with Scarlett out of the hospital we know we’ve come a long way.

From all of us at CalWEAR, thank you, thank you, thank you. (We know who you all are and you will be getting hand-written thank you notes full of lipstick kisses, soon.)

We may not be able to save them all but today, WE SAVED SCARLETT.

Please visit www.Facebook.com/CalWEAR for videos of Scarlett’s freedom ride and her having a blast at her foster home. And if you are interested in adopting Scarlett, please go to www.CalWEAR.org for our adoption application and guidelines.

With SO much love and gratitude,

Kim & Anne
CalWEAR Co-Founders

07/27/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Monday, July 27: Oh Happy Day!

Scarlett continues to prove, time and again, what a little miracle she is. Her lungs are healing so well that her medical team has decided that she does NOT need surgery for the foreseeable future! Scarlett’s chest tubes were removed this morning, after which she RAN around the critical care unit “like a crazy puppy”. She was play bowing, jumping around and behaving exactly like a healthy, happy 3 month old Weimaraner.

Scarlett will remain in the hospital tonight for observation to make sure that there are no complications following the removal of her chest tubes. Unless something unexpected happens, she is scheduled to be discharged to her foster home tomorrow (Tuesday) evening.

Scarlett’s lungs will probably never be normal. Her left lung lobe may never re-inflate (which may never be a problem) and she will most likely have some scarring from the pneumonia and pneumothorax. But we and her doctors are cautiously optimistic that she will have enough residual lung function to live a perfectly normal, happy life.

Things we are watching for from here on out are the health of Scarlett’s collapsed upper left lung lobe; recurrent pneumonia; and a possible genetic immune problem (leukocyte adhesion deficiency). She has not yet been tested for the latter, but she will be if her pneumonia returns.

It will be some time before Scarlett is healthy enough to be safely vaccinated, so she won’t be able to immediately go to training classes, the dog park or areas where dogs socialize, but we have plenty of fun activities planned for her in the meantime.

We’ll be sure to post another update tomorrow (and going forward) to let you know how Miss Scarlett is doing. And as always, please visit www.Facebook.com/CalWEAR for photos and videos of Scarlett in action.

xoxo,

Team CalWEAR

07/27/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Sunday, July 26: The miracle of blood pleurodesis?

We can hardly believe it, but the “patch” procedure (blood pleurodesis) that was performed on Scarlett on Friday seems to be working. By Saturday evening (just 24 hours after the procedure) there was barely any air leaking from Scarlett’s lungs and, as of this evening, there is NONE. To test this trend, Scarlett’s chest tubes won’t be suctioned until Monday morning, after which imaging studies will be done to see what her lungs look like.

Scarlett’s entire medical team will be meeting Monday morning to discuss her case and next steps, but it is entirely possible that she won’t need surgery (at least not immediately) and be discharged to her foster home Monday evening.

Scarlett continues to do great without oxygen supplementation; is now taking all of her medications via mouth (no more IVs, hooray!); and is eating and drinking like a champ. She is bright, curious, active and playful. And the sweetest thing ever. The staff in the critical care unit have been referring to her as their mascot and therapy dog. She socializes with every person on the floor and checks on all of her fellow patients. We don’t think it’s a stretch to think she could be a certified therapy dog someday…

To everyone who has contributed to Scarlett’s cause, THANK YOU. The positive thoughts, prayers and donations have literally saved this little girl’s life. But the fight isn’t over yet. Scarlett *may* have long term respiratory concerns and *will* require close monitoring and veterinary care for the foreseeable future. We have some whopper hospital bills to pay now and, if Scarlett does require surgery, in the future. You have been so generous and we are so grateful that you have championed Scarlett and shared her story.

We’ll be sure to post another update on Monday after we meet with Scarlett’s doctors. In the meantime, please keep those fingers and paws crossed!

xoxo,

Team CalWEAR

P.S. Please visit the CalWEAR Facebook page for the latest photos of Miss Scarlett. She may have committed another Weim Crime this weekend. www.Facebook.com/CalWEAR

07/24/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Friday, July 24: Surgery…

The rate of air leakage from Scarlett’s lungs has not decreased, so she is indeed going to need surgery. We have (narrowly and on faith) figured out a way to proceed with it on Monday, July 27, when VCAWLA’s full complement of surgeons and internal medicine specialists can perform and consult on the procedure and post-operative care.

We have carefully considered and thoroughly evaluated the risks, benefits and costs of the surgery versus maintaining the expensive holding pattern of the status quo. Surgery is no small undertaking and we are only proceeding because it is Scarlett’s best chance for a full recovery and happy forever after.

Scarlett will remain hospitalized over the weekend, during which time she *may* receive a minor, non-invasive and relatively inexpensive treatment that *might* help the to heal the leak(s) in her lung(s) by recruiting Scarlett’s own blood cells to “patch” them. It is a long shot but it may be worth a try.

We are hoping and praying harder than ever that Scarlett’s lungs might heal enough over the weekend to prevent her from needing surgery on Monday. Wouldn’t that be a miracle!

We are so incredibly grateful for the continued and renewed support for Scarlett. The social media shares and reposts are helping to spread her story far and wide and we are in awe of the number of people who are rooting for little Miss Scarlett. We are buoyed by the uptick in donations and are beyond grateful for every dollar. Every cent goes directly to pay Scarlett’s hospital bills.

Please continue to keep Scarlett in your thoughts this weekend. We will keep you updated here and on Facebook, where you can see photos and videos of Scarlett in action. www.Facebook.com/CalWEAR

With full and hopefuly hearts,

Team CalWEAR

07/23/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Thursday, July 23: Please Keep Scarlett in Your Thoughts

Today brings mixed news about Miss Scarlett. Although she is off oxygen and continuous suction, her oxygen saturation has declined and her left lung is still leaking air. Today’s x-rays reveal that while her pneumonia has improved overall, one of her left lung lobes is still heavily consolidated and collapsed.

