It's a Dog's Life!

Donors

2009-11-06T15:36:00.004-05:00

Dr. Marvin & Michele Steed recently made memorial donations to The Lucky Puppy Rescue in honor of:

"Macey" Tavoletti

"Neilly" Carson

"Katy" Heilmeier

"Oreo" Ciofani

"Tanner" Ferrell

and "JR" Dean

We are very sorry for their losses. Thank you to The Steeds.

We also received a donation from Wayne & Jean Neely, and their little dog Nikki. Thank you very much! The rescues definitely appreciate your generosity and so do we!

SURPRISE!

2009-10-31T12:17:00.002-04:00

One of our Boston Terriers from a recent puppy mill rescue had a surprise litter of 3 puppies on Thursday morning! We noticed that she was big, but never dreamed that a puppy mill would send out a pregnant female. Lucky for her, she concealed her pregnancy long enough to land in our hands. The babies were delivered szsometime during the night and were clean and happy when we arrived at work on Thursday morning.

Bonnie and the babies are doing just fine! They are now living in the office at our house. Oh well...what's 4 more, huh?

I'll post pics as soon as possible!!

Thanks for your Lucky Puppy support!

BIG RESCUE UPDATE-Now Available:

2009-10-16T12:44:00.010-04:00

The following RESCUES are available immediately and need homes. They can be seen by appointment by calling 740-695-4566:

"Teddy"
Young (approx. 9 mos. old) Male Shih Tzu Mix (probably mixed with Yorkie) RESCUE
Teddy was surrendered by his elderly owner because he had too much energy & was too much for him. He loves to play and is "all puppy". He gets along great with kids and other dogs. He is up to date on all shots, but still needs Rabies. Teddy is not yet neutered, but the cost of his neuter is included in his adoption fee. (Neuter IS required to adopt.)
90% housebroken, but progressing very well! Just needs consistent positive reinforcement to continue good habits.
Adoption Fee: $225., including neuter
Call 740-695-4566 to schedule an appointment.

"Hazel"
Hazel is a 3 year old Spayed Female Basset Hound RESCUE. She was originally a Perky Puppy that was purchased as a house pet, but ended up as a breeder in an outside run. She was recently sent to The Lucky Puppy for care and placement. We had her spayed & got her up to date on her shots. She is a great, loving, and playful dog! LOVES other dogs! She likes her crate is pretty much housebroken. However, she needs those good habits reinforced, because she will have accidents if you just let run all over the house with no restrictions.
Adoption Fee: $175., includes crate.

"Hope"
1-2 year old Spayed Female Retriever Mix RESCUE
Hope was rescued by a couple who found her to be neglected and in need of hospitalization. Although they were unable to keep her, they paid for her vet care and supplies to make her comfortable and happy. She has now been placed with The Lucky Puppy for continuing care and placement in a "forever" home.
Hope is spayed and is up to date on all shots, including Rabies. She weighs about 40 pounds.
She is very playful and loves kids and other dogs. She's 98% housebroken, but has occasional accidents if you forget to let her out. She tolerates her crate well, but can be an escape artist if it is not latched properly. She is VERY smart.
Adoption Fee: $125., including crate, collar, and leash.

"Buddy"
Male neutered Chihuahua mix RESCUE. 98% Housebroken.
Sweet, but can be nervous. Quiet home needed. Suspicious of strangers, but very, very loving to those he knows.
Loves to go for walks and LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to ride in the car!!!
Up to date on his shots and neutered.
He will be your BEST friend! Born 12/10/04
Adoption fee: $ 100., includes crate.

"Jelly Bean"
Male neutered Purebred Jack Russell Puppy RESCUE
Jelly Bean loves other dogs! He's a lot of fun and is doing VERY well on his housetraining. Up to date on his shots and neutered.
Born 06/01/09
Adoption fee: $ 175., includes crate

"Zoe Margaret"
Female Spayed Chihuahua Mix RESCUE
9 years old and hates cats. Gets along fine with other dogs, but will tell them off if they are misbehaving. (Thinks she is the dog police and can be opinionated.)
Loves to just hang out and do her own thing. Sweet temperament.
NEVER has an accident. Loves her crate. She is the PERFECT companion dog...not demanding.
Adoption Fee: $ 100., includes crate.

