New Year's Eve

Well...it's 7:30 PM on December 31st.

I am almost recovered from my head cold, and that makes me very happy. I'm not too bad of a whiner, but I DO appreciate feeling like my usual sparky self. I am so thankful that I have good health.

I just got back from running groups and serving dinner at Play N Stay. It's a packed house there! Always lots of fun! We'll be back over there tonight (close to midnight) for last night run and to pass out "Happy New Year's Hugs" and play the dog-toy version of "watching the ball drop". (smile)

Just in case I haven't said so recently...I love my life. Sure, it's hectic and chaotic alot of the time. Sure, the phone rings off the hook at really weird hours. Sure, I miss having a living room (the store took it over a few years ago). Sure, I see more puppy poop in a day than most people do in a year. But...I'm living my dream...and there's NOTHING like it in this world!

Granted, the real life version of The Perky Puppy doesn't look like I thought it would. There's a WHOLE lot more bookwork & paperwork than should be allowed by law. More puppies to care for=more payroll=more advertising=more $$ spent=more paperwork=more chaos, etc. Sometimes the world spins so fast that I don't know how we keep up. In 2009, we're going to get back to our roots...keep a little less puppies in the store and not dance so fast. There will still be a great selection, we'll just be working smarter, instead of harder.

We're looking forward to 2009 at The Lucky Puppy too! It's fun to watch that part of the business grow.

Thanks for your continued support! It's great to know that you are watching us change and grow and that you're cheering us on! 2009 is going to be a WONDERFUL year! We wish that for you as well!

All the Best!

Love,
Jess

Donations

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to those who made donations over the holidays:

Thanks to Dr. Marvin & Michele Steed for their monetary donation.

Thanks to Chessie & BoBo's family for their monetary donation.

Thanks to Kilo's K-9 Kitchen for the donation of homemade dog treats.

Thanks to Diane Watt for the donation of dog treats.

Oh! And THANKS to all who donated all the yummy people food to us and our staff: Zeke Dombroski, Jean Misencik, Becky Halicky, and Penny Koshenko!

Update

Well...it's been an amazing few weeks! Most of the rescues are in new homes. Albie & Abby (Japanese Chin/ Beagle crosses), Buster the Puggle, and Dexter & Duke (the 2 Blue Heelers) are still here.

You'd be so proud of Buster! He's been doing so much better! He's at least 90% housebroken and is quite mannerly on most days. I think he'll make someone a very good pet!

Dexter's pretty much housebroken. Duke is next...

The Puppy Store is almost empty. We're still dealing with some cough...'tis the season.

Play N Stay was at capacity over the holidays...what a great group!

Oh...and Vanessa and I are both sick. Not fun, but at least it didn't hit us until after the Christmas rush. Hoping to catch up on some R & R in the next few days...

We hope your holidays were wonderful! Thanks so much to those who provided for our pups over the holidays! You are wonderful!

Thanks Christa!

A big thanks to Christa Piko, as well as Max and Bruzer (yes-THE Bruzer), for donating towels to the Lucky Puppies!!

Happy Adopted!

Happy the 3 -legged dog is being adopted! He is going home to a great family from New York! They love him because he is special!

Congratulations Happy!

Commercials On Demand!

I've just loaded the Play N Stay Pet Camp and Perky Puppy commercials on our website.

Now you can see them whenever you want! The quality is not fantastic, but they are still cute!

Enjoy!

Oh No...

Donations

A big THANK YOU goes out to:

• Miss Gracie Major (a darling Morkie) and her parents David & Diana Major.
• Megan Banker for the donation of a large dog crate and bedding.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

"Buster"

Buster.

Oh Buster.

Where do I start?

OK...here's the scoop on Buster...

Back in March, an older couple and their grandson came to The Perky Puppy looking for a "little house dog" puppy. Well...it didn't matter how much we talked to them about shih-tzus, poodles, etc., they kept fixating on the puggles. "Oh, how cute! I really like these right here!" Etc., etc., etc.

We talked about an adult weight of 21-30#. We talked about puggles being high-energy and a little A.D.D., needing lots of exercise, etc. We talked and talked and talked.

They decided on the puggle anyway. And, of course, we told them if they had any questions or problems to give us a call immediately.

Fast forward 8 months.

Here comes the phone call..."He's too big. Our family has had some health problems. We can't walk him. He's too strong. HE'S BIGGER THAN WE WANTED."

Ya think?

Now, in our defense, we would have denied the sale, if we were SURE it was a bad mix. It wasn't super obvious. We talked about everything we could, but it was still a wrong fit and we learned something.

So, they made an appointment to bring Buster down, where we would place him in rescue and give the couple a discount on a smaller breed of dog.

Until we saw Buster. He was clean. BUT, he had no manners (too big for them to control), he hadn't had a vaccine since he left us in March (don't EVEN get me started), he was unneutered, and he was borderline WILD (not mean, just freaky)!

I "sternly educated" them on where they had gone wrong, all the way back to that day in March at The Perky Puppy, and up to the present day.

I quickly determined that we "did not have any breed of pup that was suited to their needs" (wink), even though we had plenty of small breed puppies. I strategically pointed out the flaws in every puppy (too big full-grown, needs professionally groomed, needs brushed daily, etc.), so we were well on our way to helping them be dog-free.

Only now, without a new puppy, they weren't interested in just giving Buster to us ("We spent a lot of money on him."). So I bought Buster, right then and there, for $ 75., just to get him out of there. (I know...I can be a real sucker.)

We immediately vaccinated and de-wormed him. Then, we realized that he wasn't really housebroken. Great...

Puggles are probably THE EASIEST dog to housebreak. They are very food-motivated as pups and will often "fake another pee" while outside, just to get an extra treat. So, it's obvious that they just didn't work with him.

So we went back to the basics...crate training...treats for "going" outside. outside just after eating, etc. We are working on basic manners (no jumping, walking on a leash like a little man) and basic obedience (look at him doing his "sit" in the picture).

We got him neutered (which has helped him not be crazy) and got him a Rabies vaccine.

He has come a very long way. He is very teachable and learns quickly. He would progress faster with one on one attention. He is finally ready to go to a home for that. Prior to now, it wouldn't have been fair to his new owner...he needed professional help.

He needs someone who will put energy into him...teaching him as quickly as he will learn...teaching him tricks, making him do those tricks...not letting him be a heathen. We're willing to equip someone to do that.

He will likely do best in a home where they are not first-time dog owners. Although he gets along great with other dogs, he will probably progress fastest where he is the only dog and all of your efforts are with him.

If you'd like to know more or have questions, please feel free to call or email. We are willing to discount him to the right home.

Thanks!
Jessica

P.S. For those of you who have been praying for our rescues, pray for Buster. He's overcoming a lot. He needs just the right family to keep that moving in the right direction. Thanks!

"Happy"

"Happy" is one of our rescues.

He is a Male (Neutered) Maltese Puppy, who was born on 8/25/08.

Happy only has 3 feet.

He is missing his right rear foot.

Maltese puppies are tiny and covered with slime at birth. It's mom's job to clean them up and to chew off the umbilicus. It appears that Happy's mom was inexperienced & overzealous and got confused, chewing off his right rear foot too.

The injury is completely healed and not visible, unless we point it out to you. Actually, the rescue folks who neutered and transported him didn't notice it. We only noticed it when we were grooming him.

He plays, walks, and runs fine.

He is happy (hence, the name) and enthusiastic, and does not appear to have any idea that he is "different" than the other puppies.

Don't you just love dogs? He doesn't judge himself like people do. We're often comparing ourselves to other people, labeling ourselves as "luckier, unluckier, fatter, skinnier, richer, poorer, better off, or worse off". We get hung up on the bum deal that we got in life, determining our value based on who we're comparing ourselves to.

Let's not do that any more. It doesn't help anybody.

Let's just be like "Happy", dealing with what we are given and making the best of it every day.

Let's just be HAPPY!

GREAT QUESTION!

As a comment on a recent post, "Anonymous" asked the following question:

"I'm wondering how you guys can see the justification in charging as much for the rescue dogs you are taking in as you are for perky puppies? I know the cost of shots and housing and food all needs paid for but I still can't see the justification in such a high cost for a dog that you guys are saving and trying to find a home. You've taken in dogs from places that couldn't get people to buy them for a cost that was probably much lower than your own, and now you are charging potential owners $450 dollars, where is the logic in that? I would love for you guys to provide some insight into this."

