SAMSON (formerly known as Coce)
Hello Homeward Bound!

Well, we've had Samson (formerly Coce) for almost three whole days, and he is the most wonderful little guy you could ever meet. He immediately fit in, and follows us from room to room. He is almost completely house trained, and runs over to the door every time he needs to do his business. From the moment you guys brought him into the adoption area at PetCo, and he climberd out of his pen, we knew he was the dog for us. Sammy has adjusted well in very little time, and even slept at our feet on the first night! He loves to go for walks and play fetch, and more than anything, he loves his new forever home. I hope anyone who is thinking about getting a new addition to their family will check out Homeward bound. We had a wonderful experience, and are looking forward to many happy years with out new best friend.

Stephen, Ashly & Samson
Eden Prairie, MN

COCA (formerly known as Hannah)
My husband and I had been looking for a dog to adopt for several months with no success. We wanted a medium sized dog who would be happy in our townhome and get along with our two cats. When we came across your website and found out the dogs were fostered in homes, we knew we could find the right match. On a Saturday in July we were so excited we arrived at the Petco an hour before the adoption was to start. After asking a volunteer if there were any beagles up for adoption she introduced us to Coca. Coca was so shy (and probably tired as her litter of pups had just been adopted out during the prior weeks) all she could do was sit in our laps in the yard. We fell in love with her and 9 months later, though still nervous in new situations, she's completed basic obedience, LOVES the dog park, and would like to be friends with our two cats. (They're not ready to be friends with her yet). Thanks for helping us find the perfect match!

—The Takenakas

LADY (formerly known as Indigo and Grady)
Hello Homeward Bound!

My husband and I had been talking about "MAYBE" getting a dog. I saw and ad in our local paper about your adoption dates and locations. And, asked my husband to come with me. "Just to look" Oh, did I mention my husband never had a dog as a child and really didn't care for them?

We patiently waited as the volunteers set up shop and brought all the animals in for viewing. We spotted "Lady" laying in the crate and we both knew she was ours without saying anything to one another!

My husband took to her immediately and she certainly has changed his attitude on becoming a dog owner! She spoils us with all she has to offer! We are very lucky and grateful to have found a wonderful lifetime companion.

Lady was only 50 pounds and a very sick girl. Now, she weighs in at 68 pounds and continues to gain! She loves to go to the vet and get weighed in on a weekly basis, so she can "schmooze" with the nurses who melt when she walks in. And, of course to get her vet treat. She is so smart, gentle, funny with a great disposition. She is great with everyone she meets. Very eager to please!

Lady is in her fourth week of training and has mastered more than just your basic commands! She enjoys her morning and evening walks out to a huge island in the middle of our lake. She could spend all day out there smelling everything! Once she's home it's nap time for a good 2-3 hours!

Thank you so much and keep up the wonderful hard work you all do on finding these animals good, caring homes.

Sincerely,
Rebecca Pecchia

ROSIE (formerly known as Fire)
This is Rosie, previously known as Fire. We adopted Rosie last Saturday 3/19 at Petco in Maple Grove. My daughter Hannah is absolutely ecstatic. She has wanted her own dog for years and even wrote award winning "persuasive essay" at school to convince us that she should be able to get her own dog. Rosie has been a real dream and the whole family is in love with her. We have a lot of friends and relatives and the house was packed last weekend with people stopping by to see her. Everyone from homeward bound has been very helpful, and I would like to thank all of you! We even made a short movie of her already. Click here to see it.

JACK (formerly known as Spree)
Hello there everyone!

I wanted to send you a picture and write you a note about our Jack (formally known as "Spree") and give you another success story to post on your site. Jack is our wonderful new dog we got in Feb. '05 at the Maple Grove Petco adoption. He is everything the foster family said but so much more! I was very reluctant to adopt an "unclaimed stray"—after all, if he was so wonderful why did someone give him up?? Thank the lucky stars they did!! He has been wonderful-such a complete love and couch potato! The housebreaking is almost complete (another fear of mine), gets along well with our other dog Libby, and is great with our young kids (yet another fear of mine). We are very thankful to have such a dog come into our life. He is still very puppyish (the controller to the Gamecube was the victim tonight) but it is teaching the kids very quickly (after my nagging for years) to clean up their toys! Thank you so much for having this big lug of a guy for us to adopt. He is everything we wanted in a dog! For all of those who are afraid to adopt a "used" dog, take it from me—they can be one of the best dogs you will ever encounter! Years from now, when our current dogs go to the bridge in heaven, we will be back at Homeward Bound seeking our new best friends! Thank you so very, very much!

—The Hotzler family

MAGGIE (formerly known as Annie)
We want to give all the Homeward Bound family a great big thank you for rescuing the great little beagle that we have named Maggie. Our cat is named Annie so I gave her the name Maggie as I didn't feel the name Annie served her well anyway. She seems to like the name and answers to it and she still hears Annie so all is well.

Our five months have been wonderful and sad also. We know she must have been mistreated by a man because she still hovers down when my husband comes home but she is also happy at the same time when he comes. She sits and waits for him every night when I say "he's coming." She is getting better all the time but you just want them to understand that no one is going to hurt them again. Her safety zone with him is the kitchen because she knows he will give her a little treat.