BIG RESCUE UPDATE-The "unadoptables"

2009-10-16T12:14:00.009-04:00

Many of you check the web site regularly to see what rescues are available for adoption. Sometimes, there are rescues that never hit the site. They are dogs that for one reason or another, unless a miracle happens, will probably be with us for a very long time. We continue to love them and provide for their care and comfort "behind the scenes".

Here's a few:

"Happy" the Papillon:

Many of you felt Happy's pain after he was featured in this post, this post and this post. Happy has come a long, long way...but he is FAR from normal. He would do well to be someone's dog who was very gentle and understanding of his foibles and quirks and who would love him, even though he's not "right". ..someone whose life is very quiet and consistent. He's ready for that, but unfortunately, those homes are practically non-existent. So he hangs with us...loving our staff...loving his spot in the living room...loving his canned food (he is getting FAT). He's our special boy. We all love Happy and we are so proud of his progress.

Your donation of $30 a month will help care for Happy. Please consider supporting him.

"Midge" the elderly Toy Fox Terrier:

Less than a week after Albert was put to sleep, we got a call about Midge. Midge is an elderly Toy Fox Terrier that was found running the streets in a local town. She weighed 2.5# on the day that we got her. She was covered with fleas, polluted with tapeworms, and was malnourished. We THOUGHT she had a neurological issue, because she staggered and would fall over and struggle to get back up. Turns out it was ALL because of the malnutrition and the parasites. We wormed her, vaccinated her and got her on the road to recovery. She's a hefty girl now, weighing in at a whopping 3.75 pounds!

Midge is old. She has snaggly teeth and cataracts. She loves to ride inside our coat on these cold days. I think Midge is likely to live out her days with us...nobody wants to adopt an elderly dog...

Would you be willing to help support Midge? $30 a month will help pay for her care and keep her happy and safe with plenty to canned food and treats!

"Momma" the Pit and her 7 Babies:
Read about them here. Your donation of $25, $50, or even more will help get this dog and her puppies the care and homes that they need.

We are also in need on bedding, crates, and High Efficiency" laundry detergent (the only kind that can be used in our new washer).

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND CONSIDERATION. Your financial and supply donations will help The Lucky Puppy reach more dogs.
You can mail a check to The Lucky Puppy Rescue, 67740 Airport Road, St. Clairsville, OH 43950
OR you can donate via PayPal.

If you think you may be the right home for one of these "unadoptables", please call Jessica at 740-695-4566.

BIG RESCUE UPDATE-Momma & Babies

2009-10-16T11:47:00.008-04:00

About a week ago, we got a call about a medium sized dog who looked as if she would "burst soon with puppies" out by Seneca Lake. There were no houses for miles, and she was clean, so she was apparently dumped by someone who didn't want to mess with her and her babies.

We took her in and less than 5 hours later, we had 7 babies. (Actually, she had 8, but the first one wasn't alive.) She's young, but she's a good mom. She's a wonderful playful dog and is very appreciative of the warm, loving home that she and her babies have with us.

She's living in my kitchen temporarily. We thought we had a connection to a rescue in northern Ohio that would take her and all the babies, then raise them up and adopt them, but unfortunately, it fell through.

The babies are now 7 days old and will start their wormings in another week. They will be wormed every 2 weeks. Momma is eating us out of house and home, but she is still very thin. Unless we find another rescue that is equipped to handle her and her pups, the babies will be with us for at least another 7 weeks before they are able to be adopted. They will need to be vaccinated prior to their adoption, as will Momma.

If you are able to help in any way with her care, either by fostering her and her pups or making a donation to The Lucky Puppy, it would be greatly appreciated. You will play a vital role & help make a difference in the life of eight very special doggies.

You can mail a check to The Lucky Puppy, 67740 Airport Road, St. Clairsville, OH 43950.

Thank you!