The remainder of Scarlett’s lung culture report came back yesterday evening, and explains why her pneumonia is so severe and persistent. She is infected with some nasty organisms! One of her antibiotics has been switched to something a bit more specific to her bugs, and we are hoping this helps. However we can’t say if it will make a difference in healing Scarlett’s left lung, as Scarlett was already on great antibiotics.

The plan is to continue with intermittent manual suction of Scarlett’s chest tubes and hope and pray that the amount of air leakage declines enough in the next 12-24 hours to indicate that her lung is healing. Otherwise Scarlett will require surgery to remove the diseased/defective lung lobe(s); surgery that we simply do not have the funds to pay for.

We are doing everything we can medically to prevent the need for surgery and your continued thoughts, prayers and support are greatly appreciated. Scarlett has come SO far and we want to see her live the full and happy life she deserves.

With gratitude,

Team CalWEAR

07/22/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Wednesday, July 22: Oh Happy Day!

Although Scarlett wasn’t able to be weaned off of oxygen yesterday, as of this morning she is no longer on oxygen and is doing just fine without it!

Scarlett’s arterial blood gas values are MUCH improved from yesterday; so much so that her critical care team “is happier than a pig in mud” (direct quote). The values are not yet normal, but they are getting there.

The plan is to discontinue continuous (mechanical) chest tube suction this evening in favor of intermittent, manual suction throughout the night. If Scarlett’s fluid output is significantly decreased tomorrow, the chest tubes will be removed, after which chest x-rays will be taken.

If Scarlett’s chest tubes are removed tomorrow and she is continuing to improve on Friday, she could be discharged then.

Although there are a lot of “if/then” statements in this update, the bottom line is that Scarlett turned the corner yesterday. She is brighter and more energetic; is breathing much easier; and is acting more and more like the three month old puppy she is. We had a great visit with her yesterday evening during which we were able to hold her in our laps, walk her around the critical care unit, and play a little. We also received lots of kisses. (Note: She now has normal puppy breath!)

To all of you who have been following and sharing Scarlett’s story, keeping her in your thoughts and prayers, and making and encouraging donations: THANK YOU. Scarlett’s recovery is nothing short of miraculous and would not be possible without YOU and this community of supporters.

But it isn’t over yet. We still have enormous hospital bills to pay, and Scarlett is still recovering. Once she is discharged from the hospital, Scarlett will need continue veterinary care and monitoring (exams, medications, x-rays, blood work, and nebulizer and coupage treatments), as well as foster care.

Please help us keep the fundraising momentum going so that we can reach our goal and ensure that Scarlett doesn’t relapse due to a lack of funds.

Again, THANK YOU. We — and Scarlett — are so very grateful.

Team CalWEAR

07/21/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Tuesday, July 21

First, THANK YOU for the continued support. Every share, good thought, prayer and donation makes all the difference for little Scarlett. It is incredible to think that less than three days ago we were going to have to take Scarlett home to be euthanized. Thanks to her supporters — and her incredible spirit and resilience — Scarlett is alive, stable and continuing to make steps toward recovery.

Scarlett’s chest tubes are continuing to do their job of draining fluid from around her lungs and keeping them inflated, and our little miss is eating, drinking, going potty normally, wagging her tail and asking for belly rubs. (When the nurses take Scarlett out of her cage to walk around, she rolls over and presents her belly to be rubbed. Too cute!) Later today we will have some additional blood test results that will give us an indication of how Scarlett’s lungs are healing, after which her doctors will decide whether to take chest x-rays today or tomorrow.

The goal for today is to wean Scarlett off of oxygen. This will make a big difference in our ability to fund her care, so please keep fingers and paws crossed that Scarlett’s lungs cooperate with today’s plan!

We had a great visit with Scarlett last evening and can’t wait to see her again tonight.

With love and gratitude,

Team CalWEAR

07/20/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Monday, July 20

Little Miss Scarlett is still fighting a very good fight. Her chest tubes are doing their job of draining fluid and keeping her lungs fully inflated. Scarlett is breathing comfortably, albeit still with the assistance of oxygen. After trying to wean her off oxygen a couple of times in the past 36 hours, her doctors have decided to wait another day before trying to wean her again.

Scarlett continues to require ICU care but she is stable and, overall, all signs point to her moving toward recovery. She is eating, going potty normally, wagging her tail and sleeping a lot thanks to pain medication. Specialized blood tests show no indication of irreparable damage to her lungs or heart.

When we visited Scarlett Sunday evening she was VERY happy to see us! She vocalized, wagged her tail like crazy, and asked for lots of belly rubs (which she very well got)! We were able to sit with her for an hour and pet her through the port holes in her oxygen cage. She slept on an off, apparently dreaming of running, swimming and/or counter surfing because her paws were very busy!

Scarlett is a staff favorite at VCAWLA, just as she was at AVCC. It is not hard to fall in love with such a sweet, innocent and STRONG little puppy. She has come so far in the past 12 days. We just need to find a way to fund her care at VCAWLA until she is off oxygen and can be cared for at considerably less expense. Her life is hanging in the balance as we scrape together every penny to pay for each day of her care.

THANK YOU for your continued support; for sharing Scarlett’s story; and for donating to her care. PLEASE KEEP IT UP! We’ve said it before and are saying it again: It is because of YOU that Scarlett is not only alive, but is on the road to recovery and her happy forever after.

With love, gratitude and hope,

Team CalWEAR

**Please visit us on Facebook for photos and videos of Little Miss Scarlett: www.facebook.com/CalWEAR

07/19/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Update: Saturday, July 18

Today was a very emotional day during which, for a few hours, it appeared that our only option was to take Scarlett home, feed her a last meal, hold her in our arms, tell her she is loved and a very good girl, and have her compassionately euthanized.

