Day at the Ranch

Our event with Zuma Ranch was awesome! So many people, dogs & barnyard animals.

Thanks for hosting us, Zuma Ranch and keep up the great work with all of your beautiful horses!

Update #3: February Food Drive

Keelah says " FEED ME!!"


You have 9 days left to participate in the BDHPI February Food Drive!

To date, $1,080 has been donated which will feed 31 dogs this month! THANK YOU!

Our goal is to garner up another 69 bags! Will you donate $34.50 and help dogs like Keelah?

To donate: Go to www.bigdogshugepaws.com, click on Donate and complete the information. When it takes you to Paypal you will be able to "Add Comments" where you can note your donation is for the food drive!

Update on Zada

Years ago Bree & Lindsay met a wonderful couple, Susan and Michael, who have a special place in their hearts for Great Danes. They also like to take on the special need cases and seniors, which makes us love them even more! They will do anything for their dogs and give them wonderful lives for how ever much time they have left.

When their lost one of their special needs Danes, Gracie, they came to BDHPI looking for a senior and found Zada. We were so thrilled when they chose Zada and we knew she would be in wonderful hands with them.

This weekend they shared this darling picture of Zada with us and also shared the sad news that she has been diagnosed with Cancer. We know they will give her great care and tell us that Zada is doing great so far!

We pray Zada puts up a great fight against this ugly disease and continues to bring Susan and Michael the joy that we know she does!

BDHPI Event this weekend in Littleton, CO!

Join us THIS SATURDAY for A Day at the Ranch: a A Canine-Equine Rescue Event!

ABOUT THE EVENT: “It's going to be a lot of fun with lots of human and canine activities and dogs of all sizes are invited to attend this fun, family-oriented event co-hosted by Zuma's Rescue Ranch and Big Dogs Huge Paws!”

Join Big Dogs Huge Paws and Zuma's Rescue Ranch on Saturday, February 19, 2011 from 11am - 3pm, where both canine and equine adoptable gentle giants will be in attendance! *** We'll have full "rein" of the indoor arena and there an outdoor play place for your pups, there will be a lot to do and and Zuma's staff and volunteers will be on site to give tours, introduce guests to equines and answer questions. See you THIS SATURDAY for A Day at the Ranch!

WHEN: Saturday, February 19th from 11am - 3pm

WHERE: Zuma's Rescue Ranch is located at 7745 N. Moore Road in Littleton, CO at the American Sport Horse Stables.

"A DAY AT THE RANCH" INCLUDES...:

* Indoor/outdoor off leash area (all dogs off leash must be spayed/neutered and current on vaccinations)
* Bake sale (human and canine treats will be available)
* Clay Paw Print Station
* Petting zoo!
* Pony rides!!
* Training and agility!
* Food and fun!!

Questions about "A Day at the Ranch?" Please feel free to contact Heather W at heatherw@bigdogshugepaws.com. We're looking forward to a great day at the ranch, and we're looking forward to seeing you there!

February Food Drive-Update #2

24 bags have been purchased in the first two weeks of February! That is $828 you kind souls have donated.

We still have a long way to go- $2672 left to go, 77 dogs that still need a food sponsor.

I told my hubby to skip the roses this year and to donate $34.50 instead! Will you?

Week 1: Food Drive Update

If you read this blog, you know that we spend over $3500 each month feeding the dogs in our foster program. In the first week of our February Food Drive, 16 of our foster dogs have been fed! We need 84 more bags to be donated...one bag at a time!

It's simple....

This Valentine's day, won't you consider skipping the:


and the:


and instead donate $34.50, the cost of 1 bag of dog food for this guy?




To donate: Go to www.bigdogshugepaws.com, click on "Donate". Try to remember when you get to PayPal to enter in the notes section it's for the food drive so we can track it and send you a special thank you!

BDHPI & TKO

BDHPI is thrilled to announce a new partnership between BDHPI and TKO and hope that many of you will want to get involved as well in our joint efforts and community outreach!

TKO's Mission

Through Tyler’s Kids Outreach (TKO), Tyler and Liz Polumbus strive to enrich the lives of children through family, faith and personal growth. Tyler is a homegrown success story of Denver, so starting his program here is that much more meaningful to him. From their own upbringing, both Liz and Tyler fully appreciate the importance of all three elements – family, faith and personal growth - in the healthy development of children. Moreover, Tyler realizes that through his program the children will enrich their lives as much as they will theirs. He sums it up best when he says, “’Growing Strong Together’ fits our program because this will be a growing process for everyone involved – Liz, the kids and I! We are very excited about TKO!

Entering his third year in the NFL and having a strong foundation of community work from working with the Broncos Community Relations department, Tyler feels ready to take the next step by starting his own program. To do so, he and Liz have created Tyler’s Kids Outreach (TKO, a program under the 501 (c)(3) umbrella of Athletes for Education which is a San Diego-based non-profit foundation. They have big plans for the first year of their program and for years to come. So watch out Denver…here comes TKO! We’re going to Knock you Out in 2011!

You can read more about TKO on their website: www.tylerskidsoutreach.org.

Big Dogs Huge Paws Mission

Big Dogs Huge Paws is a 501c3, non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming giant breed dogs in need. We work primarily with Great Danes, Great Pyrenees, Newfoundlands, Saint Bernards, Mastiffs (All Types), Irish Wolfhounds, and Scottish Deerhounds and our core philosophy is that “Every BIG dog deserves a chance!”

Community outreach and educating society about the breeds that we work with and the importance of rescue are both top priorities for our organization. One of our long-term goals has always been to start a therapy program to use our gentle giants to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, and people with learning difficulties. Many of the giant breeds that we work with tend to be great candidates for therapy work which requires a dog who is friendly, patient, confident, gentle and at ease in all situations.

How Can TKO and BDHPI Work Together?
Children, especially those who are abused or neglected, are able to communicate with animals. A pet offers a safe place for a child with emotional problems. They give unconditional love, providing a security blanket. A dog can be the bond that glues a family together when upheaval, such as moving, death or divorce, or illness occurs. Often, an animal can reach a child beyond an adult's touch.

Mary Kelly, a child-life specialist at Children's Hospital in Oakland, CA (USA), coordinates pet therapy sessions twice a month and is amazed at the incredible connections that occur. "We've had very dramatic visits where a dog brought a child who has not spoken for months out of depression," she states. "Most kids can relate to animals, so seeing and touching the pets brings them a sense of normalcy."

*TKO and BDHPI share a common goal which is to help children grow and we believe that our organizations can make an even greater impact on the lives of children together!

How Can You Get Involved?

Do you live near the Denver, CO and have a Giant Breed dog that is already certified to do Therapy work? If so, please contact Lindsay to find out more about our first event at Children's Hospital which will be held later this month! Lindsay@bigdogshugepaws.com

Are you interested in getting your dog certified to do Therapy work in the future? If so, please contact Lindsay to be a part of our very first Therapy Dog training program. Lindsay@bigdogshugepaws.com

Get involved today and make a difference!

Update on Mont the DDB

Mont and Keela make a great pair. She is bossy and likes to have all the attention. He is laid back but will let us know when he wants something. He makes a cute little grunting sound and will give a play bow when he wants to go outside. When they play together Monty will turn circles like a bucking bronco and push her away with his back end.

He has completed his 1st obedience course at Petco and Dennis reports he is a chic magnet! He is true to his breed in that he takes guarding the house very seriously. I'm seeing some reactive, fear aggression in walks around the neighborhood and am in the process of developing a behavior program for him. Have bought quite a few books from the Dogwise website including the new one by Pat Miller titled "Do Over Dogs" which has information for people who are starting with adult dogs.

Monty has been going to doggy daycare about 1 time a week and plays the whole day long. Most mornings we go for an hour long run in the high desert before work and one of us comes home at lunch to let them out. We are thinking of installing a doggy door. We did not realize how much we missed having a mastiff around the house. The sound of his snoring is comforting to us. He sounds like a little snorting piggy when he starts to sniff anything (can be mistaken for growling by some people.) Very cute. Loves cheese and will take any pill if there is cheese wrapped around it. He has grown a little taller and has filled out a bit, probably the cheese! Just can't thank you all enough for rescuing and fostering such a wonderful dog.

Best Regards,

Mary and Dennis

Food Drive Day 1: 11 Dogs have been fed

Day 1 of our food drive has yielded 11 bags of dog food! Thank you so much! Keep 'em, coming! 90 more dogs need someone to buy them a bag of food!

To participate, all you need to do is donate $34.50! Go to www.bigdogshugepaws.com and click on donate!

Seniors Rule! Introducing our Golden Rewards Club

Briar Rose has been waiting since June to be adopted!
Gertie has been waiting since July to be adopted!

We realize that it takes a special person to adopt a senior. We also realize asking these same people to continue to donate $350 at the time of adoption isn't fair either. So with that, in mind we have created a new club: Golden Rewards

If you've adopted a senior dog from BDHPI or are considering adopting one, we would like to invite you to take advantage of Golden Rewards Club benefits this February - all of our adoptable grey muzzled gentle giants who are at least 6 years young are available for adoption for a $250 donation (limited time only)! Applications must be submitted to Big Dogs Huge Paws and received by Monday, February 28th. Don't delay - complete an adoption application today!


Already a Golden Rewards Club member? If you've adopted a senior gentle giant from Big Dogs Huge Paws in the past, we have great news for you! Adopt a second senior for a Golden Rewards Club adoption donation of $200, and if it's your third senior dog adoption we are offering a special Golden Rewards Club reduced donation of only $150! Why wait?

There's a special senior hoping to be your valentine this February!

Molly has been waiting since July to be adopted!

BDHPI February Food Drive

Forget the $60 roses that will wilt and die in the in the coming weeks...

Forget the box of chocolates that are going to add unwanted inches to that waist...

Instead, will you join our February Food Drive?

For $34.50 you can feed 1 foster dog! For $34.50 you can help lessen the rescues monthly food bill of over $3500.

Every donor will receive a special thank you note and if you want to donate in honor of someone for Valentine's Day instead of buying those roses, please let me know and I will be sure to send a special note to them!

To join and receive special recognition, please go to www.bigdogshugepaws.com and click on "Donate". Make your donation of $34.50 and be sure when you get to the PayPal page to click on "Special Notes" to let us know you are donating for the Food Drive and if there are any special instructions for the recognition note.

If all else fails, email bree@bigdogshugepaws.com with the instructions!

Thank you!