Alternative Dog Daycare & Learning Center ~ News

Bonnie Buckley; the owner of Alternative Dog has been an active part of the Animal Rescue community for over 20 years. Bonnie welcomes local rescuer's to make contact if your rescue would like to use our facility to house an "Adoption event". Adoptive pets must be fully vaccinated and have current health certificates & originate from MA.

1-24-12* Available for Adoption in Merrimac, MA: "Murray", 3 YR. brindle Neutered male Hound. Owner adopted him in NH as a "Walker Hound" but I believe he is probably a "Plott Hound". 70 Lbs. Housebroken, crate trained. Raised on electric yard fencing. Exposed to & plays with Grandchildren but has not lived with them. A powerful boy who could use an obedience and manners course but knows sit, down, paw. Will chase cats has not hurt them. Not suited for a small dog home but is fine with larger dogs. Enjoys baths & playing in the Lake but does not swim. Enjoys car rides. A comical sweet boy who is seeking new home due to family seperation and spending too many hours home alone now. This handsome boy would enjoy an active home who should find a job he would enjoy using his nose, tracking, nose-work, hiking, biking and allow him to be the hound that he is. Current on DHPP vaccines. 3 YR Rabies, Heart worm & tick testing will be due in the spring. A Hound is not for every home, please do the research before considering this breed as your family companion. CONTACT Bonnie @ bb@adopthomelesspaws.org for more Info. Click HERE for more Photos of Murray.

UPDATE 2-7-11 ** PHOTOS: Monday continue's her rountine towards relief of seperation anxiety issues. We have put Monday into a "Historically Correct Continental" Poodle clip, since she continues to chews her front legs when anxious and had very uneven hair growth.

Monday requires a poodle savy owner with experience in dogs with seperation anxiety issues. Looking for a home that has a routine household without alot of daily change or commotion. This type of environment provides Monday with the boundaries that she requires to be an attentive companion.

UPDATE 12-3-10: Monday continue's her rountine towards relief of seperation anxiety issues. We would really love to see her in an understanding home of her own. She has come a long way, but will still require an owner with lots of patience and understanding that her anxiety issues may never fully resolve and need continued work.

UPDATE** 10-5-10: 9 month old Monday would really love a home of her own to settle down in. Prefered placement as an only dog or as a companion to a mature dog who will set clear boundries with her. Herbal remedies are continuing for her seperation anxiety issues. Her obedience training has come along very nicely but she still requires short work sessions with loads of positive reinforcement with treats &/or clicker work. We had a couple of weeks set back with her housebreaking due to new dogs into the Daycare which caused her some new found anxiety but we are back on track now! She LOVES to retrieve and is very eager to please when she understands your expectations. She needs clear boundries, short but frequent obedience sessions, but mostly, she needs a loving owner with the Patience of Job who will continue working with her special needs as we have and provide her a lifetime home.

**UPDATE** 9/11/10 ** PHOTOS: Monday is growing up! Is now house broken & crate trained. Knows all basic commands. Sit, down, stay, come/here, off, wait, leave it, heels on lead, loose leash walks. She still has seperation anxiety issues but she is a new girl compared to the very anxious pup that arrived here 7 weeks ago. Glucosamine, MSM, melatonin & herbal modalities are continuing.

EVALUATION DATE: 7/10/10. PHOTOS: "Monday" a very sweet 36 pound, 6 mos old Blue female Standard Poodle needs an understanding & patient home. Good with dogs, has severe seperation anxiety, housebreaking & crating issues. We are working on all of the above with her and self control with cats.
She is doing well here with our & the Daycare dogs, she requires an owned home with daily exercise to blow off her "poodley" energy which will help ease her behavioral & anxiety issues. She was a very missunderstood puppy in her prior home.
She enjoys the water & shows a desire in retrieving. Currently she needs a fair & consistent owner who can remain aloof in their initial weeks/months of training & ownership of her, she will require "umbilical method" of training when allowed loose in the home untill she understands all that may be expected of her. Current level is ZERO and she is being treated and handled as an 8 week old.
She will excel with positive reinforcement training & clicker work with a "nothing in life is free" concept. She has been started on glucosamine, MSM, melatonin & herbal modalities. Doggie Daycare & private training can be offered at reduced rate for this girl to assist her in being an emotionally balanced family companion. Swimming & brisk daily walks with a lightly weighted back pack could be in her near future.
Initially, she will need a home with eyes & ears on her 100% of the time. Currently, this girl is 100% Special Needs and will be imperative that new owner follow behavioral modifaction advice to the "T" for her to succeed. We cannot set her up to fail at this age.
Adoption fee will include current vaccination's & spay. Accepting Adoption Application's from potential owner within a 1 hour drive of Merrimac, MA. HOME VISIT REQUIRED. EMAIL Bonnie for an adoption application: BB@ADOPTHOMELESSPAWS.ORG

Have a friend or family member with a pooch who could benefit from one of our services? Contact us at 978-346-7266 or at paws@alternativedog.com to purchase a Gift Certificate for your 4-legged friends!