Paws and Prayers Rescue Blog

The July Volunteer of the Month is our very own Beagle Bob! Bob is awesome, he takes a lot of his time to transport dogs from far away. If we need a dog or dogs picked up from other shelters even in other counties.  Bob is always the first one to volunteer his services (thank you for that!). We know we can reach him on email almost anytime (right, Bob?).  He always makes sure to share with the group his estimated arrival time to the office. He is a selfless person who is devoted to helping pets in need! Bob loves Beagles (see why we call him Beagle Bob?) and has fostered many (he will transport and foster other breeds too). If a foster has a problem with their foster dog he will offer advice and help out in any way he can. He is definitely a great attribute to our group. Bob's commitment and devotion not only to fostering with P&P but also to each and every dog he takes in is inspiring. To hear him talk about his experiences and what it means to him to foster and why he keeps doing it, is amazing. And our fans love him - especially his posts and Russell series.  In the words of a volunteer "he's frickin awesome" and that, he is! Congrats to Bob for being there and helping whenever you can.  We are so grateful to call you our volunteer of the month but also part of the P&P family!

Have a volunteer you'd like to nominate? (Yes, fosters are volunteers, too!) Click here to complete our quick, easy survey with your nomination and why they deserve to be Paws & Prayers Volunteer of the Month! Please have all nominations in by the 20th of the month you're nominating them for. Winners are announced at the start of the following month. Thank you!

Paws & Prayers June Volunteer of the Month is Donna S. Donna has been with Paws and Prayers for around a year. She has made a big impact in a short time. Donna has fostered dogs, puppies and kittens. We think she is most famous for finding Snow White her Prince Charming. Fostering animals in your home when you have animals is not always easy, but Donna sure makes it look that way. She has been our go to women when we attend Akron Aero's games and sell Diamond Balls. She has really rocked that scene for sure. We have had 4 and she has been to each one.  Donna is a wonderful asset to P&P. She is always on email waiting to see how she can help next. Anytime anyone asks for a pick up/drop off down she will help if she is available. She isn't afraid to go to the pound to pull dogs that need love. She has even been known to bring her granddaughter to help. Donna is always willing to share her personal property (i.e. chairs, tents, etc.). We have truly enjoyed the time she has been with us and look forward to many more experiences with her. Donna, from all the puppies, kittens, cats and dogs (and us humans) we thank you for your love, support and dedication to Paws and Prayers.

Have a volunteer you'd like to nominate? (Yes, fosters are volunteers, too!) Click here to complete our quick, easy survey with your nomination and why they deserve to be Paws & Prayers Volunteer of the Month! Please have all nominations in by the 20th of the month you're nominating them for. Winners are announced at the start of the following month. Thank you!

It’s June, which means we’re well into kitten season! While it sounds like the most adorable season ever, it’s actually a pretty big problem.

What is kitten season and why does it happen?

Kitten season is the time from late spring to early fall in which the rate of feral kittens being born spikes significantly. During winter, feral and stray cats are busy fending for themselves – trying to stay warm, sheltered and fed. But when the weather begins to warm up, our feline friends can relax a little and come out of hiding. If a female cat is not spayed, her hormones will begin to kick in and she will begin her first heat cycle for the year, which is regulated by the weather. She will then repeat that cycle until she becomes pregnant.

Why is kitten season a problem? 

10 week old kitten

Kittens are born after 9 weeks of gestation and are ready to be taken from their mothers and placed for adoption when they are 8 weeks old. A female cat that is 5 months or older and not spayed is able to get pregnant. Since heat cycles are regulated by the weather, that means that any and every cat who is 5 months or older and is not spayed will most likely be delivering a litter of kittens in early spring. These kittens are then brought in to shelters by the dozen, and resources – money, food, beds, space, people – are spread extremely thin. It puts an extreme amount of stress on no-kill shelters and rescues.

What should I do if I find a litter of kittens?

Observe first, and then act. If you find a litter of kittens without its mother, there could be an explanation for it. The mother could be out searching for food – lactating mothers need 2 to 4 times as many nutrients in their diet as a cat that is not lactating. Her milk is the very best source of food for kittens and they typically need to be fed every few hours. That’s a lot of pressure to put on mother’s body. She may also be moving the kittens to a new location, which involves carrying each kitten in her mouth by the scruff of their neck to the new spot. Should you try to approach the kittens right away, you may end up encountering a very angry and protective mom. The best solution is to watch the litter for a few hours and assess the situation. If you feel the need to act right away, put out some food and water for mom and a box and a blanket that the mother could use to shelter them. Getting mom to trust you is the first priority. For more information on what to do if you find stray or feral kittens, or their mother, the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon has an excellent guide to dealing with most situations.

Phantom, a momma who not only nursed her litter but also took in 3 other momma-less litters, too.

What can I do to help?

• Volunteer to foster. Foster homes are the most important resource that any shelter can have, especially during kitten season. Fostering involves housing, feeding and generally taking care of kittens until they are about to be adopted and sent to their furever homes. Paws and Prayers will pay for all necessary medical care and will even supply the food, crate, toys, leash and anything else if necessary. If you’re even just a little curious about fostering an animal, please check out Paws and Prayers’ Foster Information Page. 
• Volunteer to help. Unfortunately, there are always more needy animals than available volunteers. Even just a few hours a week is a huge help! Check out Paws and Prayers’ Volunteer Page for more information.
• Donate. While most shelters and rescues are desperate for donations in even the best of times, kitten season is an especially difficult time. Of course, the number one thing always needed is actual funds (for operating costs, food, medicine, veterinary procedures, etc.). However, almost anything having to do with pets is helpful – from wet or dry food to pet beds to new toys, every little bit helps. Many shelters also collect odd items on the side to turn in for cash refunds – for example, here at Paws and Prayers, we collect empty ink/toner cartridges and plastic grocery bags. For more information, check out Paws and Prayers’ Donation Page.
• Spread the word. Whether it’s simple word of mouth, a few posts on social media or an ad in your local paper, getting the word out about fostering/adopting is extremely necessary. Without the help of foster families, there would never be enough space to house all the kittens born during the season. It’s also very important to raise public awareness about how crucial it is to spay and neuter all pets. 
• Spay or neuter an animal. The biggest reason for kitten season is that much of the general public is either unaware or misinformed about the effects of spaying and neutering. While it may seem cruel to put an animal through the surgery, it actually helps to save lives every time. The Humane Society has an excellent page addressing spaying and neutering facts and myths. Paws and Prayers has a list of links to low-cost, local clinics that will help spay or neuter a household pet or stray without costing an arm or a leg. The Humane Society also has created an amazingly comprehensive list of clinics in Ohio who participate in Trap-Neuter-Release programs which will spay or neuter truly feral cats and then release them back into the wild. These programs are essential in helping to cut down on the amount of unplanned pregnancies in the wild. 

