Maisie (Formerly Lexi)

Who would have thought this diminuitive pup would become such a large part of our hearts? Frightened of her shadow when we first took her in, Maisie's sheer fun on paws now. She and our big yellow Lab, Belle, engage in no-holds-barred stalk-pounce-and-wrestle tourneys each morning after breakfast, wearing themselves out to become snoring mounds of flaked-out floor furriness for hours afterwards. Afternoons bring wild, unleashed chase-catch-and-surrender galloping and grrr-ing with each other in the local dog parks. Evenings find them sated and eyeing the door for that late night walk before crashing, Maisie atop my feet and Belle in deep slumber nearby.
Though brim-full of energy and joy, Maisie's not just your average party dog. The girl's got a brain. The go-to demo dog for our park district dog trainer, Maisie would show 'em how those tricks were done...posthaste. Supplied with a large stow of reward treats each class, I'd soon be out as she'd obey so quickly and consistently . Not one to, shall we say, miss a trick, when she saw I'd halted the treats, she'd simply snap to obeying the commands the dogs on each side were receiving!
Belle was right to beg us to adopt Maisie. She's the sister she's been yearning for, and, I swear, Chris talks more about Maisie than he ever did about our two kids!
Thank you so much for bringing Maisie our way.
The morning games begin in the first picture. The threesome are Maisie on the left, Atticus ( a new buddy) in the center and Belle on the right, all trying to be good so Santa will put them on the right list.
-Suzanne

Dr. Greenberg (Formerly Purdue)

I am happy to report that Dr. Greenberg (aka Purdue) has adjusted beautifully and it is like he has been with us his entire life. He spends more time on the couch and bed than we do. We recently got him neutered (had to wait because of the heartworm issue he had) and we are working with a dog trainer who lives down the street. There were a few times when we first got him that he growled at my wife and daughter when they touched him from behind. It was really pretty minor but we did not want to take any chances so we stared working with Fred “Who’s the Boss” dog training right away and he is fine now. Our 3 year old daughter plays with him all the time. He is like a puppy and loves to play.
We also have a 9 year old Golden Retriever, Mr. Whiskers, who was diagnosed with cancer soon after we adopted Greenberg. The vet only gave him four to six months and we are approaching the sixth month now and he seems to be OK. My wife and I both think that the companionship the two of them share is a big reason for Whiskers doing so well.
We are very happy to have Dr. Greenberg as part of our family and this is certainly a success story that you can share with all the volunteers. We can only imagine the stories we would hear if Greenberg could share his past with us. We hope that they are fading memories now.
Thanks for all the great work you are doing.
Warm Regards,
-Jim B.

Bonnie

Bonnie is a really good girl. She’s sweet, affectionate, and loves her big lab sister Daphne. Daphne is also a lab rescue dog. (Bonnie is the one on the left, then Jessica our daughter, then Daphne) She is very obedient tries really hard to please us. Bonnie and Daphne love to sleep together and spend hours chasing each other around the back yard. They also spend a tremendous amount of time chasing squirrels, chipmunks and bunnies.
Bonnie loves her toys. She tosses them up in the air and most of the time catches them. She loves to play catch with tennis balls and tug of war with Daphne. She’s growing up to be a big strong dog and now weighs about 80 pounds. She especially loves to sleep underneath blankets with her head on our pillows. When we first got her she had some jumping and biting issues. Her jumping issues are all gone, and her biting is getting better. She loves to cuddle, give kisses, and likes to run with the family. Bonnie has bonded to the whole family and we have bonded with her. We can’t imagine life without her….
-Marty A.

Frankie

Frankie is doing great - he is so mello and sweet. And, he loves his little brother, Buster. Frankie has made himself right at home - he's losing his timidness and has a huge appetite! He doesn't even go in the crate during the day. He's a great dog to run with and we've already introduced him to the dog beach. He's definitely a lover dog!!

Shannon (Formerly Shiraz)

It's been a wonderful year with Shannon as she has started to blossom and enjoy being a dog. The sheer joy with which she attacks life is amazing, although it is still tempered by anxiety about unfamiliar people and events. But just seeing her run in the snow or a field, or wagging her entire body and smiling so hard her jaws look like they are going to get stuck open, or jumping 5 feet in the air to welcome us back, is enough to make all the extra patience and work she needed seem like nothing.
The changes are dramatic: a dog that started by not eating anywhere but the couch (with you sitting about 10 feet away) will now let you fill the water bowl near her while she eats; before, she wouldn't let anyone get near her at the dog park but now lets people she's familiar with give her treats and pet her; for a long time, she would view any new treat or food with suspicion but now will almost knock you down to get at whatever you have. She is still scared - men frighten her, people carrying Chuckits make her uncomfortable, and a lot of noise/running around from other dogs really bothers her. But she is tightly bonded with our other dog Patrick, with my husband, and with me.
She's also becoming more assertive with Patrick - not in a bad way but they are now on more of an equal footing with each other. She may never get over these issues - or she may. Whichever, she is doing beautifully. Getting Shannon was very different than when we got Patrick - she needed more patience, more work, more time and more understanding. But it has paid off in spades and we don't regret a minute of it. Watching her ears come forward and seeing her become a dog brings joy to us every day and she has helped Patrick smile more and become a more playful dog. I only hope everyone has the chance to see their dogs succeed the way she has - thanks again to MLRR for matching us with her. She wasn't what we had in mind when we applied but has been perfect for us and Patrick!
-Sarah S.

Brook (Formerly Chloe)

Hello, Brook here!! I love my forever family and my new name. My forever family has and is helping me become a wonderful, sweet girl. I passed my obedience class with flying colors, and the trainer even invited me to join an agility class because she was so amazed with me. My big brother, Rocky and I, have become great pals. I enjoy playing fetch with my big brother, but sometimes I can be a little tease. My big brother even lets me have a spot on my parents bed at night. I enjoy going for walks, watching and chasing the birds, and playing in the snow. I walk really well on the leash, but I still get really excited when I see other dogs. I enjoy going for runs with my big brother and my dad. I enjoy meeting people; and everyone one that meets me is amazed at how well behaved I am and how sweet and cute I am. My parents hosted a huge New Year's/business party at our house, and my brother and I were the best behaved dogs anybody has ever seen!! Yeah for me!! I love to give kisses, and I love to cuddle. I wish that I was a lap dog sometimes. I miss my parents during the day when they are at work; but I do not mind going in my kennel, and my big brother, Rocky, helps me to not feel so lonely. So far I have a clean bill of health and weigh a little over 60 pounds, but still growing. I could not ask for a better family to be with. Thank you for helping me find my wonderful forever family!! Attached is a picture of me. Enjoy!! ( I am the lab with the white patch on chest and the green collar.)