I think that's a great question, but it can be very complicated to answer.

In your example, you are comparing apples to oranges. You are comparing a $450. rescue maltese (would be $700-$850 at The Perky Puppy) with Perky Puppy shih tzus and malti-poos, which would be at least $100. less if they were rescues).

Let me try to shed some more light on adoption fees...

But, first, let me remind you that we are a NEW rescue. We do not have the funding that many other rescues have. We also don't yet have a volunteer base (so our cost is higher, because of mostly paid staff) or a large donor base, so, our adoption fees must cover almost all of our operating expenses.

Also, we are not new to the puppy business. We are very knowledgeable on the current "market value" on many breeds. We utilize our experience in that area to help structure pricing in a way that benefits the rescue operation best.

Adoption fees vary based on multiple other factors. We consider the following:

• How much did it cost to acquire the puppy or dog?
• Did we have to quarantine it? (14 days in my kitchen before the public can view him, cared for by my staff, adds up quick!)
• What efforts do we have to put into rehab/training? (Does he need to work on housebreaking? Is it a little or a lot? Does he need manners work before anyone will consider him for adoption?)
• How long will the puppy or dog have to stay before it is ready for adoption? (Does he need to "level out" a bit or recover from something, before he is offered for adoption?)
• How old is the dog? (Often, young puppies have more "market value" than older dogs.)
• Is the dog purebred? (Often, you can expect to pay more for a Maltese than a Maltese mix.)
• How big is the dog? (A 2 pound Maltese is often more "valuable" than an 14 pound maltese.)
• Did we pay to have it transported?
• What is the cost or expected cost of veterinary or medical care? (Is it up to date on vaccinations and dewormings? Does it need spayed or neutered? How about a rabies vaccine?)
• How urgent is the placement of this dog? (A 2# puppy is not as urgent as a 40# puppy. This may not be popular, but cleaning and care is very expensive. In addition, large breed puppies need more interaction at an earlier age.)
• What does the dog's competition look like? (If we're trying to place a 4-month old large mixed hound and an 8-week old purebred boxer puppy, we will price the boxers higher and the hound lower, in an attempt to give the hound an advantage.)
• How long has the dog been here? (We do adjust pricing regularly on dogs that haven't been placed.)

We take all that information into consideration when pricing an adoptive dog. Obviously, we lose money on many dogs. So we have to make up for it on others. Anything that we recover in adoption fees, above and beyond their cost & care, helps to care for other rescues (food, spay, vaccinations, etc.)

Let's get more specific:
We recently bumped into an adult male puggle, who was not completely housebroken, had zero manners, and was pretty much wild. The owners didn't want to give hime to us, but we were able to buy him for $ 75. We vaccinated and de-wormed him on intake, and paid $105 for neuter and rabies vaccine. We're working hard on housebreaking and manners. We'll be lucky to successfully place him at $ 75., even with a gift certificate for free boarding at Play N Stay.

Compare him to the 2# Maltese puppy, who was neutered and up-todate on his shots when we got him. We paid much more for him, his transport, and his neuter. He has been through his intake process (about $30) and has now been groomed ($30). The points listed above and his actual expense are why his adoption fee is $ 450.

We've had approximately a dozen calls on the maltese in the few days we've had him and none on the adult puggle that we have had longer.

Now, this might sound crazy, but I think the maltese would be glad to help pay for the puggle underdog's care and placement. Dogs are just like that. They look out for each other. They help each other along. It's the power of the pack...one for all & all for one!

Here's something else to think about: ALL of our puppies and dogs are housed indoors. Our areas are clean & climate-controlled. Everyone has freshly laundered bedding, Nutro Ultra Puppy food, toys, and treats all day, every day. They are comfortable here while they await their new home. We'd love to see these guys successfully-placed, but until that day comes, they are happy & safe here.

Hope that clears things up a bit! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!

Toddler Beds & Dog Crates!

Do you have an old toddler bed and/or crib mattress that you no longer need? How about Fido's old dog cage? If you have these items, please consider donating them to us!

If we get enough, we will gladly share them with other shelters!

Thanks in Advance!
Jessica and The Lucky Puppies

Puppies Everywhere!

There are puppies everywhere! In the last 2-3 days, 23 puppies have arrived (rescue and Perky Puppies). We've been busy clipping, and bathing, and cuddling, and loving, and cleaning, etc., etc., etc.

You Can Help!

OK...many of you have asked how you can help The Lucky Puppy! Here's a few ideas:

1. Print off a current rescue poster! This is something new for us and we need you to try it out for us! I'm really not a web genius at all...self-taught, so this may not work. Please try printing out the rescue poster on your home printer and displaying it WHEREVER you think somebody might see it! Please let me know if it works, if you like it, if you'll do it regularly...if it's successful, we'll keep doing it. If it's not working, I'll work to fix it (tested ok here). Just please let me know at jessica@theperkypuppy.com !

2. We need your old bath towels. We bathe a LOT of puppies! We could use several bath towels to help with the drying process!

3. You can donate through PayPal. Your donations are always appreciated!

Thanks for your support! We just finished November's final tally:

NOVEMBER 2008
Sold 13 Perky Puppies
Adopted 32 Lucky Puppies!

You guys rock!
Jess

Something's Coming...

It's 7 PM on Wednesday....Rescues are on their way to us...not sure who, what, or when exactly...keep your eyes fixed on the website for more details...

Professional GROOMING!

Meet NANCY ELLISON, Certified Professional Groomer at The Soapy Puppy Doggie Spa,
located at The Perky Puppy and Play N Stay Pet Camp!

Nancy lives in St. Clairsville, with her husband and their 4 children.

She has always loved animals and owns 3 dogs: "Rufus" (Pug), "Bella" (Brussels Griffon), and "Daisy" (Boxer Mix).

Nancy is a Certified Professional Groomer through the Diamond Cut Grooming School in Medina, OH.

As the groomer at The Soapy Puppy, she really cares for your dog, giving them the one-on-one attention that they deserve!

Your dog will be groomed with confidence & love at The Soapy Puppy!

Appointments available on Wednesdays, Fridays, & Saturdays!

Call 740-695-4566 (The Perky Puppy) to schedule an appointment now!

(Daycare also available on those days through Play N Stay Pet Camp...just ask for it when you schedule your grooming appointment!)

DECEMBER SPECIAL-
All new grooming clients SAVE $ 5.00 & receive a free toy!

Rescue Update

Good news! Hank got a great home! He'll have 2 little boys to play with and a very responsible mother. They got him microchipped and got all of the supplies he'll need to be a well-rounded puppy!

We got another puggle in today for rescue. His name is "Buster". He was born on January 3rd. He's a little freaked out today, because his parents couldn't keep him, so they brought him here today. He just got too big and strong for them. So he's in my kitchen right now...just hanging out. We gave him a vaccine and some dewormer and will get him all situated and settled in tonight.

Other than that, it's a quiet day here...BLACK FRIDAY is always slower for us...everyone's at the malls in the early AM, then sleeping in the afternoon. Is that how you spent your day???

BIG NEWS Revealed!

OK...so here's the secret we've been keeping...

Are you ready????

(Drum Roll)

We have a...

(Drum Roll)

GROOMER!!!!!!!!

YAY!!!!!!! (Jumping, Leaping, Skipping for joy!)

Yep! That's right! We've got a groomer! All professional and all! It's been a long time dream that we would have a groomer on staff...now it's happening!

Here's the scoop though...

We are starting kind of slow...just a few days a week...so our staff can adjust to the changes and the traffic patterns of MORE CUSTOMERS!

If you would like to schedule a grooming appointment, give us a call at 740-695-4566.

Did I say "YAY!!!"????? LOVE IT!!!!

THANKSGIVING Update!

GOLDIE GOT A HOME!! That's right! Today at 5 PM, a couple from Weirton got her! She will have a Happy Thanksgiving FOR SURE!! YAY!!!!!!