A Lesson from the ANIMAL KINGDOM

2009-10-02T06:21:00.007-04:00

If animals can love someone who isn't like them, we can too!

Friends forever.....The orangutan was in a rescue and not doing well. This old hound wandered in absolutely emaciated and the orangutan snapped to like his buddy had arrived. He stayed with the hound night and day until he was well and in the whole scenario, found a reason to live. They are now inseparable.

Best friends Suryia the orangutan and Roscoe the Blue Tick hound live at the Tigers sanctuary in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina . Suryia and Roscoe spend hours together every day - they're particularly keen on swimming. The three-year-old orangutan goes everywhere with Roscoe. A dog's not just a man's best friend, he's an orangutan's too!

Chihuahua Land...

2009-09-25T18:21:00.002-04:00

OK-so The Lucky Puppy Rescue looks like Chihuahua Land! We have Tony (a 1 yr. old Male Chihuahua), Zoe Margaret (a 8 yr. old Chihuahua Mix), Buddy (a 4 yr. old Chihuahua Mix), and we just added another:

Today, we got Albert-reincarnated. Seriously. OK-maybe not really-but close. Today, we got an elderly deer-legged Chihuahua (or maybe Toy Fox Terrier). She only weighs 2.5# and was FLEA-INFESTED and has tapeworms. She is pathetic and old. Poor thing couldn't even stand up in the bathtub. I'm hoping she'll get stronger, when she doesn't have all the parasites sucking the life out of her.

She's got little fragile spindly legs (like Albert)...

NO! I know you are thinking I should keep her, since I had to put Albert to sleep, but I can't. I'm still rehabilitating Happy (who is doing much better). I feel like I'm running a dog nursing home on some days. Today's addition confirmed it.

Geez....

So, we are calling her "Midge". Short for "Midget". Or maybe we should call her "Alberta". Get it?

Memorial Donation

2009-09-24T07:38:00.002-04:00

Wendy Patrone has made a Memorial Donation to The Lucky Puppy Rescue in honor of:

Cricket (6/26/94-7/13/09) and Baci (2/14/01-4/2/09) Patrone

Wendy, we are sorry for your losses.

The MOST AMAZING Video I have seen!

2009-09-24T07:25:00.000-04:00

R.I.P. Albert

2009-09-17T14:41:00.005-04:00

(Pic: Albert 12-03-08)

Albert was born on June 3, 1993. He arrived to me, 8 weeks later, as a snotty-nosed puppy that was supposed to be put up for sale. (Back then, I didn't know any better about how to buy puppies and we shipped them in from the mid-west, via truck.) (Many of you don't know that for a short period of time, back in the early 90's, I had a puppy store in Martins Ferry. Back then, it was called "Animal Attraction". What a stupid name for a business...)

Anyway-back to the puppy-He was so tiny and was the prettiest cream-colored puppy that I had ever seen. I decided not to "send him back on the truck" and that I could "fix" whatever was causing his snotty nose. I kept him in the house (away from the other puppies) and got an antibiotic for his cold. Of course, I was the one who had to play with him and love on him and keep him entertained. That was tough (did I tell you how cute he was?).

So-here we are-September 17, 2009...16 years later. I put Albert to sleep this morning.

He's seen it all. He's lived in 7 different homes with me and has seen the fiance, the marriage, the divorce, the Martins Ferry puppy store failing, my paramedic training and jobs, the launch of a church, the plans to launch another, the dream of opening another puppy shop, the success of The Perky Puppy, Play N Stay's opening and it's success.

He's seen me happy and sad, and for all intents and purposes, has watched me "grow up". He wasn't around during my childhood, but sometimes I think that growing up through our 20's and 30's is just as important.

Albert loved car rides, cats, and Pupperoni. He loved squeaker toys. And he loved to give you hell if you didn't feed him on time.

Albert's elderly years were spent as the house chihuahua at our dog hotel, Play N Stay Pet Camp. He was demanding ("I wanna go in the office, NOT the living room.") and for years, barked at all of the "intruders" (customers). Everyone loved him: staff, customers, and of course, me.

