When to let go?

When we take on a pet weather it’s a cat, a dog or any other animal, there is always that little voice in the back of our mind that says “Don’t forget, someday you will have to say goodbye” It’s the voice we never want to acknowledge, the one we push to the back and ignore, going on with our day hoping that we never have to listen to it.

However the voice always comes back and sometimes when it does we have no choice but to sit down and hear it out.

Most of us hope that this time will come when our pets have fallen into old age, their bodies no longer can run and play like they used to. They can no longer make that trip around the block or up the stairs, so we make them comfortable and feel good in saying goodbye taking comfort in knowing that they where loved and lived a good life.

But what are we to do with those dogs whose minds have failed them? These are the dogs whose bodies still are young, agile and still full of life, but whose minds can not seem to handle the everyday people, places and stresses. How do we know when it’s better to let them go and have their turn at the bridge or hold onto them and manage their behavior?

Most people will agree that any animal that is in physical distress should be humanly let go in order to relive the animal from pain. However should the same be done for an animal in mental distress?

From a rescuers point of view, yes. We in rescue know what the perfect Pit Bull should be, it should be one of sound mind and soul, one who wants nothing more than to be with his people, all people and please them, one with confidence and strength.


But from an owner’s side and one that lives with a dog in mental distress, how do you tell the selfish side, the side that would rather keep them with you to spare yourself the pain, how do you let them go and let them be free of their pain?

I guess the question is how do you tell your heart what your head knows it right?

Dedicated to all those dogs who's backyard breeders didn't bother to temperament test.

Say Cheese!

If you haven't already noticed you might want to check our websites adoptable page. Some of our pictures are not like the others. http://www.hugabull.com/adoptable.shtml


The stunning photo's you'll see of Pocoyo were provided to us by Tanya King, the owner of Vancouver's The Dog & Hydrant Dog Boutique & Photography.

As it turns out Tanya had met one of our past adopters at her store and after a brief discussion mentioned that she might be interested in helping us showcase some of our fabulous dogs. Once our Co-Director Danielle heard about this she jumped at the chance to speak with Tanya further and once everything was said and done, a new partnership was born and Pocoyo was scheduled for her big photo shoot. We are very thankful for Tanya's time and support and we look forward to working with her more in the future.


For more information on Tanya and The Dog & Hydrant please visit her website at http://www.thedogandhydrant.com/

On the 2008 Express

Like with every new year, we all start to think of personal resolutions, thing's we would like to improve and or expand on, and for us here at HugABull we do the very same. With a successful 2007 behind us, we are looking to expand on what went right and tweak the things that could have been better.

Things that went really right last year - Pit Ed Classes. With our very own certified Pet Dog Trainer Shelagh we got things right!!! Shelagh has been working her butt off helping bully owners combat bad behaviour. As we all know, bully breeds can sometime be rude at the end of the leash when they see another dog, and for many Vancouverites, Pit Ed was just what they needed.

With numerous classes under her belt and classes filling up so fast; we could'nt help but jump for joy over this great success.

If you are interested in getting your dog enrolled with Pit Ed please email Shelagh at info@hugabull.com

Another thing we got right! Public Events - Last year we really concentrated on getting ourselves involved with some very large scale events. The Vancouver Pet Expo, Pride Parade, BCSPCA Paws for a Cause and we even took some chances with the media. Well this year we have adapted the motto if it ain't broke don't fix it and we have lined ourselves up again to be apart of the Vancouver Pet Expo happening March 29 & 30th. This is the largest Pet Expo in BC and so we are very glad to be apart of it for another go round. If you are heading out to the Expo don't forget to come by and see us.

It had been a couple of years since our last Volunteer Meeting and so we decided it was time to get our new volunteers as well as our old updated on what was going to be taking place over the next year. We also wanted to update other bully owners on what was happeing in and around the Lower Mainland in regards to BSL = Breed Specific Legislation. Many where not aware of just how far it has creeped into our cozy little towns.

A new event for this year was our first ever CGN Test = Canine Good Neighbour Test. With Samantha Marshall at the wheel she ran a whole day devoted to getting Bully's their certificate. Everything went off almost without a hitch, everyone had a great time and she managed to certifiy a good number of Pit Bulls. Yahooo! Sam hopes to be hosting another one of these coming up in the near future, so keep your eyes on our website for more information.

Together in Pitties
Kristen

Better late than never.

OK! i know what you all have been wondering. Where on earth have we been?! I know that we have absolutely neglected our blogging; BUT with so much going on can you really blame us?
Well, we hope not because with all the excitement that has surrounded us we now have lots to update you on. With that being said i believe a recap of last year (2007) is necessary.


2007 was busy for us and just as we were catching our breath 2008 started with a bang.

In 2007 we successfully placed a whopping 32 dogs into new loving forever homes. HURRAY and welcome home doggies!!!


