UMDR ID#010-0201

Coco is an intelligent, loving, happy little girl.  She is 9 years old but to look at her you would never guess she was over 2 years.  She has been well loved and is an affectionate, playful and loyal little dog.  She weighs approximately 15 lbs.

Coco’s best friend, another Miniature Schnauzer, passed away not long ago and Coco is really missing having some company during the day.  Finding herself all alone she started listening for noises in the hallway of the apartment and barking when people went by the door.  This didn’t go down so well with the neighbours.

Coco is doing well in her foster home.  She easily adapted to the new surroundings and showed herself to be a confident and people loving little dog.  She is thoroughly enjoying the company of the other dogs in her foster home and even enjoys hanging out with the cat.

Coco is an excellent companion. She loves being around people but easily amuses herself.  She does like to come up for a cuddle now and then but is by no means a sucky kind of dog.  She loves going for walks and is very friendly with everyone she meets.  She isn’t much into chasing balls but does love her squeaky toys.

Coco would fit into most homes without issue and would make a exceptionally loyal and loving pet.

If you think Coco might be a good fit for your family, please submit an application for consideration.

from February 8th to February 21st

If you are interested in one of the dogs posted on our site feel free to submit your application and we will get in touch with you upon our return.

Thanking you in advance,

Ugly Mutts Adoption Team

UMDR ID#010-0125

Hiccup got her name because of the way she barks which sounds more like a hiccup.  She is a young pup that came to us with no training but her foster mom has been working with her and says she is now house trained, knows some obedience and is ready to find her new family. She is just under a year old and weighs approximately 40 - 50 lbs.

This girl is very affectionate, playful and loyal.  She would do well in a family setting or as a single’s companion.  She is currently living in a home with other dogs, cats and children of all ages.  She is a friendly pup that would be a great choice for obedience classes.

Her foster home says: Hiccup is a totally different dog from the shy girl that was brought to our home.  She loves to get us to chase her and will pick up our things and run with them.  Housebreaking is coming along well and we have learned the signs of her wanting to go outside.  She is learning to walk on a leash and although she is still a little afraid of the cars and such, she just shows her fear by staying close by my side.  With more frequent walks she will come around in no time.  She’s going to be an amazing pet once she comes fully out of her shell.

Update: Jan 26th

I think Hiccup is finally ready for a home, there is nothing shy about her anymore. She’s friendly, playful, and greets everyone who comes to the door. She’s almost completely house trained and giving our dogs a run for their money that’s for sure.   A beautiful pup that will make someone a wonderful pet!

If you think Hiccup is the right choice for you, please submit an application for consideration.

UMDR ID#010-0121

Jinx is an affectionate, loving dog that is desperately wanting to bond with someone.  It is hard to believe that he wasn’t cuddled and loved as a puppy but he is trying very hard to make up for it now.  He came to us without any idea of what a home was and laps up every bit of attention we give him.  He is approximately one to two years of age and weighs just 28 lbs.

Jinx is an intelligent boy that will make an awesome companion once he has a chance to find his footing.  He came from a rural area where he grew up around people but never had the opportunity to really be a part of the family.   He is so longing for affection and is such a loving dog it is hard to see how he could have been so ignored as a puppy.

Jinx is submissive in such a way that everyone including the foster home’s kitten has more rights in his mind then he does.  He is constantly trying to make friends with everyone and responds with a wagging tail and a cuddle to any affection he is shown.  Due to his Aussie breeding he is always alert to his person’s moods and wants and is always trying to please.

Jinx would make an excellent family pet but he is currently still afraid of his own shadow and really needs someone that will work on his socialization skills.  He needs to be taken for walks around the neighborhood, allowed to roam the house and figure out what things are and preferably someone that would enjoy making him an integral part of their family.

Jinx is a young dog and once he learns what being loved and cared for is all about he will definitely fulfill anyone’s idea of a great companion.  He is fine with other dogs, cats and kids, has a beautiful, soft, lush coat that hardly sheds and is an interesting and nicely marked small dog.

For everything you give this boy in the way of love and attention you get 100 fold back in return.

If you think Jinx might be the right choice for you, please submit an application for consideration.

Disclaimer:  This story contains pictures that may be disturbing.

Cupis, the little poodle pictured below, was surrendered to Ugly Mutts when her owner became incarcerated.  The owner had left a set of house keys with the lawyer, and instructed the lawyer that there was a little disabled dog in the home but that his friends would come to pick up the keys and would retrieve the dog.  Luckily the lawyer questioned the dog owner about what to do in case the friends never showed up.  The owner professed that wouldn’t happen but luckily left emergency instructions on what to do if for some unforeseen reason that was the case.  Unfortunately that was the case!!  No one came to collect the keys and poor little Cupis would have starved to death waiting for her owner’s return which would never come.

The lawyer’s assistant wasn’t sure what she would find when she went to retrieve Cupis. She had been told the little dog was disabled but having heard the owner speak so fondly of the dog, nothing prepared her for the neglected condition she found little Cupis in.  Fearing the little dog would be euthanized if turned over to the Humane Society due to both the dog’s disability and the terribly neglected state the dog was in, she chose instead to bring Cupis to Ugly Mutts.

Here is Cupis one hour after she was taken from the home:

The first night Cupis was fed a special mash through an eye dropper every three hours and by morning it was apparent the little girl was responding.  Eventually she grew strong enough to start eating on her own.

Cupis is actually a charming little girl! She has now had her first veterinarian visit and she seemed to accept whatever treatment was given to her as if she knew that we were all here to help.