Occasionally, Albert would trip and fall down and get right back up again. It SUCKS to get old.

Albert's been getting thin and weak over the last few months. He would have good days and bad days. His appetite could often be described as inconsistent and finicky. He was incontinent. The spring in his step was gone. He stopped being himself a long time ago.

This week, Albert began falling a lot. He struggled to get back up and often couldn't. So we made the call to Dr. Steed to have Albert put to sleep.

Here's the part where I tell you that it was the most responsible and loving decision that I could make for him...where I admit that sometimes when we love something we have to set it free. Albert was a prisoner in his body, and he wasn't coming back. I had to do for him what he couldn't do for himself. I love him too much to let him keep falling.

Albert had cottage cheese and Pupperoni for dinner last night, which he gobbled enthusiastically. He got a bath this morning and went for his last car ride, all bundled up in a blue fleece blanket.

He's buried under a tree in the back yard in a nice shady spot. We will miss him.

Rest In Peace Albert. Run free. We love you.

RESCUE Update

2009-09-10T16:01:00.002-04:00

Many of you have asked about the pathetic rescue dogs we took in a few weeks ago. (You can read more about them HERE.)

Here's a little update:

Happy, the Papillon is still a poor little thing. He was neutered and got his teeth cleaned last week He has a mystery limp that can not be defined. Occasionally, he will scream out in pain and will bite us if he is picked up wrong. Believe it or not, we can find nothing wrong with him. His area of sensitivity seems to change in location and severity. Some days, he won't let us touch either paw. Most days, he holds up his right paw. Some days he snaps if you touch his sides. Dr. Steed examined him twice and gave him a steroid shot. We've tried baby aspirin. Nothing seems to fix it.

Today, I was working on his shave-down to remove the rest of the mats, and he was petrified for me to touch his front feet or legs. He bit at me, then hunkered down like I was going to beat him. Hate that...made me cry. He does like to hide under stuff, so I am wondering if he was dragged out from under things by his front legs in a previous life and is just S.C.A.R.E.D. It's all we can guess. He is a very timid fellow.

Today, I put him on a leash and he did pretty well in the grass. I've got him at my house right now, just to give a little bit of quiet time away from Play N Stay. He's getting along ok and I would say he is acting like he is 10% housepet (better than I expected). We are encouraged and look forward to rehabilitating him to at-least a somewhat-normal state. It's going to take a long time. Please pray for Happy and that he would be healed and whole.

Mickie (or Munchkin) the Pom is doing VERY well. He was neutered and got his teeth cleaned last week (testicles were in abdomen, so it was a more complicated surgery.) He also had some sebacious glands removed from his scalp, so he's all shaved on top of his head with 5 stitches...looks like Frankenstein. He LOVES his crate and is very playful and fun. He's doing pretty well on his housebreaking and will likely be adopted out very soon.

Zoe Margaret was a Chihuahua Mix that came from the same place. She is short-haired, so she wasn't an unhygenic nightmare like the other two. She is sweet and opinionated...hates cats and complains if there is too much horse-play in her doggie playgroup. She's a great girl and is up for adoption now. She would make a great companion in a quiet home. If you'd like more info, please call 740 695-4566 to schedule an appointment.

I'll post some pics soon. Thanks for your interest and for your donations.

If you would like to help with their care, we appreciate it. The rescue's vet bills were $759. (including a Basset spay) last week. Every donation goes directly to rescue dog's care.

You can send a check to:
The Lucky Puppy
67740 Airport Road
St. Clairsville, OH 43950

Or visit PayPal.

Thank you.
The Lucky Puppies

Donors

2009-09-10T16:00:00.001-04:00

The Lucky Puppy Rescue recently received donations from Elaine George and Brad & Denise Troy. Thank you so much for your support!

Rescue Update

2009-09-01T14:57:00.005-04:00

RESCUES COMING SOON:

"Hazel" Purebred Female Blue Tri-color Basset Hound, born 09/17/06. She is scheduled for spay and Rabies vaccine on Friday and will be up for adoption after that. Was housebroken, but has been an outdoor dog for awhile. Just weaned a litter of pups. We will re-acclimate her to home life.

