Happy New Year from BDHPI

To all of our Volunteers, Adopting Families & Supporters of BDHPI,

2009 is quickly coming to a close and owe the incredible success of this rescue to all of you!

To date, we have adopted out approximately 360 dogs this year and have 15 that currently have pending adoptions! We cringe to think what would have happened to those dogs without our help.

When we first opened our doors, we only adopted to families within our region, and it quickly became evident that our message was reaching all over the US and even into Canada. We have been amazed at the lengths in which our adopting families have gone to adopt from our organization.

There seems to be no end in sight for all the dogs in need, and it pains us we can't help them all. We can only continue our work through your generous support, and thank you for all you have done so far!

2010 holds great things for BDHPI; Pucks & Paws with the Avalanche, Yappy Hours, 2nd Annual Run with the Big Dogs 5k and our 1st BDHPI Gala! We hope to see you there.

We've all chosen to speak on behalf of the dogs who cannot speak for themselves, and you should be incredibly proud of yourself.

Please have a safe and wonderful New Year's!

All our Best,

The Officers of BDHP:

Lindsay Condon, CEO

Bree Dew, COO

Greg Smith, CFO

Dr. Rand Winton, CMO

Why we do what we do!

Grab a tissue and watch this video...it will show you why organizations like BDHPI exist.

In this video, you will meet an adorable dog, Stanley. Stanley represents every dog we pull from a shelter. I think it is easy to forget that before our foster dogs find their ways to the loving homes of their wonderful foster families, this is their lives, this is their fate.

This video is why I foster, this video is why I help fundraise, this video is why I've slept on dog beds with sick foster dogs in fear they wouldn't make it through the night, this video is why I am am proud to be called a Volunteer!

We realize not everyone has extra time in their busy lives, but this video shows it only takes 1 person to do 1 thing to save a life! I hope it inspires you to make a difference, no effort is too small!

I am proud to introduce you to Stanley:

http://www.blip.tv/file/3014054

"The hard life" according to Hooch

The Morrow-Morris family quickly became what we jokingly call "Foster Failures", after fostering this adorable Neopolitan, Hooch. It was not long before he wormed his way into their hearts and found a forever spot on their couch!

Talk about adopting a dog to match your decor!

Scooby-Dog of the Week

We are always so thrilled to see the high rate in which we are able to our foster dogs their forever homes, but dogs like Scooby always make us a bit sad when they seem to stay in rescue a bit longer than other.

Scooby is an adorable, 6 year old, male, Great Pyrenees/Malamute mix with one blue and one brown eye. He is really adorable! Scooby is a really great dog- he loves other people & animals, knows all of his commands and is a perfect gentleman on the leash! Like a Malamute, he is very smart and does need plenty of exercise, both mental & physical! He has the makings of a great hiking partner! If you're an active person, this could be the boy for you!

Pretty Roxi

Some of you may remember the puppies, Hotai & Buddha who came into rescue with horrible mange. We were all horrified when we first saw the pictures of their hairless, itchy & bleeding faces!

Both have since recovered from their mange, and Hotai was adopted by our very own BDHPI Volunteer, Lisa and her husband Corey. Roxi, as she is now known, has big a brother that she adores, Boris the Boxer!

Without organizations like BDHPI, Roxi and Buddha would have been euthanized at the local shelter due to teh cost of treating mange. We are so glad we were able to step in and save these gorgeous pups!

On a sidenote, Budda is still waiting for his forever home! Check him out here:

http://www.bigdogshugepaws.com/adoption/available-dogs/budda-great-pyreneesgerman-shepherd-mix-puppy

BDHPI Alums enjoying winter!

Here are some pictures of former BDHPI's dogs enjoying the Winter 2009

Cassie

Lola, formerly known as Holly

Baxter the Saint

Riley (formerly Agness) Update

Riley has been such a joy and a wonderful addition to the family! I cannot tell you how lucky I am to have her. She has quite the personality and get tons of love by all and, of course, is a spoiled princess

Dog of the Week- Brandy the Neo

This silly girl has been in rescue since June 2009- why, you ask? We have no idea why! She is wonderful! While no dog is perfect, she has pretty great qualities- she loves dogs, cats and kids. She is housetrained and knows her commands. Neo's can be a tough breed, but not our little Brandy, she is as silly and as sweet as they come.

If you are looking to adopt, we ask that you scroll to the very bottom of our "Available Dog" page- great dogs are still lingering down there. 6 months is far too long to find a forever family in our humble opinion!

We have high hopes for Brandy in 2010; our greatest being that she finally gets her own new last name!

Update on Dudley

Update from Dudley's Family:

Dudley is doing great! He enjoys his walks, especially walking by our neighbors that have horses. Something is actually bigger than him. He likes going for car rides, but falls asleep every time. He has found that chasing rabbits is fun, but catching them probably won't ever happen. He likes Harley and gives her kiss every day. Unfortunately, his kisses seem more like a bath to her but she doesn't seem to mind. But most of all.....He LOVES Roxy (our Rottweiler). They are inseparable! They do everything and I mean everything together. He never leaves her side. They sleep, eat, and play together side by side. They play non stop. If you remember the tire, well they will play until they are both so tired they are laying on the floor with the tire in each of their mouths. He is so sweet and well behaved. We couldn't have had a better match of a dog for us!

Thank You!

'I rescued"

This is a touching video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qZ5AMiBHtI

Part Elf?

A few posts ago I introduced you to our Cane Corso/Reindeer mix, now I have the pleasure of introducing you to our English Mastiff/Santa Elf mix. Who knew BDHPI had such breeds.

Here is Sutter, adopted by our very own CMO, Dr Winton. Doesn't she look thrilled?

Tramp & Mosse Kangas- both adopted from BDHPI

Hi:)

Just wanted to let you know both boys are doing well. They are both all puppy and pretty destructive lately so they are lucky they are loved. Moose has discovered that sippy cups have milk inside and think they are a FABULOUS chew toy, who needs stuffed Kongs, lol.

We had a rare snowfall here and I was hard pressed to get Moose in the house at all. That dog LOVES snow. I almost feel bad we moved him to New Mexico. Maybe the Air Force will send us back to Alaska, it would be heaven to Moose, silly boy!

Tramp is doing well, while he has the heart of a big dog, I'm pretty sure he's going to not be any bigger than a lab. We are getting ready to take him to his 2nd set of obedience classes. He has mastered sit and come, but doesn't seem to get down so maybe round 2 will help.We are really enjoying both puppies although I am looking forward to less chewing:)

They are about as polar opposite as you can get in personalities but compliment each other nicely. Moose is so mellow, and Tramp is rowdy. But man can the 2 of them together find the trouble:) but they really do keep each other company which is what we were aiming for. Moose is about the best guard dog a girl could want(with another deployment around the corner this is a HUGE comfort) and Tramp is a huge snuggle buddy!

Thanks again for everything ya'll do for Big dogs!

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season at BDHP's The Kangas Family

Brittle, anyone?

Have you bought your brittle yet?

www.bigdogshugepaws.com

Part Reindeer?

Cooper, formerly known as Barney, was a Cane Corso when he left BDHPI, little did we know he is also part Reindeer.

Burrrr

Here in Colorado we are setting records low temps! When I drove home from work the other night it was a mere 6 degrees.

This is how I found Dot (Mama) and our boy, Deacon..clearly Dottie's nose was cold!!

Do you live in CO? Get your dog food from BDHPI!

Big Dogs Huge Paws has teamed up with PFX Pet Supply in order to supply volunteers, adopting families, and the general public high quality, super premium dog and cat food as a Fundraiser for our organization!

Here is a list of the Brands we will be offering with links to their website for more information about their products:
Natural Balance (http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/)
Nature’s Variety (http://www.naturesvariety.com/)
Merrick (http://www.merrickpetcare.com/)
Fromm Family (http://www.frommfamily.com/)
Old Mother Hubbard (http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com/)
Wellness (http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/)
Precise (http://www.precisepet.com/)
Eagle Pack (http://www.eaglepack.com/)
Blue Buffalo (http://www.bluebuff.com/)
In addition, we will also be offering Greenies Treats, Pill Pockets, and Biscuits (http://www.greenies.com/en_US/default.aspx).

*ALL PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT THE GENTLE GIANTS AT BIG DOGS HUGE PAWS RESCUE, A 501c3 CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION!!!

You DO NOT have to be a volunteer to participate in our Dog Food Program - Support Animal Rescue by ordering food through our organization and your purchase will go directly to charity!

Please pass this special offer on to any and all animal lovers you may know - we will be happy to provide pricing and further information to anyone interested.

Please keep in mind that we will be ordering ONCE A MONTH, so plan accordingly.Since there are a lot of brands available, please let me know if you need recommendations. You really can't go wrong because almost all of the brands listed above were selected for the Whole Dog Journal's 2008 Approved Dry Dog Foods List.

Here are a few comments: If your dog suffers from allergies, Natural Balance makes some wonderful hypo-allergenic formula options. Merrick is most well-known for their wonderful canned food options. Old Mother Hubbard makes Wellness products. Natural Planet has an organic formula. As far as the most bang for your buck, Precise is a wonderful option and they sell 44 lb bags. They are a relatively new company who has done no advertising, so their name isn't as recognizable as some of the others, but they have high quality food at an affordable price. We will be feeding all foster dogs the Precise Canine Foundation Adult Formula.

If you are interested in learning more about the pricing, please email lisac@bigdogshugepaws.com.

More pics from the BDHPI Holiday Party

back: Greg Smith (CFO), Claire Whitlock Skinner (Fundraising Director), Bree Dew (COO), Lindsay Condon (CEO) front: Dr Rand Winton (CMO) & Marie Silverstein (Medical Director)

Liz Buckley receiving a Certification of Appreciation for all of her contributions to BDHPI!

Some of our wonderful volunteers: Sherwood & Cindy Elkind, Sabrina Flemming, Susan Nichols & Colin Condon

Why every giant breed owner needs Pet Insurance!

Update for Dusty (one of Jazmine's puppies)

Dusty is a wonderful dog! We had quite a start with him, and I have wanted to write and thank everyone at BDHP for the 30-day gift of Pet insurance: When we had had him a very short time, he escaped into the horse stall and was stepped on and broke his little leg! We had to have our vets at Pet Kare Clinic change the cast on it weekly until it was entirely healed. He has grown into a fine, handsome and thoroughly healthy dog. And the best news is that I did submit a claim to ShelterCare which paid for almost everything!

Holiday Cheer

BDHPI hosted our local CO Holiday Part this past Saturday!

We shared dinner with great friends, watched a slide show that documented many of the dogs we saved, and had a small ceremony where we recognized the Offiers, Directors and Volunteers!


More pictures to follow.

Decorating Mastiff style

We (The Dews) put up our Xmas tree today. We did not get too far into the project when Dot (aka Mama) decided she would like to help. She helped by laying in the lights, stretching and catching our legs as we tried to step over her!

Tails

Sometimes I come across a newly posted dog and I laugh outloud...this is one of those times.

Meet Tails the GD mix.

What do you get when you mix...

A + B

=

Sponsor a Foster Dog for the Holidays!

Our annual "Sponsor a Foster Dog" is coming...if you are on our mailing list you will receive the announcement. If you are not on our mailing list, please email me bree@bigdogshugepaws.com and I will get you added.

We've had, and continue to have, a lot of medical cases that quickly empty our rescue bank accounts! We need your help to refill them so we can carry on with our work.

Won't you consider sponsoring one of our Gentle Giants in need?

Poor meeeeee

Bella, known as Alice while in rescue, wants your sympathy and she wants it now!

BIG Brother

Zack ( formerly known as Jason) has a new BIG brother in Cooper the brindle Mastiff! We hear Cooper is a wonderful brother and shares his favorite toys!

We love happy endings!

3 of a Kind

Admiral ( BDHPI alum) , Akaya, and Pluto (BDHPI alum)

We have a family in NY with Newfie fever! They've adopted two from us!

Who, Me?

"Oh, am I not supposed to be in the nice leather chair that is two sizes to small for me?"

Denver Nuggets

Our night with the Nuggets was a ton of fun! We have quite a few volunteers show up with their own personal dogs and foster dogs and helped us work the pre-game crowd.

We sold 110 tickets for a $550 donation to the rescue! We also got a few prospective families as well!

Thanks Denver Nuggets!

Early Xmas Gifts!

These guys aren't cute at all, are they?

Congrats to the lucky families who get their new addition in early December!

My Thanksgiving List

Thanksgiving List by a BDHPI foster dog

1. I am thankful for the family who saw me tied outside with no shelter from the snow and called Animal Control. I am thankful for the wonderful shelter staff who called BDHPI to see if they had room for what my previous family considered a "throw a way dog"

2. I am thankful for the BDHPI volunteer who got up at 5am and drove 7 hours to pick me. She offered me reassurance and kind words as she loaded me into the van, and than turned right around and drove another 7 hours home.

3. I am thankful for the party that was thrown for my arrival- they took my picture, gave me a new collar, called my name over and over again, and marveled at how gorgeous I am. Noone had ever told me that before! Iam even thankful for the stuff Dr Winton put up my nose!

4. I am thankful for the new people, who everyone calls foster parents, who brought me to their home- they gave me my space and than offered up love when I asked for it that first night. When they tucked me in for the night the pretty lady whispered "You're safe now." And I believed her... There are not enough "thank you's" in the world to ever express my gratitude to my foster family. You saved my life. I hope I will make yours better too.

5. I am thankful for the wonderful food & medical care I've been given. Iam thankful to all of the kind people who donate money in order to provide me with such good care.

6. I am thankful to all the volunteers of BDHPI who do so much behind the scenes work that us dogs never know about.

7. I am thankful to the volunteers who answer the hotline and email. You are the first set of people my new family will speak with, so thank you.

8. I am thankful to the volunteers who process the adoption applications, all the time doing it because they want to make sure they find me just the right home. I know you will never let me fall through the cracks.

9. I am thankful to the volunteers who do the Homechecks. I know you are making sure my new home is safe. I know you are making sure I will be loved and understood. I trust you.

10. Lastly, I am thankful to the group of people who decided to make their dreams come true by creating this rescue. You are changing lives. You should be so proud of yourselves.

Love,
The Past, Present & Future dogs of BDHPI

Where did you get that collar?

I get that question a lot- and the answer is FURRY BABY FASHIONS!!! (http://www.furrybabyfashions.com/)

Kari Bastyr found this great company, run by Julie King in NC, and turned us all onto it! Julie makes great collars, and the best part is that they are very reasonable..which we all know is not the case when buying XXL collars! She has them for every holiday, and if you don't see something you like, let her know and she will try to find it!

The best part is that we have all become "Internet friends" with Julie and she has become a great supporter of our cause and donates everytime we have an event!

I know the Wintons, Silversteins, Dews & Bastyrs could keep her busy all day long

Snow Dog

Here are pictures of the recently adopted Koda checking out his new mountain cabin.

What a lucky boy he is!

The love of a child

It's 5:15 in the Dew house- hours before any of us, human or dogs, would ever consider getting up on a Saturday! Our early am wakeup call is courtesy of our nephews- Jack who is 8 and Cooper who is 5.

I was in the middle of a wonderful snooze, when little Coop started whispering in my ear. He said, 'Auntie B, Pleaaaaassssseeee wake up! You have to come see Dot RIGHT now!!!!"- I flew out of bed thinking the worst...had she fallen? Had she passed away in her sleep?"

I could hear her snoring before I hit the family room, so I knew the later was not true, but couldn't figure out what was wrong. When I turned on the light, Coop had a huge smile on his face and I found Dot covered with his yellow security blanket. He said, " Aren't you proud of me? Dottie looked cold so I gave her my blankie and she loves it and me!"

So now, in hopes of the adults going back to sleep, the boys are settled in with cereal on the couch. Unbeknowst to deaf Dottie, who has yet to wake up during this whole fiasco, StarWars is on and the boys are cuddled in!

Denver Nuggets host BDHPI!!!! Please join us!

BIG DOGS HUGE PAWSNIGHT WITH THE DENVER NUGGETS

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 AT 7:00PM
CHICAGO BULLS VS. DENVER NUGGETS
DISCOUNTED TICKETS ONLY $25.00 EACH (REGULARLY $27.00)NO ADDITIONAL TAXES OR FEES$5.00

FROM EACH TICKET SOLD IS DONATED TO BDHP

ORDER ONLINE AT:http://www.pepsicenter.com/groups/nuggets/bigdogs or CALL APRIL WAKEFIELD AT 303-405-6188 * ORDER BY NOVEMBER 16 *

PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO JOIN US! GO NUGGETS!!