We are THRILLED and RELIEVED to report that instead, Scarlett is currently stable and resting comfortably at VCA West Los Angeles (VCAWLA), where her doctors have gathered some promising information about her prognosis. (More about this below.) THIS IS THANKS TO YOUR GENEROUS DONATIONS as well as the volunteers who put down their own personal credit cards to pay Scarlett’s hospital bills and admission deposits.

We have updated the gallery with images of Scarlett’s bills, estimates and deposits so as to be COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT about the fact that your donations are going directly to Advanced Veterinary Care Center (AVCC) and VCAWLA to pay for Scarlett’s care. Scarlett’s bill for her 10 days of hospitalization at AVCC was $11,335, of which we were able to pay all but $3,264 today. [We have until August 8 to pay the remaining balance, which is expected to be reduced to $997 when they confirm CalWEAR’s 501(c)(3) not-for-profit paperwork and apply a 20% rescue discount to the bill.]

Today we also paid a $3,000 deposit to admit Scarlett to VCAWLA for a CT scan, bronchoscopy with biopsy, and placement of chest tubes to continuously remove fluid and air from Scarlett’s chest to keep her lungs inflated and more functional. These procedures, which were performed under general anesthesia, are estimated at $3,000 and Scarlett will need to be hospitalized at VCAWLA for an as-yet-to-be-determined number of days at an estimated additional cost of $800-$1,000 per day.

So… What happened today?

The condition of Scarlett’s lungs became more emergent overnight and by noon today it was time to either gather more (and expensive) diagnostic information to help us decide whether it was in Scarlett’s best interest to potentially intervene with surgery (and determine if that was even possible given her condition and the expense), OR compassionately euthanize Scarlett because we weren’t sure we could fund the diagnostic tests, let alone surgery.

After many tears and phone calls, we decided (and figured out a way) to at least take Scarlett to VCAWLA for diagnostic tests so that we would know what she/we were facing. The appropriateness of this decision was immediately confirmed when we picked up Scarlett from AVCC. She wagged her tail in excitement to see us and, during the 60 minute car ride to VCAWLA, was mesmerized by the rain on the car windows and the movement of the windshield wipers (she had probably not seen rain in her short 3 months of life); delighted in sniffing fresh air through the car’s air vents; and (because she is teething) tried to chew up a few things in the car. Aside from her compromised lungs, she is alert and curious; enjoys being held and petted; is showing improved blood values each day; and has completely cleared her gastrointestinal infection. She wants to live and has tremendous strength and spirit.

Although final/confirmed results of today’s CT scan and bronchoscopy will not be back from radiology and pathology until probably Monday, Scarlett’s doctors at VCAWLA see no indication at this point that she will need surgery. (PHEW!!!) Their impression is that she has a severe case of pneumonia that can at this point be treated with the chest tubes that were put in today and the continuation of antibiotics and nebulizer and coupage treatments. Everyone’s hope is that by keeping Scarlett’s lungs fully inflated via chest tubes, her lungs can expel the gunk and antibiotics and Scarlett’s immune system can better reach and clear the infection. However, please keep in mind that this information and plan is preliminary and could change if the radiologist’s and pathologist’s final reports are different from what was observed during today’s procedures.

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for making it possible for Scarlett to receive some encouraging tests and continued care as opposed to having to go to the Rainbow Bridge at only three months of age and without anyone knowing if she could have survived if we only had funds to pay for her care.

BUT WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP. Please share Scarlett’s story, YouCaring page and updates (www.YouCaring.com/SaveScarlett) with anyone and everyone you think might be able to donate even $1. Every bit counts and is making all the difference in giving Scarlett the happy forever after she deserves.

Please also visit and share the CalWEAR Facebook page (www.facebook.com/CalWEAR) for photos and video from Scarlett’s car ride to VCAWLA today.

We will visit Scarlett tomorrow and will keep you updated in the meantime.

With love, hope and gratitude,

Team CAlWEAR

07/17/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Breaking News: Friday, July 17 1:00 p.m. PT

We just got off the phone with Scarlett’s doctors, who report that she has developed another pneumothorax (i.e., her left lung is collapsed and leaking air into her chest cavity). They are proceeding with removing the air and some accumulated fluid now.

This points toward a more urgent need for surgery, as well as a need to keep her at the critical care hospital as long as she is requiring these procedures.

Please keep sending good thoughts, prayers and donations. Scarlett needs them.

07/17/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Friday, July 17

Thanks for your patience with the lack of updates yesterday. We wanted to be sure we had the most current, comprehensive information and a game plan before we shared it here.

THE GOOD NEWS: Scarlett is stable. She continues to eat and is alert and wagging her tail a little more each day. She is so strong a sweet, and tolerates her treatments without complaint. Yesterday she even barked at a dog that was being walked by her isolation room! And last night she spent about 30 seconds trying to shred one of her potty pads before she decided it was time for bed. It is great to see this mischievous puppy behavior.

THE BAD NEWS: Scarlett’s breathing is still very labored, her blood proteins are still very low, and her lungs are not clearing. There is *slight* improvement to her right lung each day, but her left lung remains FULLY OBSTRUCTED there is still a small amount of fluid around it. Her white blood cell count is very, very high, indicating that her immune system is trying very hard to attack her pneumonia.

Based on her symptoms, x-rays, ultrasounds and blood work, Scarlett most likely has an abscess and/or necrosis (cell and tissue death) in her left lung, neither of which will resolve with medication. THE ONLY TREATMENT IS MAJOR SURGERY; specifically, a thorachotomy with lobectomy to remove the pus and diseased tissue. This is very expensive and is risky given that she has pneumonia. However, in the big picture Scarlett will not recover without surgery.

We are getting estimates and a second opinion for surgery, and are putting our heads together to figure out how to fund it and when to proceed with it.