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Content By:  Chrissy Reese

Chrissy Reese is a Pittsburgh native who recently moved to Ohio with her long-time boyfriend and their rescued Tabby cat/fur baby Madeline. Her last several years were spent in Philadelphia, earning her Journalism degree from Temple University and writing and editing for Campus Philly and 2.1.5 Magazine. She also runs a blog called Literophilia where she occasionally writes about her obsession with books. When she’s not blogging or snuggling with kitties, you can find her doing makeup artistry, knitting or exploring the great outdoors.

Images provided by:  Paws & Prayers

There is no way to tell the story of Russell from beginning to end as a short story. His story is far too long; and far from over. So I will do my best to keep it as short as possible. I'll divide it into chapters so it doesn't have to be read all at once. The 7 chapters of Russell's Story will be posted semi-monthly.

This is the final chapter.

By the week of Thanksgiving I had gotten the results of Russell’s blood work. His thyroid levels were much better. His weight was down to 47lbs. and it was easy to see that he was well on the way to feeling better. He could keep up and sometimes even pass Mandy and Buddy when we went on walks. He loved to run whenever he could and watching him hop down the steps, his backside bouncing in the air at each step, was both inspiring and comical at the same time. My only concern was that his skin was flaking badly. His skin and fur were dry and flaky in September when he came back to us, but had improved. Now it seemed that it was worse than in September. The vet told me that was due to his body’s metabolism changing. He would, over the next six months or more, loose his skin and replace it with healthier skin cells that would improve his overall skin condition and coat. In the meantime, with advise from Tara (another foster for Paws and Prayers), I would give Russell a soaking oatmeal bath. He loved it! Soon his skin and fur would be much improved.

After doing the normal amount of checking through Marty’s adoption application, I realized that she would provide a wonderful forever home for Russell. Knowing how concerned I was about Russell’s future, she even sent me a photo of her house and fenced in backyard so I could see that Russell would have plenty of room to run freely when going outside. Her vet would contact my vet to discuss Russell’s health issues and plan his continued recovery. It all seemed like my long journey with Russell was coming to and end. We planned on doing the adoption soon after Thanksgiving. That would change.

During the week after Thanksgiving, I got a phone call from Marty. Her mother, retired and living in

Russell at the Holidays 2012

Tennessee, decided that see would like to come to Pennsylvania for the Christmas Holidays. Marty would have to drive to Tennessee to get her mother. She would stay down there a couple days before returning with her mother to Pennsylvania. After the Christmas and New Year’s Holidays, she would drive her mother home. After a short visit, Marty would return home to Pennsylvania. If Marty were to adopt Russell now, she would have to put him in a kennel when she was traveling. There was simply not enough room in her car to transport her mother, her mother’s dog, her own dog and all the luggage. She didn’t think it would be good for Russell to be put in a kennel shortly after being adopted. I agreed. She asked me if I would keep him until she returned to Pennsylvania in the middle of January. She would pay any expenses that I incurred taking care of him for the extended period. I wasn’t worried about that. I was more worried about it being all the more difficult to part with Russell.

People often ask me how I give up a dog for adoption after getting attached to the dog and the dog getting attached to us. It is never easy, and Russell was going to be the most difficult of all my fosters. My answer to people is that I know that there are so many other dogs that need help. Our family could not handle more than three dogs at a time. If I kept Russell, it would mean giving up fostering. I couldn’t do that. I made two trips to the Summit County Animal Control shelter prior to Russell’s adoption for the sole purpose of just looking at the dogs. The sights, sounds, smells, and especially the eyes of all the dogs confined there kept me grounded in the belief that I needed to keep fostering.

Up until Russell’s official adoption, he continued his steady improvement. His weight would eventually be down to 42lbs., for a total weight loss of 18lbs. Although he was considered adopted, I took him to adoption events so he could interact with other dogs and I could show him off like a proud father. He enjoyed playing with other dogs and seemed to especially like the large females! And for the first time since I knew him, after petting him at one of the events, a little girl said: “He’s so soft!” It was quite a breakthrough. He enjoyed the Holidays with my family and we bought him a new bed to sleep in and take to his new home.

Russell lounging in his bed

Russell’s adoption would finally come about on January 25th. I met Marty at the Petsmart in Poland, Ohio to complete the adoption. My Dad accompanied me on the trip. I was glad to have someone to talk to, especially on the way back home. We got there early and I was able to spend some additional time walking and sitting with Russell. I couldn’t help thinking what must be going on in his mind. In my mind I hoped that he would do well in his new home. I hoped I was making the right decision. I hoped he didn’t think I was giving up on him and abandoning him. Every time I looked down at him he would sit and look into my eyes. I knew he probably just wanted a treat, but I couldn’t help but think he might know I was saying goodbye.

Shortly after 2:00pm, I put Russell into Marty’s car for the ride to his new home and the start of yet another new journey. I gave him a hug, a kiss on the head, and whispered something private into his ear; something that I tell all my foster dogs when they leave me. I gave Marty a hug and thanked her for adopting Russell. She thanked me for keeping him for so long for her.

My Dad and I avoided talking about Russell on the 50 mile trip back home, but he knew I was thinking about him. It will be a long time before there is a day when I don’t think about Russell. He touched the hearts of my entire family and countless others around him. I hope to foster many dogs for many years to come, but there will never be another Russell.

By the way, Russell is doing great in his new home. He has become attached to Marty and enjoys his time with his big brother dog Simon. Marty and I will keep in touch and whenever possible she will meet me so I can see Russell again.

The last picture Beagle Bob snapped before sending him off to his new furever home!

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Content By:  Beagle Bob

"Beagle Bob" Dietrich is a foster parent for dogs along with his wife Vicki and son Robert.  Bob is a full time Fire Fighter/Paramedic, Vicki is a high school math teacher, and Robert is a full time college student.  They have two Beagles, Mandy and Buddy. 

Images: Provided by Beagle Bob

There is no way to tell the story of Russell from beginning to end as a short story. His story is far too long; and far from over. So I will do my best to keep it as short as possible. I'll divide it into chapters so it doesn't have to be read all at once. The 7 chapters of Russell's Story will be posted semi-monthly.

Russell November 2012

When I took Russell to my vet, I was nervous that he might have some serious health issues from being overweight. I had recently listed him on the Paws and Prayers web site as being an adoptable dog. I wrote briefly about his history and how he would need a lot of care to get healthy. I hadn’t gotten any inquires yet, but I felt I needed a better grasp of his overall health before even considering his being adopted. After giving Russell a thorough exam, my vet told me that Russell definitely had some health issues. He had: a heart murmur that was not serious or life threatening, some shifting of tendons in his front legs that may be from the excessive weight on the joints, and many signs of hypothyroidism. His being overweight, having dry skin and fur, and lack of energy (I noticed that the previous year) were signs of hypothyroidism.

