Ridiculous cuteness: Freckles the setter/Great Pyrenees mix
This is Freckles, a 12 week old English setter/Great Pyrenees mix puppy. As you can see, he is hoping to camouflage himself by the tree to avoid having to come inside. He is adoptable and he is headed to New England. Anyone interested can email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com.
I don’t think this hiding place is working out.
Introducing: Roxy’s puppies
Four weeks old today. These puppies need foster homes in the Nashville area for the next four to five weeks. If you are interested, email jean@bigfluffydogs.com. We will be fostering them out in twos and threes as they need the socialization with other puppies. With their Mom’s health issues, we have had to wean them much earlier than we would have liked, but they are eating well and drinking puppy milk replacer. They are adorable.
Baxter and Katie
Dax and Sarah
Floyd and Etta
Scooter and Stella
Roxy’s life is hanging by a thread
UPDATE 5/8/12 AT 12:04 PM
Roxy came home last night and we mastered the art of running an IV. She fed her puppies just before midnight and then we brought her into our room to rest. Around 3:30 a.m., after a very fitful night, Roxy began hacking and could not seem to catch her breath. Off we went to the ER. Her oxygen rate was around 92% which is not awful considering how badly her lungs are functioning, and it appears she had a mucus plug she could not expel which caused her problems with her breathing and scared her. (For local readers, this is a huge shout out to the nice people at Nashville Veterinary Specialists on Sidco – they are wonderful and very reasonable). Some time with some oxygen, a nebulizing treatment, and another IV with some antibiotics and we went home around 6:45 a.m. and she seemed much better. I am, of course, half-crazed from lack of sleep, but she was resting much more comfortably on our return. She is now back with the vet for the day getting IV antibiotics and oxygen and we will bring her home again tonight. We are waiting on the lab results to determine conclusively whether this is blastomycosis or a bacterial pneumonia gone wild. The puppies are doing fine. More to follow.
UPDATE 5/7/12 AT 7:20 PM
The vet has had a slight change of plans. She will not start Roxy on the Amphotericin B until urine tests come back from the lab tomorrow to confirm the diagnosis of blastomycosis. This is a seriously dangerous drug and one not taken lightly. She was allowed to come home to us with IV in tow with the strict promise that the slightest hint of respiratory distress will result in an immediate trip to the ER for more oxygen. She is currently resting comfortably and frankly, her breathing scares me as she sounds as if she is choking which of course she is. She is far more comfortable here than she would be in a hospital. It appears we have made it through the first twelve hours of crisis. We have a very long way to go. I have not calculated how many donations have been made nor are we up to date on thank yous, but we want everyone to know we appreciate your prayers, donations and offers of help. The puppies are safe and not at risk and they are currently quite angry that their Mom was gone all day. Let’s just say the supplemental bottle feeding was somewhat of a challenge. To provide some cheer, here she is laying at my feet:
Laying next to me and her puppies.
UPDATE 5/7/12 AT 2:22 PM
Roxy has started intraveneous injections with Amphotericin B, which is a very strong, potent and at $500 a bottle, expensive, drug. This is the best hope to save her life and if there is any justice in this world at all, she should show improvement within a few days. She will be coming home with me this evening as I think she will be more comfortable with us than in a hospital. Should there be any signs of acute distress, we will take her to the ER. Many of you have asked about the puppies who got bottle fed for the first time today. They are not at risk and they are fat, healthy and frankly angry at their lack of Mom. The vet is checking and hopes to allow her to nurse them tonight a little bit for her benefit. Their first bottle feeding went somewhat badly, but we are working to get the hang of it. Thanks to everyone for their donations and prayers. Both are definitely going to be needed.
This Monday is not a good day and I post with very sad news. Roxy who is our star Mom of eight three-week-old puppies took a serious turn for the worse on Sunday. Roxy came in to rescue as a very pregnant and emaciated Mom with what we thought was a standard case of kennel cough. On arrival, we began treating her with powerful antibiotics and trying to put weight on her to help her safely deliver her puppies
Roxy 15 minutes before the first puppy was born.