In the meantime — and to manage the costs of Scarlett’s continued hospitalization (her bill is currently at about $8,000 with the 20% rescue discount applied) — we plan to transfer Scarlett to Bay Animal Hospital for monitoring and treatment on weekdays. Volunteers will monitor and care for her at their home at night and on weekends. As long as Scarlett continues to eat, tolerate oral antibiotics and breathe without oxygen, we can care for her this way until surgery is possible.

WE NEED YOUR HELP. Please spread the word about Scarlett to encourage continued donations. It is because of your generosity and support that Scarlett is not only alive, but is a different puppy than the one we took in last Wednesday. We weren’t sure she could survive and it is nothing short of miraculous (and a testament to the power of love, prayers and donations to pay for great medical care) that Scarlett still has the potential to live a full, happy life.

This fundraiser for Scarlett is the first time we have asked for the public’s help, and it is because her needs exceed what we CalWEAR volunteers can fund from adoption fees and our own personal funds, both of which have made up 99% of the dollars that have gone directly to rescue, treat, foster and place nearly 40 dogs in the past year.

If you or someone you know has even $5 to spare, every little bit will help. And Scarlett could sure use it.

With gratitude and love,

Team CalWEAR

07/16/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Evening Update: Wednesday, July 15

Scarlett continues to be brighter and happier each time we visit her. Please visit the CalWEAR Facebook page for a video of her beautiful tail in full happy wag mode!

That said, we are meeting tomorrow morning to consider our options and make decisions about Scarlett’s situation going forward. Good thoughts, prayers and donations are more important now than ever. Every dollar and measure of support counts, as evidenced by how far Scarlett has come.

Thank you so much for caring. You are making a difference!

xoxo,

Team CalWEAR

07/15/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Wednesday, July 15

Little Scarlett continues to do well. She is doing a GREAT job of eating (she is licking her plates clean) and has not had to have ANY fluid removed from around her lungs. This means it has been 2.5 days since she last needed a chest tap! Her red cell count is holding steady and her blood protein has gone up! As long as she keeps eating, her blood protein levels will only improve.

Scarlett’s right lung continues to improve but her left lung is being stubborn. We’ll see how her lungs look on x-ray this afternoon.

Scarlett wagged her tail for her doctor this morning! This brings the observed tail wag count to TWO. We’re hoping to see Scarlett’s beautiful, long tail in action when we visit her this evening. (Fingers crossed we can capture it on video…)

We are so incredibly grateful for the generous donations and support, and for the excellent and loving care being provided by Advanced Veterinary Care and Bay Animal Hospital. THANK YOU.

xoxo,

Team CalWEAR

P.S. Be sure to visit the California Weimaraner Education and Rescue page on Facebook, where you can view more photos, videos and the latest news: https://www.facebook.com/CalWEAR

07/14/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Tuesday, July 14

Scarlett did well overnight and is continuing to do well today. She is still eating, going potty (no diarrhea for two days now), moving around, and breathing without oxygen supplementation. She still has to expend more than normal effort to breathe, but her respiratory rate is good. Blood work and x-rays will be re-checked this afternoon, and we’ll be visiting Scarlett in the early evening.

Please keep sending good vibes and sharing Scarlett’s story. It is working.

xoxo,

Team CalWEAR

07/13/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Evening Update: Monday, July 13

Our little Miss Scarlett is full of (happy) surprises! Shortly after our morning update she decided to eat (very well I might add), drink, breathe easier, rest easier, and move around more.

As of this afternoon BOTH lungs show improvement. She is doing fine without her nasal oxygen catheter,,so she won’t have another one placed unless her oxygen sats drop. Fluid has not re-accumulated around her lungs, and she had a normal GI status today.

When we visited Scarlett this afternoon we got to see her eat (standing up!), pee, walk around, and jump back into her cage. Now that she is breathing easier she is able to lie down and sleep — after circling several times and making a nest out of her bedding, naturally. We are thrilled to see this Weimy behavior.

Please keep the good thoughts, prayers and donations coming. They are working.

xoxo,

Team CalWEAR

07/13/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Morning Update: Monday, July 13

Apparently Miss Scarlett wore herself out with last night’s activity. Overnight she refused to eat and was again having more difficulty breathing. Ultrasound confirmed that fluid had re-accumulated on her lungs, and another 300 mL was removed. As of this morning she will only take food via syringe, and on x-ray her lungs are unchanged. Please keep thinking of Scarlett and sending all good things her way. She still has a lot of healing to do, and it is thanks to you that she has a chance.

With gratitude,

Team CalWEAR

07/13/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Breaking News: Sunday, July 12

This just in: Scarlett has begun trying to get at her catheters, and has found her voice. She is protesting being in a cage and hooked up to IVs, which is EXACTLY what we want to see in a puppy. Go Scarlett, go!!!

07/13/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Sunday, July 12

Scarlett’s status is largely unchanged, which is good. She is still fighting!

She is breathing easier today after having 400 mL of fluid tapped from her chest cavity, allowing her lungs to more fully expand. Her left lung is still completely obstructed, but her right lung is slightly improved again today.

The big news is that now that she is breathing easier, Scarlett is not only eating chicken but is WILLINGLY eating canned puppy food from a bowl (as opposed to tolerating having it fed to her via syringe)! She is gaining weight and looks bigger every time we visit. Her paws are huge!

When we visited her this evening, Scarlett was happy to see us and grateful for lots of ear, face and neck scratches.

We told Scarlett that she is loved; that she is doing a great job; and that she has a backlog of puppy mischief to work on when she feels better.

Please keep the support and donations coming, and continue to share her story. She still needs it.

With gratitude,

Team CalWEAR

07/11/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Update: Saturday, July 11

Hi everyone! Apologies for the lack of an update this morning. The hospital was swamped with emergencies and we weren’t able to visit Scarlett until this afternoon.

Great news: Scarlett is eating chicken, is more alert and mobile, and is showing some improvement in her lungs! She still has a long way to go (especially with regard to clearing her left lung), but she is moving in the right direction.