There are 10 rescues, 19 Perky Puppies, and 17 Play N Stay Pet Campers spending Thanksgiving with us! Add in our 4 dogs and that brings us to 50 dogs to be with on Thanksgiving! How much do you wish you were me??!!?? I'll have more hugs and kisses tomorrow than most people get in a year!!! (Of course, I will smell like a dog, but fortunately, they don't mind!)

Oh...and while you're thinking about all of that...chew on this:

There are 92 rescue puppies available to us next week. Yes...I said, "92".

How many will we take? Not sure yet. Depends on what sells on Friday and Saturday and how much cage space is available. I've lowered the price on all existing rescues to increase the likliehood of their successful adoption. If there's one you've been watching, you better check out the website and plan to be HERE on Black Friday!

I'll have to decide on the rescues on Sunday. PLEASE do not let that keep you from adopting. We don't want you to hold out, waiting to see if there is something "better", because there will be less rescues available if nobody adopts these guys.

Thank you everyone for your support! Can't wait to see what next Thanksgiving looks like!!

XO
Jess

ADOPTED!

Well...we have had some busy days lately! Here's the scoop:

Peanut, Lucy, Jack, Ozzy, and Matilda have been adopted!! AWESOME!!

LOVE IT!!!!

Thank you! You guys are WONDERFUL!!

DONATIONS

Thank you to Wendy Schmitt for her contribution to The Lucky Puppy "Tributes" program.

Thank you to Nick & William for your donation.

Thank you to St. Clair Animal Hospital for the memorial donations, in honor of "Brie" Frame and "Calico" Ambrose.

Thank you to the customers and supporters who have stopped in to donate!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU on behalf of the Lucky Puppies!

What do you want to know??

OK...it's your turn...what do you want to know? Ask us your questions and we'll do our best to answer them right here on this blog. They can be anything from a dog question (yours or ours) to an advice question to career questions to "How do I follow my dream?" questions.

Simply hit The "comments" link at the end of this post and send them over! OR you can email me at jessica@theperkypuppy.com with "BLOG QUESTION" in the subject line (otherwise, we'll just think you have an email question and it won't get posted here).

We look forward to hearing from you.

WOW! SEE YOUR PET ONLINE!

You can see YOUR DOG or CAT online at The Perky Puppy website!

We just launched TRIBUTES!

Lucky Puppy "TRIBUTES" offers a unique way to Honor you favorite pet AND care for RESCUE Dogs & Puppies this Holiday Season!

TRIBUTES is a seasonal web program where you can honor and memorialize your favorite pets, both past and present!

Here's how it works:

1. Click the "BUY NOW" button on the TRIBUTES web page.

2. Send your donation(s) of $ 35.00 through fast, secure, and easy PayPal.

3. After your PayPal checkout, you will be asked to submit the pet photo of your choice, as well as up to 5 lines of text (up to 25 characters per line) via email.

It's that easy! We'll take care of the rest! On Novemeber 25th, the "TRIBUTES" link will change to a "TRIBUTES Winter Holiday 2008-2009" link. For two whole months (until January 24th, 2009), your pet's photo will be posted online for all of the world to see!

You can even send all of your friends and family to the website to view their pic!

AND...last, but not least...it's all for a good cause! ALL proceeds...100% of your donation...goes to The Lucky Puppy to pay for the care rescue dogs and puppies! LOVE IT!!!

We can't wait to see your pets!!!! Thanks in advance!

Go to the TRIBUTES page NOW!!

BIG Stuff Happening!!!

Oh Boy!!!

There's some really big stuff going on the scenes at The Perky Puppy/Lucky Puppy/Soapy Puppy/Play N Stay Pet Camp!!!!

I'm not at liberty to discuss what's up yet, but I can tell you that if it all works out, it will be HUGE!!!!! (However, if you'd like to leave a comment below, I will entertain some guesses.)

HOWEVER, I can tell you a little bit about something smaller that I'm working on (which is still a pretty neat thing):

Soon...you will be able to pay tribute to your favorite pets, both past and present, on our website. (Up until now, we've only featured testimonials from Perky Puppy customers on our Puppy Tales section of our site.) The new "Tributes" section will feature all of your beloved pets, no matter their origin!

The "Tributes" page will be available this week and will be structured as a fundraiser for The Lucky Puppy.

I'll keep you posted!!
Jessica

Donation

Thank you to Amanda Keesey and her dog, Cooper, for their recent donation. She used PayPal to donate and sent this quote:

"My Boston-- Jake, and I donated last month. However, my black Lab, Cooper, wanted to be in on the helping, so this month's donation is from him!!"

That's great! Thanks guys!

If you would like to support The Lucky Puppy through PayPal, you can always click the "DONATE" link at the top of our web site or to go directly to PayPal, click HERE.

Cross your fingers...

There are two appts. scheduled for Wednesday for Hank and Jack. I'd love to see both of them get homes!!

I got to see Poppy today! He was an early rescue for us. I cried like a FOOL the day he went home!! He is wonderful! His new life really agrees with him! He looked all dapper in his OSU collar and handsome grey sweater! He is spoiled, but not in a bad way...in a really GREAT way...

Poppy may be getting a new little brother (Male Brussels/Bichon)...he's the subject of some family talk tonight...

Great Puppies

Have you met Goldie? She is a VERY, VERY sweet young lady...very polite...very patient. She was rescued as a puppy from a local shelter, was quarantined, and was put through our intake process (shots, dewormings, etc.). That was a month ago. She's still here. Beautiful as ever...Lots of lookers...still hasn't found the perfect home. Pray that she gets one soon. She deserves it. She's the most love you can buy for $75.

How about Peanut? Have you seen him? He's the littlest, cutest Beagle mix that I've seen in forever. Housebroken. Loves his crate. Happy boy. Love him!

Hank and Jack are still lurking around here too...they are doing good on their housebreaking, but really need that one on one attention to get it perfected. They are both happy puggles! Their price just went way down. Jack is $100 (unneutered). Hank is $125. (neutered). Both are great pups!

I know there's somebody out there who has been watching these guys and you just need an extra nudge to make the call. YOU JUST GOT THE NUDGE. Call us for an appointment. 740-695-4566.

To see all available puppies, visit us on the web at www.ThePerkyPuppy.com

Sleeping Beauty

Wanna see the 4-legged love of my life? She's my tired little baby, a Chinese Crested Hairless, named "Calliope". (OK...so she isn't a baby. She's going on 5 years old.) She was so tired tonight from her big week at Play N Stay. Once the day settled down, she just wanted to sleep. Poor girl couldn't get much rest for all the picture-takin'! I LOVE HER!!!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the breed, she was born hairless (except for her head, tail, and feet). It's a double-recessive gene that causes the hairlessness, so she had littermates that were fully furry (called "powder puff"). The hairless gene also causes her to not have a full set of teeth, so her tongue falls out of her mouth on a regular basis. Poor thing. She feels like soft leather and gets sunburned in the summer and cold in the winter if not protected.

She has the SWEETEST temperament of any dog I've ever owned, and I must confess that I would make a complete fool out of myself and would clone her IN A HEARTBEAT if I could afford it!!

Out my window...

Looking out my window at the play group of doggie guests at Play N Stay Pet Camp.

Today's guests include: Lola, Peanut, Hank, Jack, Shyla, Tanner, Tucker, Macy, Barney, Reese, Bosley, and Albert...all in one big group! Everything from a 16 year old chihuahua to a 3 year old Boxer! (All carefully managed of course.) They are having such a good time! This is so good for dogs!

My 4 (Calliope, Nike, AxelRod, and RockStar) just got back from staying for 4 days at PNS. They come home happy and better behaved than when they went! I love it!!

This has turned out better than I'd ever imagined!

I just have to say...I'm really brilliant some times, but I underestimated just how brilliant I really am...which, of course, means that I'm not really all that brilliant after all. (wink)

I'm so proud of the crew at Play N Stay! They rock!

Rescue Update

Well...today, we have 21 rescues available.

The ones who most need to make a move are Jack the Puggle, Goldie the Lab Mix, and Hank the Puggle.