The next day the vet called me and told me that Russell’s blood work showed that he definitely had hypothyroidism. He would put Russell on daily medication and check his blood again in one month. By that time Russell should be showing signs of improvement and more weight loss. He also put Russell on some aspirin daily because he felt Russell’s joints were probably hurting him.

By the middle of October I had gotten two applications for Russell by families wanting to adopt him. I was excited to see that he had gotten some interest, but was cautious about letting him leave without being healthier. After much debate, I decided to wait until after his blood work was re-checked in November before letting him be adopted. I contacted both families and was both surprised and pleased that they were very willing to not only wait until Russell’s blood work was done, but also to trust me to make the decision as to who would be the best family to adopt Russell. I also got a third application for Russell from a woman in Pennsylvania who had originally put an application in for another dog. That dog had been adopted by someone else, so she wanted to know about Russell. She was also willing to wait until I thought Russell was ready.

Russell November 2012

Over the next two weeks Russell made remarkable progress. We noticed immediately that he had more energy. A major breakthrough came on a cool, damp day. We had all three dogs outside in the back yard. Russell had been able to go up and down the steps for a couple weeks now. It wasn’t pretty, but it was impressive. He was, however, walking over into the neighbor’s yard and we didn’t want him going to the bathroom there, so we had him tethered on a 30ft leash to keep him in our yard. It was a leash that was over ten years old and had been used by almost all the foster dogs. Suddenly, all three dogs spotted some deer strolling through the woods behind our house. With a fury of loud barking and howling, all three ran toward the woods after the deer. To our surprise, Russell broke his leash and darted into the woods dragging about ten feet of broken leash with him. My wife ran out after them with no shoes on and white socks. Mandy and Buddy ran a little ways before listening to my wife yelling for them to stop, but Russell disappeared into the woods. While I scrambled to get some shoes on, my wife ran as far as she could into the woods before the rough terrain and soft, thick mud was too much.

When I finally caught up to Russell, he had managed to get at least 100 yards into the thick, overgrown, and very muddy wooded area. I was down on my hands and knees crawling because the area was so thick. The only things that seemed to have stopped him was the fact that the leash he was dragging had gotten caught on underbrush and he had sank into the mud up to his belly. I had to pull him out of the mud like pulling a cork out of a bottle. As I carried him back to the house, I couldn’t help but notice the happy look on his face. I felt his tail wagging against my body and his heart rapidly beating strongly through his chest. I took him right into the house and straight to the bath tub for a good cleaning. My wife and I couldn’t help but laugh at how happy Russell seemed to be after his little adventure.

Russell November 2012

With Halloween about a week away, Russell was making great strides. He weight had dropped to 48lbs and his energy level was increasing daily. He was now ready to go on a full evening walk with Mandy and Buddy. It was no secret that he liked walks, but I was surprised that after just a few walks he got his own leash and brought it to me as I got Mandy and Buddy on their leashes. Russell was also beginning to show that he liked being at our home. Whenever I got home, he would run up to greet me. He would bark and cry until I petted him and even rolled over to have his belly rubbed (something he wasn’t physically able to do for a long time)! He followed me almost all the time when I was in the house and constantly sat down near me waiting for his head to be petted and neck rubbed. Most of the time he wouldn’t even lay down until he was convinced that I was going to stay put myself for a while. Russell had completely worked his way into our hearts.

As the time to re-check Russell’s blood work grew nearer, I knew that I must consider who would be the best of the three applicants to adopt him. I decided that Marty, a retired teacher who lives in Pennsylvania, was the best candidate. She was home a lot of the time, had a fenced in yard, a dog of her own, and most importantly; a true understanding of Russell’s history and my attachment to him and my desire to find him the right forever home. After several phone calls and e-mails, we arranged to meet.

It was the day after the November elections when we met at a Petsmart in Poland, Ohio. I was outside the store walking Russell when Marty pulled up in her car. As we introduced ourselves, Russell lifted his leg and had a nice long pee on the wheel of her car. As I watched, embarrassed by the scene, all I could say was: “You know there was a time when he couldn’t even lift his leg!” Marty was very nice about the situation and even laughed. Russell and Marty’s dog, Simon, a 12 year old male Lab-Collie mix, gave each other a “smell over” and seemed to be okay as we walked them together for a short time. Russell was cordial to Marty, as was his nature not to be over affectionate to new people. He took treats gently from her hands and sat patiently as she petted him. After about an hour of visiting and talking, Marty decided that she would like to, if I thought it was okay, adopt Russell. I wanted to wait until after the November 16th blood work was completed and I had a better idea of how Russell was progressing to complete the adoption. Marty agreed that would be best.

As I left the Petsmart, I was feeling a lot of emotions. I was excited that it looked so good that Russell was going to get adopted, nervous that I was making the best decision, but mostly sad that my time with Russell was nearing an end.

Russell had only lost a few pounds in the first couple weeks he was with us. I decided it was time to get a better physical check up and blood work done. I made an appointment with my vet. A thorough health evaluation would reveal many things.

Russell November 2012

To be continued . . .

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Content By:  Beagle Bob

"Beagle Bob" Dietrich is a foster parent for dogs along with his wife Vicki and son Robert.  Bob is a full time Fire Fighter/Paramedic, Vicki is a high school math teacher, and Robert is a full time college student.  They have two Beagles, Mandy and Buddy. 

Images: Provided by Alliey Bender Photography

Momma with her pups

I just read a story about a mother dog, her owners home was on fire. Onlookers were shocked when she re-entered the ferocious flames six times rescuing her puppies one by one and carrying them out and placing them in what she deemed the safest place, a open compartment of the fire truck. Once they were all safe she climbed in herself and nursed her 10 day old puppies. Seeing this reminded me that I have been blessed enough to witness this amazing motherly love before.

Some thirty years ago I had a beautiful Shepard Husky Mix, aware she was due to give birth any day we prepared for a birthing box full of comfortable blankets. While at work one day she decided, despite our efforts to keep her pinned in our kitchen, it would be more comfortable to have her pups on my new couch. We opened the door that evening to find her laying on the couch with stuffing every where!! I gasped at the sight of my couch shredded all over my living room, while surveying the damage I heard the tiniest squeak. And then I saw them, two adorable puppies nursing on their mommy. I totally forgot about the mess, Babe had delivered her puppies! What I didn't realize at that moment was that there were more. Her weight on the couch had caused the babies to slip down inside the couch, she hadn't been destructive she was trying to get her babies. There were nine more pups down inside the couch for a total of eleven. Fortunately all the pups were healthy and there was no ill effect from being - couch puppies. I couldn't be upset with Momma, I had recently lost my three month old son I would have torn up anything to save my baby. I totally understood, it was motherly love.