Our story started when our 14 year old beagle Sparky died Oct 2003 from kidney failure. We thought maybe at our age (not that old) maybe we should just stick with the cat because they are such low maintenance. It was hard to think we wouldn't ever have a dog in the house again but time went by and then in the summer our neighbors by our cabin found a Chesapeake starving in the woods. That started a whole summer of worry and concern over the dog we called Lucky. We nursed hime back to health,took him to the vet, got shots and all chipped in for food, toys and whatever he needed. We all fell in love with that (Big Guy) and shed many tears over him but none of us could keep him as our neighbors went to Florida in the winter and we just didn't feel equipped to handle such a big dog and he was only about 9 months old. Thanks to the Chesapeake Rescue they helped us find a wonderful home for Lucky and they think he is the best also. We keep in touch and she keeps us updated.

The night Lucky left I cried as they drove away and I thought no more dog to care for. We had always had Beagles and one night at work I got brave and decided to look for an older Beagle that might need a home. By luck I happened to find Homeward Bound web site and there she was under "Special Need Dogs". I couldn't wait to get home from work and show my husband. When he seen her he said "I didn't think it would have taken you this long". That big Lucky dog helped me find our Maggie and what a sweetie she is. I emailed Katie and she was just wonderful in helping us get her as soon as possible. When we left to get her I just cried and I told my husband "I don't care what she looks like in person she is coming home". When I saw her I couldn't believe how cute she was. She went right over to our car and I lifted her in on her new Targeee designer bed, wrote the check, signed the necessary paperwork and she was on her way to her forever home and never to hurt or want for anything again. Poor Maggie she has been kissed and hugged so much I don't thing she knows what to think. At our age we didn't want to go through the puppy stuff again and she is just perfect. She is still playful and peppy but oh how we like to snuggle on the bed. She loves to watch Annie (the cat) eat and gets a little too close sometimes and has gotten whacked a couple of times, she wants that last morsel if there is one. I want everyone to know that when a dog is under Special Needs - they really are special. All our dogs were bought as puppies so you always knew they were okay but to take one in that hasn't had a good life and know you are giving them one is so rewarding. I recommend this feeling to everyone - try it I know you will like it.

We can't thank all of you wonderful people at Homeward Bound and all the other rescue groups that save these wonderful creatures enough. Sometimes things are meant to be and I know I was meant to find our Maggie - we couldn't love her more if we had bought her as a puppy. Annie gives her kisses too so I know she thinks she is special too. Annie was rescued also so they are both safe and only have happy happy dreams now.

Thanks again,
Bev M

LADY
"Lady" is the sweet girl, we adopted her from Homeward Bound a few weeks ago. She is a 4-5 yr old black lab. HB rescued her after she had spent 2 yrs in a kennel too small with too many other dogs. She has transitioned well, is a little insecure, but settling in more everyday. I think with the love we have to offer, she'll continue to enjoy life in her new home, on her doggy bed and on her daily walks. We thank everyone form HB especially Katie for all their help with the adoption process. We are very happy with our new, not so little, girl. It is just like Katie put it, "It just goes to show there can be a happy ending for a dog overlooked for almost 2 years by everyone else."

PUMA
In August,2004 we adopted an adorable female puppy whose mom was a Tibetan Terrier. We thought dad was a TT, too. She was the only all white one in the litter. Her brothers were black and white, and smaller than her. We named her Puma. Puma grew and grew and grew. She is currently about 50 pounds and the vet believes she'll keep on growing. Puma's dad was not a TT! And we often wonder whether her brothers look like her....and are as large.

We all adore Puma. She is lovable and shows everyone playful affection. You can not be sad around Puma. She gets smiles from everyone..... even the dog obedience instructor!! She gets along well with our old cairn terrier, Pepper, as you can see. However, despite what you see in the photo, Pepper is still top dog.

We're so happy we adopted Puma and have sent others to Homeward Bound. Thanks for finding Puma for us.

Thank you for the opportunity to know the love of a rescue dog. We will definitely adopt again!

—Trudy Moloney

INDY
We adopted a small 12 1/2 pound urine soaked puppy on February 7th, 2004. We named him Indiana Jones, Indy for short because he was rescued from an animal shelter in Indiana. Once I picked him up and held him, I knew he had to come home with us. He has turned into a wonderful companion for our family, as well as our other dog, a 4 year old Golden Retriever, Carson. Indy and Carson play daily at the dog park, and enjoy hiking and swimming together on our summer camping trips. He sleeps with us every night, I can't imagine a night not feeling him laying against me. I'm so thankful for the work Homeward Bound does, and I thatnk you for rescuing Indy so he could join our family.

DEPUTY
I want to start by saying thank you for the incredible service that you provide not only for animals, but people alike.

When I first read about Deputy's mix on the website, I was instantly excited. Vizslas were always a breed I was interested in and labs are such great people dog that we could not go wrong. We arrived to the Fridley Petco in July around 2:30 PM not necessarily ready to take home a dog, but ready to look. When I saw Deputy curled up in a ball in his cage it was love at first site. We were told he was calm and very gentle for a puppy- little did anyone know it was just his anxiety! After some medication for nerves and getting used to us, it became clear that he was your typical 6 month old puppy. He quickly earned the nickname "Freak" and has learned how to take advantage of his parents with just a simple look. Although we have been through a series of obedience classes his curiosity often gets the best of him, making his name even more appropriate. He has taught us a lot about ourselves and each other in the past 8 months. He enjoys going to the dog park, swimming and running rear dropped to the floor around the house. Although he can be a little crazy he is our baby, my shadow and a comforting paw on your leg when you are sitting near him.