We’ll be visiting her again this evening. In the meantime, please enjoy the new photos and video posted in the gallery, and keep sharing Scarlett’s story and sending good vibes her way.

It is thanks to YOU that Scarlett is on the road to recovery.

With immense gratitude,

Team CalWEAR

07/11/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Evening Update: Friday, July 10

We are so grateful for the continued support and donations for little Scarlett. Please keep the good vibes coming. She needs them.

As of this evening, Scarlett’s gastrointestinal status is stable and unchanged, but her left lung is essentially fully obstructed. Her right lung is about 80% obstructed. Shevhas developed pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs), hence her having to work harder to breathe. The fluid is being removed as needed, and a cardiology consult confirms that her heart is normal and healthy. Phew!

We were not able to take any photos of Scarlett this evening, but baby girl was sleeping soundly. She May have even been dreaming.

Puppies are very resilient and Scarlett is a fighter. We’ll post another update after we visit her tomorrow morning.

With gratitude,

Team CalWEAR

07/10/2015

by Team CalWEAR

Morning Update: Thursday, July 10

Thanks again for the amazing support and generous donations! They are making a difference in little Scarlett’s life.

Here is this morning’s news from Scarlett’s doctors:

- She is still keeping down the liquid nutrition supplement she is being fed via syringe. This is great because it not only protects her gastrointestinal tract, but provides much-needed calories and nutrients.
- She is still having some diarrhea but it is less bloody.
- She is no longer vomiting!
- Scarlett’s white blood count (WBC) has gone up. This indicates her immune system is working to fight her infections. Go, Scarlett, go!
- Her breathing is more labored, indicating that the pneumonia is progressing. However we know that pneumonia often gets worse before it gets better, so we hope this progression is mild, brief, and followed by improvement.
- Scarlett’s blood proteins and electrolytes have declined, so she will receive additional IV supplementation to replenish those.
- She is receiving more oxygen through her nasal catheter due to her more labored breathing.

Please keep the love and support coming; Scarlett really needs it.

With immense gratitude,

Team CalWEAR

07/10/2015

by Team CalWEAR

July 9 Update: Gratitude & Signs of Improvement!

First and foremost, THANK YOU for the prayers, encouragement, shares and donations! We are filled with gratitude and optimism.

Scarlett is showning signs of improvement! Her diarrhea is less severe, her lungs appear less obstructed on x-ray, she is drinking some water, is eating and keeping down small amounts of a high-nutrient formula, and appears more comfortable. She is not out of the woods, and her doctors caution that pneumonia can get worse before it gets better, but we are cautiously optimistic.

In addition to all of the wonderful volunteers, donors and supporters rallying around Scarlett, we want to thank Dr. Sean Goodell and his team at Bay Animal Hospital, and the doctors and staff at VCA Advanced Veterinary Care Center. They just adore and are rooting for Scarlett. She could not be in more capable, loving hands.

We’ll provide another update tomorrow morning. Thanks again, and GO SCARLETT GO!

-Team CalWEAR

Filed Under: CalWEAR News
June 2, 2015 Leave a Comment

Gunny

The purpose of this profile is to provide Gunny’s prospective adoptive family with what we know about him. Please contact us with any specific questions you might have if it’s not shared below. Thank you! - Kim/CalWEAR

…

Name: Gunny

Sex: Male, neutered

Age: 3

True birthday: November 20, 2011

Weight: Approximately 75 pounds (and at least 10 pounds overweight)

Micro chipped: Unknown

Current location: Anaheim, CA (in a foster home with another Weimaraner and Frenchie)

Gunny’s story:

Gunny is a three year old blue boy (and also littermate to CalWEAR’s Alpha) who was surrendered by his family because he “required much more time and attention than my family can accommodate at this time.” He’s up to date on all vaccinations, eating a good quality food (Wellness Core), and likes play fetch.

Physical and health notes: Gunny is overweight and needs to be on a diet. His tail is docked, and dewclaws are removed. Gunny has clean ears and teeth and appears to be otherwise in good health.

Looking down at Gunny, you can see he’s missing the “hourglass” shape of a healthy, fit Weimaraner.

Dietary notes: Gunny does not have any known food allergies. He is currently eating Wellness Core, Original Grain Free Formula, 3/4 cup twice daily.

House notes: Gunny is very reliably housebroken, but not yet crate trained. With his former family, he spent his days and nights outside in the backyard. So far, has not been destructive with anything in his foster home, and does not appear to be a big chewer, but he hasn’t had enough time to get settled in, either.

Obedience Notes: According to his previous family, Gunny is good on a leash and does not pull. He also understands the following:

“leave it” - put a little kibble down and he waits for me to say go ahead.
“Back” is what i tell him when he starts to walk in front of me he walks back around from left to right and sits on my side
Xie Xie tells him he is not doing what i want him to.

Temperament notes: Gunny does not appear to be an alpha dog and accepts being around other dogs.

Socialization and Exposure Notes:

  • Home environment: To be provided as we get to know him more.
  • Grooming: To be provided as we get to know him more.
  • Car rides: Has ridden loose in the backseat of an SUV for extended periods (over 45 minute duration) with no adverse reactions. Settles really well; naps or rests for the entire duration. No drooling, no panting, no restlessness. No problem being left in the car alone.
  • Other big dogs: Not reactive towards other big dogs.
  • Small dogs: Okay.
  • Cats: DOES NOT DO WELL WITH CATS.
  • Small kids: According to Gunny’s former family, Gunny is very good with small kids and has a lot of exposure to them.

Additional information:

Notes from Gunny’s previous family:
1. he will lay down when you feed him - say down, and move the bowl if he doesn’t respond
2. he should either sit or lay down to be pet
3. he understands “leave it” as a command
4. he walks well on a leash
5. if the family has a runner he is an excelent running partner
6. when you walk or run and he gets ahead of you, stop and say “back” that command is for him to circle from left to right and “finish” at your side.
quirks;
1. he uses an open mouth to move your hand for petting, etc.
2. every once in a while he will try to “pinch” with his teeth

he is a hound - we live in whittier hills - he has caught a rat or two, cotton tail rabbit, and a gopher. not sure how he is with cats. seems to be okay with small dogs.

