Peanut is a lovable Chihuahua senior dog, around six to eight years old, who was rescued from Smyth County, VA. She has a very calm, affectionate demeanor and loves to snuggle. You’ll often see a big smile on her face with her tongue hanging out, especially when she’s getting some pets in!
She’s happy both being held and also hanging out in her doggy bed or a nest of pillows on the couch—current foster Donna affectionately describes dainty Peanut as “a fine-boned and delicate little girl, like a prima ballerina.” This lovebug is a low-key couch potato who likes one-on-one attention, but she also doesn’t mind having some extra time outside on leashed walks. A curious pup, she likes the opportunity to exercise her independent spirit, sniffing and exploring her surroundings. Though she may seem delicate, Peanut has been brave in overcoming some prior health issues. When she was first rescued, she had a suspected glaucoma in her left eye. After further investigation and treatment, it was discovered that the sclera, or white of her eye, was also infected and causing pain for poor Peanut. After receiving pain medication and antibiotics to combat the infection, Peanut had surgery to remove the eye. She was blind in that eye prior to surgery, so she’s had no adjustment issues in navigating her surroundings. Peanut made it through the recovery like a champ and is now happily pain free! She also had some dental work, getting some teeth pulled in addition to a thorough cleaning. Peanut has gotten along well with the different foster families she’s stayed with, showing that she will easily make herself at home—so long as there’s a spot for her to take the long snoozes she loves (she’s been known to make a nest out of whatever soft and snuggly materials are available)! Peanut happily settled in with one foster family of two cats, two dogs, as well as two children. She enjoyed hanging out with the kids, who are seven and nine years old, showing how gentle and affectionate she can be. Around other dogs, Peanut is usually the less vocal one of the bunch who doesn’t bark except occasionally, in response to another dog starting the conversation! Peanut has not had any accidents and does fine outside of a crate. She loves having free range to explore and hang out while indoors. Her sense of adventure can kick in when she heads outside, so she would do best being kept on a leash while on walks and at the park. This well-mannered little lady would love to settle in with you and curl up on the couch! To sweeten the deal (though Peanut is already plenty sweet!), you can adopt Peanut for a reduced senior dog fee. Learn more about adopting Peanut here.
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![]() As told by Flipper's mom Alissa: I started fostering Flipper in February of 2012. Flipper was rescued from a shelter in rural VA and the volunteers told City Dogs Rescue that Flipper had some resource guarding issues. I immediately contacted a local trainer in Washington, DC to help us with his behavior. After a month of good progress with training, Flipper had a major setback when he bit me over a bone. I contacted the Directors and we discussed options for him. They said I could continue to foster him until they found him a suitable home or give him back to CDR immediately. They were completely understanding and supportive of my situation and realized how difficult this was for me emotionally. I didn’t feel pressured by anyone from CDR to keep Flipper in my household, but I knew that he and I already had a special bond. After much consideration, I decided to continue to foster Flipper while having a dog trainer work with us on rehabilitation of his food aggression. ![]() Three months later, after seeing much improvement, I decided to adopt Flipper in June 2012. Flipper and I started to create a great understanding of each other and, more importantly, I learned a great amount of information on pack leadership, dog body language, behavior, and reactivity. Flipper’s food aggression made a vast improvement, but there were still certain environments where I could tell he would feel uncomfortable and stressed out. I took it upon myself to be the pack leader he needed and to modify his environment so that his level of stress never caused him to be reactive. In the summer of 2013, Flipper bit a dog at a daycare facility and I was told that he could not return. Before, he was only guarding food, but this incident was over the water bowl. We had gone through all the training, I had spoken to various behaviorists, and I even had a chance to meet with Cesar Milan. I contacted the CDR Directors to discuss this new elevated aggression Flipper had started and I was questioning my next move for him. Daycare was no longer an option and a dog walker could be fine, but the overall quality of life for he and I would diminish if I could not take him to the dog park for socialization. Clearly Flipper needed more training that what I could provide him. Dave, one of the CDR Directors, suggested I look into a rehabilitation facility called Forever Home, in Virginia Beach. ![]() I contacted Forever Home Rehabilitation Center and discussed Flipper and inquired if they would have space available for him. Forever Home Rehabilitation Center is a board and train facility that specializing in rehabilitating dogs that need that extra step. Forever Home said Flipper would be away for a minimum of three months and in December 2013, Flipper was accepted into the program. It was difficult to say goodbye to him and know that when I returned home, he would not be there waiting for me. I was heartbroken, but knew that I was making the right decision for him and I for the long run. I received updates every month on the types of training techniques they were using, how Flipper was responding to them, and how he was doing overall. In April 2014, I was finally able to bring Flipper home. I spent 2 hours at Forever Home learning the new behavioral techniques and training for Flipper and learned how to properly read his body language, eyes, and his signals for stress. Since Flipper’s return, I have been able to bring him on vacation to VA Beach with other dogs, vineyards where food and other dogs are around, and take him out to restaurants that are dog friendly, and most importantly, we’ve been able to go back to the dog parks.
![]() As told by his mom Eve: Adopting Amos is one of the best things that I have ever done. Amos was a birthday gift to myself. After years of wanting a dog but never being in the right place to be a good “dog mom “ it was finally my time. I decided the best way to see if I was truly ready was to foster a dog. When the foster coordinator reached out to me about Amos, I was already in love with him. I could pick him up in a week or two. I couldn’t’ wait! “I’m just going to foster, I’m not going to keep him” I told everyone. They all laughed and said “yeah right”. Inside, I knew he was mine before I ever met him - but I can be a bit stubborn, so I continued to say, “He’s a foster”. Bringing Amos Home I got my zipcar and went to pick-up Amos. It felt weird to be handed a dog by someone who had only met me by phone. He was a bit wild, very skinny, and extremely sensitive to motion it turned out. Our first adventure, his trip home, ended with a backseat full of half-digested kibble and me explaining to the person scheduled to use the zipcar after me that this wasn’t the car for them. We walked home, me in a t-shirt in the winter (having used my sweatshirt to clean up the mess) and Amos a mixture of excitement, hunger, and curiosity, and began our adventures. Since the day he arrived, Amos has brought me joy. His previous “owner” had let him go after he served his purposes as a hunting dog. Amos had likely never known love and care. His teeth are mostly worn down to nubs in the front, probably from chewing his cage. Those that remained were partially rotten and fractured. His ear has a piece missing, likely from where his ID tag was ripped off by this same person, this ensured he couldn't be tracked back to him. He had a cough that wouldn’t quit, and his skin was red and sore from the elements and a diet of who knows what. And, of course, he was skinny as can be. Despite all of these negative experiences, Amos was a happy guy. His tail wagged at everyone and quickly earned the nickname, “The Mayor” because it was important for him to meet and greet all people in the building. Living indoors was a new experience for Amos. We had differing views on appropriate behavior. He felt the coffee table was the perfect “look out” and thought anything on the counter was up for grabs. We compromised and he got access to the couch. He chewed things and had accidents. Sometimes he barked at the cats or got a little too sassy. I won’t pretend I didn’t get upset, I did, but I didn’t get mad at him. He was learning and learning takes time. The Best Dog Ever Fast forward a year and a half and he’s even more amazing. He’s healthy, walks like a champ on a leash, and has been an excellent foster brother to a dozen dogs seeking homes of their own. Is he perfect? No. But, he’s perfect for me. Amos reminds me daily to enjoy the little things. He loves when we walk a new route and he finds something new to smell or when I give him a little piece of my dinner. He forces me to get out and exercise every day. He helps me meet new people and has helped me make new friends. Coming home to him is the favorite part of my day. I’m so thankful for him and for CDR for rescuing him and giving me the opportunity to be his person. ![]() As told by Deb, Alfred's mom: I always wanted a dog, but the timing and circumstances never really worked out. Then, in February 2013, just when I was looking to move to a dog-friendly apartment, City Dogs Rescue pulled Logan/Sampson from Granville County, NC. The minute I saw his photos, something clicked, and I knew he was the one. Boots, Tess and I welcomed Alfred into the family on February 22, 2013. A beagle and an Australian cattle dog came together to produce my unique boy, which probably explains his need to act as referee at the dog park. ![]() Alfred is a big hit in the neighborhood and everyone loves him. Some of his canine pals include CDR alumna Hanna, his mini-me Ollie, and his wrestling buddy Payton. While he enjoys the company of dogs, he prefers hanging out with with his human friends Mary, Anna, Alisa, Keiko Jean-Charles, and Dan. ![]() Alfred is not a big fan of water – he hates the rain and the snow, and has been known to refuse to go on a walk to avoid getting caught in the rain. Nonetheless he is always happy oblige his mama’s obsession with taking photos, even if it entails wading into elbow deep water! In the summer, Alfred took a trip to Assateague Island, where he had a lovely time rolling around on the beach… and no, he did not take a dip in the sea! On days when the