Shylo, Tucker and their 6 pups
Stella and her 5 pups
Lola and her 6 pups
Dakota
Bones
Shrek
The Mangy Girls - Bree, Jolie & Georgie
Rupert
Truffles
Tater
The Brothers - Conner & Stuey
Milo
Violet
Buster
Malone
I really hope i am not missing anyone.

Beyond placing dogs we had a wonderful year of advocating and raising public awareness to this breed.

2007 marked a number of FIRSTS for us in regards to events. We had the pleasure of being at the LARGEST Pet Expo in BC the Vancouver Pet Expo at the Tradex in Aldergrove. We were involved in the Gay Pride Parade and words can not express how much fun we had and what great exposure we got. Their where people hanging their Pit Bulls in windows (safely) taking our flyer's and cheering us on. We had our 15 minutes of fame on the very popular morning TV show Urban Rush and we also had our 2nd Annual Fundraiser which brought us Chris Cory and his Diva Dog movie all the way from California


Danielle also started a project that has become ( showcased in previous blogs) come very dear to all of us working at HugABull. After being called to the Abbotsford Animal Shelter to see a couple of young Pit Bulls that had been found running at large, she was shocked beyond words when she saw the state of these dogs. After losing one of the sisters to sever mange she started The Lovely Fund. http://www.hugabull.com/lovelyfund.html In memory of Lovely, who we were too late to help, Danielle has created a donation fund which will be reserved for providing medical care to shelter Pit Bulls who have health issues which limit their adaptability, focusing especially on Pit Bulls suffering from demodectic mange. So far 6 dogs have benefited from The Lovely Fund.



Here are some before and afters.


Georgie before



Georgie After


Bree Before


Bree After



Jolie Before




Jolie After






We now have 3 more dog benefiting from The Lovely Fund and all are responding wonderfully to their treatments.


With 2007 being so busy it was no doubt that we were all eager to get on with the new year and see what fun and excitement was awaiting us and our dogs.


Stay tuned.


Kristen

So, what to do when its the US Thanksgiving Holiday???

....update our blog, thats what! So much work to do, and so little time. Just when HugABull thought it would be slowing down for the holidays, we took in a few more dogs, plus a mother and her 5 puppies! Buttercup (mom) and her babies (Petunia, Morning Glory, Cosmos, Dhalia, and Sunflower) are all doing well in foster care on Vancouver Island. The pups are available now to find their forever homes, and momma will be available very soon. All are as sweet as sweet can be, and will represent this breed well! Along with this gang we've also welcomed Miss Violet into our care. This girl is a stunner, with a personality to match. She too is now ready to find her forever home!

Milo is still waiting for the perfect home, and his foster dad reports he is "killer" as in AMAZING! I've been seeing this boy every weekend at Pit Ed class, and its true, this is one nice dog, and will make someone very lucky... and we hope soon!

Rex is now up for adoption. He is an all around great dog, making friends everywhere he goes, and turning heads with his good looks. Pocoyo pup is ready for applicants as well, and is waiting in a perfect foster home. One that will teach her all the basic commands, as well as a little manners. She is a sassy girl, and will make the perfect pet for the perfect owner.
Last, and certainly not least... sweet old man Dizzy. In fact, he doesn't seem that old, aside from a few gray hairs. This little guy is full of love, and will make anyone a very happy owner!
Other than the busy adoptions, our 2008 Calendar - Playground Bullies is available for order through our store http://www.hugabull.biz/. They are in limited quantity, so make sure to order yours soon! We are also now offering HugABull dog tee's available in all sorts of colours. Those too can be found on our store.

Anywhoo..... just a short update... I suppose I should get back to the paying job... although the dog (non-paying) job is much more fun :^)

Happy Thanksgiving to all our USA friends...... and hope all of you have a super weekend!

~ Shelagh

Long over due...

Holy Cow! am I ever behind. The last few months here in the HugABull camp have been very busy. In August we hosted our 2nd Annual Fundraiser with help from Chris Cory and his Diva Dog Movie; in September we joined the BCSPCA Paws for a Cause, held our 4th Annual Pits in the Park and now our 2008 calendar is available for sale. It has certainly been a fun ride.
Our 2nd Annual fundraiser was a ton of fun and was held at the Fire Fighters Club in Burnaby.

Our guests were treated to our very own doggy fashion show with HugABull Alumni models as well as current adoptable dogs and some non Pit Bull puppy friends. Each of the dogs looked great sporting the latest in doggy fashion provided to us by the Playful Puppy Palace and they strutted their stuff to hippest tracks played by our wicked DJ, DJ Standard. Movie maker Chris Corey joined us all the way from California to showcase his DIVA DOG Pit Bull on Wheels Movie for the first time in British Columbia and we were pleased to have him. Our gift baskets were a hit and our crowd was amazing

We also had a great time at the BCSPCA Paws for a Cause. We decided to host our 4th Annual Pits in the Park right after the Paws for a Cause event and what a great turn out we had.

We also held our first Pit Bull Fun Show and all the dogs and their owners had a great time.