I've lowered pricing on many of the rescues. If there's someone you've been watching, it's time to give us a call!! 740-695-4566

Unfortunately, we have been dealing with a pretty bad cough going around in the puppy room. Just about everyone has had it or has it currently. Just like people, some barely blink, just cough a little, and keep on playing. Others get down and need to rest for several days. We've been running through a host of products and medications ($$$$$$$$$) trying to keep things moving in the right direction.

We'll get through it. We always do. We deal with cough about 5 times a year. It's like a day care center with colds and snotty noses. When one gets it, they all do. We just have to wait it out.

I've scheduled some boys for neuter and Rabies vaccine next week. That's always a large chunk of change too.

Any donations would be appreciated. You can donate through PayPal here. Your gift of $30 will care for a dog for a month. $100. will pay for neuter and rabies vaccine on one male dog. Thank you in advance!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
WEEKLY BATHER: We are looking for a reliable volunteer to help with "kennel day" on Wednesday afternoons each week (from about 12 noon til 3 or 4 PM). This is a fun, but wet job...basically involves helping to bathe and dry all of our rescue puppies (most are under 10 pounds) in our sink. You will always have help and will never be asked to do something we wouldn't do. You will be assisting Becky, who will be clipping nails and cleaning ears at the same time, keeping these babies healthy, happy, and smelling good. You'll go home smelling like a dog, but smiling from ear to ear!

RESCUE VET TRANSPORT: We are also in need of a volunteer to occassionally (probably one or two times a month) help transport one or two puppies to & from the vet for spay/neuter. This would require reliable transportation, picking up at The Lucky Puppy (just prior to 8 AM) and dropping off at Dr. Steed's office (also in St. Clairsville). Then, that afternoon, you would pick them up after surgery and return them to The Lucky Puppy, to sleep off the anesthesia from that oh-so-important surgery! The scheduled days are somewhat flexible (must be a Mon., Tue., Thur., or Fri.) and can be scheduled at your convenience. If you want to play a big part in stopping unwanted litters of puppies, this is the volunteer job for you!

If you think that either of these would be a suitable volunteer job for you, please email me at jessica@theperkypuppy.com We'd love to have you join the team!

Church

Hi Everyone!

I'm back! It's been a busy season of globe-trotting on behalf of our church, Real Life. In May, we were at a conference in Atlanta (called "Drive 08"). In October, we were back in Atlanta ("Catalyst"). And just this week, I was in Loudonville, Ohio, at a conference called "the sticks".
(Which, by the way, is in "the sticks". This conference was all about churches making a big imact in small towns.)

For those of you who are unaware, Vanessa and I are fun-loving folks who have a blast "doing church" in a whole new way!

Now, most of you know that church is great for folks that like church, or at least like THEIR church. It can be tougher for people who don't understand or don't desire a lot of pomp and circumstance, church lingo, or aren't even sure about this Jesus-guy. These are the folks that Ness and I worry will fall through the cracks...the people who don't like church. So we are always studying and reading and talking with people who specialize in making church "cool".

We currently serve at Real Life UMC in Morristown. We serve coffee in church and play cool, contemporary music from a band that ROCKS!!! We're on the leadership team there and took 13 people with us to "the sticks". We had a lot of fun-being Real People living Real Lives!

Anyway...just wanted to let you know why I was AWOL. We're back now. All of the dogs and puppies were happy to see us.

And just so you know, if you have questions about God, Jesus, church, forgiveness, or need prayer, you can always email us at jessica@theperkypuppy.com

Thanks for letting me share!
Jess

Banks Needed!

Do you have a dog piggy/coin bank that you no longer use???

We need it for The Lucky Puppy!

We need to create donation banks for placement on the counter at vet's offices and convenience stores. Unfortunately, we aren't able to find any for under $10.00 that are cute.

SO...if you'd like to donate a bank, please email us at jessica@theperkypuppy.com with the words "bank donation" in the subject line.

Thanks!!

Oodles adopted!!

Great weekend here! Do not yet have the full count on the puppies that were adopted this weekend, besides we are still open for another few hours!!

The big news is that Bugsy and Vinny have homes!!!!! YAY!!

Also, one of the older puggles got a great home thanks to a referral from Dr. Steed! Their wonderful dog was put to sleep 2 years ago and the family has been grieving ever since. You know...we hear that a lot..."I'm not gonna get another dog. Nobody was as wonderful as _____. It hurts too much when you lose them..."

Those statements are all very true. BUT here's some other stuff to think about:

If you are a dog lover, there's nothing fun about coming home to an empty house.

There is NOTHING IN THIS WORLD that compares to coming home to a dog that is happy to see you! All those love and kisses makes any hurt in the long run worth the while.

And here's something else, that I credit to Michele Steed for sharing with me (she says it better than I do): If you love dogs, and there are dogs who are homeless and need the love of a family, then it is selfish to not open your heart and your home to a dog in need, just because you're afraid you'll miss it when it's gone. After all, anything worth having, is worth crying over.

I've also heard that some people are afraid to get another dog, because they are afraid that loving another dog would be like cheating on the previous dog. Listen...your dog loved you so much and your dog loved how much you loved him or her. Dogs have big enough hearts that they would never want to deny another dog that kind of love. They think to highly of you for that.

And one last one: I don't want to get another dog, because we want to be able to travel. Well...we've got the solution for you! Your dog can go on vacation to Play N Stay Pet Camp and have a GREAT time!! No guilt traveling for you and your dog! Your dog will LOVE you for it!!

So, now what's your reason????

Can You Do This?

BIG DAY!

8 Lucky Puppy Rescues were adopted today! 2 Perky Puppies were purchased today! We sold a BUNCH of starter kits and supplies! It was INSANE!!! There were people EVERYWHERE!!!

I talked so much that I felt like my tongue was three feet thick, but it was worth it.

Unfortunately, it was so goofy here that the 5 rescues at Play N Stay (Bugsy, Vinny, and the 3 puggles) never got looked at by anyone. Bummer.

In other news, the Lucky Puppy's Credit Card machine has arrived. We'll call our buddy, Ben Marks to do the download this week, so that the paperwork isn't so complicated (keeping Perky Puppy money and Lucky Puppy money sorted properly).

Life is Good and we are happy!

Love you all!!

ADOPTED!

4 more puppies were adopted today!!! YAY!!!

Still hanging around with Bugsy and Vinny. They are such nice puppies...very smart and even-tempered! Are you sure nobody's looking for a larger breed short-coated dog?? I'd be willing to give a Play N Stay Gift Certificate equal to their adoption fee of $50. for someone to adopt.

They're starting to get the house-breaking thing. I think they'd do a lot better with some one on one attention!

Call me if you'd like to meet them!!

Jessica
740-695-4566

Alf, Ginger, and Snickerdoodle

Just wanted to let you guys know that things here are great. All of the puppies are settled in. Some have started to go home. We have more appointments scheduled for tomorrow. If there is somebody you have your eye on, you'd better throw your hat into the ring...we've got some Pittsburgh ads starting soon, which always drums up some excitment!

Life Is Good!

Just got word that the Golden female is getting adopted by a long-time customer of mine!

21 years ago, their family bought a Yellow-Naped Amazon Parrot from me, back in the Barclay's Birds days. Yes...that was the bird store I owned with my mom in Bridgeport. It was technically the beginning of The Perky Puppy, since we sold some puppies there. (I'll do a blog post soon about all of that. Too much for tonight.)

Anyway, "Alf" the Yellow-Nape is still going strong (which isn't a shocker...they can live to be 85 years old or more). They adopted another Golden Mix from us 3 years ago (left on the side of a road in a box), "Ginger". They're gonna name this little girl "Snickerdoodle". Good for her!! Good for them!! I'm so happy!! Thanks Marilyn!

FIXED!

The "Donate" button is now fixed on the website, so thank you for bringing that to my attention! Please let me know if you experience any further problems.
Jess

Donations

Memorial donations were made in memory of "Molly" Graham, "Larry" Danehart, and "Brandy" Kaluger from Dr. Marvin & Michele Steed.

A donation was made in honor of the family who adopted "Momma" from Wendy Schmitt.

Thank you so much for your generosity!!!

Great Day!

Got a great report on Momma. She went to her new home yesterday. She's following her new mom around everywhere and is taking treats from her new dad. She's gonna be just fine.