We have enclosed a picture of him "smoking"one of his rawhides which truly shows his personality. He always keeps us laughing!

Thank you for the opportunity to know the love of a rescue dog. We will definitely adopt again!

Sincerely,
Celeste & Troy

JACK (formerly known as Rex)
We adopted Jack (formerly Rex) in August 2004. He was one of a litter of shih tzu/rat terrier puppies, and we'd love to see how the rest of his brothers and sisters turned out! Jack is the greatest - super affectionate, and getting cuter everyday. He does have his puppy moments of stealing socks, trying to chew on our Labrador's ears, etc., but he's the best, a really good hearted, sociable little dog, and we love him like crazy. Thanks Homeward Bound for rescuing Jack, and for the work you do in finding good homes for great dogs. (Here's a picture of Jack at Christmas.)

—Kirsten and Patrick

BELLA (formerly known as Brooklyn)
We adopted Bella (aka Brooklyn) in May 2003. The first week she was home, she fell ill with an ear infection and a virus, and did little but sleep. As she recovered, she grew into a loving, valued member of our family. Bella enjoys rides in the car, basking in the sun, and visiting the other dogs at the dog park, where she runs and plays as if she were a youngster. However, she isn't that young anymore - she's almost 8 years old with a heart murmur, so after an exciting, active day at the dog park, she'll enjoy the next day on her bed, resting. Bella has two big quirks; she snores like an old man and sometimes her gas can clear a room. Bella and our other dog BJ, an 8 year old Bichon Frise, get along famously, and their favorite thing to do is cuddle together. We couldn't have asked for a sweeter, more gentle companion, and our family thanks Homeward Bound for saving Bella for us.

KERMIT (formerly known as Little Bob)
Dear Homeward Bound,

We adopted Kermit the Dog (formerly Bob, can you see why we changed his name?!?!) in August, 2004 and he has changed our life! Our first dog—we used to be cat people—Kermit made himself at home right away by taking his spot under the covers at the bottom of our bed. He is a really sweet boy, loves to give love and be snuggled, but he is also a great fun to rough house with. He adores his kitty-siblings, especially Calli, with whom he often snuggles. He likes to go on car rides anywhere; in fact, we drove to California with him over the Christmas holidays. Although he is incredibly bonded with us, he has trouble with strangers due to an abusive past, but we are working on t hat with him. He is so cute and we only have eyes for Rat Terriers now. Eventually we will adopt a companion dog for him, since he loves to play with other animals and the cats aren't as enthusiastic about wrestling as he is.

We love Kermie so, so much!

—Ali and Andy

ANNE
We lost our 11 year old beagle suddenly almost 2 years ago and were just beginning to talk about getting another dog when I spotted Anne on the Homeward Bound website. I printed her picture and her story and took it home to my husband. After careful consideration we went to the Fridley Petco on Saturday morning to see her. One look at that face and we knew she was ours. She's an absolute delight and a wonderful addition to our family. She's completely housebroken, great with the cats and our grandson, and has adjusted so quickly - it's a perfect fit. She loves to take walks and ride in the car, and it's pure joy for us to make her as happy as she makes us.

Many thanks to all the people at Homeward Bound for your care and commitment to these animals. They all have value and the right to a happy healthy life.

—Tom and Pat

GUIDO
I came to an adoption three months ago, looking for a dog that could be a companion to my big boxer/bull mastiff, Olivia. I found Guido there, whining through his crate, begging to be taken home. Guido is a 14 pound rat terrier who loves to play with his big, 80 pound sister, and usually wins. I don't know how Olivia or I survived without Guido around. He has tons of personality, was incredibly easy to train, and goes everywhere with me. Thanks so much for introducing us all.

—Kate Mudge

MADDIE
We adopted Maddie as a 7-week-old beagle-mix puppy in June 2004 and are so proud of how she is growing up. As you can see in the photos, she was the cutest puppy we'd ever seen when we found her at the adoption and has grown into a smart, sassy, self-confident, and sweet young adult. In addition to being able to sit, down, stay, jump, speak, and shake, Maddie knows just how to look at up at us with her soulful brown eyes to get whatever she wants! She loves running around with other dogs at the dog park, playing with her Kong, methodically unstuffing her soft toys, and wrestling with her dog bed. Her favorite thing, however, is napping under the covers when mom and dad are feeling particularly like pushovers.

Thanks for bringing her into our lives,
Lija & Andrew

MADISON
Dear Homeward Bound,

After a long search & numerous visits to rescue shelters, on July 3rd, 2004, I stumbled upon a 8-week old black lab puppy at one of your adoptions held at the Maple Grove Petco. One look at this puppy & I knew I couldn't walk away without taking her with me!

Madison (that's what I named her, however, I typically call her Maddie for short) has been so much fun to have around! I really enjoyed, as did she, participating in a couple different puppy training classes at the Animal Humane Society. It was such a good experience, it allowed her to socialize with a variety of other dogs and people. I think her favorite part of the training classes was "puppy playtime", when she was able to run around off the leash and mingle. In addition to puppy training, Maddie enjoys car rides, playing in the snow, going on long walks & playing with ALL her toys. She can be very silly when she wants to play with her toys, she'll grab a toy & come up to me and start making funny sounds which sound exactly like Chewbacca (Star Wars character). It's her way of communicating with me that she wants me to play with her. I think it's probably safe to say that I spoil her quite well!!