Shepard Husky mix puppies

Snow White

Recently I took into my foster care a very emaciated White Shepard momma, along with her six, three day old pups. The pups needed supplemented because momma wasn't producing milk yet. A few hours after her arrival as I was preparing to feed when I noticed the tiniest puppy in the corner all by herself. I picked her up she was lifeless and extremely cold, I needed to warm her up and fast. I have a microwaveable bag filled with rice I use for headaches and I heated it up and wrapped her in a blanket and then placed her on the heated bag. It took several hours but I got her temperature up, got some food in her and she started to peak up. I gave her back to momma which licked her and pushed her gently under her. A few hours later the whole scene repeated itself a second time. The third time I found her in the corner she was even worse than before and again I began the process of reviving her. Only this time her extremely weak mother came to me, placing her mouth around the puppy and carried her back and placed in the corner. Once again I picked up the poor little girl and started to work on her, when I felt a gentle nudge. Momma again took her and put her back in the corner. Being determined I was going to save her I again picked up the puppy walked back over where I was working on her and before I could even start, momma took her away. As much as I didn't want to give up I also didn't want to upset momma any more. Heart broken I decided momma must know more than I did, so I let her be. A couple hours later I return expecting to find this precious little baby in the corner. What I found is something I will never forget as long as I live. The puppy had indeed passed but her lifeless little body was not in the corner. She was being held in her momma's paws. Momma looked up at me and for the last time picked up her lifeless baby and brought her to me. I could have her now! She must have known something was wrong, how hard it must have been to love her puppy so much to let her go, sparing her baby from any further pain. It was motherly love!!

Snow White and her pups in foster care.  All, including Snow, have since gone on to find their furever homes!

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Content By:  Donna Schulman

Donna Schulman is a foster for dogs and puppies along with her husband Richard.  Donna is a full time care taker for her mother and Richard is an automotive painter.  They have a 7-year-old rescued Pomeranian named Pepper and three rescued cats Figaro, Charlie and Boots.

Images:  Provided by Donna Schulman

There is no way to tell the story of Russell from beginning to end as a short story. His story is far too long; and far from over. So I will do my best to keep it as short as possible. I'll divide it into chapters so it doesn't have to be read all at once. The 7 chapters of Russell's Story will be posted semi-monthly.


In the early afternoon of September 26th I brought Russell back to our house for the third time as a foster dog. I introduced him, yet again, to my Beagles, Mandy and Buddy for the third time also. They gave each other a courtesy sniff and walked away from each other. It seemed that Mandy didn’t care to fight with Russell any more. Maybe she felt sorry for him. The introductions that day took place in our front yard. Since Russell was completely unable to run, I let him loose in the front yard with my two dogs. As my two ran around sniffing and doing their business, all Russell could do was pant and watch. After several minutes, he waddled over to a bush and attempted to lift his leg to pee where Buddy had a few minutes earlier. He couldn’t do it on the mildly slopping ground. Despite his obvious discomfort, Russell’s tail slowly wagged as he tried to follow me down our 50ft. long driveway so I could get the mail. He made it about half way and stopped. I walked back up the driveway to our walk that led to the front porch. Russell followed along. When I stepped the one step to the porch, I saw Russell staring at it like it was a mountain. He crawled up slowly and had to take a break before crawling up over the front door threshold and into the house. I’m the kind of person who tries to find humor in just about anything. The only humorous thing that came to mind at this point was: “At least he can’t run away!”

In the late afternoon my wife Vicki returned home from work. She knew Russell would be there, of course, so it was not going to be a surprise. As she opened the door to come into the house, Mandy and Buddy did their normal barking and running to the door to greet her. Russell, who had been sleeping in a dog bed, struggled just to get up. When Vicki first saw Russell, her mouth dropped open. Nearly in tears, she couldn’t believe his condition. The Beagle that she had not really cared all that much for last year, was now just a pitiful sight that she couldn’t help but feel sorry for.

Shortly after Vicki got home, we fed the three dogs. Afterwards we led them to the sliding glass door that opened up to the back yard. This is where we normally let them out to go to the bathroom. There are ten steps that lead from the door down to the yard. Mandy and Buddy raced down the steps and into the yard. Russell put his front paws down one step and stopped. He couldn’t get down the steps. I went down the steps past him and tried to help him down. He methodically went down each step by dropping his two front paws down first. He would then have to shift his body weight to one side because his rear legs would start to spread apart. As he shifted sideways, his back end would slide around and drop down to the lower step. He would then have to twist his whole body to get his two front legs back in front of him so he could lower them to the next step. It was a grueling process for him to do and even more torturing for us to watch. Russell would be going out the front of the house for a while because there were only two steps down to get to the yard and each had a larger surface to land on.

That evening we prepared to take Mandy and Buddy for their evening walk. It was obvious that Russell was not going to go for the normal 1-2 mile walk we go with our dogs. Mandy and Buddy went nuts when we got their leashes ready for their walk. Much to our surprise, Russell was showing some excitement to go also. We knew he wasn’t going to be able to go very far (maybe to the end of the driveway), but we had to admire his enthusiasm. Vicki decided to take Mandy and Buddy and I would try to follow with Russell. I didn’t need a leash as we started on the walk. Vicki quickly disappeared as she walked off with Mandy and Buddy. Russell tried his best to follow, but after about 100ft. down the street, he stopped and laid down on the concrete. After a few minutes, I convinced him to get up and follow me back to the house.

Over the next couple weeks we tried to put Russell into a routine of eating healthy and moderate exercise. By the end of the two weeks, Russell still could not go down the back steps. We did, however, find out that he could go up the steps. We got into a routine that would allow him to get some exercise by letting him out the front door, force him to go around the house to the back yard and up the steps to get back into the house. We also continued to let him follow Vicki or I walking the dogs in the evening. He slowly was able to go farther and farther down the street. One night when I was walking Mandy and Buddy and Vicki was following behind with Russell, he suddenly decided that he wanted to come too. It didn’t take long for Mandy, Buddy, and I to get far ahead. After I was far enough away to be out of sight, Russell started barking. For the next 30 minutes or so I could hear him bark as I went through the neighborhood. We walk the dogs in a big loop through the neighborhood leaving the house from the south and returning from the north. When I was about 200ft. or so from returning to our house, Mandy and Buddy started barking at one of our neighbor’s dogs. I noticed that Vicki and Russell were not in front of our house, but I could hear Russell barking. When I got to our house, I noticed Vicki and Russell coming from the south. It seems that Russell had tried to follow us and had gotten almost a quarter of a mile before he heard Mandy and Buddy barking. He turned around and headed to the barking which brought him home. Vicki said Russell was very determined to follow me despite it being so physically difficult. It was a major sign of improvement for Russell in terms of his health and his personality. He was getting in better shape and was also beginning to bond with us.

