Remember this face?

This is Marty. He came in to the New West Animal Shelter last summer but we had no room in our foster program at the time. One of our volunteers brought him out to some of our training classes where he showed off that this boy was not just another pretty face, he had brains too!

We just got an update from Marty's new family:

Everything is going well over here in Victoria. Just wanted to say hi and send some newer photos of Marty. We were also wondering if anyone could recommend any agility training in Victoria? We really think Marty would love getting involved in that. Fortunately i can also report and Marty's separation anxiety has calmed down as he has settled into life with us. We are able to leave him out of the crate and he has dramatically cut down on destroying things while we are away :) thank goodness! He still has a soft spot for opening cupboards and drawers and placing utensils, pots and pans around the apartment though! Other than that Marty is wonderful and manages to amaze us constantly with how quick, smart and affectionate he is. He has become a member of the family and has easily slipped into the hearts of all of our friends and family (no matter how unsure of him they originally may have been). 2 minutes with Marty and it is hard not to immediately fall in love with him. He gladly accompanies us to parties and gatherings whenever possible and quickly becomes the center of everyone's attention.

Thanks for the update guys!

Oh Brutus, you lucky dog you

Yup, Old Man Brutus is still going strong, worming his way into the hearts of all he meets, which started back when his mom first adopted him! She wasn't too sure about the whole Pit Bull thing, but true love is blind and Brutus and her were meant to be! Those that know him adore him, and those that never met him are missing out.

We Heart Creole!

Creole Jumbalaya Hot Sauce still continues to be a favorite of our Training Coordinator and she gets so excited to see updated pictures of her! She continues to love life and be spoiled rotten by her mom. Her unique markings and complete ham of a personality draws people to her where she promptly covers them in kisses! She even shares her bed with her new roomate, a beagle named Harley. Although, we think Creole lucked out, her mom claims that she is the lucky one, for having the pleasure of owning her.

Man, this is what rescue is all about.

Mr. Moodles

Over a year ago, we were contacted by a family that had recently adopted an older dog from the shelter as they were having some troubles integrating him into their family. They loved him but their other dog wasn't too sure about having to share the house. We talked to them and gave them some tips and advice on multi-dog management but they weren't sure if it was going to work. Well, with proper introductions, good management, some patience, and a lot of love, they managed to make it work and their dog finally accepted Max into the family.

We recently recieved an email from this family letting us know that Sweet Max had passed away on Christmas Eve. Although saddened by the news, we were happy that Max was with a family that loved him and was dedicated to giving him a good home, even if it may not have been the easiest of routes. Too often, dogs end up in the shelter because people aren't willing to try and resolve any issues that come up. Max's family weren't willing to give up on him and for this we thank them.

.

Here is what they wanted to say about Max:

On Christmas Eve, we lost our beloved companion and best friend, Max (better known to many as Mr. Moodles). We adopted Max a year and a half ago from the Surrey SPCA. Scared and emaciated from malnutrition, neglect and abuse, he peered at us from his kennel with his little black eyes. Although we knew he was already a senior and may only live a few months, we fell in love with our little man immediately and knew we had to bring him home to be part of our family. In a matter of months, we plumped him up to a healthy weight and watched him grow into a loving and affectionate little critter. Always there to greet us with tail wags and enthusiasm, Mr. Moodles spent the last of his senior years content, warm and loved. While we're heartbroken that we'll no longer feel his precious kisses, get to rub his back and hips, which he loved so much, or hear his little grunts, we take comfort in knowing that he passed away in our arms, knowing that he was safe and loved. I can't even explain how much happiness and love our Moodley little man brought into our lives during his short time with us. Mr. Moodles is deeply missed by his Mom and Dad and his four legged 'sisters,' Millie the lab and Lucy the tabby cat. This is the way we will forever remember him. Warm and cozy in front of the fire, surrounded by love.

Living the Good Life

We recieved an update from Seren's family. Sounds like she's a pampered pooch with that rock star bully attitude that keeps people coming back for more.

Seren and her family now live in Calgary for the last year and a half. She has been attending doggy day care at our local vets. She is the favorite of all the staff. Her temperament is such that she is used as the 'test dog' to see if new dogs are suitable for the pack at the daycare. She now has two brothers, both orange tabbys. The littlest is 6 months old, they are good mates! and often play together. She enjoys her walks, and snuggles even more and loves to give us lots of 'pitbull' hugs. She has been an amazing addition to our family and has a very happy life in Calgary.

A New Year, A New Beginning

We're doing a happy dance around here as both Sabrina and Humphrey found themselves in foster to adopt home over the holidays! (Maybe it was all those kisses they gave to you-know-who) Two senior dogs in one week is a record around here, often older dogs wait for months and months before the right home comes knocking. We know that their new homes will be filled with much joy and silliness in the upcoming year.

And A Big Shout Out!

Humphrey, and the rest of us around here at Bully Buddies would like to give a big shout out to everyone who helps us. We couldn't do what we do around here without all of our generous volunteers, who give their time, money and love to the dogs in our care. We'd especially like to thank Leanne from LS Photography who donated her time and amazing photos for our calendar this year. You can check out her webpage at www.lsphotography.ca. Melanie for actually making our calender and Wendy for re-organizing us when things were not going so smoothly! Jack and Jill Embroidery in Prince George for our awesome embroidered T-Shirts. And Stacy, who organized the embroidery and for your generous donation. Tanja from Shatzbatch who donated our oh so adorable onesies (and Otis too for being such a handsome model!) and Mike at Thriller for printing them for us. (www.thrillershop.com). Precision Graphics Inc. (www.pgraphics.ca) for printing our calendars and 1 Hour Busines Cards for printing our greeting cards (www.1hrcards.com). Seriously you guys rock and a big bully kiss for all of you.

From all of us to all of you thanks for another great year at Bully Buddies. Here's to 2009, we have many things to look forward to.

Happy Howlidays!

We saw someone kissing Santa Claus!

And it was our very own Sabrina and Humphrey! Van Pet was hosting a picture day with Santa. All proceeds went to the Royal City Humane Society. It was lots of fun. Sabrina is oh so cute:

And Humphrey, who liked Santa so much, he kept trying to crawl up on his lap. Good thing that beard was secure!

It's that time of year!

To send out another newsletter to keep everyone up to date on what is going on around the Bully Buddies camp. We've got some great gift ideas, some helpful holiday tips, and of course some cute pictures of our Current Adoptable dogs! If you would like a copy of the newsletter, please email us at bullybuddies@gmail.com and we will send you a copy.

Goodbye Sweet Ella

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ella. She put up a valiant fight but unfortunately, she was laid to rest in the arms of her adoring mom on Sunday. Right up until the last, she was out there working hard at being a breed ambassador, wooing the crowds at the craft fair only a week prior. Her time with us was short but full. She was spoiled rotten and spent her days swimming, eating baked good from coffee shops (her favorite) and snuggling and kissing all she met. Her mom gave her the life that all dogs deserve. She will live on in our very happy memories of her, she truly was one in a million. Thank you all for your support with her initial fundraiser to help raise money for her vet bills, and now in her passing, thank you for your kind words and condolences.



And now, without further ado, Miss Ella: