MOLLY
We adopted Molly from Homeward Bound in 2003 when she was about a year old. Her original owners were moving and could not take her with them.

About eight months later, we adopted another rescue dog, Shadow, and the two became great playmates. Molly settled in quite well with our family. Molly and our, then 11 year-old, granddaughter Cyrina also became friends. They took some obedience classes and Molly would go to bed with Cyrina until we went to bed, then Molly would run under our bed where she slept, and Shadow would go into Cyrina's room for the night.

We noticed that Molly had no fear of barriers that might be blocking her path. She jumped over the coffee table and laundry baskets if they were in her way rather than going around them. Molly also ran straight down our rock embankment in our backyard instead of using the stairs.

In January 2006, we saw an agility trial for the first time at the Land of Lakes Kennel Club Dog Show. We thought that Molly might be a natural at agility. We found an agility class and signed her and Cyrina up. Within six month they were competing in NADAC agility trials and winning ribbons. They have recently earned enough points to move up to the elite division.

-Sue, Bill and Molly's teammate, Cyrina

RIVER (now known as Happy Feet)
I adopted River (formally known as 'Happy Feet'), a German Shepard/Yellow Lab, just over a month ago. She came to me with no manners, and more energy than she knew what to do with! After just two weeks of training she learned to go roller-blade joring, where she pulls me with a sled dog harness on my roller-blades. So now she has something to put her energy into. She's so smart, she's already learned left ("Haw") and right ("Gee")!

However, what makes River truly special is the fact that she is in training to be a Working Dog in Occupational Therapy and she had already become a Therapy Dog for a Service Dog! Henry the Service Dog had recently had an unknown trauma that caused him to lose his confidence. The once unshakable Service Dog suddenly was fearful and nervous when out in public and even in his own back yard. I am a dog trainer and friends with Henry's owners. When normal retraining wasn't helping Henry's fears I decided to see if River's fearless happy-go-lucky attitude could help poor Henry. It worked!! After just a few sessions together Henry has lost his brush with fear and is a confident, happy, and relaxed Service Dog once again!

Thank you River and thank you Homeward Bound for saving such a special pup!

Cheers,
Lauren

BAILEY
I can't believe it's March 2008 and we've had Bailey more than three years. When we adopted him in December 2005, we were looking for a dog who was completely different from the akita we had just lost to cancer. Boy, did we hit that nail on the head! I can still hear Cheryl asking which dog we decided on, and then saying "That goofy hound?" Well, Bailey is still goofy, and at over 5 years of age, I don't know that he'll ever slow down. He's a complete toy-nut, and after a bit of adjustment, gets along well with his brother and sister. He runs with his dad several times a week to help keep dad in shape, while mom hikes around the dog park with him. Best of all, Bailey can't really be called a dumb hound any more - he's successfully completed three levels of obedience at Twin Cities Obedience Training Club and starts his Tracking Dog training in April. Bailey also passed his tests to be registered as a Canine Good Citizen with the AKC. Not too shabby for a failed hunting dog that we thought would be with us forever. I'd like to thank Homeward Bound for Bailey, Kika (my other rescue from HB) and for 3+ wonderful years of volunteering. I'm hoping for many, many more.

Jackie and Jeff Singer
Maple Grove, MN

KIKA
It's been almost three years since we adopted Kika from Homeward Bound in May of 2005. When we lost our first akita in December, 2004, we didn't want another akita, as we didn't think it would be fair - our first one was almost perfect! Instead, we adopted Bailey from HB (see other success story) to keep our basset mix, Toby, company. In May, I heard about an akita in Eden Prairie who needed to be placed. I volunteered to foster her, and yes, she was listed on the web site for all of four days. Another happy, but failed foster home. I think Katie and Megan laughed for days, as they both knew she was going to me mine from the day I picked her up.

Kika is doing very well and is now 6 years old. She rules the roost, completely dominates both of her brothers and loves her mom best. She likes mom so much that she's successfully completed two levels of obedience at Twin Cities Obedience Training Club, even though she doesn't really like obedience that much. She just likes to go places with mom. While I would love her anyway, I'm more than thrilled that Kika also passed her tests and is now registered as a Canine Good Citizen with the AKC. Thanks again, Homeward Bound, for all you do, and I look forward to many more years of volunteer work with you.

Jackie and Jeff Singer
Maple Grove, MN

WILLIE (now known as Gilly)
Not sure if you remember, but my husband and I adopted Gilly in August of 2006. You had sent us the cutest picture of him, up close of him smiling. It was a great picture and it sealed the deal...

By the way, our life with Willie is great. We couldn't be happier with him. He is sweet, smiley, active and in great health. You wouldn't believe how soft he is compared to when we first got him. Everyone comments on his coat. One more thing...we did find out is breed. Originally he was listed as a Blue Heeler x Unknown, but found out through a lady at the dog park that he is a purebred Catahoula! I had never heard of that breed, but did some resarch online and what do you know. We absolutely love him and appreciate your assistance along the way. My mom and I continue to recommend Homeward Bound as a great organization to give a dog or cat a second chance.

