What a difference a few weeks -- and lots of love -- can make! Amazingly, Jacob was sweet even before anyone showed him love. Now we're happy to share that the sweet boy is basking in the attention of his foster--and napping long and hard in the doggie bed donated for his use. His foster mom says that whenever she crouches down to try to take his picture, he climbs into her lap and lies on his back for a tummy rub.

Here's a video of Jacob playing at Dog Paws doggie day care in Arlington. His foster mom reports: "Sounds like he had a great time there without me! And he's a hit with the ladies - a few girl dogs were following him around quite a bit! (He is quite handsome...)"

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arlington-VA/Dog-Paws-n-Cat-Claws-Pet-Care/261700707683#!/video/video.php?v=109117632433246&ref=mf

Jacob was found in a man's barn, eating grain and taking shelter from the bitter winter cold. The man called the Wetzel County, WV shelter and the shelter, knew just who to call to get Jacob the care and love he needed: Homeward Trails.

Even before HT had secured a foster for Jacob (we always need fosters!), HT said yes, we will help.

Jacob in the Barn

Jacob is underweight and has lots of wounds, old and new, including an infection that has spread to a joint on the left front leg, causing him obvious pain. Yet despite the terrible times Jacob has been subjected to, he is, amazingly, friendly, mellow and sweet. He wowed everyone at the vet's office--staff, other dogs, and (initially wary) pet owners alike. The vet took an x-ray of that swollen leg and found it wasn't broken--hurray! But his care will continue to cost money (including antibiotics and continued assessment), so we're raising funds for Jacob. Click the link below to contribute to Jacob's care:

http://jacobswounds.chipin.com/jacob

Jacob at the Shelter in WV

Jacob is now in foster care and resting comfortably. A kind HT supporter donated the bed and blanket--and, as you can see, he loves them. His foster promises she'll take more pics, but she says it's been tough since when he's awake, Jacob is generally snuggling in her lap. At first, when she had to leave the room, she reports, Jacob limped after her. Once he realized she was always going to come back, he settled into bed (or, even better, her lap).

We'll keep you updated on Jacob's progress.

Skinny has been with me (his foster mom) and Bella (my hound) for a little over a week now, and boy is he coming along. I wrote on his first blog entry that he's very afraid of men. But he's been giving men more of a chance--looking to me for assurance and comfort. It's a great sign--he bonds very quickly and he's open to having his mind changed!

Just this morning in the hardware store he wagged his tail at a man passing by and stood close (looking up with those gorgeous big eyes) hoping for (and getting!) a pet. He allowed a male clerk to scoop him up and coo to him. And he let two boisterous little kids give him a pet. He didn't seem too happy about it, but he didn't complain.

He's not a very vocal boy, in the way I think of dogs being vocal (ie all manner of barking and howling). But he does 'speak' and it's hilarious. He's got a lot of different sighs to show various levels of contentment or disappointment. He does cry a little at times when left alone--but he stops within one or two minutes (and it's not loud enough for neighbors in my thin-walled building to have heard him). Snuggling remains his favorite activity (with naps a close second. He's over the moon when he can snuggle and nap with his person). The other day he was camped out on top of me on the couch, just staring moonily into my eyes, when Bella scampered in. He made this funny little noise--a sigh that I translated as "Aw man, we were having a moment!"

While Skinny has played a bit in the snow, he's wasn't particularly excited about Snowpacolypse. When it's freezing out, he'd much rather do his business and get right back on the couch. (I wish he'd teach Bella the joy of a quick walk.) In the thick of the recent blizzards, he came downstairs and, upon my opening the front door and letting in a blast of the cold air,  turned tail and walked back up. (Smart boy.) When he's out playing and ready to go home, he just turns to go. Worried he'd actually wriggle out of his collar in his eagerness to go back home, I started putting a harness on him.

He does enjoy a nice walk, but if it's too long (maybe more than half a mile) or fast, he gets tired--he is seven after all. He's earned his nap time! (He does keep trooping along.)

He loves a good bone, and when left alone, he doesn't mistake non-bone items (the couch, the trash, my shoes) for bones. In other words, he's not a chewer, a rummager or a destroyer.

He loves to wrestle a bit with Bella--the attached picture is of Skinny and Bella taking a play break--but he mostly wants to snuggle.

He does get nervous--though less and less--and when he does, he'll start to shake and need sweet talk and comforting. But more and more, as he realizes that he's safe --and warm!--and loved, this sweet little boy is really blossoming.

If you're looking for a quiet snuggle partner, Skinny James could be your boy. If you don't like snuggling (I hear there are such people) or moony canine love, he's not the best match.

Rudy is a lab/shepherd/something else mix. About 5 years old, I'm told.

When I saw Rudy on the Homeward Trails site (via petfinder.com), the description repeatedly said, "Poor Rudy." Not any more! Yes, according to HT, he had been in an outdoor pen at a rural shelter for nearly four years, with no contact with other dogs and minimal contact with humans. He was described as extremely timid, with the addition that "He wants to love and trust" but obviously, hadn't had much experience in that in his previous life. (Although the Homeward Trails foster homes obviously had done a very good job getting him started.)

He needed a fairly quiet home, no kids or other dogs, because sudden movements or noises spooked him. Me, I'm the quiet type. Sounded like it was worth a shot.