"No Name" Purebred Male Tri-Color Basset Puppy (8 weeks old). Son of Hazel. Up to date on shots and dewormings.

UPDATE on the Papillon and Poms that were rescued last week:

Their original names were Happy (Papillon) and Mickey (Pom), but we will be renaming them, so they can have a new identity AND a new life.

They were seen by Dr. Steed yesterday and both are on antibiotics for their severely rotten teeth. They are scheduled for tooth cleaning, neuter, and the Pom will get a bump on his scalp removed. All of this happens on Friday.

Although Dr. Steed's office is very, very fair with us on price, these vet bills will break The Lucky Puppy checking account. ($89. yesterday and est. $420. on Friday.) PLEASE-consider donating to their care. They need all the help they can get.

Thank you!

Memorial Donations

2009-08-31T10:26:00.002-04:00

Dr. Marvin & Michele Steed have made memorial donations to The Lucky Puppy rescues in memory of:

"Frannie" Brensinger

"Rudy" Fasola

"Zeus" Vannest

"Buffy" Cook

We are sorry for their loss. The rescues say "Thank You" to the Steeds for their continued generosity.

First night of the rest of their lives....

2009-08-28T20:45:00.017-04:00

WARNING: This post is NOT for the faint of heart:

Tonight, we got in three rescues. 2 of them were in DEPLORABLE condition.

Penny, Vanessa, and I (Jessica) spent two hours dematting, bathing, shaving, and clipping nails. We got them well on their way to feeling better. We even had to sedate one with Benadryl, so that he would relax enough to let us cut the mats out. They were both in a lot of pain.

As we were cutting out fist-sized mats that were tangled all the way to the skin and waiting for the Benadryl to take affect, Penny began singing "You are my Sunshine" to comfort them. I joined in and the tears started. It's probably the first time that they've ever had someone sing to them. It definitely won't be the last.

Their haircuts aren't perfect, but we didn't push them any further tonight. They both enjoyed their baths and the sweet-talk and cuddling they received afterwards. Tonight is the first night of the rest of their lives.

The tan one is a Pomeranian. He was so tangled, he couldn't stand right (see photo of him hunched up). The brown and white one is a Papillon. He was so tangled, he couldn't wag his tail (had a HUGE mat hanging off the back of him).

They won't be up for adoption right away. They will be neutered and get the veterinary care they need. Once they are ready, we will place them up for adoption.

If you would like to donate to their care, please send a check to:

The Lucky Puppy

67740 Airport Road

St. Clairsville, OH 43950

or call 740-695-4566 to make other arrangements.

Here are some BEFORE pictures:

The Papillon had a bunch of hair caught in his teeth and they are now infected and green. We got as much out as we could, but his teeth are loose and his gums are RED. He'll need a lot of oral work done (cleaning, tooth pulling, etc.) when he is neutered. I am sure he will need to be on antibiotics as well.

Here are a few AFTER photos:

Your support makes this possible. THANK YOU!

A BIG Surprise!

2009-08-26T11:32:00.011-04:00

On Sunday, we got a surprise visit from a family from New York. It was the family who adopted "Happy" back in December from the Lucky Puppy Rescue. If you remember, Happy was a maltese puppy who only had 3 legs. Apparently, he either had a birth defect or his mama was overzealous when she cleaned him just after birth and accidentally chewed off his little foot.

Happy's name is now "Scooter Lee McCoy", and he is one happy little boy! Their visit was a great surprise, but what they brought with them was amazing! This generous family drove 5 hours to donate a truckload of items to The Lucky Puppy. They brought a toddler bed and mattress, dog beds, blankets, toys, bleach, paper towels, cleaning product, and lots and lots of dog stuff!

Julie DiPietro collected all the items from Scooter's new family-all dog lovers for sure-and transported them to us!

Thanks to Ray & Debbie MacIver and their dog Jasper for the big brown bed, the scarf and toy for a "lucky little girl rescue".