Please click here if you’d like to be considered as Gunny’s next foster or forever home. Gunny’s adoption fee is $500.

Last updated: June 16, 2015 by Kim/CalWEAR

Filed Under: Adopted Dogs
May 21, 2015 Leave a Comment

Shiloh

Update: Shiloh was adopted on May 28, 2015!

 

The purpose of this profile is to provide Shiloh’s prospective adoptive family with what we know about him. Please contact us with any specific questions you might have if it’s not shared below. Thank you! - Kim/CalWEAR

…

Name: Shiloh

Sex: Male, neutered

Age: Almost 4

True birthday: June 9, 2011

Weight: 81.5 pounds (and at least 10 pounds overweight)

Micro chipped: Unknown

Current location: Santa Ana, CA

Shiloh’s story:

Physical and health notes: Shiloh is overweight and needs to be on a diet. His tail is docked, and dewclaws are removed. Shiloh has clean ears and teeth and appears to be otherwise in good health.

Dietary notes: Shiloh does not have any known food allergies. He is currently eating Nutro Chicken and Rice Formula, one cup twice daily.

House notes: Shiloh is very reliably housebroken, but not yet crate trained. So far, has not been destructive with anything in the home, and does not appear to be a big chewer, but he hasn’t had enough time to get settled in, either. At night, he likes to sleep in bed with his people, but has been fine (after two minutes of whining) sleeping in the living room on the sofa. During the day, he is fine left outside to play, as long as there is another dog outside with him. Otherwise, he whines and claws at the door. Shiloh also does NOT appear to be leash trained and will pull on a leash.

Obedience Notes: Other than “sit,” existing obedience cues are unknown; we are currently working to introduce obedience commands.

Temperament notes: Shiloh does not appear to be an alpha dog and is a VERY SWEET BOY. He likes to be close to his people and is constantly underfoot. Shiloh does not seem to be a nuisance barker, and so far, has gotten along with all eight his canine (and feline) temporary housemates. He is also a “nooker” and likes to suck on his blankets.

Socialization and Exposure Notes:

  • Home environment: To be provided as we get to know him more.
  • Grooming: To be provided as we get to know him more.
  • Car rides: Has ridden loose in the backseat of an SUV for extended periods (over 45 minute duration) with no adverse reactions. Settles really well; naps or rests for the entire duration. No drooling, no panting, no restlessness. No problem being left in the car alone.
  • Other Dogs: Not reactive towards other dogs.
  • Cats: Shiloh previously lived in a home with a cat and was fine with it.
  • Small kids: Shiloh does not have much experience with small kids.

Additional information:

Shiloh enjoys playing tug with a twisted rope and also fetch, even though he doesn’t return the ball all the time. He shows affection by sitting right on or next to his people, and loves being kissed, scratched, and talked to.

Please click here if you’d like to be considered as Shiloh’s next foster or forever home. Shiloh’s adoption fee is $500.

Last updated: May 21, 2015 by Kim/CalWEAR

 

Filed Under: Archive of Dog Profiles (Now Adopted)
April 1, 2015 Leave a Comment

Shelby

The purpose of this profile is to provide Shelby’s prospective adoptive family with what we know about her. Please contact us with any specific questions you might have if it’s not shared below. Thank you! - Kim, Shelby’s current Foster Mom

…

Name: Shelby

Sex: Female, spayed

Age: 5

True birthday: Unknown

Weight: 65 pounds

Micro chipped: YES

Current location: Santa Ana, CA

Shelby’s story:

Physical notes: In March 2015, Shelby weighed 65 pounds (just slightly overweight for her size). Her tail is docked, and her dewclaws are removed. As detailed in the photo below, Shelby has two small lumps on her side. These have not been checked by a veterinarian. Shelby appears to be otherwise in good health.

Health notes: Shelby is up to date on all core shots, and has also been given bordetella intranasally and Frontline topically. Her teeth have mild tartar buildup but are otherwise in good condition.

 

Shelby likes watching chickens across the fence.

Dietary notes: Shelby does not have any known food allergies. She is currently eating Purina Pro Plan Chicken and Rice Formula, one cup twice daily.

House notes: Shelby is very reliably housebroken and crate trained. To date, we have never had an accident in the house. Shelby spends a few hours in her crate everyday during the day, and sleeps in a crate at night in the living room. So far, Shelby has never been destructive with anything in her foster home, and does not appear to be a big chewer.

 

Obedience Notes: Shelby knows how to “sit.” She also knows “get in your kennel” (and walks in on her own). We are currently working to introduce additional commands.

Temperament notes: Shelby is a VERY HAPPY GIRL. She’s a constant tail-wagger and always wants to be with her people. As much as she can, she will seek out her people to sit by them, lay by them, or put her head on their lap to be pet by them. She’s also known for giving out unsolicited kisses. When not with her people, she’s cool, calm and collected inside her crate and takes a nap until they return. Shelby is not a nuisance barker, but will “alert bark” when the UPS man comes to the door, or if she hears a sudden sound she’s not familiar with.

 

Socialization and Exposure Notes:

  • Home environment: Currently sharing home with two adults, a six year old in-tact female Weimaraner, a six year old spayed female Weimaraner, a nine month old in-tact male Weimaraner, and also a six month old female puppy Weimaraner. From time to time, there are some scuffles between all parties, but none are serious and usually are quick to end after they start. There has NOT been any incidents with people.
  • Grooming: Doesn’t like bath time, but will stand still until it’s over. It is unknown whether or not Shelby tolerates nail clipping.
  • Car rides: Has ridden loose in the backseat of an SUV as well as in a crate for extended periods (over 45 minute duration) with no adverse reactions. Settles really well; naps or rests for the entire duration. No drooling, no panting, no restlessness.
  • Other Dogs: Shelby can be reactive towards other dogs when first meeting them, especially with other alpha females, but is generally good with them after the first introduction.
  • Cats: It is unknown whether or not Shelby is good with cats.
  • Small kids: It is unknown whether or not Shelby is good with small kids.