Roxy had eight very adorable puppies – 4 boys and 4 girls on April 15, just in time for the IRS. Her cough continued and we tried different antibiotics, but with an eye to the puppies’ needs as well. Yesterday, Roxy became very ill and the coughing spiked out of control and she developed a very high fever.
Roxy is in the hospital now fighting for her life with an extreme case of pneumonia. It is suspected that she has blastomycosis which is a very serious and extremely dangerous fungal disease caused by inhaling a spore and which in her case has landed in her lungs and spread exponentially. Under the best of circumstances, this disease kills a third of the dogs that develop it and Roxy is very critically ill.
Roxy is being treated with drugs that cost a small fortune so we will be fundraising for her care. Her puppies are now three weeks old and they are healthy and happy and she has been an outstanding mother to them. We will care for them and have already begun bottle feeding today. A local dog day care – Dogtopia – has offered to help bottle feed during the day for us so we can manage in the nighttime hours. Please say a prayer for Roxy. Modern medicine has its limits and it is up to the universe and Roxy herself as to whether she will recover.
Even yesterday morning, Roxy was still trying to care for these babies.
Aiden 0, Car 1
Meet Aiden.
Aiden is heading to surgery
Aiden is a six month old male Great Pyrenees who was found lying behind a liquor store in a small town in Tennessee, injured and dazed. Aiden was matted to the skin, emaciated, crawling with ticks and unable to stand. This is a town without an animal control facility (the sheriff just shoots them if he has to), and fortunately, a Good Samaritan was able to reach us and we found a vet to get him into immediately.
Aiden’s x-rays don’t look so good:
Aiden has a fractured pelvis and has to have surgery to make him well. Currently, he is underweight at 50 pounds and cannot stand on his own. He is in a tremendous amount of pain and the surgery will help heal the break. The estimate for his care is around $1200 which is a deal. We are fundraising to cover this so we don’t have to pass up other dogs because we blew our budget with this sweet boy. If you would like to donate, you can do so here:
http://bigfluffydogs.com/pay-online.php
For credit card, just type the name “Aiden” in the company name line so we know it’s for him and if by paypal, just write us a note in the comments box that says “Aiden”. We as always appreciate everyone’s generosity.
Aiden is also going to need a foster in the Nashville TN area for follow-up care. He will have to have cage rest and medicine for a few weeks and we need a foster home without more than a stair or two where he can stay. He is otherwise quite healthy and very sweet. If you can help foster him, please email leslie@bigfluffydogs.com.
Norman and Red: looking for love after a lifetime of neglect
Some of you may remember hearing about Norman, the four-year-old Great Pyrenees whose ______________ (select your own adjective here) owner abandoned him on a farm when she moved to the city. Eighteen months later, she decided maybe she might see if someone wanted him and also, as an afterthought, his friend Red, a five-year-old lab mix had to go, too. For the entirety of their lives with this owner, these dogs got no vet care. Their owner is not hurting for cash and her yippy little dog had all the care you can imagine, but as she told us, she “could not care less about these dogs” and she “wanted them gone.” I will confess I was nearly speechless and I asked her to clarify why exactly she left them after she moved away. She informed me she had someone feeding them, but they weren’t her problem. After some choice words with her, Norman and Red came to us.
I met Norman and Red on a Friday afternoon in a parking lot. On arrival, Norman was a little shy and blinking in the bright sunlight, but he was very happy to see people. Sadly, he was limping very badly and his feet were splayed out oddly as the result of seriously ingrown and infected toe nails:
This is what Norman's feet looked like on arrival.
Overall, Norman, was in rough shape, but sweet and ready to be loved. Of course, he was covered with ticks, fleas and a million parasites as he had zero vet care in his entire four years of life.
Smiling even though his life was pretty sucky before
His friend Red was in better condition on first blush, but he needed significant dental work, too, as his lack of care resulted in major damage to his teeth.
Of course, neither Norman nor Red were neutered and they hadn’t had a shot in their life and certainly nothing like Frontline or Heartgard. As a result, both dogs now have to undergo heartworm treatment.
Guess you can see why he got the very original name "Red".
Despite having been left to fend for themselves for 18 months, and who knows how little attention they got before that, these boys are absolutely wonderful dogs. They are sweet, friendly with everyone and everything, and they are rapidly learning that not everyone sucks. They love toys, treats, petting, napping in air conditioning and being called “good boys”.
What they need now is a foster home where they can recover, be smothered with love and get perfectly healthy. These dogs have had the crappiest four years ever and we want to make it up to them. If you can foster one or both of these boys, please email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com. They are in Connecticut and they are wonderful, sweet dogs. Please spread the word. We want the very best for these boys.
And for the former owner of these dogs, if you are reading this, I seriously hope you pray for forgiveness for what you have done. These dogs needed you and you abandoned them. Eventually, you reap what you sow. I can’t say you don’t have it coming.
Dog to be named later needs a New England foster or forever home
Meet the dog currently known as “Truck”. If ever there were a more unfortunate and less-fitting name for a dog, we’re not sure what it would be.
Don't I deserve a better name?
This boy came to rescue as an honorary big fluffy dog and we want him to find that perfect home. Because he is a nondescript, average black dog, he stood no chance of adoption where he was, so we took him in with us. He is 2 years old, very sweet and outgoing, bouncy and active and at about 45 pounds, he’s a nice size. He is generally good with other dogs, but we would suggest that he go to a home with dogs that are not dominant and that are tolerant of bouncy dogs. No one hates a bouncy young dog more than a lazy old dog, so think about your current dog when contemplating this boy. We have never had him with cats, but we suspect cats would be fun to chase as he is simple a ball-chasing fiend. This boy is in Connecticut and he needs a foster or forever home. If you can a) name that dog! and b) provide a safe and happy home for him either permanently or temporarily, please email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com.
I am a happy dog
A farewell to Katie: 2005-2012
Katie, 2005-2012.
Katie came to me in the winter of 2007 as a foster in dire need of care and attention. Initially, all I knew was that Katie was alleged to be a three-year-old Great Pyrenees and that she had been taken out of an Amish puppy mill where she had been bred repeatedly. On arrival, her appearance was nothing short of shocking and this sad waif of a dog weighed a shocking 52 pounds. She was afraid of everyone and she wanted nothing to do with people who had caused her nothing but misery over the years of her life. Of course, Katie immediately wormed her way into my heart and I knew we were in serious trouble when my husband began singing songs to her. With time and care, this shell-shocked dog became a beauty and her quirky, kind disposition charmed everyone who met her. By June of 2008, Katie was a different dog and she was clearly ready to go to a home all her own. With those many months of care and love, not just any home would do for Katie and to say that I was selective does not do justice to the rigors of my placement search for her perfect home. Eventually, a very wonderful adopter named Ellen Fedor proved too wonderful a home to pass up and with much sadness, I sent Katie to her new life. I checked in on Katie now and then and I loved the updates I got of Katie bouncing in the snow, or walking around the lake or lounging in the grass. Pictures of fosters who suffered all manners of horrors in new happy homes make all the suffering fosters parents endure with their foster dogs worthwhile. We do this for the dogs, pure and simple.
Last week, I received the call I always dread. Katie had metastatic mammary cancer. The plan Ellen and her veterinary oncologist had worked on was to treat her with chemotherapy to give her a good quality of life and Ellen wanted me to know how my beloved Katie was doing. We talked about our shared love for this amazing dog and it hit me that Katie had the extraordinary good luck to find that one in a million love of a lifetime in Ellen. Katie had lucked out. Today, however, Ellen called to let me know that Katie had taken a sudden turn for the worse and that she had let her go to spare her more pain as the disease had spread far beyond what had been initially believed. The tragedy of all this is that Katie died much too young and too soon because humans used her as a cash cow to whelp puppies and the result was mammary tumors which are so easily prevented with a simple early spay surgery.
Katie left us too soon and I will mourn her loss for many years to come. I am grateful for the time I had with her and I especially thank Ellen for making such a wonderful home for this amazing dog. I will continue to work to put an end to the brutal and inhumane use of dogs like Katie as living machines to crank out puppies for sale in her honor. Words are inadequate at times like these, but I want the world to know that Katie’s life mattered and that she was loved by many. So long Katie and thanks for all the smiles and kisses. You were well-loved and we will miss you until the day we meet again.
Hailey the sheltie mix needs a home
Meet Hailey.
See my mesmerizing smile. You will adopt me. I command you!
Hailey is a 2 year old sheltie/smooth coat collie mix. She is a typical herding dog and at 32 pounds, is a big fluffy in name only. Hailey is a lovely, active girl who needs an active family to take her on hikes and for jogs around the neighborhood. She is friendly and sweet and needs a home to call her own. She is in New England and is still looking for a home. If you are interested in adopting Hailey, please email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com.
Harry needs a home
Meet Harry.
Harry is a 1 year old male Great Pyrenees. He has wonderful manners, and is a happy, friendly and drop-dead gorgeous dog. He is good with all people and he loves other dogs. He is, however, completely prejudiced against cats and needs a cat-free home. That lone fault aside, this is a wonderful dog. He is in New England and is looking for his forever home. If you are interested in adopting Harry, please email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com.
Gracie and Scarlett need a foster home
Meet Gracie and Scarlett, the Keeshond/Great Pyrenees twins. These two girls are 18 months old, are incredibly sweet, and at 40 pounds, they are fluffy pocket pyrs for those who want the fluff without the mass. Gracie and Scarlett are fine with other dogs and have been fine with kids and cats. They are active dogs with a sweet disposition and really good indoor manners who will do well in most homes who want active fluffies. If you are interested in fostering or adopting this pair, please email liz.bartek@bigfluffydogs.com
Gracie and Scarlett like to play. A lot.
They have matching fluffy butts.
They also are adorable:
Gracie at rest
Scarlett
Coach needs a home in New England
Coach would like to hang out on your sofa
Coach is a 5 year old collie/English shepherd mix. This poor sad boy lived his whole life on a chain. When his owner died, the hospice worker who had cared for the owner called us to get help for this boy. We are very glad she called. Coach is an awesome dog. At 55 pounds, he’s a nice size. He is incredibly well-mannered, friendly and sweet. His lack of care before he came to us is evident, though, as he really needs to be in a home without stairs as he has some difficulty walking up and down flights of stairs. He is a very nice dog who does well with other dogs and people of all ages. This is a very sweet, very wonderful dog who deserves the absolute best for the rest of his life. If you would like to adopt this dog, please email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com.
Who could resist these sweet brown eyes?
Unbearable cuteness: Scout, the pyr mix puppy
Adorable, friendly and social.
New England fans, this 12 week old male Great Pyrenees mix puppy is up for adoption. He is a fluff ball of love and he does well with everyone and everything. I can’t say anything as to who is Daddy was (Mom isn’t talking), but his Mom is a beautiful Great Pyrenees who is also in rescue. If you are interested, email donna@bigfluffydogs.com for more information.
I will hypnotize you with big, brown puppy eyes.
Ridiculous cuteness: Michaela is looking for a home
I am adorable and way better behaved than that mongrel chewing on a leash behind me
Meet Michaela, an 11-week-old lab/border collie/something smaller mix. We think there may be some parsons russell terrier in there as her brother has a startling resemblance to an oversized parsons terrier, although it is equally possible her Mom was kind of a tramp and they have different Dads. Michaela is solid white except for one small splash of tan on her face. She is very calm, sweet and social and she is good with kids, cats and dogs. We do not think she will be all that large as she weighs around 12 pounds now and we expect her to be around 45-50 as an adult dog. Michaela is in New England and if you are interested in adopting her, please email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com.
I have almost mastered sitting still.
Your moment of puppy zen
Enjoy kids, and yes they are adoptable. Email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com. To see video, click on the link here: Puppy mayhem.
Some dogs are lazier than others
We have seen dogs slower than Emma, and lazier than Emma, but they were dead.
Emma is hoping to make the 2012 Olympic napping squad. She's a serious contender for gold.
