Adopted!!!

Once Bear was in our care, (Feb. 25/10) we rushed him into our vet - as it was quite apparent this little guy was in a extraordinary amount of pain. 

We did further x-rays and an ultra sound to try to determine where, if any the blockage was. His little tummy was so full of gas, and was rock hard. He had bloated, and while he had waited for help to come, his stomach torsed (twisted out of place). 

In an adult dog, this would surely be a death sentence, and a very painful one at that. But puppies are more resilient, their intestines are still developing, and because of that Bear lived, though with a great deal of pain.

An exploratory surgery was done immediately, and after working out all the gas and flipping the stomach the right way, a procedure was preformed called "belt loop gastropexi - gold standard", which basically means that they have stitched the stomach to the abdominal wall.

While it would be pretty impossible for his stomach to ever torse again, Bear could (like all dogs) still suffer from bloat in the future. So it will be imperative to keep Bear dewormed on a regular basis, and always, always be cautious of exercise before or after meals. Something that we should ALL be aware of with larger dogs. 

While the vet was in there, he was able to take a look at Bear's pancreas, and was surprised to see the size of it. In fact, he said it was the smallest pancreas he had ever seen. This means that Bear will need added digestive enzymes added to his diet. 

Because we feed a raw diet, and always tend to err more on the holistic side of things, we have chosen to supplement with pork pancreas. While not cheap, a very little bit goes a long way. 

Bear was SO emaciated when he came into our care, his bones jutted out everywhere. With a new and healthy diet, excellent medical care, and a ton of love, Bear is well on his way to a very healthy boy!

April 30th ~ Update

Bear has come a long way over that couple of months. He is now about 7 months old and has reached his full ideal weight He is a happy, gentle boy, who loves to snuggle, have his belly rubbed and can not get enough cuddles.

He is sweet and out going and everyone is his friend. Bear doesn't have a guarding bone in his body, and would be all too happy to show his new friends where the TV and other valuables are, just so long as they give him a pat along the way.

Bear will run to get a toy you throw for him and will wooo wooo with glee while bringing it back to you. He is just SO proud about that! He is still very vocal and loves to talk. He definitely would not be suited to an apartment or condo where other neighbors might be annoyed by all that Bear has to say :)

His house training is coming along, though he does still have accidents here and there. He sticks to chewing his own toys though and has not chewed up anything that does not belong to him.

Bear adores Emma and they are joined at the hip wherever they go. They are very cute together and have formed a deep bond. Because of this, we would like to see Bear go into a home that has another younger dog already in place for him to play with.

Bear is seeking a forever home that would love lots of cuddles and kisses and can spend the time giving him the exercise and attention that he needs.

Luckily for Bear, the clinic got the SPCA to sign Bear over to them, and they were able to find him safety with GSRBC. 

Bear is just 5 months old. He was brought into the clinic with a suspected blockage in his bowel and needed to have further testing done to determine exactly what was wrong with him. 

The SPCA opted to euthanize him instead of doing the required tests and exploratory surgery to help him. 

We are so thankful to this clinic for going the extra mile for one little puppy! And we're pretty darn sure that Bear is thankful too!

You guys rock! Without you, little Bear would not be alive to be running and playing and enjoying his life!

Bear is singing a happy song today, and is so happy to be alive. He runs and plays with Emma, and they have a very close bond already. 

Bear has been neutered, is up on all his shots and has made a full recovery. His weight is coming up slowly but surely, and he is on his way to being house trained.

There is not one mean bone in Bear's body. Through all the pain and the poking and prodding, all he could do is give out kisses.

He is a very snuggly boy, and his innocence through it all just makes you want to cry. 

Good boy Bear! It's only up from here :)

May 30th ~ Update

Bear was pretty lost and sad when we didn't come home with Emma after our last adoption day, but soon enough he figured out how to entertain himself by getting a rise out of Shylo :)

Then he met a golden retriever that came in for boarding, and Emma became a distant memory. 

Bear is as easy going as they come. He takes everything in stride and is happy to greet everyone like they are an old friend that he hasn't seen in years. No one is suspect, and after he receives the attention he feels he deserves, he is off to find some toys to bring to his unsuspecting guests.

Bear is such a calm boy, and plays well with others. When it's quitting time, it's quitting time and one must nap wherever they are standing at that moment. I'll usually find him fast asleep in one of the areas that I have just been working hard at deweeding! (Because I have obviously done that so that he had a clean place to rest).

He has not lost his roo roo rooing, and does bark like a banshee if he must stay inside and can see us outside as people come and go. This is obviously highly unfair and must be protested immediately.

Bear has been lucky that two young women have taken a shine to him and they drive all the way out from North Van once a week to take him out for a 4 hour hike. Bear thoroughly enjoys this of course, and sometimes Red gets to go along too. 

This added socialization has been so good for Bear, and he's learning some extra manners with walking on the leash.

If you are looking for an easy dog, with absolutely no behavioral issues, Bear is the one for you! Though you *must* be willing to receive lots of cuddles and be able to laugh at his little antics. 

Bear has a long life ahead of him and he's looking for that one in a million family to share it all with.

June 19th ~ Adopted!!

We are so pleased to share that Emma and Bear have been adopted together to the same great home! 

They are sure to keep their new family doubled over in laughter, all the while keeping them on their toes!

We couldn't be happier with this match, and know that both Bear and Emma will have long, healthy and happy lives. 

Thank you to Scott and Kristen for stretching your hearts just that little bit more. :)

Special thanks to all of Bear's sponsors:

**If you are able to buy one months worth for one dog, it would greatly lessen the load. Please specify which dog it is that you would like to feed, and we will show your pledge on each dog's page. This special sponsorship is called "Foster Partner in Care" and simply means that you are part of the foster program for the dog of your choice. One home supplies the shelter, and the other supplies the food. Many people want to help, but have no room in their homes to do so. This is the perfect way to be involved with the animal of your choice and be updated regularly on their care and well being. It's a win-win for everyone, especially the dogs! For more information, please see our Sponsor program

We are a registered non-profit Charity as of April 1st 2005