Why This Blog

A year and a half ago, my husband and I adopted a dog captured by Hillsborough County Animal Services, then passed on to Lost Angels, an animal rescue group. She was a six month old Catahoula Leopard Hound mix and we named her Ella. She joined Siggy, our ancient Jack Russell terrier. Ella had such major fear issues that we sought help from Courteous Canine, a training facility in Lutz, that uses all positive reinforcement methods. They helped us through the rough spots and we've continued training there ever since. Six months ago, we adopted a four month old Jack Russell pup that had been dropped off at our vet. He is a typical JR Terrier, highly intelligent and strung tight. Add to that his anxiety issues and you have a major project. We dubbed him Hobbit, but most often call him "The Little Terrorist".

We've met so many others who have adopted rescued dogs. Thanks to efforts by rescue groups and kind hearted individuals, homeless dogs are now valued and being placed in loving homes at a greater rate. This blog hopes to be a place where dog lovers can communicate, especially those with rescued dogs. Taking on an animal is always a major commitment, but abandoned dogs can come with complicated issues. Learning to understand them and helping them to acclimate to our environment can be challenging.

I'll be sharing Ella and Hobbit's stories, good and bad. I'll post links to other sites that I've found helpful, along with references to services that we've had positive experiences with. I hope that others will share their stories, references, and photos, and that discussions will take place about issues that are common to us all. In this way, we may help each other to become better dog owners and find solace in knowing that we are not alone in our homes that sometimes feel like they are ruled by dogs!