-Molly

PEPPER
I adopted Pepper, the sweet Black Lab/Australian Cattle Dog mix on April 6th. She's doing so well. She's friendly, playful, gets along with dogs and all people. She's chubby, but loves to play, run, walk, and is a champion napper. :) She likes her weight control dog food, and is great about taking her vitamins, glucosamine, and slurping her coat oil. (she seems to have a delicate tummy, so I'm careful of what she eats) She loves to ride in the car, so I take her to visit people, and to check out new places to walk. She seems to love the Minneapolis city lakes (lots of socializing), Minnehaha Falls, and the dog park. She had a 'salon' appointment, and was such a good girl. Once I heard her say a quiet 'woof' when she was going outside to play, and a whine, when it was time for a dog she knows to go home. She's a gem for sure. I love her a lot.

Thank you to Katie Adams for Pepper's kind and great foster care.

Thank you for dear, sweet Pepper.

:) Smiling LeighAnn

LACEY (now known as Tinker Bell)
Our success story is Tinker Bell- now known as Lacey. We adopted her at The Fridley Petco just a few months ago and she is the love of our lives. My husband was determined to 'meet' Tinker Bell on adoption day and there's no doubt he drove everyone working there a bit crazy! He had seen her picture on the Homeward Bound website and knew she was 'the one.' A huge thank you to Jackie who helped us with the entire adoption procedure and answering all our questions before and after. Lacey must have had a wonderful Foster family as she was well mannered, house-trained, knew tricks, and her coat was beautiful. She is extremely loving, fun, silly, and adores people of all ages! If I only would have known about Homeward Bound years ago- what a wonderful organization!! My husband and I have had a very positive experience and have adopted a true companion for life.

-Cindy and Alan

SOPHIE
Dear Homeward Bound:

I adopted Sophie from Homeward Bound in 2004. I was told she was a rescue dog from a puppy mill. She was living in a foster home at that time, and learning lots about living with humans. When I met her when she had horrible breath and no hair on her ears! After some dental work her breath is of normal doggie quality, but she only has two teeth left. She must feel a lot better because she started playing with toys after her tooth removal!! She loves squeaky toys that she can rip up, and does a great job even though she only has two teeth to work with! She loves rolling in the grass and going on walks to smell the ground. She doesn't like going outside much in the cold weather without her jacket, she much prefers sitting by the fire or on the couch inside. She must like her new life a lot because she is starting to become bossy just like a Dachshund should be! She is a great dog, thank you Homeward Bound for all the work you do helping dogs find homes! Sophie currently lives in Colorado with her kitty brother and is enjoying the warmer weather.

-Melissa

THUMPER
I'll never forget the first time I met "Thumper", she was on her way home with a Family who had adopted her from Homeward Bound at adoption day at a "Pet Smart". Then one-month later, I saw Thumper again, she was back for the second time with Homeward bound, unfortunately the family had brought her back, for some reason it just did not work out for them. But I knew right then and there it was "Kismet"! Thumper and I were meant to be together. Her first few weeks with me were difficult, as I could see it in her eyes and demeanor, she wasn't sure if she could trust me, if I was going to be dependable, as she wanted to be for me. She was very depressed and withdrawn at first. But everyday, I earned her trust, more and more; with love and commitment, she went from depressed to a grateful and excited, a loving dog. And whenever I come home to this day, she jumps up and down on her front paws, so I've wondered, if because of that; someone named her "Thumper"; she actually thumps up and down when she is happy and excited. We have now been together for 12 years; she is 14 years old now! She is and has been the sweetest, loyal dog I have ever had. She is now in her last part of her life, with some normal elderly dog health issues, so every day now with Thumper is bittersweet, but treasured, as I know I will have to say goodbye someday soon. I have been rescuing Dobermans now for 10 years. I will tell anyone, the Doberman Pinscher Breed is a very special one; they have a loyal bond with their owner, and I have yet to meet one that is considered a dangerous dog. Unless they are mistreated, abused and misunderstood for their commitment to their family and their voracious bark. They really are the biggest babies, and just need positive reinforcement, as they are so smart and with consistency of rewards with love, treats and in a good home and care, they will give everything back to you ten fold! Thumper has been a wonderful dog and when our day comes that we do have to say goodbye, it will be one of my hardest days of my life. SO, Thank you Homeward Bound for helping me to have had "Thumper" in my life, and for all that you do for all animals that come to you in need. They are all deserving of good homes, to live out their lives, to share with people all that they have to give, to the people who can give them the best possible chance!! Thumper, bumper, Thumper do!!!!

Sincerely grateful animal lover,
Kristy Johnson, Plymouth, MN

RASCAL
Hi my name is Samantha Sackett. I got my Jack Russell Rascal from you last August. He lives with me and my roommates now in Duluth. I just wanted to let you know he is the best thing ever! He's so happy here in Duluth and gets more attention than he needs! We have the best places to go for walks. He has made me and my roommates happier than we ever could have imagined! Thanks for everything!

