Dee Dee is our Week 41 featured pup. She was at MCACC in the Shelter Dog Program when Lindsey, one of the One Love Board Members, fell in love with her. Even though our friends at One Love don’t make it a habit of pulling dogs from the shelter, Dee Dee desperately needed some time out to heal.  She had wounds on her back, and was severely emaciated. But, her calm, snugly, loving spirit was still intact!

At just 3 years old, this girl is highly intelligent. Dee Dee is 100% potty trained and has not had any accidents in the house since being placed in her temporary foster home. She also does not chew anything in the house….except for her stuffies.  Girl LOVES her stuffies.

What we appreciate most about this pit/lab/grey hound mix is not just that she is calm and friendly and makes a wonderful companion….it’s that she’s got some sass in her. Recently she was at O.H.S.O. for a little day-outing, and we were told that if she is not getting the attention she feels that she deserves…she will occasionally let out a bark that basically says “excuse me, it seems you forgot that I am supposed to be included in all conversations”.

One thing worth noting about Dee Dee is that she does not require a backyard.  She would do great in an apartment or condo where her outings are on a leash! If you already have a dog at home, Dee Dee would definitely need a dog-intro prior to adoption. Interested in this endearing diva?  Just email rescue@oneloveaz.org !

It happened again.  A Shelter Dog stole my ❤ .  Because this pup is so sweet, it is perfectly fitting that he is named after candy, meet five-year-old Reese.

Reese is a quiet, mellow, snuggly guy who is typically curled up in his kennel as potential adopters pass by the rows and rows of kennels filled with adoptable dogs.  Maybe this is why he hasn’t grabbed the attention of the perfect family. Upon first meeting Reese, many people mistake Reese for being shy….but he isn’t. He is just perfectly polite. A truly kind-hearted, loving, affectionate, gentleman.

Reese is the kind of dog you want to come home to after a long day at work.  This guy will crawl right into your lap and soothe away all your worries. Want to feel loved and adored? Adopt Reese.  Not to mention, he is also a much healthier anti-stress tool than my usual go-to options (wine, binge watching the RHOBH, eating a whole box of goldfish–the big, family sized box, not the small one etc).

This mellow fellow is not just quiet and calm all the time.  Reese is a well-rounded dog…and given the opportune moment, he’ll get going and showcase his more active side! Favorite hobbies (aside from showering his people with love & smooches): playing with toys, playing chase around the yard, going for walks **GREAT loose-leash walker alert**. FYI: this is actually a MAJOR selling point.  Dogs with leash manners are dreams come true. So, by transitive property, REESE is a dream come true.

So, even though it’s clear that Reese may have had a rough past-life, those memories have not impacted his love for people. ALSO, Reese has done well with meeting other dogs, so if you have a dog at home already…bring your pup in to meet Reese. We know you’ll be swooning over this hunk just like we are.

Reese recently enjoyed a day out of the shelter to attend training (sponsored by One Love). The volunteer that had him out for the day just RAVED about him saying Reese is the kind of dog you can take anywhere. While they were strolling around the Biltmore Fashion Park (he’s fancy BTW)…a family stopped to enjoy his company. Reese literally just laid there while they all obsessed over him. As the family got in their dog-fix by petting him, Reese was so relaxed he literally went to sleep, on the sidewalk, right outside of the Lululemon store (seems KIND of coincidental since the volunteer who had Reese out is a single guy, and Lululemon is usually filled with cute girls). We live in such a dog-friendly world these days, and since Reese has those impeccable manners, we feel he’d be the perfect companion or wing man….

Reese is FIVE years old and is at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control East and is part of the One Love Pit Bull Foundation Shelter Dog Program. THIS MEANS they will provide his adopters with free post-adoption training and cover the cost of his microchip. His ID # is A3825992 and the address for the shelter is 2630 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Mesa, AZ 85201. Let’s have a successful week and find Reese the PERFECT home (one in which his new owners will post and/or text me picture updates on him daily frequently).

What I love most about Calie is not that she is good with other dogs (because she is).  It’s also not that she already knows “sit” (because she does).  It’s not that she’s pretty good on her leash and would even be a good jogging partner (because let’s be honest, I’m not trying to jog any time soon *but if I was, Calie would be IN).

My favorite thing about Calie, is that she’s just like the rest of us girls out there in our late 20s/early 30s/late 30s/early 40s/late 40s….you get where I’m going with this. And actually now that I have typed this I realize maybe I shouldn’t be speaking for all girls from age 20-50 for those of you who workout daily and eat to live not live to eat- you go girls! Your bikini pics are WAY better than mine. BUT anyways, what I am trying to say is Calie likes her treats & well, she isn’t missing any meals. Girl is not a fitness queen, she’s not interested in sticking with chicken + broccoli for six meals a day, and you know what…she really embraces her curves. Something I feel a lot of us could learn from Calie! No body shaming allowed in Calie’s presence!