Thanks to Scooter's 29-year old Grandma for the doggie toys.

Thanks to Julie, Tiffany, Dave, Scooter, Peaches, and Rosco for all the other great stuff and the pictures!!

They also brought with them a check from Scooter's grandma, Carol Moore, and her dog Jack, in memory of the beloved dog Romena Lee Ford (pictured above), who belonged to Tiffany Ford, Julie's daughter.

It was great to see them and we were touched beyond belief that they made the long journey down here! They are truly friends of The Lucky Puppy!

Julie and Family-Thank you VERY, VERY much! The rescues are enjoying the beds and toys already! You're wonderful!

Scooter-We are glad you have such a great family who loves you as much as we do! You're a Lucky Puppy for sure!! XO

Update

2009-08-26T10:51:00.002-04:00

Well-I imagine you all think I dropped off the planet. Good News!!! I didn't!

We've pretty much spent the entire summer at Play N Stay. There aren't computers there and even if there were, it's too much fun to play with the doggies!

It's been a very crazy cool summer at Play N Stay. We've broken every record and had a blast doing it! Our staff are INCREDIBLE, AMAZING, FANTASTIC, STUPENDOUS!! Seriously-we have the best team anywhere-GUARANTEED! We met a lot of new dogs and had a great time with our regulars as well! Every dog had a wonderful time! It is THE place for any great dog to vacation for sure! We're very proud!

Grooming (Soapy Puppy) is going very well! We've done some major transformations and makeovers over the last several months. I'll try to share some pictures soon.

As you know The Perky Puppy has been closed for the summer, which turned out to be a good move. We couldn't have pulled off at Play N Stay what we did this summer without all hands on deck. (Did I tell you our staff is great?) We have been doing several "special order" puppies over the summer and that has been really good. I love the trust that our customers place in us when they special order a pup with a deposit. We use the same standards to choose a special order pup as we do for the store. It's great to watch the owners faces when the baby they've been waiting for finally arrives!! NEAT! Perky Puppy will reopen sometime in the fall for the winter months and then close again for the spring/summer season. It has been the right move to make it a 4-6 month operation yearly.

We have been accepting and placing Lucky Puppy rescues at a steady pace. It's all been without much fanfare because of being away from the computer. We currently have 2 rescues available, Buddy-a min pin/chuihuahua and Tiny Tot/Jelly Bean-a baby Jack Russell. (Yes, I know that Tiny Tot/Jelly Bean is a funny name. We just can't decide and so our staff call him both!) We have 3 more rescues coming in over the weekend-a Papillon, a Pom, and a Chihuahua/Pom mix. They will need to be neutered and evaluated and will be available for adoption soon after.

I think that's a good summer wrap up! We hope you've enjoyed your summer. We certainly have...This is a dog lover's paradise!
Thanks for your support!
Jessica

Memorial Donations

2009-06-02T12:37:00.003-04:00

Dr. Marvin & Michele Steed have recently made memorial donations to The Lucky Puppy in honor of:

"Emiley" Truex
"Rickey" Hill
"Snowhite" McConnaughy
"Bear" Adkins

We appreciate their support!

If you would like to make a memorial donation, please send it to:

The Lucky Puppy

67740 Airport Road

St. Clairsville, OH 43950

THANK YOU!

JET EXPRESS: New Bathing System!

2009-05-22T17:59:00.009-04:00

We've just installed a new Bathing System! We call it the JET EXPRESS Dog Bath, because it delivers the cleanest bath in town!

Now, instead of the old-fashioned bath, every dog who is bathed at Play N Stay Pet Camp (boarding) OR through the Soapy Puppy Doggie Spa (grooming) will receive our new JET EXPRESS at no additional charge!

Our new JET EXPRESS bathing system jet-sprays our specialized shampoos deep into the coat (at 20 gallons a minute), cleansing the skin (not just the hair) at the deepest level, and blowing old dirt & hair out away from the skin!

It's invigorating and most dogs absolutely LOVE it! (As a staff, we have agreed that we need to invent a people version of the same system!)