-Sam

APOLLO (formerly known as Sticker)
Hello,

I adopted Apollo (formerly Sticker) from an adoption day at the Petco in Maple Grove about a year ago. He was about 35 pounds, incredibly scared, and very shy and quiet. (Originally he was thought to be a GSD/Beagle mix but as he grew, he showed more signs of a Doberman mix.) For the first few weeks he didn't leave my side, litterally! He wasn't socialized with people or other animals so the dog park was a very interesting place at first! He was great at housebreaking and training! His obediance class was such a treat!

Now, he loves to swim, loves to play with other dogs and is getting MUCH better with people! He still barks and is very protective of me, but he is a little more trusting now! We spend a lot of time at the local dog parks and up north. He started off as an only pet and now has a feline sister, a canine sister and a canine brother.

Adopting Apollo also led me to becoming a foster parent. While I no longer live in the area, I do foster work through another organization and we love that! Apollo loves to see the new puppies, although he hates to go to Petco!

Thanks again,
Jenna & Apollo

BOGART
From the moment we saw those big brown eyes we knew it was meant to be! We adopted Bogart from Homeward Bound about a month and a half ago and it has been the best month and a half of our lives. He's extremely caring about mommy and daddy and is always looking out for us. At 2 years old he still has some funny "puppy moments" and loves stuffed toys! His favorite toy is ?"Mr. Squirrel". He could chew on it all day! Bogart also loves real squirrels and can spot them a mile away. He even has a squirrel bandanna. Bogart loves to "flirt" with other dogs and makes his cute little happy whine when he meets them. He also loves to run back and forth super fast in his grandma and grandpa's back yard! His favorite "auntie" Tootsie the Bichon Frise lives there too. He has a lot of energy but when it's bedtime he's out like a light! Going to work with daddy is another one of his favorite things. He always says hi to everyone at the office and even has his own special work blanket. The greatest thing in the world is to come home to an excited Bogart. Even if we go somewhere for 15 minutes he certainly lets us know how happy he is to see us come back! We don't think there is a sweeter sound then Bogart's happy whines and yips. Most of the time he's a pretty quiet guy but when he's really excited he lets us know!

Thank you so much for giving us the gift of such a wonderful dog. We hope to adopt some friends for Bogart from Homeward Bound in the future!

-Tina & Tom

HERSHEY (formerly known as Cindy)
Hi everyone!

My name is Hershey, I used to be known as Cindy but I was way too sweet for that name.

It has been three years since we lost our little guy to old age, and I was getting "the itch." My husband, however, wasn't very receptive to my suggestions that it was time to get another dog. Despite his apprehension, something told me to check out your website (I had heard of HWB after a friend of mine adopted a hound mix from you a few months back).

I have been with my family for over 2 months now and I can safely say, I have never been happier (neither have they). I have an older sister Jessie who is teaching me how to play fetch and tug-o-war as well as how to act like a good dog doing things like sit, lay down, stay (although stay is still a work in progress). I have a big back yard I can play in any time I want and there are always toys around. My favorite toy is my dad, he will wrestle with me and doesn't get upset when I get overenthusiastic, his word not mine, I don't even know what it means.. My mom is a snuggler which is like my third favorite thing to do, after eating and playing. The first part of my life wasn't much fun but now that I have my family things are really lookin' up for me.

If you are thinking of adopting one of my Homeward Bound friends, please don't wait too long. Their good dogs just like me and all they need is a lot of love, food, play time and some snuggling.

I have to go now, my dad doesn't like it when I use his computer, something about drool, which is another word I don't understand. Thanks to everyone at Homeward Bound for helping me find my family.

Woof Woof to all my puppy pals!
Hershey
St. Francis, Mn

MAXI (formerly known as Redmund)
We adopted Maxwell (Maxi) aka Redmond in October 2006. He was 8 months old. We had to put our beloved Sammie to sleep in May that year in May after treating her for cancer for 6 months. We were devastated. She was 14 years old and we got her from the humane society as a pup. My husband said he did not want another dog. It was too painful. Then in October I was looking at the dogs on your website and came across the picture of "Redmond." It was instant love. I printed his picture and took it home to show Bob. I could tell he really liked him also. I found out he would be at an adoption in Burnsville the next day so I went out to find him. I called my husband and told him I was playing with Redmond and he said bring him home. He was 8 months old and potty trained. He never once had an accident. My husband is retired and he and Maxi go to the dog park everyday. He loves our bed and sofa's. Maxi is so social. He loves other dogs and people. Everybody loves him also. Thanks so much for the wonderful service you have through homeward bound.

BRITTA (formerly known as Cindy)
Hi there!

I thought I would give an update on Britta (the beagle/sheltie cross from Ohio) since I've had her for three months or so now! Overall she is doing fantastic.

She graduated from Better Dog I (Canine U - MVHS) last month, and we plan on continuing to Better Dog II. She is an incredibly quick learner. Simple tricks like shake, stand on two legs, and sit only took about a day to learn. At the dog park she loves to run full speed and comes back when prompted fairly reliably!

Her hair has become thick, glowing, and long in the oddest places! I'm feeding her a top-notch food you can't buy at Petco, so I think that's part of it. I've sent out for the Mars genetic testing to see what mix they think she is. Everyone always asks, and my curiosity finally got the better of me.

The hardest obstacles have been separation anxiety and housetraining. It's obvious she thinks we're the best thing ever invented because she can't leave our side and hates to see us go. Incredibly endearing and yet, something to deal with. I don't mind these obstacles much because otherwise I think she'd be the perfect dog and that would just be no fun.

Britta pretty much melts the anti-dog person in everyone she meets. She's so sweet, affectionate and warm to people they can't help but like her. I call her Britta the Brat because if you even look at her she pulls up her leg for you to give her a good belly scratch. We even fight about who gets to go to the bathroom first in the morning (after she paws my head, whacks her tail against my leg, and gives a deep sigh). I think she's winning because the neighbors are getting a kick out of my pajama selections.

Hope all the doggies are doing well!

-Allysse Henry

ROCKEY
Just wanted to drop you a line on Rockey. WE LOVE HIM !!!!!!!!! He is a great dog. I was never a dog owner before this and I could not have wished for a better dog. When we are out walking people ask what he is and I tell them he is Shepard mixed with snaggle tooth. People still do the "oh my" at his teeth but I think they are part of his personality. He is an extremely courteous animal and is very loving. Not much excites him. My husband is teaching him how to play. He has never had an accident in the house. He is all around the best dog we could have wished for. Thank you again to Homeward Bound for letting us adopt Rockey.

-Tracy and Joe Jarvinen

MR. BEAN
Dear Homeward Bound,

Thank you for everything you do and thank you for for helping us find Mr. Bean! He continues to very well and enjoys walking and playing with the other dogs in our family. He continues on prescription diet food for his kidney stones and visits the veterenarian regularly. Although Mr. Bean has started to have back some trouble with his back he is doing very well. He loves to snuggle under the blankets and always prefers a lap!

We will never forget the news story about Mr. Bean being stolen from the Fridley Petco in the summer of 2006 and we are so grateful to have him in our home. He is truly a special dog and we hope to have many more years of memories with Mr. Bean.

-Jason & Monica Drefahl

COOPER (formerly known as Husker)
To the folks at Homeward Bound:

We want to THANK not only you folks at Homeward Bound, but also Mandy and Dave for getting Cooper (F.K.A. Husker) out of Kentucky and into his new home with us!

We went to the Fridley PetCo. in February 2007 initially to see one of two Brittany Spaniels who, fortunately for us, were adopted together only minutes before we arrived (!!) because by chance "Husker", an English Setter - the breed we were originally looking for - was there and we fell in love immediately! Mandy and Dave helped save Cooper, along with two siblings, from certain death as all 3 were dropped off at a shelter in Kentucky to be euthanized. I can't imagine, nor do I want to, what his life was like before, but I know in my heart this match was meant to be.

Like most rescues Cooper was very much underweight but also had a VERY stubborn case of worms. He was so patient with us, his doctors and all the medication he had to take to bring him back to healthy standards...although, we will always have to watch his food intake as his intestinal tract is now ultra-sensitive. We didn't have to deal with many 'accidents' as he got the house-training thing pretty well and we really only needed one session of behavior classes as he wants nothing more in life than to please! Today, at about 4 years old, Cooper has gained about 10 pounds and looks better than fabulous! He spends his playtime in our backyard or at our local dog park - always making humans smile; if there happens to be a 'lull' in the excitement, Cooper will find the nearest ball, stick or chunk of ice and literally play 'catch' with himself! Quite funny to watch! He also loves to be able to walk off-leash all weekend long in the woods up North at our cabin. Indoors, however, he can always be found lounging in his favorite 'sunny-spot' on the floor by the patio doors! Thanks to you rescuing Cooper, my husband has found a running partner that can out-run him on most days, I have found a walking partner to share long quiet jaunts through our neighborhood, and our kids have found in Cooper a patient ever-faithful playmate. Cooper has taken our hearts in both paws, and now that he feels the love, he knows that this is his forever home!

Thank you, Homeward Bound, for all you to keep these pets alive and helping them find their forever-homes too!

The Montgomerys
Apple Valley, MN

TRUDALOO (formerly known as Miss Trudy)
Hi Everyone -

Miss Trudy (adopted 1/5/08) is doing splendidly. Her name as morphed into Trudaloo (if you do it in a high pitched howl-y tone she goes nuts!) and, although she seemed shy and reserved when we adopted her she is neither. She has become the silliest, squirelliest(sp?) goofball in the neighborhood. She pulls her leash off of the shelf and runs to the door, beats us down the stairs and practically celebrates every opportunity to go for a walk or meet the neighbors. Kids, dogs, doesn't matter! Everybody is her new found friend! Our cat, MaryJane has taken her in and they sleep together (on the sofa, naturally). She has not slept on the floor once - the dog pillow (with our 16 year old dog Oona), the sofa with MaryJane or on the bed (with or without us). Other than a few housetraining issues she is wonderful. We could not ask for a sweeter girl....