Russell had only lost a few pounds in the first couple weeks he was with us. I decided it was time to get a better physical check up and blood work done. I made an appointment with my vet. A thorough health evaluation would reveal many things.

To be continued . . .


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Content By:  Beagle Bob

"Beagle Bob" Dietrich is a foster parent for dogs along with his wife Vicki and son Robert.  Bob is a full time Fire Fighter/Paramedic, Vicki is a high school math teacher, and Robert is a full time college student.  They have two Beagles, Mandy and Buddy. 

Images: Provided by Beagle Bob

Volunteer of the Month for April is Jackie F.  We might not always see her at Petsmart every weekend. Jackie does tons and tons of behind the curtain work for Paws and Prayers. She takes care of her family including; children, animals and always has a foster or two. She is on email all the time and will respond to phone messages (even when someone else got it before her), help with questions and guides people where they need to be. She sends out emails to just make us smile, which they do. She takes in kittens that need a momma to stay alive when it is kitten season (NOW). Jackie is our go to women, she is there when we need her.  She spent hours last year for the Adopt Me Meow event and there are talks of her does the same again this year. Jackie dedicates so much time to our group with a positive attitude and smile on her face. We truly appreciate all the time and hours Jackie spends helping animals in need find their loving homes. Thank you from the volunteers but most importantly the fur babies that you save!

We can't reinvigorate our Volunteer of the Month recognition without YOU, our supporters! Have a volunteer you'd like to nominate? (Yes, fosters are volunteers, too!) Click here to complete our quick, easy survey with your nomination and why they deserve to be Paws & Prayers Volunteer of the Month!  Winners are announced at the start of the following month. Thank you!

There is no way to tell the story of Russell from beginning to end as a short story. His story is far too long; and far from over. So I will do my best to keep it as short as possible. I'll divide it into chapters so it doesn't have to be read all at once. The 7 chapters of Russell's Story will be posted semi-monthly.

Melanie, victim of BB gun shot wounds

From August of 2011 to September of 2012 our family fostered fifteen dogs for Paws and Prayers. Most of them, ten to be exact, were Beagles or Beagle mixes. Each had its own level of affection that made it easy for us to get attached to them. From the extreme response of jumping in your lap and licking your face, to a simple nudging of your hand for a gentle pat on head, each had their own distinct personality. Each also had challenges that needed to be worked out. These included, but were not limited to: two “diva” Beagles that barked loudly at every dog they saw, a Beagle puppy that only pooped in his cage, a Beagle that had to spend hours a day hiding and retrieving toys all over the house, a German Shepherd mix that needed to sit in your lap every minute, a Redbone Coonhound that was scared of me and most likely had never been in a house, and a small Beagle with a dislocated hip and twelve BB’s from a gun scattered throughout her body (including one in the neck). Each dog was adopted to a loving home.

On Sunday, September 23, 2012, the Paws and Prayers voicemail system received a message from Russell’s owner. Most voicemail messages are sent out to a group e-mail system that transcribes them into print for easy retrieval. Every person in the group can see the transcribed messages. Most never apply to me and I delete them after just a glance. As I was glancing through a transcribed message, I saw Russell and S’s name. I stopped immediately and was shocked to read that Russell was in the care of the Humane Society of Greater Akron. S wanted to know if I could get him out. I called her and found that Russell had been staying with a friend of S’s. That friend, who lived alone, needed to be taken to the hospital and Russell was taken to the Humane Society for care. S wanted me to get involved because the Humane Society needed proof of her ownership of Russell and how she had adopted him. She had never gotten him a license for 2012. S also told me that she had been living with her daughter because of frequent hospital admissions and recovery periods that prevented her from taking care of Russell properly. Her daughter could not have pets at her house. I told S I would help her any way I could.

On Monday morning, September 24th, I called the Humane Society to inquire about Russell. I was put on the phone with a Humane Society Officer who related to me a story I was not prepared to hear. It seems the Humane Society Officer was involved in removing Russell from S’s neighbor’s home because of “deplorable conditions." The neighbor also had two other dogs, two cats, and a bird that also needed to be removed. The Officer stated that there was little chance any of the animals would go back there.

When I told the Officer that I had fostered Russell last year, his first question, much to my dismay, was: “How much did he weigh the last time you saw him?” I told him that Russell weighed about 33lbs, but should have weighed about 25-30lbs The officer told me he weighed about 60lbs now! I could not believe what I heard. They hadn't weighed him yet, but I could hear a woman in the background over the phone telling the officer that she could pick up dogs up to 50lbs and she could not lift Russell. The Officer said that Russell could hardly walk, had trouble breathing, and could barely get up after laying down. I wanted to rush right out there to get him, but I was at work, so I told the Officer I would pick Russell up the next day.

Russell, just over 60lbs, back at Beagle Bob's home

I called S and made arrangements to meet her with Russell on Tuesday at the Banfield Pet Hospital that Paws and Prayers takes their dogs and cats to. I also contacted Jen, the Paws and Prayers Executive Director, and asked her to come with me. I wanted someone to help me get to the bottom of what happened to Russell.

Early in the afternoon of September 25th, I arrived at the Humane Society to pick up Russell. I was both excited to see him and scared of what he might look like. I felt that his weight might have been somewhat exaggerated. It seemed impossible that a dog that small in stature could weigh 60lbs. When they brought Russell out to see me, my jaw dropped. He was huge! As I approached him and called out his name, his tail slowly wagged as he strained to lift his head up to look at me. The face, the ear, and especially the eyes were the same, but the rest was practically unrecognizable. I bent down and let him smell me as I gently stroked his head. He seemed to remember me. Most dogs that I have fostered usually don’t remember me after being adopted, especially if they were only with us a short time. Russell seemed to have at least a little memory of me. The scene must have been somewhat comical as I struggled to lift Russell into the back seat of my truck. He was very heavy and very awkward to lift.

Jen met me at Banfield about 15 minutes before S was set to arrive. She was as shocked as I was to see Russell’s condition. After I struggled to get Russell out of my truck, I started to walk him into the Banfield building. He could only walked about four or five steps and had to stop to catch his breath. He didn’t really walk. It was more of a waddle. The 30ft. walk from my truck to the door of the building took a solid five minutes. Along the way Russell lost control of his bowels twice. It was pitiful.