It's safe for all dogs, from short-haired to long, and from puppies to large breeds...even our 16-year old Chihuahua "Albert" loves it!

Call 740-695-4566 today to treat your dog! Ask for a JET EXPRESS Dog Bath!

Rescue Prices Lowered!

2009-05-19T10:29:00.003-04:00

All of our rescue dog's adoption fees have lowered! We are nearing our CRAZY, over-booked time at Play N Stay and we need the space! They are also ready for good homes with owners who are all theirs!

Choose from Tippy, JJ, Teddy, Buddy, and Bugsy!

See them at ThePerkyPuppy.com!

P.S. These guys need toys. Please go through your doggie toy boxes at home and consider donating those toys that are no longer used by your dogs. We will clean them and give our kids some new fun! (No rope toys or rawhide please!) Thanks! ;o)

Perky Puppy & RESCUE Update

2009-05-14T19:15:00.002-04:00

The Perky Puppy is officially out of puppies and closed for the summer. As always, special order puppies are still available (details are on our website under "see available puppies").

The Lucky Puppy has some GREAT rescues available right now that need loving homes! All are NEUTERED and up-to-date on their shots! Tell your friends! All are great, little house dogs!

Tippy is a GREAT dog! He would work well in just about any home. Here's his video:

Bugsy is also a great dog! He would be FANTASTIC with kids and doesn't mind cats at all! He LOVES to play! Here's his video:

JJ & Teddy were rescued from a Pomeranian Breeding Kennel. They are doing surprisingly well on their housebreaking! Best in a home where there aren't many kids. They can be separated if necessary. Here is their video:

For details on these dogs, please check our website or call us at 740-695-4566.

Road Trip

2009-05-08T07:38:00.003-04:00

Hey All! Lots of fun stuff happening over here at TPP/PNS!

Big news for today is that I'm heading to Pittsburgh, where I will spend the day with a Grooming Salon owner and will hopefully also take a tour of Camp Bow-Wow.

I'll keep you posted! I'm EXCITED!

Talk with ya soon!

Pomeranian Rescue

2009-04-18T15:47:00.005-04:00

We got a call this week from a Pomeranian Breeding Kennel. Due to the husband's health issues, they are needing to downsize and were inquiring about our rescue program, The Lucky Puppy. We spoke at length and have decided to accept the challenge. Here's how it will work:

Over the next few months, we will be acquiring (a few at a time) approximately 7 Pomeranians & 1 Papillon, ages 2 to 10 years of age. Most of them are not yet housebroken (we're sure hoping we can teach old dogs new tricks) and none of them are spayed or neutered. They were purchased as breeders and have lived in a kennel environment all of their lives. It is our plan to spay & neuter all adults, work on housetraining, and to find them loving, adoptive homes.

There were 2 puppies that are 1/4 Papillon and 3/4 Pom, that are 10 weeks old. (In case you are still stuck on the 1/4-3/4 thing, it's a Pom crossed with a Papillon/Pom.) They have come to us first. They will be adopted out at premium rate ($300. for brown and white, $350 for wolf sable). Their adoption fees are set high to help pay for the spays and neuters, care and housebreaking on the dogs to come next.

These puppies are BEAUTIFUL! They are up to date on vaccinations and dewormings and the adoptive family will be required to neuter them by 7 mos. Here are there pics:

If you are interested in filling out an adoption application, please call us at 740-695-4566.

Blueberries and Mud!

2009-04-04T14:16:00.006-04:00

What do BLUEBERRIES and MUD have in common? And why are they being talked about on a dog & puppy blog?

Because VERY SOON, we will be offering Blueberry Facials and Spa Mud Masques for boarding and grooming clients at Play N Stay Pet Camp and the Soapy Puppy Doggie Spa!

Now, before you check out on me (I know you are rolling your eyes), let me explain a little more.

But first, GET YOUR DOG OVER TO THE COMPUTER, so that I can talk to him or her directly.