(By the way, there was no shortage of tears here yesterday as we all said our "GoodByes". We were happy for Momma, but we're gonna miss her full-body hugs around here. Some of these dogs have come so far that we just can't imagine not watching them continually improve from day-to-day.)

The rescue pups are coming out of their shells. They aren't allowed to go home yet, but lots of people stopped in to look.

Getting ready to go to Play N Stay for last night run. It's been a long day. I'm ready for bed soon. Going to bed with a smile on my face!!

34 Bouncing Baby Bundles of Joy!

I just couldn't say "NO".

We got 34 rescues tonight. All puppies. All up-to-date on shots. Many neutered.

They are beautiful.

Ness clipped all their nails tonight. And we did all of their paperwork and updated the website.

Tomorrow, Becky and I will start clipping, bathing, grooming, weighing, worming, giving holistic antibiotic, etc. Ness and Kasey will be working at Play N Stay (which is booked).

THEN, we will clean the puppy room to prep for open.

We should all be dead by noon. Just in time to open.

Bring us some Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolates when you get here at noon. We're gonna need the caffeine and the sugar to get through the day.

Treat yourself to one too! You'll be glad you did! Tell them The Perky Puppy sent you.

See ya!

Uh-oh & Yay!!!

Well...we got the call last night! There are another 48 puppies that were pulled out of that puppy mill in Indiana (same place where 19 of our rescue puppies came from last month).

We can't do all 48, but we committed to 26. (Where am I going to put them all?) Not sure when they will arrive, because they will pass through multiple hands of the transport chain before they get to us. All will be puppies. All will be up to date on shots. Most will be spayed or neutered already. From the sounds of things, we will likely be getting:

• MaltiPoos
• Poodles
• Yorkie Poos
• Boxers
• Golden Retrievers
• Brussel/Bichons
• a Chihuahua mix
• a Yorkie
• Boston/Beagles
• a Bichon
• a Min Pin
• a Shih Tzu
• Silky Terriers
• and a Partridge in a Pear Tree. (just kidding about that one)

My guess is that thay will get here late tonight (Thursday) and that we will open Friday with very weary puppies and very weary staff. The intake on 26 puppies will be an ENORMOUS task, not to mention trying to get the store open by noon!

Please do not call or email us on these babies yet! We'll be too busy to answer the phone or email. We are gonna be buried in puppies and puppy poop! It's gonna take a little bit to figure out what we've got once they get here. If everything works like last time, I should have an update ON THE WEBSITE by LATE Thursday night (probably just before midnight). We open Friday at 12 noon. Please don't come early. There will be plenty of puppies to go around, and they aren't allowed to leave until next week (after their intake process is finished). Depending on their stress levels, we may not even allow people to handle them on Friday. They will be tired and scared, and we probably will be too, especially if you all MOB us after these babies!! (wink, wink)

Whew!! The Bible says that "To whom much is given, much is expected. To whom much is entrusted, even more will be required."

I can't think of a better way to put this all into perspective.

We'll get it all figured out. We always do. And at the end of it all, we'll have 26 happy families who adopted 26 rescued puppies. Doesn't get much better than that!

Thanks in advance for your support and enthusiasm! We love you guys!

ADOPTED!!

Yesterday was big for The Lucky Puppy! We adopted out 4 puppies and dogs! Not bad for a baby rescue business!

Those who were adopted yesterday are:

• Momma!
• Bosley!
• Maya, the puggle, and
• the tiny Yorkie!

All look to be great homes!! We'll keep you posted!

One Step Closer

The Lucky Puppy got it's own checking account today. We had been keeping it separate other ways, which was an accounting NIGHTMARE!!

We have our EIN # and the checking account. We are finalizing our Articles of Incorporation and will submit them to the state soon. THEN, we can file for our non-profit.

It's coming.

Lots of steps, but the dream is coming true.

Thanks for your support and encouragement!!

Prayers Answered...

In this blog entry, we talked about ways you can get involved with our rescue and how you help the puppies and dogs that are being cared for by The Lucky Puppy.

In the last paragraph of that blog entry, I asked everyone to pray that Momma and Bosley would find good homes. They have been difficult to place (due to some personality foibles), and we were really wanting them to find the perfect homes.

Well...it's happening!

Bosley is officially adopted. He is going to be the companion and friend to an older couple. The husband has limited mobility and has lost his sense of purpose and drive and has been depressed. Bosley will be his anti-depressant. I'm sure he's gonna do a great job. I am SO happy for him!! (And for the couple, of course!)

And Momma...well...don't tell anyone, because we haven't gotten to call the new family to let them know that they are approved (phone tag)...but Momma's getting a great home!! They know she's a chicken and they are ok with it...they understand that she has had multiple traumas and they want to provide a safe, loving home. We think they will be PERFECT for her!!!

Thank you for your prayers!! Keep 'em coming for Bugsy and Vinny...they need it too!

Thank You!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to:

Amanda Keesey, and her dog Jake, for their generous donation to the dogs and puppies at The Lucky Puppy!

Puggle, Puggles Everywhere!

If you want a puggle, we currently have 3 available through rescue, and we may have another on the way. Give us a call at 740-695-4566 to schedule an appointment!

New Rescue!

Got a new rescue puppy today from a neighboring county. She is a little Gold female puppy, about 14 weeks old. She is being quarantined currently, and will be vaccinated today. Thanks to the generous volunteers who were generous enough to transport her here, so that she would not be euthanized. Look for her pic to hit the website soon.

We've also committed to a litter of sheltie mix pups that are nursing currently (about 4 weeks old). They were all saved (including mom) from a shelter and were scheduled to be euthanized as well. It is these same generous volunteers who have committed to caring for them all, until they are fully-weaned at 8 weeks of age. Then mom will go to her new home and the babies will come here to be placed up for adoption.

We're changing our little corner of the world, one dog at a time. I love it...makes me happy.

If you would like to help make a difference in the lives of our rescues, you can send donations to:

The Lucky Puppy
c/o The Perky Puppy
67740 Airport Road
St. Clairsville, OH 43950

Or you can donate through PayPal here.

We are in the process of filing for our non-profit. That process is moving along. All contributions at this time are not tax-deductible, however all monies received will go towards the care of rescued dogs and puppies, not The Perky Puppy. All monies are kept separate.

Examples of what your money can do:

• $30. will care for one puppy or dog for one month.
• $25. will provide for all necessary intake care (shots and de-wormings, as well as holistic antibiotics) on a new rescue.
• $100. will neuter a male dog and get his Rabies vacine.
• $110. will spay a female dog and get her Rabies vaccine.

Memorial donations (person or dog) are accepted and those whose memory is honored will be placed on this blog. For example: "A memorial donation in memory of Fido was made by John and Jane Doe".

At this time, we have multiple dogs awaiting spay/neuter. Thank you in advance for your help.

If you are unable to help financially or are unable to adopt a dog or puppy, you can still support us with your prayers. Pray for our rescue dogs and puppies, that their little lives would be whole and rich and that they would find perfect, safe, and loving homes. Pray specifically for Momma and Bosley and the red mixes (now known as Vinny and Bugsy).

Thank you.

Out My Window!

Jean's outside with a big group of little dogs at Play N Stay right now! In this group, she has Wiggles, Nikki, Toby, Brandy, Bruzer (rescue), BK, Bentley, Momma (rescue), Bosley (rescue), Max, and Zute. Very cute!!!

Bruzer's got a Brother!

Bruzer's got a brother! And a momma and a daddy! He's going home today to a great home!

It seems like everyone knows Bruzer. People ask about him by name! He's famous. But, unfortunately, famous doesn't help when you don't have a family to call your own.

Well...today is his day! Bruzer's getting adopted!

His new older brother is a black puggle (also a Perky Puppy) named Max. Max and Bruzer got to be good friends while Max was at Play N Stay recently. So Max's mom and dad have been talking about Bruzer ever since. They have now made the decision to adopt the hunk of love we all call Bruzer.

Makes me teary-eyed just thinking about it. You know, we all do the best we can by loving on the rescues, and giving them treats, and playing with them and having fun with them. And they would never complain that they don't have a home...it's just not in their nature. But we know. At the end of the day, we know that they's rather have someone to call their own. There's just a point where they are ready to be someone's dog.