Stay tuned for more HugABull events and don't forget that our 2008 HugABull Calendar is on sale now at http://hugabull.biz/

Kristen

Lot's to update

Well hello everyone! Hope you are all having as much fun with your bullies this summer as we at HugABull are! As it turns out, we've been keeping too busy with the pooches to update here much, so there's a lot to catch up on.

Pit Ed classes are in full swing, and a big hit. Everyone seems to be enjoying the classes, and they're starting to pay off. No more so than in star pupil Merlin, who has gone from a reactive pooch to a well-mannered boy who his owners are rightly very proud of. Shelagh will be sending enrollment for the next session out soon, so stay tuned! Also, a big congratulations to Shelagh, who is now a certified dog trainer. Having a problem with your puppy? Get in touch with Shelagh! She's got the answers, lots of good tips, and is taking in new clients!

Aside from Pit Ed classes, HugABull has been busy showing our PRIDE. Yes, HugABull had the opportunity to participate in this year's Pride Parade in Vancouver, and boy are we glad we did! It was a fantastic day, with perfect weather, and fun was had by all. With nearly 400 000 spectators, it was a great way to let our bullies shine. And shine they did! Sugar, Rhino, Dakota, Stella, Katzie, Brando, and T-Bone all showed Vancouver what these dogs are really about. They were a hit with everyone, including Vancouver's own mayor, who gave Rhino a nice public kiss on his oversized noggin'. A big thanks to everyone and their dogs, and of course to the Pride Society for letting us participate.

Of course we must update everyone on the mange girls. We're very pleased to announce that all three girls are doing fabulously. Jolie, as previously mentioned, has found her forever home with foster family Amba and Travis, and is looking very pretty now that her hair is growing back. After a rocky start where she was a bit too timid for our liking, Bree has gained confidence and is ready for foster-to-adopt. Stay tuned as she will appear on Petfinder soon. And Gorgeous George, aka Georgie-Porgie, aka Puddin', has found herself a home as well. It's a great home, as she's staying within the HugABull family, but we're not saying with who just yet - it's still a top secret surprise. On the health front, George and Bree both have most of their fur back, and are scheduled for their first skin scrape this coming Saturday. Fingers crossed that it comes back clear!

Speaking of mange girls brings me around to adoptions in general. I'm very happy to be able to tell you that Shylo, who was our featured pet for so long, has been adopted! Yay Shylo! She is now living the pampered lifestyle she deserves as the only pooch of a nice young couple over on the Island. Keep an eye on our Matches Made in Heaven page for updates.
I'm pleased to announce some up and coming adoptables for HugABull.

Rupert, who's been fostered on the Island this past month or so learning some doggy manners will be available for adoption any day now. This handsome pooch is real ambassadog material, and we're certain is headed for great things.

Also coming soon from the Island is "Tater Tot", a pint-sized puppy with a big heart. His foster mom reports he's a very good puppy, with loads of energy. Tater wound up in the shelter and rescue system because he had a leg broken very early in life, which needs to be surgically corrected. However, you'd never guess this pooch had an injury, with the way he tears around. We can only imagine how busy he'll be after his operation!

Chloe just entered our foster-to-adopt program from South Peace SPCA. This sweet gal has pretty much grown up in the shelter, through no fault of her own - she's just had bad luck in owners. The shelter stuck by Chloe, because they recognized a real diamond-in-the-rough. When new owners Jesse and Rebecca contacted us saying they were wanting a bullie to call their own who would excel at therapy work with special needs children, our search quickly led us to this sweet little brindle dog. She arrived by plane to her new family on Tuesday, and they were instantly smitten. A big thank you to Jesse and Rebecca for their patience in this somewhat unconventional adoption, that allowed us to take Chloe into our program!

Part of HugABull's new attempt to reach out to more remote shelters within the Province included taking in two beautiful bullies from the Prince Rupert SPCA. We were a bit unsure what to expect of these boys when they came off the plane, but quickly saw that the shelter staff at Prince Rupert SPCA know how to spot those special dogs. Introducing Stuart, aka "Stuey", and Connery, or "Conner" for short! These boys had a rough start to life, coming from a background of neglect (their lives prior to arriving at the shelter consisted of living in a small room together with no outside exposure), but their stellar temperaments shine through despite this. Affectionate and bright, they're quickly learning all about the world and picking up their manners and basic commands quickly. Stuey is learning the ropes out in Ukee with Carla and Dave (thanks guys!), while Conner is living it up with Angelica, Rob, and their adorable two-legged baby, Cole. You can expect to see these handsome young dogs for adoption in about a month's time.

Stuey:

Conner:

And last, but certainly not least, a reminder to all of you about HugABull's fast-approaching 2nd annual fundraiser! This promises to be a great night, with lots going on. There will be good food, and plenty of entertainment, including the BC premier of Chris Cory's film, Diva Dog, and a wonderful doggy fashion show being put on by Puppy Palace. Tickets are only $20 and it's a great cause, so come on out and show your support!