Thank you so much....
Lisa Bandemer & Martin Powell
Trudaloo's mom and dad

JACKSON
I just thought I would send you an update on Jackson. We have done very well over the last several months. He completed the doggie obedience class and did well. He has been growing more and more confident as every day goes by. He now trots around the office like he owns the place and greets the clients. I have found some trails where we can run with him off lease and he very much enjoys that. His arthritic wrist is holding up well and he enjoys the exercise! He has gotten a little protective of the truck with I expected and am keeping an eye on. He is just doing fantastic and I just love him like crazy :-) Here are a few pictures for you and I hope you are both doing well.

Thank you again for such a fantastic friend!

Nadine

CHEWY
Good morning! I thought you'd all like an update on how Chewy's done over the past 4 months at our home. Chewy has been a very - very - good boy. He is very calm and mellow and does an excellent job with our girls. After bringing Chewy in to our vet for his wellness checkup in November, we found out that both eyelids were entropion and he would need surgery. We thought we could hold off until summer when I could be home with him, but two days before Christmas we found out otherwise. Chewy's eye was shut and watering, so we brought him to our vet. We then found out he had a huge ulcer on his eye and would need surgery immediately. So, we ended up taking him to a specialist to have the surgery done the first week in January. After Chewy's $1000 face lift, he now has good eyes and hopefully the damage done from his first two years will mostly repair. Chewy has enjoyed all the comforts that a good home provides - pillows, beanbags, treats, and lots of love. He never argues when our girls dress him in pink or have him act as their prince. We look forward to many years of enjoyment with Chewy. Thanks for all you did for him! We appreciate it!

ZUKO (formerly known as Rocky)
Hi,

We are Vicki and Gary Ellman. We just wanted to thank you for our special angel that we adopted from homeward bound just about 10 years ago. He was a beautiful Samoyed who was named Zuko when we adopted him from you but to us he was Rocky all this time because of a scare he had on his nose. We just lost him to a disease 3 days ago but we will love and remember him forever!!!!!!!! Thank you so very much for a wonderful 10 years of our stubborn , loving,talkative,active lots of fun Sammy he was a one of a kind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Vicki and Gary Ellman

LYDDIE
In January, my husband, Chris and I were lucky enough to find a little, (very tiny at the time) red min pin named Lyddie at a Homeward Bound adoption. Lyddie was very shy when she first came to us, but has since developed quite a personality. That once tiny dog is no longer so tiny. In fact, her vet thinks she could lose a couple pounds, and Lyddie is not happy with her diet.

Lyddie is a great source of humor. Shortly after getting her home, we noticed she had a lot of odd but amusing behaviors. She wraps herself in a ball under a blanket, and requires no assistance from us. Once she sticks her head under the blanket, she uses her mouth and paws to wrap herself up. We also discovered that she bites her back toe nails. Although we don't allow it, we know she continues to do it while in her kennel. Her toe nails never require clipping. Lyddie is a garbage thief, and has even managed to tip over the large, kitchen garbage can. Our little thief has managed to steal unsupervised food off the coffee table on several occasions. Lyddie does whatever it takes to get an extra morsel of food. We joke that she is our little Dirt Devil, because she vacuums up all the crumbs. She jumps like she has springs on her feet, and hops around like a little clown. For all these reasons we love her.

Lyddie has also brought companionship to our 13 year old min pin/rat terrier, Wylee. Wylee is blind from diabetes, and was in need of a new buddy to fill in for his brother Tas (who died from Cushing's Disease a couple years ago ). It wasn't love at first sight, but they have bonded well. The two of them are together during the day while Chris and I are gone. They lie next to each other on the couch, and on occasion share the same bed pillow. Lyddie even gets to play tug-o-war with the rope bone against Wylee once in awhile. Needless to say, she has the advantage of sight, but Wylee still puts up a good fight. What I find most touching is the time they spend sitting at the top of the steps together. When Tas was alive, he and Wylee sat there together all the time. Now Lyddie can be found perched there with Wylee, and they are adorable together.

These days Lyddie loves to lounge around the house. Her favorite spot is lying on Daddy's chest and napping. Her fenced yard is where she does her wild sprints, and basks in the sun. She likes to chew her rope bones, and play with her toys. Homeward Bound's description of her as the "red shadow" still holds true. She puts on a lot of miles just following us around the house.

I hope Lyddie's story will encourage those looking for a pet to adopt from Homeward Bound. Homeward Bound brought Lyddie to Minnesota from Kentucky. If they hadn't, we wouldn't have the pleasure of being her family. We feel very lucky and honored to call her ours, and will adopt from Homeward Bound again.