Thanks, Christa, for adopting Bruzer. We look forward to watching him grown up, as he and Max come to Play N Stay.

For everyone else that's reading...we still have several rescues available. Please give us a call to see if we can find you the perfect match.

All the Best,
Jess

PRICES DOWN!

OK! We just recategorized 2 yorkies and 2 puggles as rescue! We also brought prices down on many of the rescues! If you've been watching one of our babies...today may be the day for you to call and schedule an appointment! Check out more at The Perky Puppy website! Give us a call at 740-695-4566...

Thanks in advance!

Random Thoughts!

Hello Everyone! I have missed chatting with you in the worst way! Over the last few weeks, I have thought so many times, "Oh-I need to blog about that..." and then never get to do it. So Sorry!! Here's an update:

• RESCUE PUPPIES: Most of the rescues from the puppy mill have been adopted. By all accounts, they have been healthy and smart. YAY!!! There are a few left. I'll be adjusting pricing soon!
• OTHER RESCUE PUPPIES: Bruzer and the red mix boys are still here. I may have some good news soon on Bruzer, but ZERO INTEREST in the 2 red boys. Can you help? They are SO nice. We started leash-training this week. I'm waiting for some room at Play N Stay, so they can go over and start their housebreaking.
• Yep...you guessed it...Play N Stay is full! YAY!! Have you all seen the commercial on WTOV? It is too cute! Much thanks to all who were present and to our featured house guests Weegee and Angel and their daddy, Bill.
• The roof is fixed. Not a great color match on the shingles. Not so happy on that part, but who can complain when many people lost their roofs (or homes) in this summer's hurricanes? Not me...just glad to be dry and happy!
• Went to Atlanta last week...to a conference called Catalyst. It was an AMAZING church and business LEADERSHIP EVENT! Just me and Vanessa and 12,400 of our closest friends!! Laughed, cried, and laughed some more. My body was tired (not much sleep, lots of running, early mornings, and late nights), but my SOUL is refreshed! lOVE IT!
• Had the chance to get 26 more rescue puppies last week, but had to let another rescue take them, since I was out of town. (The intake process on 26 pups-all in one day-is tremendous!) Bummer!!
• Momma went to Play N Stay while we were gone (along with our dogs). She was pretty freaked out at first. But she is amazingly resilient and ended up having a good time. We have decided to keep her there for now, so that she will continue to meet new people and face new fears. I'm so proud of her. She still needs a home. If you want a VERY sweet natured dog who gives full-body hugs, email me.
• BOSLEY-OK...listen up. You guys don't know about Bosley. I've been keeping him a secret for over a month, but he is now ready for adoption. Bosley is a 4 year-old male purebred Shih Tzu (black and white). He was surrendered by his owner for snapping at a little girl (he bruised her when he connected). I don't know why he snapped, but I do know that both of his rear dew claw toenails were curled around into a corkscrew that were digging into his foot. I know that he was unneutered, which can create some very emotional hormone imbalances. I know that he was in full coat, with some VERY tight mats under his ears and around his neck and his butt hairs and pee-pee hairs were not clean at all. I know that his mom loved him, but it's apparent that she wasn't able to keep up with his grooming needs. Were the mats and sore toenails enough to make him cranky? Can't say for sure. He has been groomed, neutered, and allowed to mellow out for the last month. He's a nice dog. No kids please...prefer an older settled home, where he can do his own thing...to love and be a lap dog when he wants and not be messed with if he doesn't want. He needs a home where nobody really will push his buttons, poke at him, or push him around. He's been stable for us, but I wouldn't want to tempt fate.

I think that's it for now. I'll update you more later! Talk to you soon!

Jess

Videographer

We have the need for a volunteer "videographer" to shoot video footage of the rescues and then post them to YouTube.

If you have a video camera and like to edit video and post it online AND you are willing to volunteer, I'd like to talk with you. Please email jessica@theperkypuppy.com

Thank you!

RESCUE FREAKS-Part 3 of 3!!!!

If you have not done so already, please read Rescue Freaks-Part 1 and Rescue Freaks-Part 2!

OK...so we've covered why some people think that we shouldn't rescue (Part 1) and why we think we should (Part 2). Let me spend a little time telling you my current theory on rescue.

I think there are 2 types of dog rescue:

The "IDEAL" or "BIG PICTURE" Rescue: For me these are the perfect rescue situations...we save the babies, vaccinate them, ensure that they can't breed (spay/neuter) AND stop the mother of the litter from breeding ever again (force a spay on her as well). This is my favorite type of rescue...because it stops the cycle in 2 directions...with babies and with mom. If someone calls us with unwanted pups, we will ALWAYS work this option first, even if that means paying for mom's spay and burying the cost in the price of the puppies. We don't get to do this one as often as we would like.

The "IT'S STILL A GOOD DEED" Rescue: This is when we have no control or say over the parents. Maybe we save an underdog or a stray or a puppy mill puppy, neuter them, vaccinate them, and adopt them out. We still stop the breeding cycle from this generation down, but we don't accomplish the exponential halt that we do in the IDEAL Rescue. This also is the category for people who are moving, divorcing, just can't keep the puppy kind of people. Our goal in this situation is NEUTER or SPAY AND VACCINATE. This is not my favorite, because it does not keep mom from having more litters. But sometimes, this is our only choice.

So there you have it. Obviously, we have to be selective on our rescues, because A.) We don't have the space for Large Adult dogs and we must consider available space; B.) We can't take aggressive dogs, because we are a no-kill facility; and C.) Quarantine currently happens in my kitchen. That is tough.

MY VISION FOR THE FUTURE- I envision:

• A separate facility for the intake and quarantine of rescues...very clinical in nature (since most come from an unvaccinated history)...that doubles as a Parvo clinic if we have an outbreak.
• All unvaccinated rescues would be held for 14 days after we vaccinate, so that if they were cooking any disease it would break with us, NOT with the new owner. That way, we can treat it at our expense, in a controlled environment, and the new owner doesn't have to bear that expense. We would treat all rescues with Parvaid and Vibactra (holistic antibiotics) to help boost the immune system and stop the progression of any incubating diseases.
• All rescues would be microchipped, with the chip registered to us. That way, if one of our rescues turned up at a shelter (anywhere in the country)...which should NEVER happen...it would come right back to us, instead of being euthanized.
• Rescues right next to "perfect " Perky Puppies in a friendly, bright, clean environment.
• All get neutered or spayed (or contracted to do so) prior to adoption.
• Move any rescues who are over a certain age to our dog hotel (Play N Stay Pet Camp) to begin socialization and housetraining. They will live there INDEFINITELY, until they find their forever home.

We are well on our way to accomplishing this! It's an expensive way to run a rescue operation, but I think it's WELL WORTH IT!!! I hope you agree! This is going to be wonderful! Thanks for joining us on the journey!!!

All the Best,

Jessica

In memory of...

A memorial donation was made in memory of Thomas Dowler from Dr. Marvin & Michelle Steed.

Thank you.

RESCUE FREAKS-Part 2 of 3!!!

For those of you just tuning in, make sure you read RESCUE FREAKS-Part 1 of 3 prior to reading this.

Well...so the question is what does one do when they are the owner of a successful puppy store, but they also have a heart for rescue?? The rescue freaks think I can't possibly be a true rescuer if I "sell puppies". After all, they say that there are too many unwanted and unloved dogs in the world (Finally! Something we agree on!) and that they have "no use" for anyone who encourages the breeding of dogs. (OK...that's a little freaky. I don't think that America will ever see the day where there is not a desire for intentionally bred puppies. In other words, there will never be a day where every pet comes from a shelter.)

So what if the world didn't have to be black or white? What if it could be a beautiful shade of gray?

Here's what I see...

I see "PUPPY CENTRAL"...a retail environment...clean and bright...smells good (certainly not BAD)...no-kill...where rescued puppies and intentionally-bred puppies are shown side-by-side to people who are looking for puppies.

Now, we all know puppies are darling, so we don't have to worry about the yorkie always winning out over the multi-cultural-mixed-breed-puppy. But if yorkie lovers want a yorkie, shouldn't they be able to choose the puppy that is right for them for the next 15 years? In this innovative, non-segregated environment, they certainly can. Folks who want to rescue a puppy or who aren't sure what is best for them can browse as well, speaking with friendly and knowledgeable staff in a comfortable environment.