Please click here if you’d like to be considered as Shelby’s next foster or forever home. Shelby’s adoption fee is $500.

Last updated: April 1, 2015 by Kim, Shelby’s current foster mom

 

 

Filed Under: Archive of Dog Profiles (Now Adopted)
February 22, 2015 Leave a Comment

Adopted Weimaraners

Recently Adopted:

Gunny. Gunny is a three year old blue boy (and also littermate to Alpha, listed below!) who was surrendered by his family because he “requires much more time and attention than my family can accommodate at this time.” He’s up to date on all vaccinations, eating a good quality food (Wellness Core), and likes play fetch. These days, Gunny lives with a family who loves him in Anaheim, CA.

 

Shelby. Shelby is an approximately 5 year old spayed blue girl who was unclaimed by her family after she was picked up as a stray in Kern County. (Messages left on the telephone number attached to her microchip went un-returned.) This one’s a gem; Shelby is housebroken, crate trained, polite on a leash, rides well in the car, and loves to cuddle. These days, she lives with a family who dotes on her in Pasadena, CA. Congrats on your new home, Shelby!

Baloo. Baloo is a three year old teddy bear who was also lovingly surrendered by his family due to a chance in family circumstances. At 185 pounds and 31″ tall, he was a tad on the hefty side, but while he was in foster care, Baloo shed over 100 pounds as part of our WoofWatchers! program. With Baloo’s new, healthy weight, he had no trouble finding a forever home; we’re thrilled to announce Baloo has been placed and is doing very well.

 

Shiloh. Shiloh is a 4 year old neutered gray boy who was surrendered by his family when they came upon some difficult circumstances. He is a go-along-get-along kind of boy, and very sweet with his people. Bonus: This one’s also good with cats! Shiloh, whose new name is Will, is now living with his human and canine siblings in Orange County. Congrats, Will!

Alpha. Alpha is a three year old blue boy who was lovingly surrendered by his family due to a change in family circumstances. This one was named for the company his previous dad worked for; he’s actually a very sweet dog. Good with big dogs, small dogs, cats, and childen (lived with all of them!). Bonus, he’s also crate trained, polite on a leash and rides well in the car. Alpha is now ENZO and lives with his mamma in Murrieta, CA.

Jake. Jake came to us from someone who wasn’t prepared to live with a bouncy, unruly puppy who stole stuff and chewed up everything. Thankfully, his new parents think he’s cute and trainable, so these days, he’s down by the beach getting plenty of love and sunshine. As the “only child,” we’re pretty sure he’s spoiled rotten, too. Congrats, Jake!

Yaz. At the age of 7, Yazmean was lovingly surrendered by her family because they didn’t have the right home environment for her. Very quickly, we were able to determine that Yaz is sweet, gentle, and knows her basic commands. She’s also polite about taking treats! “Jaz” now shares a home with her gray brother Wyatt. When not playing together, the dynamic duo are cuddling up on the sofa together. Congrats, Jaz!

Marley. Marley is a 3 year old neutered boy who was lovingly surrendered by his family for his own safety (he kept getting out of the yard, into the street, and into the custody of Animal Control). His former family said that one of his favorite activities was to jump into the shower with his owners… not because he had separation anxiety, he just wanted to keep them company. 150% teddy bear, Marley now shares a home in Oceanside with a gaggle of canine and feline siblings.

Sebastian. Sebastian is an 18-month old neutered boy who was dumped by his owner at the vet back in January 2015 with instructions to be euthanized. Seeing that the dog was young and in good health, we were called to help. Today, he shares a cozy home with three human siblings as well as a Weimaraner sister in the wide open spaces of Arizona.

Buddy Boy. Buddy Boy was a six year old boy who was surrendered by his breeder and owner after defending himself when a neighbor’s dog charged at him in. Warned that he was “aggressive,” Buddy immediately went to a behaviorist after coming into our care. In the following months, Buddy bounced around a series of foster and prospective adoptive homes… a few of them not working out due to his extreme separation anxiety issues. In time, the right family came along, and today, Buddy shares his home in Dana Point with a new mom, dad, and three human siblings who all dote on him. According to everyone who has met Buddy in rescue, the pretty boy doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. We’re thrilled to know for certain that this boy isn’t “aggressive” at all, and that he has a new start and a clean slate. Buddy is proof that not all dogs deserve the labels they come into rescue with.

 
Greta. Greta is a young, sweet dog who just needed a home with lots of attention and open space. After temporarily crashing with a gal named Jessica, she was adopted by a gal named Christine, and nowadays, shares a home with dogs and horses.

 

Darryl. Darryl was found as a stray in Crestline, CA and brought into the Devore Animal Shelter. Perfectly housebroken, crate trained, and excellent in the car, we suspect he was someone’s lost pet. We also think he was out on the streets for quite some time… he came into rescue with asphalt on his belly, infections in his years, and welts all over his body. In the five months he was in rescue care, we worked with Dr. Robert Woods and Dr. Jean Dodds to get to the bottom of his chronic ear infections, stomach ulcers, and food intolerances. These days, he’s sharing a home in Hollywood with his little dog sibling, Ancef, and gets to go hiking with his mum and pop.

Zeke. Zeke is six years old and neutered. For awhile, Zeke and his dad lived together in peace and harmony in San Diego. After awhile, his dad developed severe allergies, to the point where he relied on immunotherapy, allergy medicines and inhalers. Nothing worked. So Zeke’s dad did the best thing he could for him; work with us to find him a new home. Zeke was fostered by family in Hemet, CA, who later committed to adopting him! Congrats, Zeke!