I want to thank Homeward Bound for taking the time and energy to find these great animals a place to call home. Every animal deserves to be cared for & loved. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have found Maddie... so thanks!

Sincerely,
Kristen (& Madison too)

MISTER (formerly known as Trundle)
Our family has been fostering dogs for HB for 1 1/2 years now and happen to fall in love with the more pathetic dogs - Mister was no exception. When I first saw him he was sitting in an x-pen with like 6 other dogs and they were all stepping on him. So I picked him up to take outside and that is when I saw him walk. He was walking with a half limp half dragging his feet and hobbling kind of walk. I then found out that he had lymes, uriclia ,glaucoma, his knee was out of the socket,and he wasn't housetrained. If HB hadn't rescued him he would have died.We got him home 'just to foster'. Well we had him for 2 months and nobody wanted him (I wonder why)!! We decided that we couldn't give him up and kept him. He has long term problems and still isn't housetrained but he will never be a 'normal' dog and that is why we love him. Mister was so tough through all of his problems and will be here forever. I hope you consider adopting a special needs dog because they have just as much love as a normal dog if not more. Thank you Homeward Bound.

Sincerely,
the Osterbauers

LOUIE (formerly known as Bindy)
On August 7th, 2004, my daughters and I went to the Maple Grove Petco to see what pets Homeward Bound had for adoption. We came "just to look". As we were there and inquired about a few dogs and cats, we came upon a shy, sort of shaggy looking, black and white Tibetan Terrier, formerly named Bindy. Having come from a puppy mill in St. Louis, MO, Bindy seemed indifferent (or was it overwhelmed) to all of us around him, but we knew that he had great potential. We were taken by his timid, gentle, and sweet disposition. His big adorable brown eyes seemed to tell us a story of his previously sad and lonely life. After spending a couple of hours with him that day, we knew we couldn't go home without him. My daughters and I made "the call" to dad to come and see our new "love" and get final approval. That day as we took Louie, as he would now be called, home with us we knew we had made one of the best decisions in our lives. Louie has been, without a doubt, an absolutely perfect addition to our family! He has become a happy, loving, trusting, playful and adoring dog. His endless "kisses" and "snuggles" and "love me" gestures are always openly received and reciprocated. He is our constant companion and we wouldn't have it any other way! Our delight in our new family member has helped other orphaned pets at Homeward Bound as well. Since our adopting of Louie, two of our neighbors have adopted pets from your organization! We will continue to spread the word about our "success story" with Homeward Bound and hope that our story will continue to help other pets find loving homes, too. Cheers to all of you at Homeward Bound for all that you do!!

Yours truly,
Mark, MaryBeth, Michaela, Lauren, Alex and "Louie"

MAVERICK (formerly known as Calvin)
Happy Holidays to everyone at the rescue organization.

My husband and I are so happy with our sweet Lulu!

You had asked when I adopted Calvin...his new name is Maverick that I send a picture and update. I can't believe I have had him over 6 months already.

We went to obedience classes and he was the star of the show. He should have his Canine Good Citizenship certificate by the end of the month. He also hasn't chewed on anything (that wasn't his).

His favorite things in the world are his brother Mack (a GSP), his Kong and me. In that order no less.

Thank you once again for everything. He filled a huge void left after I had to have my previous Weimaraner put to sleep.

—Kelli Carlson

CARL
Dear Homewardbound, Carl {our Mini Dachshund puppy} has been an absolute joy and a great addition to our family. He is about 3 months old weights only 3 1/2 lbs so he's a tiny little dog, he also goes to work with my mom and it's funny because he doesn't even mind the birds there {she works at a parrot store} so were hoping he will get more use to them. This is our first little dog we've had, so it's still a little different but he's such a nice boy. We have one 7 yr old Chocolate lab named Jasmine and one yellow lab mixed with a German Shepard who's about 12 yrs old and her name is Keata. So he just loves both of them, so it's funny to watch them play and we got him about 1 and/2 weeks ago at one of your adoption days at Petco in Maplewood MN on Dec 18, 2004 so he's adjusted quite well and we all LOVE him so much. We also wanted to thank the great, and helpful staff there and they all did a great job. We all feel so bad when we have to bring him out-side to go potty because it's so cold out but he just loves the sweaters we got for him and they seem to help keep him warm. He also has a new friend down the block and my families now each other and there dog's name is Ginger and she's about 2 now and they both have just met but like each other and give each other little kisses. It's funny because Ginger is a small lab but both like each other's company so we hope they end up really good friends so thank you for all your help.

Have a great new year,
Nikki, Mark, Jocelyn, Rodger, and Mariel

LUNA
I first saw Tatum/Luna (she had two names and we stuck with Luna) on your website and she is now known as my "internet love affair." In August 2003, after three weeks of looking at your website and hoping she wasn't gone, I contacted you and drove from International Falls, MN to the Maplewood Petco to pick her up. All of your staff/volunteers said she was a sweet dog and boy were you all right! She is such a sweet and loving dog and just adores her new family and all the friends that come over. We are always outside together and I have never seen a dog so in love with the snow. She started swimming this summer, too. She is still a little nervous in the car (but doing much better) but just loves boat rides. Here is a picture from last summer in the boat and this year just after Christmas — exhausted puppy!