The "New Puppy Counseling" (crate-training, housebreaking, etc.) is the same for both...the joy of choosing that new puppy is the same for both.

I love it!!!

It's good for people and it's good for dogs. I think this could go nationwide. I'm thrilled!! I wish the rescue folks were thrilled too, but many aren't. They're so busy hating pet stores that they've lost sight of the puppies. And, that's a shame.

BLUR!!!

Another blur of a day!!! Lots of puppies went home today!!!

Here's the big info:

Jimmy the Beagle got adopted!!! YAY for him!!! He';s going to a very good home!!!

We have a new 4 year old Shih Tzu in the rescue program. He is getting the royal treatment (needs a spa day) and is getting neutered on Tuesday. He's black and white...very nice. Not good with kids. I'll keep you posted.

We are the end stop for a multi-person resue transport chain for 12 puppies that were rescued out-of-state. They aren't here yet, but should be arriving very late tonight/wee hours of morning. This is the largest rescue operation that we "newbies" have been a part of!! It's gonna be a long night. I'll let you know when I know more. Thanks in advance for your support!!!

RESCUE FREAKS-Part 1 of 3!!!

WOW!! I don't know what else to say...Let's do a series to start conversation and perhaps redirect some thinking. Feel like stretching your mind a bit??? Here goes:

We have had a truckload of wack-job rescue folks coming out of the woodwork about us rescuing dogs. They email...they call...they beat us up for anything and everything, more than ever now that we are rescuing dogs and puppies. Hmmm...

Now, one would suspect that in the rescue world, everybody works together hand-in-hand to achieve the common good for disadvantaged dogs and puppies...all for one and one for all, right?? WRONG!!!

These rescue folks are so against "pet stores" (which IS the technical term for what The Perky Puppy is, even though we are not the TYPICAL pet store and that it's a part of MY HOUSE...I know-most of you didn't know that, but it's true. I live here. How's that for typical?) that they are just sure that we are doing something dirty or illegitimate. Unfortunately, many of these people love dogs so much that they've lost their common sense.

Let's explore:

Here's what I know:

• Many (maybe even "most") pet stores should be closed down. They are interested in the dollar first and the dogs second, and often they don't know enough to do a good job or even do right by the puppies.
• People who breed their female dogs over and over, with no vaccinations, who are dirt-bags and skimp on the puppies should be stopped...whether they have 5 dogs or 500 dogs.
• Not all Amish are dirtbags. The words "Amish" and "puppy mill" are not always synonomous.
• The average joe (backyard breeder) shouldn't breed their dog. Ever.
• The Perky Puppy (as well as Play N Stay Pet Camp) are my bread-and-butter. Yes, I make money selling puppies (not a lot). It pays my bills. And Vanessa's and Jean's and Kasey's and Becky's and Penny's. Some dog folks think that's wrong. That's ok. You are entitled to your opinion. I do a hard day's work for a hard day's pay. It's not always fun, and we work very hard to be good at what we do.
  
  But here's what I also know:
• The Perky Puppy's website gets 10,000 pageviews per month. In my best estimation, that means that 10,000 times per month, someone looks at the site who is either A) in the market for a puppy; or B) at the very least LOVES puppies.
• Many people are uncomfortable (at best) with the "shelter experience". Many people just won't go to the shelter, where all of the dogs and puppies are waiting to find their match, where they are all stretching and begging for attention and hoping you'll pick them. People say, "I can't go there. I can't stand it. I just can't pick one, knowing that whoever doesn't get picked may get put to sleep, so I just don't go." We've heard it over and over again. (I know you rescue folks don't want to believe that one, but it's true. Not everyone can deal with the sights and sounds of an animal shelter. It's great that you go and that you push through and do for those dogs what nobody else really wants to do, but you really are rare.)
• There are way too many unvaccinated/unneutered/neglected/starving/fleabit/overbred/underloved dogs around.
  
  So...what does one do about those things??? I'll tell you tomorrow. Sleep on it. Think out of the box. Put the dogs first. Forget black and white. Think in shades of gray.
  
  I'll see you tomorrow. I look forward to it.
  

Commercial Shoot

We just filmed another commercial! This time it was for Play N Stay! We had fun...should turn out well! If you are interested in purchasing commercials, I can hook you up with my rep...email me at jessica@theperkypuppy.com and I will get back with you!

Look for that commercial starting in October!

Rescue SURPRISE

Big things happening!!!!

Keep your eyes on the website on Saturday!!!

That's all I can tell you for now!!!!!

Retractable Leashes

There ya have have it...reason number #57 why we don't like retractable leashes. That's my friend Chad, sporting a NASTY burn from a retractable leash. This picture was taken 3 days AFTER it happened. OUCH!!!!

Anybody have similar pics?? Email me at jessica@theperkypuppy.com with "Retractable Leash" in the subject line. We'll get your pic up on the web.

We're running on fumes!!!

Wow!! We're almost on empty. Running on fumes. September is traditionally a fairly slow month in the puppy business. People are still adjusting to back-to-school, going to football games, etc., not really thinking about adding a new pet to their home.


HOWEVER, things went CRAZY here this past weekend! That's why I haven't been around (besides the tree falling on us). We're down to 8 puppies in the puppy room (6 TPP puppies and 2 rescues)! Insane!!! We ran out of starter kits...it was a madhouse. Sorry to admit that we were totally unprepared and asleep at the wheel. Just plain ole wasn't expecting it. Not enough puppies, not enough staff, not enough of anything.


But we're cookin' with gas now!!! Never fear!!! Supply (food, crates, supplies) trucks are on the way, and we have staff out on the roads looking at puppies. As a matter of fact, we should be in good shape by tomorrow or Thursday! SORRY!! Thanks for loving us anyway!!!

Uh-Oh!!! Look Out for Falling Trees!!

Remember back on August 28th, when I posted this post about the great view out of my office window?? Well check out the view after Sunday night's storm:

Yep...falling trees. Here's what was left of that tree after it's top fell off (view from my window-look at the top center of the pic, where the trunk just stops):

Here's what happened...Ness and I were at Play N Stay (in the play yards) when the tree fell onto the roof at The Perky Puppy. Then it slid off the side of the house and landed outside my window, but not before leaving it's calling card (a large branch) in the roof. Also note the marks on the siding under the right corner of my window:

We got away pretty easy I think. We've got some holes in the roof (currently covered by rubber matting) and the peak is beat up. The siding took a few hits, but that's all that we can find. Our favorite contractor is on vacation (Go figure!), but will give us an estimate soon.

This was my view this morning...my favorite heroes from Stottler Tree Service! They were here first thing (just got ahold of them last night, because their power is out too). I love these guys!!




Give 'em a call if you need tree removal: 740-425-5718. Tell Dwayne that Jessica sent ya!!!


THANK GOD THAT NOBODY WAS HURT! But I do have to tell you that the dogs at PNS were freaked out without power. They weren't fond at all of doing everything by flashlight in the pitch black. Thankfully, AEP had us back up and running just after midnight.

ADOPTED!!

Big News--- Chipmunk got a wonderful home! Yes, I cried...only because I'm gonna miss his chipmunk cheeks. I made the new owners SWEAR that they will bring him for a visit, since at least 50% of him is a big ole mystery! Will he ever grow into those cheeks? Is he just big because he got all of Momma's milk? What's with all that fluff...is he gonna be long-haired?

Can't wait to find out!!! I'll keep you posted!

YAY for Chipmunk!!!!

In other news, "No Name Yet" got a very good home too! Apparently, the new owner has been watching him online for quite awhile. Now it all makes sense...that's why he hadn't found a home...he was waiting for HER!!! He just snuggled with her and loved being held. He didn't like it much when I held him...always trying to wiggle out of my arms and get down onto the floor. Stinker.

It was a wild weekend here at TPP. So glad these two got adopted. Life is Good!!!

Did you miss me??

Hey...I'm back!!

Did you miss me??

I missed you. I've been buried under a ton of stuff...sorry!!

OK...so now that I'm back, I'm gonna be blunt and ask for your help...