Stairs were quite the challenge for Russell

Once inside Banfield, we took Russell to the scale to get weighted. He could not go up the five inch high platform without help. He weighed 60.5lbs! Jen began to tell me that Russell would most likely have a host of health problems from this obesity. She wondered if S was going to be able to afford the type of medical care he would need. We both were very anxious to find out how this had happened. While we waited for S to arrive, I told her I wanted to take care of Russell myself or at least help S get him the care he needed.

When S finally arrived Jen and I were shocked to hear that she had not seen Russell in over six months! Her frequent admissions to the hospital had prevented her from taking care of him and she had entrusted him with her a neighbor. A decision she seemed to regret. S told us that she was glad Russell was not at the Humane Society any longer. As she gently petted his head, Jen and I exchange glances. Both of us knew that Russell should not go back to her. I couldn’t come up with the words, so I was glad when Jen finally spoke up and asked her it she would allow Paws and Prayers to foster Russell again. Without ever looking away from his face, she sighed and agreed to release him back to us.

After S signed Russell over to us and left, Jen had a Vet take a quick look at Russell. His obesity had taken a toll on his body. He would need a full exam and blood work soon to determine how dangerous his health had become.

Because my current foster, Dotty, was being adopted that evening, Jen offered to take Russell to her house for the night and I would pick him up the next day. As I struggled to get Russell into the front seat of Jen’s car, I wondered how this had happened to this poor dog. I was very angry with myself for not following up enough with S to see how Russell was doing. I was, however, determined to do everything I could to get Russell healthy.

To be continued . . .


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Content By:  Beagle Bob

"Beagle Bob" Dietrich is a foster parent for dogs along with his wife Vicki and son Robert.  Bob is a full time Fire Fighter/Paramedic, Vicki is a high school math teacher, and Robert is a full time college student.  They have two Beagles, Mandy and Buddy. 

Images: Provided by Beagle Bob

Volunteer of the Month for March is Dori! Dori is one of the most selfless people you will ever meet (if you’ve met her you know). While working, taking care of her 3 children and her own pets, she always as 1 or 2 foster dogs. She’s been known to have a foster cat too! She takes the dogs that need us the most whether it is a dog that has severe food aggression or helping a dog through heart worm treatment. She provides not just a place for the animals to stay, but also works with each dog so they are ready to go to their furever home. Dori has become a mentor to our new foster parents. Despite all she does concerning her own fosters she never hesitates to put aside time to help her mentees. She accompanies them to meet prospective adopters, answers question after question and never once acting like it bugs her. Dori always shows praise when a animal has a successful adoption. She continually follows up on animal's adoption, sensing something was wrong, offering to help the family see that animal gets the care that they need, and as a last resort when all options had been exhausted she will got get the animal, She believes and emphasizes how important it is to always follow your gut instinct. Not only are her mentees very fortunate to be paired up with her for guidance but so are all volunteers with Paws and Prayers. Dori is a great advocate for animals and P&P is lucky to have. Congrats, Dori!

We can't reinvigorate our Volunteer of the Month recognition without YOU, our supporters! Have a volunteer you'd like to nominate? (Yes, fosters are volunteers, too!) Click here to complete our quick, easy survey with your nomination and why they deserve to be Paws & Prayers Volunteer of the Month! Please have all nominations in by the 20th of the month you're nominating them for. Winners are announced at the start of the following month. Thank you!

I have wanted to be a foster for a long time, but we had an elderly dog that we didn't want to upset by bringing home dogs unfamiliar to him.  Toby had been with us for over 17 years and was our main concern.  Last September, as I lay beside one of the best friends I ever had in my life, his shallow breathing and lifeless body left me numb, it was time to let go and we said "Good Bye" to our beloved family member.  The next couple months we missed him terribly and had no desire to open up our hearts or home to another pet.  My mother, who lives with my husband and I, repeatedly commented "It's just not right without a dog in this house."  So we made the decision to get another dog, a Pomeranian, but for my mom, not us.  I started searching shelters and rescues for a Pom, which brought me to the Cuyahoga Animal Shelter where we found the perfect companion for my mom.  It didn't take long for her to melt our hearts too, and before I knew it, I was searching for a companion for our new family member.  I found a Pom listed on Paws & Prayers site and I filled out an adoption application.  We went to visit the Pomeranian listed and brought along Pepper to meet her.  It took no time at all to see it wasn't a match made in heaven and we wouldn't be adopting this one.

On the way home, I told my husband I really wanted to start fostering.  His only concern was my physical ability to handle it having Fibromyalgia.  I take care of my 87-year-old mother full-time, and with my illness, he wasn't totally convinced that this would be the best idea but with reservations he agreed - which he usually does.  I promised, if it was too much for me to foster, I would only do it once.  My next bombshell was that I wanted to foster puppies, though he thought I was insane, again he reluctantly agreed.  I filled out my application, and before I knew it, I was on my way to pick up three 11-day-old American Bulldog puppies that only had a 40% chance of survival.

3-week-old Male

3-week-old Female

From the day I brought them home, everyone wanted to know what are we going to call them.  Being the rational level headed person I am, I said, "no names" because once you name them then you begin to become attached.  Yeah right, I was going to have these pups for about 8 weeks, with no names and no attachment. Within the first 24 hours, one of the puppies became very sick and passed away.  That's when I knew it wouldn't matter whether these puppies had a name or not, it still breaks your heart!  I had lost "the little black puppy with no name" and I didn't know what I had done wrong.  Maybe my husband was right, maybe this not something I should be doing.  Soon I found out the whole story behind these pups and their mother, Malina.  She was found abandoned, emaciated, and dehydrated, so much so that no one realized she was carrying puppies.  She was then vaccinated, something that should never be done with an expectant mother, it can be deadly to her unborn pups.  Soon her 14 puppies were born, 10 days later after giving all she had to give, she sadly passed away.  Six puppies had already succumbed to the horrible situation some cruel and heartless human had placed upon their mother. There were nine pups left, to be divided between three fosters. After my first day of fostering, I sadly only had two left.

3am Bottle Feeding

Now knowing it wasn't my fault, I was determined my two unnamed puppies were going to make it.  But there was a problem, I was having trouble getting them to eat.  They had both lost weight within the first 24 hours, I tried everything possible.  When I wasn't feeding (or trying to) I was on the Internet searching to find out everything I could about feeding newborn puppies.  After trying different bottles, nipples, barrel syringes, I finally went to the store and bought regular baby bottles.  Much to my surprise IT WORKED!  Now all we had to do was be careful not to let the bottles flow too much so they wouldn't aspirate, make sure they were manipulated properly so they would relieve themselves, feed every few hours, burping regularly and we were on our way. These two pups, which remained nameless (despite many suggestions), immediately started to gain weight.  With a sigh of relief I, for the first time, truly believed "I can do this".