My husband and I are so happy with our sweet Lulu!

Thank you for all that you do,
Jennifer Lien

ELSIE (formerly known as Equinox)
Dear Homewardbound, Elsie (formally Equinox) has been a joy to have as a family member. In actuality, she adopted my husband and I including our two other dogs. She was to be our 1st foster dog (famous last words). We brought her home and found that she was terrified of everything and had so few experiences that even the refrigerator scared her. She was, however, not intimidated by dogs and quickly showed our two older, bigger and male dogs who was in charge. She quickly bonded with my husband and through positive behavior modification training she quickly embraced the world. She won 1st place in her obedience class and continues to excel in training. As a registered dog with the UKC, she and I now await our 1st trial. She loves to go out and interact with people in various venues, including visiting my students. Kids are the greatest and she gives them the full body tail wag. As a volunteer for Homewardbound, Elsie and I help at events where she greets people and acts as an ambassador. We also foster puppies and Elsie makes sure she helps care for them. We have had puppies as young as 4 1/2 weeks who were abandoned at a pound without their mother and Elsie got right in with them and helped me provide care. Those puppies learned much needed lessons from Elsie that only a dog learns from another dog. She is WONDERFUL and I am forever thankful she adopted my family. I am also thankful to Homewardbound for their hard work and diligence to the animals they save.

The picture I am sending is my favorite. We call it "Mudpuppy". Elsie was on a daily mission to discover everything life offered and mud was this day's discovery. She would dive head first into a mud hole in our yard created by my husky mix and a good rain shower. She takes life head on without abandon.

Sincerely,
Carrie Ehn

BUSTER
I was looking on your web-site and found out that I could e-mail you a story of one of your rescue dogs. I would like you to know that about a year ago, we walked into Petco in Maple Grove, to get some fish food, and came out with Buster. One of the best things that could ever have happened to us. I just wanted you to know that he is doing great, and has more love then he ever could imagine. When he was about 5 months old, we adopted another dog so he could have a brother to play with all the time. Those two are having the time of there life together!! I am not sure how good of records you keep, but if its at all possible to track down the foster parents of Buster and share these pictures I would greatly appreciate it. When we adopted Buster he was a puppy from a litter that they thought was Yellow Lab/German shepherd. Well, months later its obvious that he has some bloodhound in him as well, and is one good looking guy :). Not only does Buster get to have a brother to play with everyday, but he also gets to go to Daycare 4 days a week and is always the star, his personality is amazing, and he is such a smart guy. He makes me smile every time I look at him. I am always thankful that I needed fish food, otherwise I never would have had the chance to fall in love with Buster.

—Jennifer Brand

BUDDY
In September I stopped in at the Maplewood Petco to pick up some dog food. We had lost our very old cocker spaniel to his second round of cancer a couple of months earlier and was still caring around a huge void in my life. I decided to peek and just see what you had there that day. My heart was immediately grabbed by this adorable buff cocker spaniel, Buddy, laying quietly in his cage. There was something special about him. After spending a bit of time with him I knew I could not live without him. Buddy has been my constant companion and I don't go anywhere without him. He's first one to the Jeep as soon as he hears keys rattle. He's got a doggy bed in the front seat of all of our vehicles! He loves to cuddle, rough up his stuffed animals, and play with his big brother and big sister. He has given us so much love and helped fill the void. He never had any accidents or issues! We found out he had been abandoned at a State Park and was living out of garbage cans. Even considering everything he's been thru he's the most wonderful little guy. I can never thank you enough for taking such good care of him. Suzie and Buddy

SOPHIE (formerly known as Sister Sue)
It all started when I decided to become a foster for Homeward Bound. My heart ached for all the sweet little faces I saw on the website, patiently and hopefully waiting for a home of their very own! I was so amazed and touched at the tireless efforts of the HB volunteers, especially when I visited one of the adoption events. Since I already have 2 rescued senior dogs, a cat, a husband and 3 kids, and am in school to be a vet tech, I didn't think I had the room or the time to adopt another dog, but the least I could do was help out on a short term basis.

At the adoption day, Cheryl showed me "Sister Sue" a puppy mill survivor. She said Sue desperately needed some special attention. She was recovering from some previous medical problems and needed an extra boost on her potty training. I looked down at the sweet little thing snoozing quietly in her pen and gave her a soft pat on the head. She must have been used to being overlooked because she barely responded — just went back to her nap amidst all the chaos going on around her.

I took the little sweetheart home, gave her a long warm bath and my kids and I spent the next few days loving her up like crazy. We diligently took her out every 2 hours and it wasn't long before she had the potty training down to a tee.

After the second day, I knew she belonged to us. There was no way I was going to let her go! I guess I must be in the running for the shortest stint as a doggie foster parent...

Since Sister Sue was embarking on a brand new life of being spoiled and loved (we have a lot of time to make up for her!), it only seemed right to give her a new name: Sophie.

Sophie's personality has quickly come shining through — she's absolutely BLOSSOMED! She is crazy about treats and car rides and snuggles. She has fit right in with the other two dogs like she's been here forever — they follow me around in a pack, Sophie right in the front!

She does have a couple of funny habits - she prefers to do her "business" on the driveway or sidewalk (she must still not be used to the grass, bless her heart) and every time she comes back in the house she brings in a rock. The first few times I went crazy wondering what rocks were doing in my kitchen, since I didn't notice her picking them up!