Sincerely,
Amy Coffin

TOBY (formerly known as Squirt)
Hi Homeward Bound, It's me Toby. You might remember me as Squirt (beagle-doxie mix). My mom adopted me in May 2007. I wasn't the first dog she looked at, but I'm the one that won her heart. Just wanted you to know that I'm happy, safe and pretty much spoiled in my forever home. I get lots of love, play with fun toys, and go for walks. I even have a cat sister. We get along great!

I was quite smitten with my mom right from the start, so she didn't realize how afraid I'd be when meeting new people and dogs. She took me to obedience school to help boost my confidence. We both learned lots of interesting things. We're still working on my social skills and I'm doing better every day. She also didn't know how goofy I could be. I can really make her laugh. I'm pretty sure she's happy too.

My favorite thing is playing squeaky ball. Imagine my surprise when I learned that if I drop it next to my mom, she'll throw it again and again and again. And when we're done, I'm always ready for a good belly rub ...ahh. And oh how I love to jump -- jump for treats, jump when mom comes home, jump when the doorbell rings -- just jump! I can also tell you I tried puppy agility class. There was lots of jumping going on there. But life isn't all about play. Sometimes it's about QST (quality snuggle time). My mom says I'm the best little snuggler she's ever had. Who knew?

Someone told me that I'm "oozing with happiness." Thank you Homeward Bound for rescuing me. I now know how great life can be!

Toby
(Beverly Anderson)
Woodbury, Minnesota

LILO (formerly known as Molly/Dollar)
Hello, we just wanted to send an update on Lilo (formerly Molly and Dollar when she was in rescue/foster). She is doing fabulously with us in Coon Rapids. She's the quietest beagle we've ever met (which is nice since we have a townhouse) and she loves nothing more than to be comfortable. If she can sleep on the couch, great. If she can sleep on the couch, a pillow, and a blanket, even better. She also loves car rides and cheese. What she does NOT like, though, is her kennel. She can move it about 10 feet while she's in it. In august she had to have a minor surgery to remove a cyst, but she's fine now. Attached are some pictures of her doing what she does best (holding the couch down), doing homework with Adam, having a staring contest, and hanging out with her buddy Tucker the mini schnauzer. We just want to say thanks for letting us adopt her, we can't imagine not having her now!

-Rachel Heebl and Adam Grise

GINNY (formerly known as Virginia)
We adopted our beagle Virginia (now known as Ginny) in August 2006. She has been a wonderful addition to our family and we can't imagine life without her. Ginny's gentle and affectionate personality has made her a neighborhood celebrity, with some neighbors leaving their house just to say hello to her. She never barks and loves nothing more than hanging out with her people. We now have toddler twins, and Ginny is sweet and careful with them, and they love to watch her as she trots around the house. Since the arrival of our babies, we've been sure to give Ginny heaps of attention and fun so she knows she's still a beloved part of our family. We appreciate HB's recommendation of crating. For the first 3 months, we crated Ginny whenever we left the house, and we were gradually able to reduce her crate time. She's had free run of the house for a long time now, but the months of crating helped her to adjust to her new life and minimized accidents. We've had many happy trips to Iowa and the U.P. of Michigan with her, and she's adored by the entire family. Thank you, HB, for all that you do for dogs. Our Ginny would've been euthanized in Kentucky if it weren't for you!

-Pam & Will

TAYLOR (formerly known as Tex)
Thought it would be fun to drop you a line about Tex/Taylor. He has to be the best addition to my household. He has accumulated to the house extremely well with no accidents(major plus). He loves running around the back yard with his 2 best friends a tennis ball and Jackson. He has also solved my rabbit and squirrel problem, I have not seen one in weeks. Our daily walks have done my fat butt some good to. We started him off with a gentle leader and how he heels extremely well. Probably will not be to long before we will be using just a regular collar.

Please express my thanks to his foster Mother I did not get a chance to on the day of the adoption and I have regretted ever since.

Thank you again,
Taylor's dad
John Penz

CALIN (formerly known as Hope)
Calin (formerly known as Hope). The day we went to the homeward bound adoption event we were still saddened by the loss of our first homeward bound dog, our sweet Ana. We weren't sure we even ready for a new member to join our family yet. We greeted and walked many dogs and a puppy. We all had different ideas for the kind of dog we wanted so it didn't seem like we would be adopting. We were just about ready to go home, when; we were told that one of the foster "moms" thought she had the perfect dog for us. One we hadn't seen yet. At first all we saw was a furry little dog, afraid and with her tail between her legs. She had a hard time looking at anyone face to face, but as soon as anyone of us would crouch down, she would come right up to soak in some love. She had the softest fur (like silk) and had a sweet adorable face. We ALL agreed we were going to invite her to be part of our family. Calin has been with us for two and a half months and though that may not seem like long, she fits right in. She has gained so much confidence and is so friendly, she can't help but greet every person and animal she meets. She is such a cuddle bug (her name is very fitting considering it is a Celtic name meaning cuddly) and at times thinks she is a 30 lb lap dog. She is happy to lay by the side of anyone that will let her. She displays her tail, proudly curled up and wagging all the time. When she plays, she plays hard. When she rests, it's even harder than she plays. Everyone that meets her tells us how beautiful and sweet she is. Of course, we already know that but are happy to hear it anyway. We LOVE her! We are so grateful to Homeward Bound for the rescues that occur week after week, bringing families together with pets that need one. Thank you! We also want to give an extra THANKS to Calin's foster family. They took such good care of her and loved her like their own.

Thanks again from the whole family,
Scott, Beth, Kim, John and Calin

CHIEN (formerly known as Nadia)
Just want to let you know I found a good home and I'm being spoiled rotten. I have a lake just for me, sometimes there are geese and pelicans or people out fishing but I can go swimming anytime. I play fetch and tug of war with my family and sometimes we just hang out. Yesterday we went down to the reserve; you wouldn't believe how much fun it was running free through the tall grass. I bounced just like Tigger just to keep track of my masters and the smells were delicious. It was good to com e home cause I was tired and thirsty. There aren't any kids at my house but there are grandchildren who come to visit and play with me and there is a dog next door but she can't come over to my house to play and I'm okay with that. Tell everyone to hang in there and they will find a good home the same as me.

-Chien (the dog)

SAMMIE
Hello! I adopted Sammie on 2/14/03 when he was 9 weeks old. He was my valentines day present to myself and he truly is a gift. Sammie is now 4 years old, very happy and very spoiled. Thank you for everything you do.

MAGGI (formerly known as Dreamsicle)
When I first saw Maggi (formerly known as Dreamsicle) at a petco adoption day in February, she was sleeping in her crate amidst all the madness. There were people everywhere I couldn't believe she was sleeping!! We woke her up and took her for a little walk, she was such a good girl she melted our hearts, there was no way she wasn't coming home. A few days later she wouldn't eat and didn't want to play or go for a walk, so we went to the vet and it turned out she had pneumonia. So we bought her some med's and within two weeks, she was a ball of energy!!! All she wanted was to play and walk and play and walk some more. We even went to an ice fishing contest about three weeks after she came into our lives, she thought it was soooo much fun eating the minnows left on the ice. She found a fish about 8 inches long and was struttin' her stuff across the ice with it hanging out the sides of her mouth. I didn't want to let her eat it (incase it made her tummy upset) so I put it in an open ice hole, as it sank to the bottom she stuck her whole head into the freezing cold water trying to get it back, it was so cute!!! Since then we have attended obedience classes (she was the best in her class!!) and were trying to decide between agility or herding classes at this point. Maggi loves to go walking, rollerblading, biking, boating, fishing, horseback riding (or following me on trail rides), going on car rides, or just sitting in the front yard watching the cars go by. She is great with all of the daycare kids (my parents run a in-home daycare) who love her to death, and she knows when she gets to go to grandma and grandpa's house!!! She even has her own pool, and sometimes she gets a few leftover fishing minnows which she loves to fish out. Maggi is a great dog and we all love her very much, thank you all for the great work that you do placing animals into good, loving homes. I'm in vet school and we tend to see alot of sorry looking animals and it makes me sad to think that Maggi could possibly have been one of them. Your work is very important, THANK YOU!!

Sincerely,
Alicia T
aka Maggi's mom

SCOOBA
From the day we brought Scooba home with us, I knew he was going to be a great pet. He seemed to adjust to us so fast. He explored our house and within hours it seemed like he had lived there all his life. He is such a sweet, cuddly dog, which can be a small problem when an 85 pound black lab wants to sleep in bed with you, but we make room for him. He listens to everything we tell him, for the most part, and is an absolute joy to have around. If someone would stay outside and play fetch with him with his orange retrieving toy, he would be out there all day. We can leave him uncrated if we leave the house, and the only things that he plays with are his toys. He is the most wonderful dog I could have ever dreamed of having. He very rarely barks, and if he does it is just one or two deep barks and he stops. How he ended up in foster care for as long as he did amazes me. A lot of people bypassed a great dog, but I am so happy that we found him. Now that he his here, I could not imagine life without this amazing dog.