After making it through the first week, the pups were now being referred to as the "white one" and the "brown one."  Both were continuing to tip the scales in an upward direction every day. Late one night, or maybe it would be more accurately described as very early one morning, while feeding, I chuckled to myself as I noticed the "white one" had a very large spot on her back with an amazing resemblance to a rubber duck.  I thought we should call her "Ducky." Oh no, what had I done, I had named one of the puppies!  Well not the be outdone as I picked up the "brown one" I noticed he had a white mark on his chest, well I'll be, he has a lightning bolt on his chest and, from this moment on, shall be called "Bolt!"

The 'duck' spot!

Week two went by without any problems and we forged on into week three.  They were downing their bottles in record time and eliminating on their own with the knowledge that every day that went by these babies' chance of survival increased.  By this time I had settled into a routine, both the puppies and I seemed to be surviving.  Then it happened, the dreaded runs - with a drop, drop, here and a drip, drip there, and messes, messes everywhere!  I ran, not walked to my computer.  Was this serious?  Should I contact medical?  What can I do???  The common solution on most sights was pure canned pumpkin, so I gave it a try and by the next day they were having regular stools, and I am so thankful we live in an age of high speed Internet.

5-week-old Bolt/Jack Daniels

On Monday, the first day of the fourth week, I received quite a surprise.  One that would turnout quite painful. Ducky had a habit of gnawing on my hand while I was feeding Bolt, letting me know she wanted her turn.  Today was no different, except for the sharp piercing pain she was inflicting.  What the heck, she had teeth!  Where did they come from?  She didn't have them yesterday. What did she do, get doggy dentures just so I would feed her first?  Lo and behold, the following day Bolt had been blessed with a mouthful of finger piercers, too.  It was also this week I started noticing something else that was definitely a pleasant surprise, I was getting up at 6 a.m. to feed, feeling better than I had in the past couple of years.  Before the pups, I was lucky to be able to painfully pull myself out of bed by 10 or 11.  My days used to consist of me pushing myself to complete anything, pain pills every four hours and antidepressants.  Depression goes hand in hand with Fibromyalgia, with most of the time feeling useless and helpless.  I realized I had these pups depending on me, they didn't care if I was tired or in pain.  So I had to push through, I suddenly found myself with a purpose and a passion, I was loving what I was doing.  I wanted to keep doing it, for the first time in a very long time, feeling like I was making a difference.  The pain was still there but it was manageable because I had to take care of Ducky and Bolt.

5-week-old Ducky/Margarita

Now by this time of course I was getting very attached to my little furry buddies (because they had names now, ya know) how am I going to let them go?  Were my first fosters going to be a failure?  Funny though how things work out, I had to go to PetsMart to pick up more formula and there happened to be a Paws & Prayers adoption event going on.  I thought I would stop by and say hello, everyone was busy but I overheard one of our fosters talking to someone about possibly becoming a foster, when the person she was talking to said, "But how do you give them up?"  The answer our foster gave is one I will never forget.  She replied, "You grow to love each and every one of your foster dogs (ok, so I'm normal) but you love them enough to take great care to find them a wonderful home where they will be loved forever. When you have done that, you have room to save another dog in need, another dog you will fall in love with."  I left actually never speaking to anyone that day, but knowing, even though I had named them, I could let them go because I had the power of selecting what loving home they were going to, and because I loved them so much, it has to be a very special home.

Nap time!

The rest of the days just flew by.  I found out the rest of the pups in the litter had been named after Wine and Spirits.  So Ducky became Margarita and Bolt was now Jack Daniels.  And just a side note, which I will always take into consideration in the future when naming puppies, since changing their names to Margarita and J.D. they have been sleeping all day and partying all night!!  We have now been through gruel, worming, enemas, and high pitch wining at 3:00 a.m. and they completely have my heart. I take as many pictures of these guys as I do my grandchildren, they were always doing something cute and adorable. Now we have reached week six, these puppies which had a 60% chance of not surviving, had made it!!  I took them in for their first shots and I was just like a proud momma when everyone thought they were so adorable. I completely agree!

Margarita's valentine to her furever family

Now comes the hard part, I had to post them for adoption online.  What happened next I never expected, within 20 minutes of posting them I had an application, and then another, and then another and they just kept coming.  The third application just jumped out as one I needed to take a closer look at.  My mentor, Dori, which by the way has been my rock, told me right from the beginning "Listen to your gut."  Well my gut told me I wanted to follow through with this couple.  I did the vet check and their vet absolutely raved about them and the care they took of their recently deceased 17-year-old cat, especially in her later years when most people would have given up, they did what ever they could for her.  I then spoke to the couple on the phone, is it possible I could have found the perfect couple that quickly?  Dori and I met them with Margarita and Jack, they were so great I wanted them to adopt me!  We left that evening knowing they were going to adopt one, but just not sure which one.  I had a strong feeling they had quite a connection with Jack.  I got a phone call early the next morning and Jack was going to be one lucky dog, he hit the JACKPOT!!  I am so incredibly happy for him!  They have no children, no other pets, and a fenced in back yard, he is going to be so spoiled.  I'll tell you more about them later, I need to tell you about Margarita's adoption.  My next choice was a couple that had adopted from Paws & Prayers a year ago from the Muppet litter.  We met, and though I think they are a wonderful couple, I just didn't feel there was a connection between them and "Rita."  Sure enough they called me the next morning and said the same thing, they just didn't feel the connection. Our next appointment was a single woman that had filled out an application for another dog which was already adopted, when she picked up "Rita" it was love at first sight, it was a done deal.  I was really happy for her, but now realization set in, in two weeks my commitment to these once tiny helpless puppies was about to be over.  I have found them both very special and loving homes.

Jack Daniels's valentine to his awaiting furever family

Now I promised to keep in touch with both of them, I told them I would send pictures to try to make the next two weeks go by a little faster.  I hear from Margarita's mom every couple days, always thanking me for the latest pictures. Now Jack's (now Otis) parents, that's a different story.  I send them a picture every day, along with a short note from Otis about his day.  They have emailed every day, they have spent at least 8 hours in PetsMart, bought crates, toys, food, they have him signed up for puppy classes, and have his first vet appointment scheduled.  They came to visit him, they brought him a new collar, one of his crates, complete with blankets they have slept with so he can have their scent, so he can get used to it.  They have both taken a week's vacation so they can spend his whole first week in his new home with them.  They also told me they have it arranged up to November 24th where one of them will always be there with him.  They left with a gallon of my water so they could slowly introduce their water to him.  It's hard to feel bad about them leaving, when they are going to such wonderful families.