Needless to say, Sophie will be adored and pampered for the rest of her days. I wish I could have been of more help as a foster parent, but since I'm not a very successful one, I will have to suspend my duties for the time being since 3 dogs are definitely pushing the limit at our house!

Thanks again to Cheryl, Katie and all the wonderful people at HB for helping Sophie and so many many others find their forever homes.

—Lisa Moryn and Family

CREON
1 1/2 years ago we were looking for a buddy for our 3 year old lab Duke. After searching around for breeders and looking at shelters for another dog I came across Homeward bound web site and found a picture of an 18 month old lab named Creon.

It took 2 minutes to read the sad story about him and we new this would be a playmate for our other dog Duke.

We loaded up Duke and went to Petco on a Saturday in July to introduce ourselves to Creon.

After spending an hour walking both dogs around and reading the background of Creon we decided to take him home.

Creon is a special needs dog that has epilepsy. But since we already had a lab with severe allergies it didn't bother us to love another dog in need.

Creon is one of the most loving and loyal dogs we have ever met. He will be happy to lie on your lap or sleep head to head with his owners. Duke and Creon can't be separated. Duke got his wish and so did we..!!

We Thank Homeward bound for taking in dogs and finding families to adopt them. Make sure to look at their special needs dogs because we found a hidden treasure. Creon is on left of picture and Duke on right.

Best Regards,
Erik and Beth Olson

DAISY (formerly known as Daiquiri)
Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to adopt Daisy (formerly known as Daiquiri). She was listed as "Special Needs" but she is perfect for us. It took her a few weeks to get settled in and we had a few anxious moments getting used to each other but given her background we were not really surprised at that. It took her a little while to trust that she was really home. We completed obedience training and she was a star pupil. The instructor told us she was brilliant which was exactly what it said on your description of her. She loves everyone and is great with the grandkids. After losing our dog of 17 years we have found that we needed Daisy as much as she needed us. She keeps us active and our quieter lifestyle has settled her down. She has staked her claim here and knows it is her forever home. Thank you.

PUNKY (formerly known as Punkin) and DIDDO
Four years ago I adopted my precious Angel from Homeward Bound [see Angel's story towards the bottom of this page]. When I decided to get another dog I came back to see Cheryl. I came to look at Bubba—a large, young, male pitbull. I was going to take him until they said he could not go to a home with cats. As I was looking in the other kennels I saw a small red- brindle ball in the very back of one. She looked so bored with life. When she came out I was greeted by the worst under bite I have ever seen! But what a charmer. Thus Punkin (Punky) came into my life. She is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. What a wonderful little soul. And so emotional—she actually cries tears. She has been a Godsend since I lost my Angel earlier this year.

After I lost Angel I wasn't going to get another so soon. But Homeward Bound had a female pitbull that was almost a twin to one of my others. I went to Maple Grove to look at her and found they had adopted her out that morning. Of course I had to look. In the very last kennel in the back lay a very cute little guy—Diddo. He is a pitbull mix. I brought him out. I was told he had been in rescue for 9 months. That clinched it—he was going home with me! We have since gone through school—as you can see he graduated! Our trainer said it best "With Diddo it's either angel or devil! And you never know which!" He's a lover but wants to be King. Right now he is learning to be a prince—maybe King will come later!

I really want to thank all the wonderful people at Homeward Bound for the great work they do. I think it's great they rescue pitbulls when so many just want to destroy these magnificent animals. I truly want to thank them for Angel—who touched so many lives in the all too short 3 years I had the pleasure of her company. She was our Mama Dog. If not for Homeward Bound she would have been euthanised at the pound.

—Jody Storebo

COPPER
Copper (Vizsla) is a wonderful dog. It has only been a couple of weeks since he was adopted at the Petco in Maplewood; so far he has bonded to both my husband and myself. He is so happy to see us when we get home, he is usually at the door with the others waiting for us to come in. He loves being with people and getting attention. He is getting along with our other three dogs (Dalmatians). He and our oldest (Rocky) play with each other all the time. He has put on some weight, but he still needs to gain a few more pounds. He like the others are free-roamer and so far we haven't had any problems. Copper wants to be apart of whatever we are doing. It didn't take him long to now when we are going to go for a walk. We have enrolled him in an Obedience Training, which starts in January. Hoping if he does well, so we can train him to be a therapy dog, so he can bring happiness to others. I have enclosed a picture of the four. Rocky is the one on the end without a collar on, Copper, Sam is our female in the purple collar and Henry is our Liver Dalmatian.

—Theresa and Jay Person

ABBY (formerly known as Addison)
Abby has done a wonderful job becoming a part of our family. She only kenneled for a couple days. I bought her a little snuggle bed and she sleeps in that during the daytime. At night, her favorite place to sleep is on my pillow! I know she is sleeping soundly when I hear her snore!

Abby only had one accident in the house, I'm sure this was just from being in new surroundings.

Abby goes for a walk every day and even has a new sweater for the colder days.

She hasn't learned to play with toys yet. Nor does she care to play with our other little dog Darby. I'm sure she thinks she's had her time playing with her little pups. She does love to snuggle on the couch and bury her face in a blanket. She also LOVES to share my bowl of popcorn with me

Abby loves to be outside. I'm having a difficult time getting her to come in! She also likes to dig in the back garden. Muddy little feet need to be wiped off before she comes back in..