OK, dogs, here goes:

BLUEBERRY FACIALS: Believe it or not, Blueberry Facials are pretty cool! Here's why: Dogs-let's be honest-we KNOW that you can't wash your own face. And most people who bathe you won't wash your face either (often they just kind of bathe everything else and act like you don't even have a face). And if your people DO wash your face, it's often just a little "wipe off" of the hair...not really scrubbing your face. (And, you know, all of your people scrub THEIR faces...some even do it a few times a day!)

Our special Blueberry Exfoliating Face Wash (due to arrive this week) is specially formulated for dog faces and dog whiskers. It's tearless and exfoliating, so the spa attendants can really scrub it down in...which is very, very relaxing-it feels SO good!

After a nice facial massage, it rinses away cleanly removing 85% of those ugly tear stains and breaking down all of the mouth and slobber gunk that make your whisker crunchy and sticky. (And for those of you with really wet faces, either from tears, slobber, or your water bowl, your face won't smell like old socks anymore!) You and your owners will be delighted with the smell of Fresh Blueberries that lasts and lasts! (It's great for long, dangly ears too!)

MUD MASQUES: For all of our 4-legged friends with problem skin (dry, itchy, flaky, or hot spots), this is the spa treatment for you! Specially formulated mud with Dead Sea Minerals & Eucalypus Oil is massaged into your skin (not just your hair). If it's nice day out, you can wear your mud out into the play yard, where the heat from the warm sun will feel so good on your skin. (If it's a yucky day out, our spa attendants will lay warm, damp towels on your body, so the mud can penetrate over the next 15-20 minutes.) The mud masque then "goes to work", moisturizing your skin and coat, relieving the itching and burning that makes you crazy sometimes. Once the masque is rinsed away, you will be thrilled at the results! Your old dry hair and skin will be lustrous & beautiful!

All the neighborhood dogs will be so envious when they see the whole new you!

Both products will be available as a service and available for purchase, so your owners can do-it-themselves at home!

The Big Decision

2009-04-04T13:47:00.003-04:00

OK...so if you've been following along, you know that each spring we struggle with what to do with a VERY slow puppy store (lots of lookers, very few buyers) all summer long. A few weeks back, I asked for your input. We had some good responses, the best suggestions surrounded utilizing volunteers at Play N Stay and trying to keep the store open.

After careful thought, we have decided that idea is likely to not work for us at this time. We are certain that there are available and reliable volunteers out there, but we are VERY dependent on our workers at PNS. If one or both called off or did not come in, we would have a mess on our hands. Perhaps as we grow, we will be able to have a volunteer or two be with 4 or 5 workers, but on most days at PNS, there is only 1 or 2 people on shift at a time. We need everyone to be there and to be on their A-game. And if they aren't, we need to be able to address that. We can set that bar high with our staff, but I'm not sure we have the systems in place to set it that high for volunteers, without compromising reliability. And we can't lower the bar.

But-thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. That may be an idea for 2 or 3 years from now.

So-(drum roll), here's what we are doing...(you may already know, if you've been on the Perky Puppy website)...

We're closing The Perky Puppy for the summer. We're selling out (or at least DRASTICALLY reducing) and will not be open to the public again until mid-August. We will continue to do Special Orders/Special Requests, which is a growing segment of our business. If we do "stock" any puppies, they will be listed on our site and shown BY APPOINTMENT to SERIOUS customers only. We will no longer pay staff to stand here while people just "stop in to look at the puppies". Honestly, we know that's a part of the business, but in the summer it reaches a very unhealthy level, and it doesn't pay the bills. (Of course...I could look into starting a petting zoo and charging admission. Nah! We'll save that for another time and place.)

SO-today is our last open day until fall. We are down to 5 puppies. The price on those puppies is somewhat negotiable. If they don't sell, we will move them to PNS and start housetraining them. They will sell from there for sure.

All of our staff will be working at Play N Stay for the summer. We've got some prety neat stuff happening over there. (Check back for info on Blueberry Facials and Mud Baths.) We think you'll be excited about what's in store! Keep your eyes on the website and the blog. We'll keep you posted. Again, Thank You for your input on this tough dilemma.

We appreciate your business! Have a great summer!
Jessica