Despite the fact she was so badly malnourished and her back legs were so physically impaired, Cupis’ overall health was not as bad as we had feared.  After having the worst of her matted fur removed, and her overgrown nails trimmed, Cupis had her blood and urine tested and was given a basic health check.  The vet believes at this point that despite Cupis’ physical malformations, which include one of her legs being fused and the other on backward, they don’t appear to be painful and operating on them at this point would likely only benefit her appearance and may be unnecessarily painful to Cupis.  These are early days in her recovery however, and only time will tell.

The vet also stated that Cupis appears to be a middle aged dog and that her teeth are in terrible condition which would have made it very difficult if not painful for her to eat. Also that Cupis currently weighs 4 lbs, and the vet believed she should in fact be closer to 12 lbs.

After being instructed to continue feeding Cupis several small meals a day and to continue monitoring her over the next 4 to 6 weeks, her veterinarian gave Cupis a B12 shot to bring up her blood and protein counts and sent her home with cans of high energy, high calorie food.  We were told that if Cupis continues to eat well, to gain weight and becomes the robust little dog she should be then we will be able to reassess her and consider some of the many treatments this poor little girl will need.

It will be a long recovery for Cupis and we hope to get your support to bring this little girl back to maximum health.  When she is finally able to reach a healthy weight Cupis will be fitted for a wheelchair which will greatly improve her ease of mobility.  Eventually if all goes well, Cupis will be looking to find a forever home.

Cupis is currrently in a loving foster home where she is starting to show her true personality and she is actually starting to gain weight!   Her foster parents report that Cupis is very interested in everything that is going on in the home.  She stretches her neck so she can see more, which the foster parents think is very endearing.  She does not move easily but follows her foster parents around as much as she can anyway.  She seems to get along well with the other small dogs in her foster home although they are baffled by her physical differences and can’t stop watching her paddle around.  She uses her front legs to both drag her hind end around and to push her body up so she can walk about on her two front legs doing handstands.  It is really a huge indication that she is independent, adaptive and that she wishes to participate fully in the life that she has.  She is a true little survivor and a testament to the will to live.  Cupis is house trained believe it or not, and can actually indicate that she needs to go outside.  She toilets by perching on her front legs and then running away in a hand stand position so that she stays clean.

Here is a picture of Cupis in foster care:

UMDR ID#010-0110

Stanley is an older boy and is a calm and relaxed companion.  Of course he is of hound breeding so he is still excited to get out for walks and discover all the new scents and smells in his neighbourhood.  Stanley is appoximately 7 years old and weighs 28 lbs.

Like most hounds, Stanley is friendly and outgoing, loves to be walked and throughly enjoys meeting new friends.  Stanley would do well in just about any household.  He would of course love to have a backyard but would be fine in an apartment as long as he got enough exercise.

Stanley appears to be more of the Basset Hound persuasion as he is quiet and well behaved in the home.  He would do well with a family that loved the outdoors and would be great on camping trips and for family excursions.  He is an older dog so there is no issues with chewing or other behaviours exhibited by younger dogs.  He is just a sweetheart and will do anything you want with the promise of a treat.

If you are interested in making Stanley part of your family, please submit an application for consideration.

UMDR ID#010-0102

Buddy is an obedient and loving dog that thinks he is a person.  He is just over 7 years old and would really love to find a new home with someone would enjoy his companionship.  Buddy is a mid-sized dog weighing just 35 - 40 lbs.

Buddy has been with his owner since he was a pup and very much enjoyed the one on one companionship of his person.  Since a drastic change in work schedules his owner is away from the home for long periods and Buddy is left on his own for far too many hours in the day.

Buddy is handsome dog who has been very well cared for throughout his life and who is in good health and would make an excellent companion.  He is a very loyal dog who loves spending time with his people.  He is also a great traveller and has been to Prince Edward Island every year for vacation.  He is tolerant of respectful cats and gets along well with other dogs.  He does not enjoy over zealous young dogs however and would not be the best choice for very young children for the same reasons.

Buddy enjoys having a backyard to play in.  He enjoys chasing a ball around, keeping squirrels out of the yard or just lying out in the sun taking in the day.  He has enjoyed walks off leash at the park where his favorite sport was chasing the seagulls.  He is an obedient and very loving dog that likes to be included in family outings, and who considers himself as a partner.  Buddy is afraid of thunderstorms and he has begun to fret when left alone for the long days by himself but normally he is a well adjusted, well behaved and respected member of the household.

It would be nice to see Buddy find a new home with someone that would enjoy his companionship, someone that was looking for a dog to be their “buddy”.  He is a lively and affectionate companion that would enjoy a laid back easy-going lifestyle but is still playful and fun-loving enough to be a great companion for older children.

]]> http://uglymutts.com/2552/buddy-beaglehusky-mix/feed/ http://uglymutts.com/2748/the-road-to-building-a-better-companion-dog/ http://uglymutts.com/2748/the-road-to-building-a-better-companion-dog/#comments Wed, 13 Jan 2010 06:16:06 +0000 admin http://uglymutts.com/?p=2748

UMDR ID#009-1205 - Adopted

Teddy is a very lovable and well behaved boy that was found nearly starved to death, lost and lonely.  Thankfully he was found by a caring citizen who after having no luck finding his owner, took him to their veterinarian who advised that although Teddy was very hungry, he was still in good health.   Teddy is approximately 2 - 3 years old, is neutered, declawed, vaccinated and micro-chipped.

Teddy is a beautiful, loving and affectionate cat.  He takes a couple days to warm up and was originally afraid of the dogs in his foster home but he is fine with them now.  This is a beautiful cat and we are unsure how anyone could lose him and not be looking for him but it has been over a month now and time for Teddy to find a new forever home.