She's eating very well. Loves her dry lamb and rice mixed with a little wet lamb and rice food. She's also quite fond of Bil Jac treats, rawhide and Greenies.

I'm sending you our family photo from just last week. She did a nice job walking into the mall on her leash. Also of her sleeping on my pillow as well as one of us outside. By the way, the snow does not bother her one bit.

I hope the rescue is doing well and we'll be by to see you at Petco soon.

Take Care,
MaryLou Cunningham

PIERCE
Pierce is the sweetest dog we could have asked for! He so wants to please as well as follow you anywhere you go. Our other Dalmatian, Maxine, fell for him immediately and their first day together was so special to watch. There was at first some shy tail wagging but then after a few nudges and nuzzles.....they were romping around like old pals! We had recently lost our other Dal, Dottie, to kidney failure and Pierce was just the friend Maxine and the rest of the family needed to help fill a void in our lives. He felt so natural around the house even on his first day that we knew he was meant to be a member of our family! We are so thankful for Pierce and we feel he is thankful for us by the way he just curled up on his new bed with his bone and shut his little eyes to sleep without a care in the world.

Thank you homeward bound rescue!

—Jim, Linda, Lindsay and Maxine

TOBY (formerly known as Ned)
We have been lucky enough to find two wonderful pets at Homeward Bound. We adopted our tabby cat, Tiger [scroll down the screen to read his very own success story!], in November 2003 and our black lab mix, Toby (formerly Ned), in March 2004. We are so overjoyed, and we have become a big happy family since adopting them.

After coming to several adoptions in February and March without any luck, we almost left the adoption at the Maple Grove Petco before we noticed a few more dogs in the very back. In the very last kennel lying quietly was Toby. We wanted a lab for their demeanor, but worried about our small house being too confining for a large dog. As Toby is a lab mix, he's smaller than a purebred and seemed to fit us perfectly. Wow were we surprised to see the quiet dog from the kennel turn into a lively, energetic puppy once we got home! He fit in right away, and, after a short time, even seemed to win Tiger's favor.

Toby's favorite things are to go on walks (he often drags his leash around the house in a not-so-subtle plea until we're able to take him) and weekend trips to the dog park. He also loves riding in the car, although he can never decide whether he wants to be in the front or back seat and usually spends the trip moving back and forth between them. More than anything, he is just a very loving pup, who, despite being full grown, still thinks he's a lap dog and tries to sneak onto the bed to cuddle in the middle of the night.

Since Toby joined us in March, Tiger has gotten quite a bit more exercise, but seems to equally love playing with Toby. One of their favorite pastimes is to sit in neighboring windows in the front of our house and watch the world go by. We also catch them napping together occasionally, although once caught, one of them usually runs away to pretend it didn't happen.

Thank you Homeward Bound!

CHUCK
Hey there, it's me Chuck (the Blue Heeler Mix). I hope you haven't forgotten me, after all I know it's been one year now since my adoption. Gosh, where do I begin? Well, first of all I'd like to thank all of the workers, volunteers and foster families at Homeward Bound for all the wonderful things they do for the pets waiting for their forever homes. Without them, who knows what might have happened to me. I will do my best to fill you in on everything (well, almost everything) that I've been up to since Mom adopted me.

I'm sure all my four-legged friends can relate to what I am saying when I tell you that going to the vet is not my most favorite thing in the world. Sure, they have treats......but you know that you are going to have to do something that you don't want to do. Mom says that it is for my own good, and she does love me, so I have learned to trust her decisions. First we had to clear up an ear infection (that's why they were so sensitive), then the usual checkups/vaccinations and then the "accident." Well you see, I like to play ball with my two-legged friends. This spring I tried to catch a ball at the same time the neighbor boy was trying to hit it. It cost me a trip to the vet and a couple of teeth, but I'm back to my old self. If you know anything about "heelers" we are very sturdy and nothing much slows us down. Unfortunately, Mom says I can't play baseball anymore, but that's okay, cause I've got plenty of other things to do.

Let's see......oh, I like to run. You name it and I'll chase it. Not cars though, that's very unsafe! In the winter I play outside in the snow with the kids, run along side the snowmobile and chase the kids down the hill when they go sledding. We all get a big laugh about that. In the summer, I get to go swimming (who said cattle dogs can't swim), they even let me swim in the pool. I get to go out to the barn and check on the horses, go camping and sleep in the horse trailer with Mom (I LOVE CAMPING)!! We go for really long trail rides and sit by the fire at night, there is even some really cool stuff to roll in, I think someone called them road apples. When we get home I have to wash up before I can go in the house, funny, "I don't think I smell that bad." Another one of my favorite activities is running along when the family goes four-wheeling (it's good exercise). When Dad comes home for dinner, we have our usual game of "I've got you." That's where I hang on to Dad's leg with my front paws. At first he used to trip, but he's getting the hang of it. Did I mention how I love to chase the kids around and wrestle them to the ground, what would I do without kids. There is never a dull moment around this house (especially since I showed up)! Oh, and then there's the cat (Puddy), she really hasn't warmed up to me yet but we have learned to live peacefully enough under the same roof. The next thing I get to try is pheasant hunting, I have a thing for birds.