Sometimes, just getting the energy to get up off the sofa is so hard:
So. Much. Effort. Must. Reach. Food. Bowl.
Emma is coming up for adoption soon. This is a 180 pound, 5 year old English mastiff. She needs to go to an only dog home as she has decided she dislikes the resident dogs in her current home. They hog the sofa. Emma is fine with cats and great with people of all ages. She is an English Mastiff. This dog is super special to us and she must go to a fabulous home. If you are interested in adopting Emma, please email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com.
Glenda the good pyr puppy is looking for her forever home
It’s hard to believe, but Glenda the golden/pyr puppy is still looking for her home. She is currently in Connecticut. Glenda loves everyone and everything and she is just adorable. This puppy is just shy of a year and we’d like to see her in her new home by April 1. She is well-mannered and only mildly naughty as all puppies should be. She is good with kids, cats and other dogs. Sure, she has snagged an unattended sandwich once, and she absconded with the remote control and a blanket, but really, who can mind those sins when confronted with this adorableness?:
Aren't I adorable? Don't you have a couch I can snooze on?
If you are interested in adopting Glenda, email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com and tell her why you can’t resist those soulful brown eyes.
What do you get when you cross a beagle and a Great Pyrenees?
Answer: Emmy!
Emmy is adorable
Emmy is 18 months old, awesome, friendly with all, (cat, dog and kid) and just a perfect family dog.
Hint: She’s adoptable! Email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com if you are interested in adopting Emmy.
Chloe the American Foxhound is looking for a home
Chloe is a two year old, beautiful, purebred American Foxhound.
Poor Chloe has been bounced around far too much in her short life. Chloe was originally adopted from us as a puppy and then was returned due to family illness. She was again adopted and returned – this time due to allergies.
Since then Chloe has taken up residence in several of our fosters’ homes – you see Chloe is somewhat of an anomaly for a rescue, and for fosters, that primarily handle big, fluffy dogs.
Chloe the American Foxhound is a near perfect embodiment of the breed… and all that entails. Getting to know her has been a new and rewarding experience for our team. Chloe is very sweet, gentle, loving, and cuddly. She is housebroken, has impeccable indoor manners, and is a total daddy’s girl. She is smart, responsive, and friendly to all.
But like all Foxhounds, Chloe is an active girl with a propensity to bay. Foxhounds were bred to be working dogs and as such require physical and mental stimulation to stay happy and healthy. Chloe would love nothing more than a large rural property and a warm loving family to call her own.
Chloe needs a cat-free home and an owner with previous hound experience who will love and appreciate all that she has to offer.
This special girl has been patiently waiting for her forever for far too long. If you want to give Chloe the home she so deserves, please email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com or jessica@bigfluffydogs.com
- Chloe with her foster siblings. One of these things is not like the other…
Cuteness alert: two puppies need a foster home
Ridiculously cute
We have two boys in the Nashville Tennessee area that need a foster. These puppies are 1/2 Pyrenees and 1/2 German Shepherd. They are fully vetted as of tomorrow and need a foster home for a week. These boys were abandoned in a rural area and have been rescued by a very Good Samaritan. If you can help foster these two boys, please email jean@bigfluffydogs.com.
Help find the cause of osteosarcoma in Great Pyrenees
If you are an owner of a Great Pyrenees and are willing to provide a cheek swab for science, please click the TGen Research link here. Osteosarcoma is a terrible killer of these wonderful dogs and they are researching a genetic link for this disease. It’s free so help if you can. Thanks.
Tobias the hound/Great Pyrenees is still looking for a home
Tobias needs a forever home
Meet Tobias, a 1 year old hound/Great Pyrenees mix. Tobias weighs in around 60 pounds and is a friendly, active and happy dog. Like all hounds, he is talkative and playful and needs lots of exercise. He has been in foster for four months without anyone wanting to adopt him. He is getting sad as his friends all go home, but he stays put endlessly passed over. His foster Mom loves him, but she knows he needs his very own forever home. Tobias is in New England currently. If you can make a home for this sweet boy, please email elizabeth@bigfluffydogs.com. Every dog deserves a home for the holidays.
I need a home of my own