Cooper. Cooper was surrendered by his family because he needed a bit more than they could handle. He immediately fell into the pack with his foster family, and it didn’t take long before they decided to adopt him. Cooper now lives with his “twin” brother Orsen, a little Yorkie named Teddy, a trio of human brothers, and a mom and dad to call his own. He’s brushing up on his obedience skills everyday, and we look forward to seeing him back in class to prepare for his Canine Good Citizen test!

Lexie, Lily, Dante, Jake, Mila and Zoe. In late July, we assisted NCWR by fostering a pregnant Weimaraner named Miszy with the sole purpose of whelping her litter. A few days later on July 30th, we welcomed six beautiful babies into the world. Four girls and two boys. And an even split of blue Weimaraners and gray Weimaraners. All puppies belong to and have been placed by NCWR.

Bailey. Bailey came to us very young, sick and underweight. While hanging with us, we introduced her to other dogs, kids, crowds, noises, a crate, leash walking, and car rides. After being fostered for 30 days, Bailey’s family permanently adopted her. She’s now in South Orange County with three human siblings and a fur sister named Maggie. Bailey’s family says she’s the “perfect addition to our family” and gets along with her dog sister beautifully. “They wrestle and snuggle constantly. She is smart, happy, and well behaved!”

Soul. Soul was surrendered by his family in San Bernardino County as a youngster. When he came to us, he was sick and full of worms. During his month in foster care, we treated him and socialized him with other dogs, kids, strangers, and lots of different sounds, like the vacuum, television, microwave, trash trucks, banging pots, etc. This was important to help him get over his fear of new experiences. He was also exposed to (and enjoyed) car rides, visits to the local coffee shops, trips to the pet store, and the local neighborhood park. Soul was also successfully crate trained and leash trained. When the time was right, Soul was adopted by Jorge in Oceanside, CA. They’re now living the awesome beach life. Watch out for Soul and Jorge on local running trails and dog parks!

Kopek. Kopek was found as a stray wandering through Moreno Valley. A few different families fostered him in their homes on a temporary basis because they didn’t have the heart to surrender him to a shelter where he would spend his days in a lonely kennel. Together, we vetted him for health (overweight and mangy with a moderate heart murmur and showing traits of Horner’s Syndrome) and temperament (friendly and easy going) and then searched far and wide to find him a forever home. He now lives in Riverside with two human brothers who love him to pieces. Kopek also gets to accompany the boys to baseball practice, and his mom to the beach. What a life, eh?!

Filed Under: Adopted Dogs
February 12, 2015 6 Comments

Marley

UPDATE TO BELOW INFORMATION: MARLEY WAS ADOPTED IN FEBRUARY 2015!!!

Name: Marley

Sex: Male, neutered

Age: 3

True birthday: Unknown

Weight: 79 pounds

Micro chipped: YES

Marley’s story: Marley has been bounced around a few times. According to his previous family, he was once ‘rescued’ by a family at the veterinarian’s office in San Diego County back 2013 when his original owners brought him in to be put down… because they were going through a divorce and could not agree on who would get custody of the dog. Since then, Marley’s family has moved to an area where dogs really aren’t welcome, so they lovingly surrendered him with the hopes that he’d find a better home.

Physical notes: In January 2015, Marley weighed in at 79 pounds (just slightly overweight for his size). His tail is docked, but he still has his dewclaws. We don’t know where Marley originally came from.

Health notes: Marley is up to date on all core shots, and has also been given bordetella intranasally and Frontline topically. Teeth have mild tartar buildup but otherwise in good condition. Marley has a calcified growth on his front right paw, right next to his dewclaw. Our veterinarian has taken and reviewed the x-rays and does not seem to think it is essential for his overall health to have the calcified growth removed. Because this is deemed a “cosmetic” procedure, we are not planning to have it removed while Marley is in our care. Marley is otherwise in good health.

Dietary notes: Marley does not have any known food allergies. He is currently eating Taste of the Wild Wetlands Canine Formula with Roasted Fowl, one cup twice daily.

House notes: Marley is very reliably housebroken and crate trained. To date, we have never had an accident in the house. Marley spends a few hours in his crate everyday during the day, and sleeps in a crate at night in the living room. Given the chance, he would much prefer laying on the sofa with his humans. So far, he has never been destructive with anything in his foster home, and does not appear to be a big chewer.

Obedience Notes: Marley knows how to “sit.” We are currently working to introduce additional commands.

Temperament notes: When Marley’s family told us that he was the BIGGEST CUDDLEBUG EVER, we nodded our heads and said, “sure, all Weimaraners are.” We later figured out that they weren’t kidding, and he IS more of a cuddle-bug than most Weimaraners. Being near a person isn’t enough, Marley likes to be WRAPPED with his people. Given any chance possible, he likes to lay his head on a lap, sit behind someone on the sofa, or lay underfoot at the desk.

Socialization and Exposure Notes:

  • Home environment: Currently sharing home with two adults, a six year old in-tact female Weimaraner, a five year old spayed Weimaraner, and also a four month old male puppy Weimaraner. To date, no scuffles/incidents have occurred between Marley and anyone else in the household, human or canine. (There is also a flock of chickens living in the backyard and Marley know they are there, but has made no effort to stalk them.)
  • Grooming: Does not mind having his nails clipped with clippers. Unknown whether or not he tolerates having his nailed Dremmeled.
  • Car rides: Has ridden loose in the backseat of an SUV as well as in a crate for extended periods (over 45 minute duration) with no adverse reactions. Settles really well; naps or rests for the entire duration. No drooling, no panting, no restlessness.

Last updated: February 12, 2015 by Kim. Marley’s current Foster Mom

Filed Under: Archive of Dog Profiles (Now Adopted), CalWEAR Alumni