In less than a week they will both be gone, it sure will be quiet around here at least for a couple weeks until the five unnamed puppies downstairs start coming into their own.  Will I be sad?  A little, but not for them, for me, I will miss them! Will I shed a tear? Probably, I'm emotional like that. What do I feel? Content and grateful, I learned so much through this journey, I gave my best, and I got back so much more. I now have hope, I truly believe this experience has saved me from a really bleak future and once again gave me purpose, I guess this time Paws & Prayers saved more than just our four legged friends. Thank you to this wonderful group for all your help and support, you've made me feel like part of the group!

Jack Daniels at 7 weeks

Margarita at 7 weeks

There was a delay between Donna penning this touching account of her first foster experience and our publishing it here for you to enjoy!  Magarita and Jack Daniels are well settled into their new furever homes and Donna is now keeping herself busy with Snow White and her litter of pups!

Jack Daniels, now Otis, with his new furever family!

Donna was recently featured on the front page of our local newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal.  Click here to read the inspiring feature.

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Content By:  Donna Schulman

Donna Schulman is a foster for dogs and puppies along with her husband Richard.  Donna is a full time care taker for her mother and Richard is an automotive painter.  They have a 7-year-old rescued Pomeranian named Pepper and three rescued cats Figaro, Charlie and Boots.

Images:  Provided by Donna Schulman

There is no way to tell the story of Russell from beginning to end as a short story.  His story is far too long; and far from over.  So I will do my best to keep it as short as possible.  I'll divide it into chapters so it doesn't have to be read all at once.  The 7 chapters of Russell's Story will be posted semi-monthly.

Mandy

When I brought Russell to our home for the first time, I knew that introducing him to my dogs properly would be important.  After my female Beagle, Mandy, had not been too happy with Molly, I had to make sure she knew she was not going to be threatened by this "other dog."  My wife, Vicki, was out on our deck with our dogs when I brought Russell home.  I walked him around the house for a few minutes letting him smell his new surroundings.  Keeping him on a walking leash, I went around to the back of the house where the deck is to meet Mandy and Buddy.  They began their normal amount of barking when seeing a new dog as I walked Russell up the stairs to the gated deck area.  Within a minute of the proper "smelling the behinds" introductions, Mandy growled and tried to attack Russell.  He retreated as I pulled him away and my wife secured Mandy.  This was not going to be easy.

Left to Right:  Buddy, Russell and Mandy in August 2011

We decided that a nice walk with all three dogs was in order.  With Vicki in the lead walking Mandy and Buddy, I walked Russell behind them.  He seemed to understand pretty quickly that he was third in dog seniority in our little family.  The long walk went off without problems.  Tired and thirsty, we brought the three dogs into the house together.  After waiting his turn at the water bowl, I started to lead Russell around the house on his walking leash.  We had learned from past experience, with our own rescued dogs, that keeping them on a short leash for a while inside the house will get them into a routine and build trust.  As I passed our rocking chair and ottoman (the one we bought especially to rock our newborn son some 17 years earlier), Russell lifted his leg and peed on the ottoman.  "Russell...NO!" I yelled.  He kept peeing.  I took him outside and he just stood outside for several minutes.  I brought him back into the house and began to lead him around, he tried several more times to lift his leg on any vertical surface we passed!  This was going to difficult.  We had never had a male dog in our house that was not house broken. Russell was going to be on the leash inside the house for a while.

Over the next couple weeks, we began to get to know Russell through observations and interactions.  He was somewhat of a loner.  We could pet him, but he didn't seek out attention.  He liked chewing on bones and soft toys, but didn't want to play with us or our dogs.  He really didn't like being on the leash inside the house.  This was mostly because when he laid down and went to sleep, I would have to frequently wake him up to go with me.  He would sigh and slowly follow; flopping himself down on the ground when I stopped and grudgingly get back up when he had to.  We had to keep him on the leash because he still didn't seem to understand that peeing inside the house was bad.

Russell had one habit during those early days that reminded us that he was a dog that had been on his own and tied up outside.  He would get up early in the morning, usually around 5:00am, and want to go outside.   He didn't go to the bathroom as soon as he got outside.  Instead he would go beyond where the dogs normally went to the bathroom and begin licking the dew off the blades of grass.  He wasn't eating it; just licking the dew.  It only took us a short time to realize that this was probably the only way he got water during the time he was abandoned.  He knew he had to get outside and get water because once the sun came up, the dew would evaporate and there would be no more water until the next morning.  He would continue to do this for about three weeks before realizing he had a nearly endless supply of water inside the house in a bowl that was easier to find and easier to use.

A few weeks soon turned into almost two months.  Russell was not getting any applications and little attention at adoption events.  At events, he would sit in the shade, rarely getting up except to get a drink of water or a treat that was offered to him.  He went on two camping trips with us and enjoyed the walks and the outdoors.  He did not, however, have the energy to go on long walks of more than two miles or so.  He would stop and lay down to rest; even along the side of the road.  He was getting along with our dogs pretty well and was starting to like getting petted by us and even strangers.  He was still, however, not that dog that craves attention that people looking to adopt a dog hope to find.  I was still keeping him on the leash inside the house, patiently watching what I did in one room and then follow me to the next.  He always slept in a dog bed right next to me on the floor, loudly snoring once he was in a deep sleep.  He still would attempt to go to the bathroom inside the house, but was getting better.

Some of the other foster parents at Paws & Prayers suggested that I relist Russell on our website and maybe even change his name.  “Russell” was not your typical dog name and that might be stopping some people from even looking at him.  I decided that I couldn't do that because I had said “Russell” so many times (“Russell, NO!….Russell, STOP!.... Russell, come on”, etc.) that I could never get myself to say another name.  Besides, Russell was endearing himself to me.  He looked at me for guidance whenever we went somewhere, followed me inside the house dragging his leash, and was even excited to see me when I came home from work.  He seemed to really like our home too.  When we walked all three dogs at night, we could drop the leashes when we were about 100 feet or so from returning to our house and all three dogs would run up to our door to be let back in the house.  It seemed like Russell was starting to settle in for a long visit as he wasn't getting adopted anytime soon.

To be continued . . .


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Content By:  Beagle Bob

"Beagle Bob" Dietrich is a foster parent for dogs along with his wife Vicki and son Robert.  Bob is a full time Fire Fighter/Paramedic, Vicki is a high school math teacher, and Robert is a full time college student.  They have two Beagles, Mandy and Buddy. 

Images:  1 & 2 Provided by Beagle Bob, 3http://wallpaperuser.com/dewy-grass/