This girl (who is about 5 years old) is bursting with personality….she’s got the cutest tuck-n-run of ALL time. Calie does GREAT with other dogs, she even came in with a buddy (who has already been adopted). So, if you have a pup at home, bring him/her in to meet Calie to ensure everyone gets along prior to adopting.  You guys, trust us, just go meet Calie. This adorable pup has a whole community swooning. She is playful, but not hyper…and is more than ready to go home.  She is at MCACC East and her ID is A3698216.

We’ve mentioned it before, but I definitely feel like this needs to be said again…when you volunteer at the animal shelter you don’t fall in love with every single dog you meet. But, what I want you to know is that the moment I saw Dolly come wiggling through the gates of the play yard at MCACC West I was in love.

This precious girl was an owner surrender…her previous family said she is good with other dogs, good with kids, and good with cats. Dolly has had kennel mates and done fine with them. And, at adoption events she does well with the other dogs there. She is so relaxed. SO, what I’m saying is….she should really have a home by now.

I met Dolly last Thursday when we were hanging paintings from Color Up County at MCACC West.  They brought her into the play yard for an interview about the One Love Pit Bull Foundation Shelter Dog Program. Dolly is sponsored by One Love in the Shelter Dog Program, which means she is receiving enrichment items to help her cope with life at the shelter, she gets to go off-site to training classes, AND once she is adopted she comes with a free microchip + post-adoption training classes to ensure a smooth transition into her new home.  Anyways, when they let Dolly off her leash in the play yard there were about six of us out there (all with treats in-hand) vying for Dolly’s attention. She promptly pranced around to each of us to accept our pets (and treats). Let’s just say, Dolly did not play favorites, she gave us all a chance to adore her!

I can tell you the exact moment Dolly stole my heart.  So, I am standing out in the play yard with a group of people who literally know everything about dogs and have more experience with them than anyone I know….and everyone is trying to get Dolly to “sit” to show off her skills to the camera. Just imagine this sweet, happy, STOKED-to-be-out-of-her-kennel pup running around to each person all of whom are saying “sit” “sit” “sit”.

She was so excited that she could not focus on the instruction.  So when Dolly headed my direction, I prepared for rejection. But, because I felt like I had to be a team player and at least try to get her to sit, I quietly said “Sit!” and MUCH to my surprise….DOLLY SAT. It was like all the stars aligned and Dolly knew I was just the random, useless girl in the group that day so she wanted to throw me a bone (no pun intended).

Guys, that moment sealed the deal for me with Dolly. I knew she was a true dream come true. Dolly has a heart of gold…and she really, truly is the full package. I mean, how often do we get to say “DOG friendly-CHECK, KID friendly-Check, Cat friendly-Check”

 …ya, pretty much never.

SO, what are you waiting for?  Dolly has been overlooked for FAR too long, and it’s time for her to have literally the happiest ever after…ever. If you believe you can offer this sweet, loving….wonderful dog the perfect home then well, LET US KNOW. Her ID is ID: A3814546

 

This week, Tristan selected Toby to feature for Project PAL. I want to begin by saying I am very proud of Tristan for not selecting a brown dog, she has really broadened her dog palate on her last couple of picks! Toby actually happens to have the best of all colors/textures.  Like, if my stepdaughter scrapbooked a dog, it would = Toby. So, for those of you who like to be original, unique, and have something no one else has…Toby is your guy. He is white and black with brindle legs ❤ …does that make him a dog unicorn? I feel like it does. 

Sweet Toby has been at MCACC East since June 11th.  If you are horrible at math like me (English majors unite!), that is getting dangerously close to FOUR months at the County Shelter.

It is important for you to know that One Love Pit Bull Foundation has recently sponsored Toby under their Shelter Dog Program.  If you’ve been paying attention to any of our posts for the last multiple months, you know this means they will provide shelter enrichment for Toby, a microchip, flea & tick treatment, and free post-adoption training to help him adjust and bond with his new family.

Toby will be an all-around great companion for the person/family that chooses him.  As far as adopting a dog goes, he’s a pretty low-maintenance choice.  I’d say he’s kind of like a mullet–business in the front, party in the back.  I really wanted to use that quote, so now it might be a biiittt of a stretch to make it work but here it goes: Nine times out of ten, Toby will want to just take a load off and watch whatever TV show you are currently addicted to (business in the front?)…he won’t make any complaints or give unwarranted commentary, which I am specifically pointing out because I do feel this quality is undervalued.