Will you please help spread the word about our new rescue puppies? I really want this to be a great opportunity for these puppies and for the people who are looking to rescue a puppy. We need some good "word of mouth" action to help get these rescues into homes.

As an incentive, I've got the pricing way down on most of them and I'll give 20% off of supplies.

Here's where we are:
"MOMMA"-still needs a home. Shy with those she doesn't know, but an AMAZING dog!! I've got some video of her to share soon.

"Jimmy the Beagle"-really doing well on housebreaking...still needs a home...VERY SMART...LOVES TO EAT!!! (Did I mention that he is smart?)

"Chipmunk"-fluffy puppy...beautiful personality...still needs a home. Sweetest little guy.

"Bruzer"-the English Bulldog/pug puppy...he's a hoot. (He was also originally a $950. puppy, and he's now neutered, done with his puppy shots, and has had his rabies vaccine.) Has that big tough look, but very tender-hearted. Working on his housebreaking.

Beagle/Lab puppy-Starting to wonder about his heritage...he's pretty short...very nice puppy...definitely needs a home soon, as well as a name.

Please spread the word. You have all done a great job of telling the Ohio Valley about The Perky Puppy...now they need to know about the rescues.

Thank you in advance! You are wonderful! We couldn't do this without you!

Rescue Update

Some LUCKY PUPPY rescue updates...

• THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the words of encouragement and recent donations to help care for the rescues! You are WONDERFUL and very generous! This is the beginning of a new concept in rescue...I can't wait to see what happens next! I'll keep ya posted!!
• Momma got spayed yesterday. She's really mad at me. I'm hoping she will get over it soon. Next week, she's going to start going to daycare at Play N Stay to expand her worldview and her exposure to new people!
• The Bulldog/Pug puppy is now a "rescue". He is a hoss! Not a delicate bone in his body!! He got neutered yesterday. He's handling it much better than Momma. (Of course, his surgery was a whole lot simpler.)
• We have 2 new fellows! They are being quarantined right now (in my kitchen-ugh!!), because they came from an unvaccinated background. We'll get them up to speed. They are red, shorthaired, probably going to be pretty big boys. If you are looking for a medium to large-sized dog, they might be what you've been waiting for...Their pics will come up on the website soon.
• We currently have 6 puppies and 1 adult available for rescue.
• You can read more about all of them here.

Variety is the spice of life!

WOW!!! Today is such a great day at Play N Stay! We have 25 dogs staying this weekend! And the best part is the variety...check this out...we've got:

2 Dachshunds, a Beagle, 2 Schnoodles (Schnauzer/Poodle), a Maltese, 2 Shih Tzus, a Pekingese, 2 Cocker Spaniels, a Lhasa Apso, 2 Yorkies, a Springer Spaniel, a Welsh Corgi, 2 Poodles, a Pomeranian, a German Shepherd, a Lab Mix, 2 Chihuahuas, a Bichon, and...um...something else...racking my brain...I'll figure it out and let you know...

Anyway, we had a 21 dog play group this morning before breakfast! It was so much fun! Many of this weekends dogs are "regulars", so they know they are stable and know the routine. The new guys are still figuring it all out (where to go, what to do, etc.), but that "pack nature" takes over, and they pick up what we do very quickly.

It's amazing to watch the transformation that occurs in an uncertain dog when he or she is hanging with a confident and stable pack. It's way more therapeutic than what people can accomplish. I can do my best to make the newbie feel comfortable and welcome, but the best comfort comes when they pick up on each others positive energy...the mood of the pack sets the tone for the day for everybody (including me).

So...What pack are YOU running with?? Do they help you through life when it's tough to find your way?? Do they make your life better?? Are they confident and stable?? If not, it may be time to reevaluate.

Have a great day!
Jess

Comments

Hey all...



I have a sneaking suspicion that the "Comments" section of this baby doesn't work quite right.



Can you help out a beginner blogger by leaving me a comment below?? I know that I have to "Moderate" the comments, but it's lonely over here, and some of you have told me you've commented. So, I'm confused...



Let me know where you're from, or what ever you want me to know about you.



Thanks in advance!!!

Jessica

We could learn a lot from a dog...

Her name is "Momma".

Actually, that's her new name.

You ask, "But what's her real name...the name she was given by the people who had her? The name she's heard all of her life? The name that makes her tail wag when she hears her master call her name?"

We don't have a clue.

She was dumped at a shelter when her litter from an unknown daddy was just a day or two old. Her coat was in poor condition and she has scars on her face from God-only-knows-what.

Unfortunately, at that shelter, they are unable to take up cage space and care for a momma and her babies for another 7+ weeks, until they are old enough to go to a home. So she and her 6 babies were set to be euthanized.

We got a last-minute call, asking if we were interested.

We committed to her and her babies and made the 45 minute trip to get her and her litter. She was SO afraid of us, that when we got her and her babies home (to The Perky Puppy kitchen), she just cowered in the corner of her huge crate. We had to lift her out of her cage to take her outside and then carry her back into her babies. She wouldn't even walk, because she cowered every time we were around.

Then, to make matters worse, we started losing babies.

5 died in less than 24 hours. They would stop eating, she would nudge them away, and we would jump in and do everything humanly possible to save them. (I think we now own every baby/baby animal bottle & nipple known to man.) We even tried tube-feeding and incubating the babies. No luck. It was AWFUL! We cried A LOT!!! (FYI-There are many reasons that neonatal puppies fail and die. The most likely culprit here is stress...dumped, sheltered, set to die, shuffled again...strangers, car rides, shuffled from one place to another...it was just too much.)

Now-let me say, that if all that happened to me, I'd be an emotional wreck for a VERY LONG TIME.

I'd probably still be feeling sorry for myself.

But not this girl!!! She is amazingly and beautifully resilient!! Just look at her...

Seriously...go back up to the pictures and look at her. (I'll wait.)

OK...welcome back.

Fast forward-7+weeks.

Let me tell you about "Momma" (She came to the name naturally. If you had a no-name dog nursing in your kitchen, I'm guessing you'd call her something similar.)-

She's all done being a momma. Her only surviving baby ("Chipmunk") is now weaned and ready to go to a home. (You can see him HERE.) So, momma's "off the hook" and she concentrate fully on just being a dog. AND, BOY, DOES SHE LOVE BEING A DOG!!!

She plays and runs and skips and jumps! She wags and cuddles and is just happy, happy, happy!

She loves her food, loves her toys, and loves attention. She loves jumping up on my bed and stretching out for a nice nap. And she LOVES her new name!!

She will be scheduled for spay/rabies shot at Dr. Steed's office this week. (If you would like to donate towards that, please email me at jessica@theperkypuppy.com ) She is hanging out with us until we find her the perfect home.

HERE'S WHAT I LOVE- Dogs don't hold grudges, and they don't feel sorry for themselves.

Dogs take every day and treat it like a gift. Most of them are appreciative and loving, no matter what they've survived or what they've struggled through.

Wow! Don't we all know people who could stand to set down their baggage and just be HAPPY???

I wanna be like Momma when I grow up.

How about you?

Frankie Adopted!

Frankie the Rescue got adopted today!!!

Sounds like a great home for him...with 2 little girls to grow up with!!

His new momma got all the fixins' to start him out right...complete with a nice 'burnt orange' collar & leash!! He looked quite handsome!!!

They promised we would be seeing him often, as they travel quite a bit. I LOVE watching our puppies grow up!!

YAY for Frankie!!

New logo

Hey everybody!



This is the new logo for The Lucky Puppy!

Let us know what you think! Leave us a comment or email us at jessica@theperkypuppy.com to let us know that you noticed!!

Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,

Jessica, Vanessa, Becky, Kasey, Penny, & Jean (as well as Momma, Jimmy, Chipmunk, Tootsie, "No Name Yet", Frankie, and all of our future rescues)

Tootsie

ADOPTED! Tootsie the rescued dachshund has a new home! She still has to stay here for another week to finish up her quarantine period. She is going to a very nice family who has a 5-month old spayed, chocolate, longhaired dachshund (named "Rose") that they bought from TPP a few months ago!

So Tootsie is not only getting a family, she's getting a sister too!!



YAY!!!