Animal Friends Home-to-Home Adoption Program presents: Bella!

Bella is a 4 year old American Stafford Terrier / Boxer / Afghan Hound mix (we’ve had her DNA tested) who weighs around 80 pounds. We adopted her from a shelter when she was 4 to 5 months old.  She has a redish/brown short hair with minimum shedding.  She has been spayed, is up to date on all her shots, and has been micro-chipped.    She has gone through obedience training with two private trainers in our home and is well trained on all basic commands and leash walking.  She has also gone through the “Fearful Fido” Class at Animal Friends.  She is crate trained and house trained and does very well for even long periods of time without any accidents. We have had no chewing problems and she demonstrates no destructive behavior.  She is invisible fence trained as well.  She is a quiet dog that only barks on occasion or when strangers enter the house or when she sees other dogs.  She has a medium energy level and is as happy laying at your feet as she is going for a walk.  When she is active she is very athletic and would probably be good at agility training.  She is a very loyal dog who always enjoys being around her owner. 

 

Unfortunately, we have to find a new home for her because she is very anxious, guarded, and sometimes growls around young children.   We have four children with one being seven years old and have a neighborhood full of young kids.  We have also experienced some guarding issues around food.   Given that we have worked with her for over three years with our vet and two private trainers, with a variety of methods, without any improvement we have no choice but to give her up to a good home without small children. She would be a perfect dog for a single person, couple, or family with teenage kids.   Please help us find an equally wonderful home for this wonderful dog. 

If you can help Bella find a loving home, please contact Frank at 412.736.5886

5 Ways to Celebrate National Dog Day

National Dog Day is on Fri., Aug. 26. Founded by an animal advocate in 2004, National Dog Day celebrates dogs of all ages, sizes and breeds. Whether you’re looking for a fun way to celebrate with your dog or you’re interested in adopting a new family member, here are a few ideas to help you make the most of National Dog Day …

5. Make a fun new toy.

Everyone loves spoiling their pooch by buying them the best food, treats, accessories and toys, but making a toy for your furry friend can be just as enjoyable! Toys are a fun way to help your dog get the exercise that is so important to keep them healthy. As vital as physical activities are for dogs, mental exercise is just as important. Enrichment is a form of playtime designed to work out your dog’s mind along with their body. Why not celebrate National Dog Day by making a fun enrichment toy for your favorite four-legged buddy? Here are some ideas to get you started!

4. Explore a new part of town.

Do you ever get the bug to explore a new place because you’re doggone tired of the “same old, same old?” Your dog feels the same way! Break out of the routine of the same walking route everyday by taking your pup somewhere new. There are plenty of parks and hiking trails that your dog would love to help you explore! If you’re not sure where to start, try hitting the trail with some fellow dog lovers.

3. Play in the sprinkler.

Although summer may be winding down, the hot weather hasn’t quite called it quits for the year. Running through the sprinkler isn’t just fun for humans! Try rewarding your best friend on National Dog Day by creating your own backyard water park to help cool them down on a warm August afternoon. Your dog will love chasing the water and you’ll get plenty of entertainment watching all the fun! Check out some other ways to beat the heat with your pet before fall arrives.

2. Eat at a dog-friendly restaurant.

More and more restaurants are inviting customers to bring their dogs along while they eat and drink with friends. Show your pup that they’re part of the family by choosing one of these dog-friendly restaurants in Pittsburgh if you plan on dining out on National Dog Day. You won’t have to worry about leaving your furry friend at home and many of these eateries even offer special menu items for pooches!

1. Adopt!

What better way to celebrate National Dog Day than by giving a home to a dog that doesn’t have one? There are so many at Animal Friends right now who are patiently waiting for their new family to come and give them the loving home they deserve! To help you and your perfect pup find each other, Animal Friends is celebrating National Dog day with a one-day adoption special. Come in on Fri., Aug. 26 to adopt a dog 2-years or older and you’ll receive $25 off the requested adoption donation! Click here to meet the dogs that are available for adoption right now at Animal Friends.

There are plenty of ways to help raise awareness on National Dog Day, plus it’s the perfect excuse to spoil your pup (not that you don’t do that anyway). Whether you’re adopting or just enjoying the day with your furry friend, be sure to snap a selfie and tag Animal Friends on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Thanksgiving Day Treats for your Dog

We’re always on the lookout for fun activities to share with you and we found a great one from our friends at the Outer Banks SPCA, located in North Carolina.(https://www.facebook.com/obxspca)

Last Thanksgiving, their shelter dogs celebrated by digging into these festive food bowls! Volunteers and kids had so much fun putting them together that the North Carolina agency has been serving up this Thanksgiving Day feast for two years and counting. Freezing the bowls allows advance preparation—and as a bonus, makes mealtime last longer for the animals.

 Share photos if you do this for your dogs on Thanksgiving!  We'd love to see!

Special thanks to ASPCA and the Outer Banks SPCA for this recipe.

Help Them Heal Challenge: Teddy

“What are you doing here fella,” murmurs a Good Samaritan. He found a 10-year-old Chow Chow mix, Teddy, on his porch on a frigid, winter evening. Teddy was wearing a collar without tags and dragging some-20 feet of cable. This fluffy, little guy was someone’s dog. Without identification the man had no choice but to set out to find the owners.

Alas, his search was fruitless – so he turned to Animal Friends.

Upon Teddy’s arrival, it didn’t take long for staff to notice he was alarmingly head-shy. So much so, he needed to be muzzled to complete his physical exam. The medical team found his ear canals to be in terrible shape – it’s no wonder he was incredibly sensitive to touching on and near his ears. Despite knowing the origin of his sensitivity, his chances of being available for adoption didn’t look good.

Before all animals (dogs, cats and rabbits alike) can be available for adoption at Animal Friends, their behavior must be assessed by our behavior team. This includes a few tests to find out more information about each animal so he can be best matched with potential adopters. When it came time for Teddy’s, it took the team two attempts. There were reports of growly and snappy behavior. Odds were stacking against Teddy.

But there was still hope. Every now and again, Teddy showed glimpses of his personality. Staff knew to fully bring him out of his shell surgery was the only viable treatment option.

We couldn’t give up on this dog, so, his surgery was scheduled.

Just six short days after his surgery, Teddy was a completely different dog! Happy, bright, wiggly and affectionate are only a few of the wonderful ways to describe him. With each passing day, his spunk – showed more and more.

Teddy has since recovered from surgery and found a loving home. But we can’t be sure where he would’ve ended up without Animal Friends and quite honestly, we don’t want to think about that.

At Animal Friends, we promise to make an investment in the health of every one of our animals regardless of their level of need. Yes, every single one. But to be able to provide this kind of care we need your help. Now through Oct. 10 – thanks to the generosity of Bob and Janine Fragasso – every dollar you give in support of our residents’ medical care will be matched 50 cents on the dollar up to $125,000. Click hereto help more animals just like Teddy.