His foster mom warned me that he might be very timid, so when she brought him over for the home visit, I didn't try to approach or coax him. But I did have treats in my pocket, in case he came to me. Once she settled in on the couch, Rudy did lie down in my living room, and eventually came over to sniff me and take a treat. Done deal. Good boy.

After I adopted Rudy, I started learning lots of things about him. He is perfectly house-trained. He hardly ever barks, and only for a reason. Yes, he was timid, but really more bewildered than frightened. He just hadn't had much of a chance to learn about the world. His foster mom, who had two other dogs, said he needed a "safe" place, so I got him a kennel,to put in "his" room, but I always leave the door open so he can come and go. He went into the kennel with no coaxing, and obviously liked having his safe place, but after a few days, he started to come out and lie down on a doggie bed that I had strategically placed by my TV-watching chair. He definitely likes to hang out with me. Good boy.

His foster mom said he would "play bow" but didn't really seem to know how to play, and definitely didn't know how to fetch. Ha! Once he wasn't competing with other dogs, he loves to chase toys and even occasionally brings them back. Even more fun is that he invented a game of running from one toy to another in the back yard, racing like a maniac, or maybe a quarter horse, touching each one and hurtling on to the next, while I cheer, "Run, Rudy, Run!"  He is full of joy, and it makes me happy to see him so happy. No more "Poor Rudy." Good boy.

We walk every day. I give kudos to HT for the wonderful work they already did in rehabilitating him, because according to the paperwork, walking was not one of his skills, and he was especially afraid of traffic. He still gets a little startled by the sudden noise of a bus or truck changing gears, but it is momentary. Mostly, he likes to sniff every inch of the ground, and I let him because I think he is making up for lost time. But he walks really well on the leash and has learned to sit and stay before we leave the house, and even to walk very slowly down the front steps, no matter how much he wants to get out and "see" the world. Good boy.

Because I knew I needed to board him for a week over the holidays, I took him in to Dog Paws and Cat Claws University, which is literally within walking distance of my house, for their "entrance exam" well in advance. The owner, Ryan, did a wonderful thing. Although Rudy was said to have been (and in my limited experience at that time, was and still is) more wary of men than women, Ryan quietly gained his trust and slowly introduced him to one dog, then another, then another, until Rudy was part of a group of about eight dogs. He gets along great with other dogs that aren't too rambunctious, and on our walks, he wants to meet other dogs that are nice. Dogs that are charging the fence or barking fiercely, he ignores. Good boy.

He doesn't beg for food when I am eating, although I'll confess that when I'm done, that last corner of the sandwich often ends up in his dish. But even if I'm eating something wonderful, he will leave me alone -- sometimes, three feet away, but facing away from me, or he'll leave the room. I didn't teach him that, but maybe someone else did. Good boy.

Rudy is such a good dog, it is hard to imagine that someone didn't want him before. I feel lucky that I got him. He's such a good boy.

Skinny James is a sweet beagle/dachshund mix who came to HT from a hoarding situation. Skinny is housetrained, crate trained and loves nothing more than snuggling. He is very afraid of men, but we're working on it in his foster home. He's very smart, bonds quickly and is eager to please, so we're excited to see how he progresses now that he feels safe.  He loves to play with other dogs--he's in a foster home with another dog and they play and enjoy each other--but he is currently not friendly to the dogs he sees when he's on-leash. Again, we're working on it. He's a very special little boy and would do well with dog siblings or as an only dog, but what he really wants is a forever person/family to adore and snuggle with forever.

Six months ago, my fiancé and I were searching for a puppy to start our new family life together.  We had both grown up from families that encouraged rescue groups for pet adoption so we knew we had to find the right rescue group for us. 

We came across Homeward Trails online after reading the great reviews and seeing their beautiful puppies.  We immediately fell in love with “Rusty” now known as Lucky.  He was about 5 months old, underweight with worms, and was rescued as a stray in South Carolina.  Once we met him we knew he was ours.

Now approaching his first birthday, we couldn’t be happier with this cute dog. He is extremely intelligent, calm, fun-loving, affectionate, and happy. He is great with the neighborhood kids and a true ladies man at the dog park. He enjoys taking hikes on the trails in Seneca Park behind our home. But who would have thought he would have grown this much fur? He truly loves the snow and we think somewhere in his “Heinz-57 varieties” pedigree he is built for it. Thank you again Homeward Trails. We couldn’t be happier.

Stephanie and Will

Please use this new flier rather than any earlier versions to spread the word about our search for Sweetie.

For all the latest on the Sweetie search,
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Wee Johnny has found a home! More details to come in the Happy Tales from the Trails!

We're hot on Sweetie's tail and we've set a trap. If you can come out to monitor it tonight, please email Daphne directly. THANK YOU!

This sweet boy tips the scales at 17 lbs. He loves snuggling, being talked to sweetly, giving kisses, playing with squeaky toys, taking walks, chewing bones...and is in search of his best friend. Johnny is somewhere between 1 and 2 years old and he's come a long way from a bad start.

We think Johnny is some kind of chihuahua/basenji mix, maybe with some terrier. He's quiet in the house, except when someone approaches the door--then he yaps out a warning. He's a big jumper and twirler. Loves the snow and is a big fan of fetch.