Kody was rescued from Bladen County, NC in June 2012. He was first fostered by Kathy and then by Laura. We were so happy to save him, but we were worried when he wasn't playing and running like a normal puppy. 

We learned some unfortunate news in August:  "First of all, Kody has severe hip dysplasia, left side being the worst. He will need to have complete hip replacement surgery in about 2-5 years. For the time being we get to let him live a normal, happy, fun filled life, just have to exercise a bit of caution with him in regards to jumping up on his hind legs, jumping onto high things (like the bed), jumping down from heights, etc. We will start to see his mobility and functionality degrade, to the point where he will be pretty much immobile and will need the surgery.

The other issue he has is on his pelvis, the right side Ilium is very separated compared to the left side. The vet said that it might grow into place over time, however if it continues to be separated, it will cause a lot of issues and pain for Kody down the line, only aggravating the hip dysplasia issue. An option is when we do the hip surgery, there can be a bolt inserted in the Ilium and screwed into the pelvis."

"He is a very brave little guy, the staff at the veterinary clinic were very complimentary of his behavior and said he was a pleasure to work with. The vet also stated that he has an excellent temperament and has developed a high tolerance to the pain that he is dealing with." 

Despite this news, Ryan and Sandy did not give up on him. They are committed to ensuring Kody lives a healthy and happy life.

Here's the November update from Ryan and Sandy:

"Kody is doing very well, we are so happy with him and love him very much. The cold weather is giving his back legs and hips a little trouble, he’s very stiff in the morning and does little hops sometimes, but as the day goes on he gets better and is careening around the house by lunch time.

We have not had any potty accidents in the house for months, I trained him to ring a bell by the door whenever he wants to be let outside. He is very smart, and sometimes he doesn't have to potty when he rings the bell, just wants to go on a walk!

"He is really filling out quite beautifully, his chest is widening out and we can no longer see his ribs! His coat is amazing, has such a great shine and luster to it. He’s also getting to be a bit of a tubby puppy! Our vet recommended we keep him on the leaner side to not aggravate his hip issues too much with a lot of added weight. Kody does however have a little bit of a pot belly now, it's very cute and we like to poke fun at him about it.

Everyone in our community adores Kody and they rush over to say Hi to him whenever they see us on our walks! He gets so many compliments and he just laps them all up! He is such a friendly puppy, he loves everybody and gets along with every dog we've met."

We are so happy to hear that Kody is doing well. He is so lucky to have Ryan and Sandy!

by Meredith

We're happy to report that Buck is doing great with his fur-ever family.

Letter from Kevin:
So Buck went in for his first heartworm treatment this morning and I figured it was a good time for an update.  He was a trooper at the vet, of course, I was a mess.  A lot of the online information about heartworm treatment is very alarming, but the vet really made me feel much better about the prognosis, especially given the fact that Buck is so calm.  Also, she said he is probably late stage 1 given his x-rays, so he should be ale to come through this with no permanent damage (but there is the beginning of some lung damage and heart enlargement).

Otherwise, Buck is pretty much a dream.  Dave was right when he said that all Buck would really want was to hang out in the room with us.  He is not demanding at all and is happy either in the house or outside walking/sitting in the park.  

 

We can leave him alone (although we very rarely do).  He seems to sleep while we are gone, but then gets overly excited when we return (in a way he doesn't if one of us is home the whole time).  But it is a completely manageable problem.  We have kept working with Shera, but more on basic obedience and behavior than anxiety.
 

Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know that things are going well and I think Buck is very happy.  The next two months will be tough, but it will be worth it in the end.

Buck was brought to the shelter after he was found being beaten by a baseball bat.  This beautiful boy waited patiently at Essex Shelter in Tappahanock, VA for someone to take him home.  When he was out of time, City Dogs Rescue brought him to Washington, DC.  

It seemed like nothing was going right for Buck.  We wanted to find him a foster family because he has heartworm. (When undergoing heartworm treatment, a dog needs a home and minimal activity.)    Despite his great disposition and loving personality, Buck never found a foster family and spent all of his days at the daycare.   All the staff at the daycare took a liking to Buck because he was the only dog that always liked to nap on your lap.  

We were so happy when we found Shera of Pawfect Pups (on Twitter!). She is a wonderful trainer who volunteered to help Buck with weekly sessions.  She volunteers her time to help bring out the best of our dog's personalities. The dogs in foster homes get more attention and training so they usually have a step ahead of the dogs at daycare.  

After almost no time at all, Buck loved going on walks with our dog walkers. He always did great at our adoption events and immediately bonded with whoever his dog handler was for the day. Everyone who meets Buck always says what a beautiful Blue Tick Coonhound he is and now he has some meat on his bones and his coat truly shines!

After several applications that didn't pan out, Kevin and Kurt applied to adopt Buck.  When they met him, they fell in love and decided to make him a part of their family. After months of waiting, everything turned around for Buck! His new family will provide him the perfect home and they are going to treat his heartworm, which is often a deterrent for many potential adopters.  Since Buck was abandoned and abused, he has suffered some separation anxiety.  Kevin and Kurt are going to work with Shera to help him adjust and to make sure he knows that he will never be alone again. 

We couldn't be happier for Buck and his new family! 

If you are thinking about adopting a dog, check out our pups available here.

If you are looking for a trainer, consider Shera of PawfectPups.

Remember Stubs? In addition to his awesome name, he's also just an awesome dog, as his new owner can attest. 

Although he often sleeps with one eye open, he's happy as a clam in his new home. This happy guy has found plenty to add to his list of hobbies, including chasing things (such as squirrels, rats, flies, and birds), sleeping, standing on his hind legs, and pulling the stuffing out of his toys. He also loves other big dogs and humans, and is a fan of treats, popcorn, and ice cubes. His only dislike? Thunderstorms. (I'm sure many of us can relate!)

As quirky as he is cute, Stubs considers a meal incomplete if it doesn't contain cheese or eggs. He also prefers to stick to a regular feeding schedule and makes sure his family keeps to it. Stubs has learned to sit and give his paw on command. Handsome and smart? What a catch!

Here are a few more photos of Stubs. (You can find even more on the Facebook page.)

Alex had a rough road when he first came to City Dogs Rescue. Before coming to City Dogs, he had ended up in a shelter, significantly underweight with a chain embedded in his neck. City Dogs received an urgent plea from another rescue group - Alex was scheduled to be put down and no other rescue could take in a dog of his size. He was rescued just in time. He was Heartworm positive and required significant medical treatment. 

Despite this rough beginning, Alex found a forever home in April. He goes by another name now - Tilghman. We're delighted to share an update with you today - talk about a success story!   

by A.J., volunteer blogger

Remember Skye? This gorgeous girl was adopted in early May. She now goes by Lila, and I'm thrilled to share an update from her new family today. 

Lovely Lila is having a great time, enjoying walks in the park and being the center of attention. She's all settled in and is having a blast in her forever home. The family is so happy to have this sweet girl around and says they could not have asked for a better dog. I'm sure Lila would agree.

We love hearing from our alumni - keep sending in those updates!