Toby may be a calm and patient fella, but don’t get us wrong….he still has the hops and will surprise you every once in a while with his agility (party in the back?). When Emily with One Love told me this about Toby, I was so happy. Mostly because recently, my fiance played basketball with one of his friends and came home and literally said the same thing about his friend’s basketball skills. This information led Emily to suggest that Toby is Justin’s friend’s spirit animal.

Toby already knows basic commands and he is very gentle when taking treats.  On top of that, he has great leash manners, which you don’t fully appreciate until you have a dog that has horrible leash manners (not naming any names but my foster dog, HAYLEY & Jenni’s dog Chance).

Anyways, MCACC Shelter Staff have listed Toby at approximately 4 years old. He is currently being cared for at MCACC East and his ID is A3783028. If you already have a dog, bring him/her in for an intro prior to adopting! We sure hope we can help Toby find his family in the next 7 days before he officially hits four months at the Shelter! 

 

Most of the time, when a dog ends up at the Shelter we all feel sad and want to cry. But for some pups, the Shelter ends up being a place where they blossom.  They are fed, provided shade and shelter, and are shown love for the first time by the wonderful MCACC volunteers.  This is the case for Smitty.

First and foremost, we will state the obvious: Smitty is handsome AF. But what you don’t know is that he has a personality to match.  He is so sweet and our friends at One Love just rave about his easy-going personality.

Smitty is the perfect gentleman which let’s be honest is hard to find these days. And just like any true gentleman friend, as soon as you sit down with him, he’ll make you feel like you’ve known him your whole life. AND, since he is now an esteemed member of the Shelter Dog Program, he completed his first training class.

I am actually laughing out loud at this meme. But, seriously Smitty is the man so he prob knows everything already. (disclosure: I did not see Smitty at training so I don’t know his skill level, but I feel like it’s impressive–I mean at the end of the day at least he went to a training class!)

OK, back to the actual point of this blog post. I was watching a video that one of the volunteers took of Smitty when he first arrived at MCACC. He was laying on his bed just facing the sun. Smitty wasn’t jumping up and down in his kennel or barking, he was just laying there quietly. That is still the case for his current kennel manners….they are impeccable and Ms. Manners would be proud (true story I went to Ms. Manners class with my Girl Scout troop decades ago, it’s a thing.).

The perfect family for Smitty would be one that just enjoys time together, maybe it’s a good Netflix marathon, watching Sunday football, OR even watching both Saturday college football AND Sunday NFL games. He’s truly just looking for his forever couch.  This guy walks well on his leash and at the end of the day, it has been said that Smitty probably enjoys the outing more than the activity.  Meaning, he doesn’t need a lot. And he certainly doesn’t need to be the center of attention. All Smitty really wants is to be wherever his people are just soaking in the scenery.

Smitty is non-reactive to other dogs, so there is definitely potential for him to have dog siblings, but do us all a favor and bring your dog in for an intro before adopting.

Last, but not least, I wanted to take a second to address Smitty’s ears (or lack thereof). This morning, I did some research on why people do this.  Turns out, there’s literally an article titled “Why People Cut Their Dog’s Ears”…how convenient.  There seem to be a few reasons people do this, one being that the American Kennel Club supports ear cropping in order to maintain the standards of appearance for certain breeds (personally I’d like to tell the AKC to get F’d for a lot of reasons, but I also ❤ mutts which I understand is not everyone’s cup o’ tea…to each her own! So, don’t worry….if you love the AKC that’s cool, we can still be friends. Just know IDGAF about your dog’s papers/bloodline ).

I also saw that there are certain people who want their dogs to look more intimidating, so they do a little snip snip to their pup’s ears. (This makes literally zero sense to me since I will wait for hours until my two dogs look as pitiful and pansy-esque as possible to take a good snapchat). Anyways, the above-listed two reasons do very little to justify ear-cropping for me…I’m just reporting what I read from the article.

What I do want to say is that Smitty didn’t choose to have his ears cropped…so let’s not hold it against him. Personally, I find Smitty to be quite the hunk…no ears and all.  Also, because I’m already up on my soapbox so why stop now–I’d like to take this moment to remind you not to judge a book by its cover.

In summary, (I feel like my 6th grade teacher would appreciate that start to my “concluding paragraph”) Smitty + his ears are low-key and lovable.  He’s listed as a four year old, but his demeanor is that of a seven + year old….which officially makes him a Silver Fox. So, swing by MCACC East and meet Smitty today. We feel like it might be the best decision you’ve made in a while. His ID is A3799778.