Anyway, I'm doing great and just had to let you all know. I love my new family and home, and they love me (even when I'm a little naughty). Oh, there's been a few mistakes on my part, but that's when you find out how much they love you. We are inseparable. I'm glad someone took the time to give me a second chance and I hope that all the other animals at Homeward Bound get the same chance. With a little bit of love, patience and trust, there is a lasting friendship to be made. Thanks Homeward Bound for bringing us together.

— Chuck and The LaValley Family
Elbow Lake, Mn.

LUCY (formerly known as Gibbons)
We were very lucky to find Lucy (formerly Gibbons). We adopted her last June and it was love at first sight. She has adapted to our family so well and we just love her. She was a little uncertain at first but it turns out she is the perfect dog for our family. We can't believe how lucky we were to find a dog that fit into our family so well. Lucy is a small beagle — not quite 25 pounds so just the right size for us.

She was a little afraid to be left at home at first when we were at work but we tried turning on the radio while we were gone and that really seemed to calm her down. We think she likes the jazz stations the best. She fits into our lifestyle so well and we are so grateful that we found her. Some of her favorite things are to go on walks and sleep in. She especially loves the weekends when she can stay in bed where it's nice and cozy. We have a sleep number bed and have found that she is a 35 and also likes to sleep on her back.

Thanks to Homeward Bound for all that you do for the animals.

— Dan & Janet

OPUS & IZABEL
We adopted Opus (a 10 month old Yellow Lab / Vizlea? Mix) in December of 2003, he had been with homeward bound for around 4 months because he had a lot of energy and his leash manners left something to be desired. When I saw Opus's picture on your website, I fell in love with his face, I new I had to have him. My fiance said I could go and look at Opus, I warned him that if I went to look, I would be coming home with Opus. When I got to the Petco, Opus was still in the van, Megan took Opus out for me and he was full of energy. The poor guy was pulling on his leash so hard that I thought the choke chain was going to get his last breath. I didn't care, I could tell that Opus was the type of dog who gets really excited to go anywhere or do anything new. Megan was a little worried that I wouldn't want him since he had so much energy. Lucky for Opus, he had a hard face to say no to. Opus adapted to life with us right away, he did have a lot of energy, but I found that a weekly trip to the dog park was all it took to make him happy. It only took a week before he coerced he way into sleeping in the bed and he soon ruled the house. It didn't take us long to realize that Opus needed a friend. Oh and a gentle leader took care of the leash issue as soon as I put it on, I highly recommend them.

We starting looking at Homeward Bound's website again in February and by March decided we should go to another adoption. We knew that we wanted a black lab and you had at least two of them at the time. We were looking at another male when Katie came up to us and recommended Izabel (a 10 month old black lab), she thought that Opus and Izabel would get along great. We decided to adopt Izabel and Katie could not have been more correct! Right away the two of them got along like litter mates. Izabel is a really sweet girl who will do anything to make me happy. She's a mommy's girl even though she has no issues with men. From the 1st time we took them to the dog park together, they've been the highlight of the place, continually putting smiles on everyone's faces by how fast they tear around the place. We always get asked if they cam from the same litter even though they don't look alike. They take naps together, play tug of war, and go crazy running and fighting at least 2-3 times a day.

I was able to take them to an adoption to visit Katie, they behaved so well and were perfectly content being there instead of being scared I would leave them, I think that says a lot about their personalities. We couldn't have gotten luckier with Opus and Izabel, they are great dogs that love people and children. They believe that everyone should want to pet them and if I didn't know better, I believe they think they have two legs instead of four. I wanted to thank Homeward Bound for giving us the opportunity to have Opus and Izabel join our family.

Thank you again,
Heather and Eric

TREBLE
Hi! It's me, Treble. I was adopted in June, 2004, by my new mommy & daddy. Mommy saw me at the Maplewood adoption 3 weeks earlier and fell in love with my cute pink "cow" nose. Daddy said no dogs til mommy was done teaching for the year. Well, luckily I was meant for my mommy & daddy and nobody else adopted me within that 3 weeks! When it was time for the Maple Grove adoption, mommy & daddy were waiting anxiously when I pulled up with my foster family. I got to go home with them that day!

I was a little nervous and anxious the first few weeks, but now I'm the MOST loved dog ever! I get to sleep in my doggie bed (although I like to bed hop and sleep in the guest bed, on the couch, under mommy & daddy's bed) and I'm still being SUCH a good boy on the housetraining. I rarely bark, never dig in garbages, and am SUCH a good boy when I'm home alone. *(I really love snuggling and chewing my bones!)* I LOVE to visit the dog park and play with all kinds of other dogs/friends! And everybody at the park, and whom ever mommy comes across when walking me, always comments on how cute and FRIENDLY I am! I LOVE PEOPLE! (almost as much as I LOVE playing playing playing with the other dogs). And all the kids in my neighborhood know me by name: you can hear them calling out to come pet me when I go for my walks!

I just graduated from doggie "better dog one" class and am doing very well with my learning. I try to be a good boy (but sometimes my nose just takes my attention away when I'm walking!)* Well....I'm off to snuggle with daddy and watch football on the big screen. Thanks for helping me find my mommy & daddy!

We just wanted to say THANK YOU for having Treble. We were very impressed with Homeward Bound Rescue and highly recommend you to everybody that inquires about Treble (and is amazed that he was a rescue dog). We've had many people comment on what a wonderful dog he is. We have so much love in our hearts for him! And he brings our entire family so much joy!

Love,
Treble, Chris & Carrie Campbell
Lakeville