weather is good, Alfred and I love hiking in Rock Creek Park… sometimes chasing squirrels and deer, most often running up the hillside, chasing the water, and rolling on the beach. Life is perfect with my Alfredo, and I couldn’t have asked for a better companion. ![]() #GivingTuesday is a global day dedicated to giving back. On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give. Each year, 3-4 million dogs are euthanized in shelters across the United States. Or goal at City Dogs Rescue is to lower that rate, even if it’s by a few hundred dogs a year. Since our inception in September 2011, we have saved and adopted out over 1,000 dogs. This is a huge feat because we are a volunteer-led organization that relies on fosters to house our dogs until they are adopted. So many people open their homes to these dogs, often giving them their first taste of love and security. We could not do all of this without the financial assistance of our generous donors. Most dogs that CDR rescues costs the organization an excess of $600 from shelter to DC. These costs include basic vetting, vaccines, bloodwork, and spay/neuter. What you may not realize is that a portion of our dogs need treatment above and beyond basic vetting. Some come to us with tumors or cancer, some are pregnant, some contract parvovirus or distemper, some need amputations, therapy, or extensive dental work. Once these dogs are City Dogs, the rescue does its best to treat them and many times the costs are astronomical. Over 30% of our dogs come to us testing positive for heartworm disease. Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease in dogs that is caused by worms that live in the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels. This causes severe lung disease, heart failure and damage to other organs in the body. A simple monthly pill can prevent this disease, but many of our dogs were not taken care of properly in their previous lives. CDR has a program with the Humane Society of Charles County that allows us to treat these dogs at a reasonable cost. We have made the commitment to get all our dogs, whether current fosters or alumni, the care and treatment they need and deserve, so they can live happy and healthy lives. Many dogs are dropped off at the shelter for not being puppies anymore. Some older dogs are traded in for younger versions. When dogs get older and have housetraining accidents or need medicine or just can’t play or get around like they used to, they are dropped off at the kill shelter. CDR has a made a commitment to rescue a number of senior dogs each year. Sometimes they take a little longer to place and need more medical attention than the younger dogs, but we always find them the right home to live out their remaining years knowing love and kindness. In order to continue to rescue dogs and get them the care they need, CDR needs your help. Our goal today is to raise $5,000. Won’t you help us help these dogs? Give today on Giving Tuesday. Sometimes, the perfect dog doesn't come to us perfectly healthy. One such problem is Heartworm. Just as it sounds, this is a condition where worms can live and grow in a dog’s heart and, sometimes, lungs. This is transmitted from dog to dog by mosquitoes. When treated early and correctly, heartworm is highly curable and is preventable. That's why City Dogs Rescue is grateful for the support of the Humane Society of Charles County, located in Waldorf, Maryland. They provide low-cost heartworm treatment for our dogs, even after adoption. Sometimes, the perfect dog doesn't come to us perfectly healthy. One such problem is Heartworm. Just as it sounds, this is a condition where worms can live and grow in a dog’s heart and, sometimes, lungs. This is transmitted from dog to dog by mosquitoes. When treated early and correctly, heartworm is highly curable and is preventable. That's why City Dogs Rescue is grateful for the support of the Humane Society of Charles County, located in Waldorf, Maryland. They provide low-cost heartworm treatment for our dogs, even after adoption. Matt, one of our adoptive dads, said that the treatment Molly received at Charles County was "first rate" and that she is "just fine and back to normal." And Frank, Mason's dad, said that he "received excellent treatment... is doing quite well now... and plays at the dog park almost every day." He also said that getting Mason "in and out of the clinic was quick and easy and everyone was responsive and helpful whenever we had any questions."
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