Update from Papi's Family

Update from Max's (formally Papi) forever family:

Max (a.k.a. Papi) is doing fantastic! He is a BIG boy now, topping the scales at 130 pounds, which is a dramatic improvement from 5 pounds at eight weeks old. He has taken over the alpha role in our pack, and is enjoying his life with our other Saints. He has claimed our two year old daughter as HIS human, and his favorite thing to do is play with her. He is such a lover and always willing to please, and has made all of our lives such fun.

I want to thank everyone at Big Dogs Huge Paws for all their efforts to find great homes for our giant friends. It really means a lot to me knowing that the dogs that come to you will find not only a great human friend, but someone who truly loves them.

Update from Boo's family

Boo was just a skinny, tiny little thing when she was in rescue. Here is an update from her family:

Hi Lindsay:

As promised, here are a few photos of Boo in various stages of fur re-growth, from August to September. The last 2 photos were taken up at our cabin. She loves the mountains and the snow. We walk on the trail behind our house everyday, and she is so good, she doesn't even need the leash on those walks. Her fur is getting very think and long in preparation for winter. We brush her regularly and she is just so soft and beautiful! We'll send a photo of her in the snow when we get some more (it has all melted).
Hope all is well!
Thanks,
Karen Gage and family.

Neumann the Model

Here is a darling picture of Neumann, formerly known as NuNu while in rescue! He is certainly a gorgeous boy!

Update from Rocky's family

Dear BDHPI,

Rocky is the light of our life!

When Rocky came to us, he had two bad knees. Dr. Stubbs and his staff took excellent care of Rocky! Although the healing process seemed long at times, it was well worth it. Rocky is full of love and life and DROOL of course.

He loves playing with his toys, gnawing on bones, curling up on his dog beds, chasing squirrels and chipmunks and we enjoys lots of walks! Rocky is all mountain dog and loves playing in (and eating) snow!

It is hard to believe it has been 6 months. We are so happy we found BDHPI and Rocky. We are all glad to have each other!

Vote for us! Help us win $10,000!!!

Can you even begin to imagine what $10,000 could do for the gentle giants in need! It would be a dream come true!

It's easy, please take 1 minute and vote for us!

In support of National Shelter Appreciation Week, the website Care2 Petition is giving away $10,000 to the rescue receiving the most votes for the favorite animal shelter!! Please, just take two minutes; go online to this website and vote for Big Dogs Huge Paws. Once you visit the site, you can find us by searching, "Aurora, CO"

http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/75427


On behalf of the Gentle Giants at Big Dogs Huge Paws – Thank you for taking the time to vote for us!

Update for Dizzy's family

Dear BDHPI,

Here are few pics of our happy new pup, Dizzy. She seems to have transitioned without too much stress (really she just seemed to be happy and comfortable from the start). Thanks for taking good care of her and for being so easy to talk to on the front end.

We love her!!!

Bob, Aleah, Cody, Kyle, Maya, Bodie (the dog), and Dylah (the cat)

Champ has crossed the Rainbow Bridge

Letter from Sam:

We were lucky enough to be honored with Boobooface's presence for a very short eight months. Boobooface came to BDHPI with the name Champ, which he never answered to, and with more health problems than any one dog shoud have. He had a rough life and it showed on his face and body, but that never affected the way he treated people!He loved being with people and other animals. He was wonderful and taught all who met him about forgiveness, compassion and love.

No matter where he was, at school, working with the Red Cross Kids, at the vet or just out and about, he made a difference in the people he met. HE was gentle with the Chihuahuas and accepting of all the other goofy animals in the house. Everyone loved him, he was hard not to love because he had a great big heart. I know that we are not the only ones missing him.

As an Apache I follow the belief that you must let them go so they can go on and be happy in their afterlife. AS long as we mourn we hold them to us because they stay to protect us, and if anyone would stay to make sure others are okay, it would be my Boobooface. As hard as it is to let go, Boobooface deserves it more than I can every explain! So we will let go, but never forget Boobooface or his lessons because we love him and he should be happy as he crosses the Rainbow Bridge!