 

Join us THIS Saturday for our very first event! We will be co-hosting Color Up County with our friends at One Love Pit Bull Foundation!  Click the link below for more information on the event and to pre-register.

http://www.oneloveaz.org/color-up-county

This week’s PAL is David <3. Sweet David has tons of potential, but has had a rough beginning. He was brought into the shelter after being found roaming around the streets with a couple of dogs. He and the other dogs had been injured by another dog, but received veterinary care when they arrived at the shelter (shoutout to Dr. Besemer from Scottsdale Hills Animal Hospital… You and your team are the best!!).

As expected, David has been a little shy and apprehensive… he’s been warming up slowly but surely :). As he starts to feel safe, more of his amazing personality shines through. He’s been smiling and even greeting people at his kennel with a little tail wag! Everyone who has met him has fallen in love and says he is just the sweetest… and who is surprised with that face?!

One Love Pit Bull Foundation added David to their Shelter Dog Program and he has passed all behavioral evaluations. They even think that being around other dogs will help him boost his confidence… just look at him in the below picture hanging out with his pal. He sure looks like he’s coming out of his shell to me!

One of One Love’s fosters has recently decided to foster David to give him an environment where he can blossom and grow into the wonderful dog that we know he is! David needs an owner and family that he can trust and who can help nurture him. He just needs someone he can depend on. He may be slow to open up and feel comfortable, but we know that this fella has so much love to give and joy to bring! Whoever gets to spend furever with this guy sure is lucky. We can already tell this will be one of those “Who saved who?” stories!

If you want to learn more about David or meet him, email us at projectpalaz@gmail.com and we can put you into contact with David’s foster. David’s adopters will receive free training classes to help David adjust to his new life. This adorable pup has so much to give and we are SO grateful to One Love for providing him with the resources to live a happy and wonderful life <3. Let’s help give David the life he deserves and find him his forever home this week!

This week’s PAL is for Ronald! He is a fun loving fella with an outgoing personality! When we saw his face, we thought our eyes were deceiving us when we saw that he has been at the MCACC East shelter since APRIL! So naturally, I had to pick him after reading about his adorable poised personality for his day foster outing!

Ronald is a red and white American Pit Bull Terrier mix about a year and a half old. Don’t let his young age fool you…he knows how to impress guests once he is out of the shelter environment.  His day foster took him everywhere with them and said did very well in the car everywhere they went.  He patiently “sat in the back seat and watched quietly wherever we drove.” I imagine he had his head out the window with his tongue and ears flapping in the wind…much like Chance from Homeward Bound…did someone say “nanananaaaa Bat Dog!”

During his outing, Ronald got to enjoy a long walk on the beach at the park (hey a dog can dream right?).  There was lots of excitement at the park, people, children, other dogs and Ronald was interested, but calm. Sir Ronald walks well on a leash, “by the end he was walking close to me with a slack lead. Great for a 1 year old guy!”

The last stop on his wonderful day trip was a stop by PetCo; Ronald got to pick out his own toy, and was calm and relaxed in the store. Pretty impressive for a younger fella! He was handsomely rewarded with a Starbucks Puppaccino and a nice cold bath. Needless to say, Ronald has it all. He is eager to please and definitely tries to impress you when you take him out! So why not swing by the MCACC East shelter to arrange a meet and greet to see if Ronald is the pup for you? His ID# A3750815

This week, we were trying to help Tristan pick a pup to feature for her week. Now that we have access to the best volunteers ever (One Love volunteers) we are able to ask them for suggestions on dogs they LOVE that need a little extra attention to help people pick them!

When I asked Ben who he thought Tristan should pick this week, he immediately suggested, without any hesitation…..Suki!  This big-eared gal is three years old, good on the leash, and seems to be great with other dogs (obviously you should do a dog intro if you are interested in adopting her!). Apparently, Suki is quite the snuggler and is happy all.the.time. ALSO, we are told she is a bit of a chatter box with lots to say when it’s her turn for some time out in the play yard.

Look, we know the True Blood reference was a bit of a stretch since Suki spells her name differently than Sookie on the show. And, so what if Sookie Stackhouse is blonde on the show and our Suki is a black dog. I actually read (today) that the Sookie actress is really a brunette and she dyes her hair for the part. So with that being said it seems she and our Suki have more in common than you think!

Here’s the deal…when you see this sweet girl bouncing as she runs you will see why we felt like it was fitting to call her a little halfling (part dog, part fairy?….Whatever. We are going with it.) We have video to prove it.

Bottom line, Suki needs a little help getting noticed.  No one likes to be overlooked, and that goes for this sweet girl too.  She is the full package and merely needs someone to stop and give her a chance!

I literally dream of dogs with ears like Suki’s and here, in this moment, someone has the opportunity to take her home and make her their own. Her ID is A3798657 and she is MCACC West.