CHANCE (formerly known as Amor)
We adopted Amor in January 2007 and we can say it didn't take him long to get "comfortable" at home! We named him Chance, as in the movie Homeward Bound and we saw it fitting that he has another "chance" at a good home. He is in a deep sleep in this picture and enjoying his retirement at our lake home outside of Wyoming MN. Chance is the most mellow and well behaved dog. We originally came in to get my mother a dog, but as soon as I read Amor's story online, I knew he was the perfect fit for us! I had been without a dog for a year and didn't like the quietness without four paws to greet me when I came home. We also have acquired a family dog that is mostly deaf, he is an older Brittney Spaniel that has become best buds with Chance and together they play all the time outside. Chance is not much for going in the water because he appears to have had a lifetime of ear trouble, but he definitely has fun outside and stays really close to us. We have added a grandchild this past year, and Chance is the best babysitter! He doesn't like to hear the baby fuss; and when he does, he just comes to sit by the baby and make sure he is ok. The dogs love going for car rides, boat rides, sleeping on our bed when we're not home, and chasing each other through the house. Thanks so much for creating such a great atmosphere for these animals before being adopted. We have never been ones to kennel our dogs, so it was nice that they were house broken and we can say that we have never even once had an accident in the house from Chance. He doesn't chew on anything or make messes; he just wants to be loved and of course, beg for an occasional snack. I know that it sounded like Chance was at the shelter for several months because most people wanted to adopt a younger dog, and Chance was in the senior category. I personally didn't have the energy and time to start over with a puppy, so I am so glad that you had an older, well-trained dog that fit my schedule and energy level!

Best of luck this year as well finding great homes for wonderful animals! You all do such a terrific job and provide endless time doing something that means so much to you! The rest of us animal lovers want to thank you all! We hope this reaches the family that took care of Amor before we welcomed him into our home; and let them know how much he is loved and what a great life he has looking out onto the lake each morning he wakes up (on the couch, might I add). Yep, he's spoiled!

-Pete and Sarah

BUSTER (formerly known as Pooh Bear)
Hi! Given that my 6 month anniversary with Buster (formerly known as Pooh Bear) is next week, I thought it might be a nice time to give you an update on how he's doing. He had some pretty bad hot spots all down his back when I first adopted him, and we really formed a strong bond from the time I spent soaking & cleaning them. Even though he would flinch when I was cleaning them, at the end of each cleaning session, he would just lick my hands to say thanks. He healed up quite nicely, though he has some scars on his back where the fur won't re-grow, so now I have to remember sunscreen for both of us next summer! Other than a small fiasco after Thanksgiving that involved him finding and eating enough dark chocolate to warrant a night in the emergency room, (I guess that was his mischievous side that was mentioned in his description), things have been wonderful! He never barks, is well-behaved at home while I'm at work and he has free reign of the house, and he's only had accidents when he's had tummy problems.

Buster is every bit as sweet and loving as his description led me to believe. He's more attentive to people talking more than other dog I've ever known... he just tilts his head back and forth and makes you feel like completely heard. I also often get complements on how well-behaved he is--we took an obedience class in the fall he was the star pupil! (I must admit, the fact that he had a good 5+ years in age over the other dogs in the class probably had something to do with why he was so good at the attention exercises.) Most of the time we enjoy sitting at home and cuddling or playing fetch with squeaky toys, although he also loves to go for walks by Lake of the Isles and to the dog park. Now that it's cold out he wears a very cute jacket when we walk, and although his feet get cold in the snow and sub-zero temps, he refuses to walk if I put booties on him. After all, as a Lhasa, he needs to maintain some dignity!

All in all, things couldn't be going any better and I can't imagine my life without him. Every day I think about how perfectly matched we are in terms of temperament. Thanks so much for rescuing him and making it so easy for me to move 1100 miles (from MD to MN) and adopt a dog about whom I'd been reading & emailing all in the same week!

:) Jess Stahl

BIRDIE (formerly known as Candy Corn)
Dear Homeward Bound,

Thank you so much for everything you do. We adopted our beautiful English Setter, Birdie (formerly known as Candy Corn), through your site a little over a year ago. She has come such a long way since we brought her home last January! She had only been in foster care a few days when we met her, and was still recovering from being spayed, was 10 pounds underweight, suffering from kennel cough and worms, and had never been house-trained. She had also just been brought to MN from Kentucky where she was picked up as a stray, so her coat was terribly thin and straggly. This being my husband's first dog, he thought I was nuts when I fell for a dirty, sick dog with big brown eyes! She's in glowing health these days, and gained 15 pounds of muscle from helping Brian train for the Twin Cities Marathon this past summer. She is so eager to please us, and training her was a snap. Her tail never stops (we call it "The Helicopter") and people stop us all the time to tell us how gorgeous she is. Even my mother-in-law, not at all a fan of house dogs, loves her and sneaks her treats when she thinks we aren't looking.

I also have to tell you about Birdie's Lassie moment this summer. We were helping some friends of ours move into a new home, and their 1 year old daughter escaped attention for a few minutes and started climbing the stairs to the second floor. Birdie started huffing at me and running back and forth from the stairs to the kitchen, trying to get our attention. When I walked over to see what she was so excited about, I found her on the stairs, standing behind our friends' daughter and blocking her from slipping backwards down the stairs. Our friends think we really "won the dog lottery" when we adopted her!

We could not have dreamed of a more loyal and loveable dog, and we feel so lucky to have stumbled onto your organization. Thanks so much for everything you do for these animals, and thank you to the foster families who give them so much love and kindness! When it comes time for us to adopt again, we'll definitely be coming to you first.

-Meghan and Brian Kazmierczak