why is she here ? we took her in when were notified about a mennonite breeder planning to shoot 13 small breed dogs, including her. where is she ? Violet is fostered near Exeter. She thrives with other dogs. Violet's foster mom has a hobby farm and Violet lives in the kennel - we would really like to see her get in to a home environment. her foster mom is selling the farm and home and we hope she can get a spot before going thru the chaos of a move. update from foster mom from 12-9-11 "Violet continues to enjoy playing in the yard with the other dogs as well as her walks with Jim. She likes to sit beside him on the couch to be brushed and petted. She will also come when called, sometimes even without using a treat as incentive. In the past she would stay just out of reach and it was necessary to go to her to put on her leash. She has definitely shown an increase in trust, but she is still somewhat suspicious of unfamiliar people. Although she prefers the company of dogs ,she is not the slightest bit aggressive or threatening and will readily allow brushing, ear cleaning, nail clipping, etc. I think Violet would do best in a calm, quiet, adult home and she would really enjoy the company of another dog. A fenced yard would be ideal as she loves to run around and around in the yard barking with delight. Although she generally goes out the doggy door to do her business, she will sometimes go inside if the door is locked. She needs a patient, confident owner that does not mind a dog that likes to 'speak' and is willing to work on housebreaking and help her with her trust issues". Oct 12th i saw Violet again and she is doing well - much less scared than she was on intake update from Violets foster mom - "I would like to report that Violet seems content and happy and has bonded quite well with my husband Jim since he was looking after her exclusively for a number of weeks. He takes her with him on long walks around the farm and she is quite trustworthy for him both on and off leash. When they walk in areas that she is not all that familiar with she stays right on his heels, not venturing out even a few feet and when they are out and about around the house and kennel she happily runs back and forth, always returning to his side. She does not chase cats or the geese and enjoys being brushed and given treats. She is still very suspicious of people she does not know and will not willingly come to them, but if she is approached she will sit or stand very still and allow herself to be petted, but she is not at all solicitous of general human attention and I honestly cannot see that happening any time soon, if ever. She does, however, jump up and down beside both of us when we go on walks and she gladly accepts and asks for treats during our walks. As always, she loves other dogs and if there are other dogs outside when we want to go for a walk, her first choice would be to stay and play with them.. I think she would bond very well with one or two people and absolutely love another doggy pal but she would probably do best in a quiet household with a regular routine to flourish and develop more confidence". Do you really love animals and have patience? If so this former puppy mill lady be looking for your help. We have had her since January of 2008. Violet is fostered in a hobby farm kennel near Exeter. though we have had her over 48 months to rehabilitate her - from the mennonite puppy mill she came from - she is still very scared in certain situations She is fine with dogs and cats. her foster mom notes the following on August 19, 2008 "Since being here, Viiolet has not bitten anyone or made any attempts to bite, even when clearly afraid. Her reaction to being approached is to run if possible or to freeze if not. She does not actually approach me for attention, but does sit quietly to have her leash and collar put on and to go for walks and will carefully approach out of curiostiy but is always ready to bolt if she thinks it might be necessary. She enjoys her walks and will trot along right by my side, tail wagging and happy, even jumping up on my leg, but if any move is made to reach down and touch her while we are walking instinct compels her to try to bolt and if she cannot she will cower and freeze She allows and I believe enjoys ear scratches, and petting as long as she has nowhere to run, but if the area is large she will run off rather than stay still. She is comfortable and happy with a regular routine, but is fearful of change..including new items in the kennel, definitely strange people, particularly men. She is not a particularly clean dog and although she will go outside if the door is open when she has to go she will not hesitate to soil in her sleeping area if she has to go and does not have outside access. She is also very vocal and enjoys running around in the yard barking non stop. She used to hide if she saw someone new. She does not do that now, instead she looks at them and barks incessantly, but will still run and hide if approached. Violet absolutely enjoys the company of all dogs and wants to run and play with them continuously. When in the company of other dogs she is joyful and lost in her own world and will not come in from the yard at all. If she is out by herself she will come in when called and will immediately go to her own kennel area where she feels safe, secure and comfortable. Violet needs a situation where there are minimal demands placed on her and where she will never have a voice raised in anger or frustration or any attempts made to catch her. Being chased and caught is her greatest fear. If the applicant is looking for a dog that will appreciate being cuddled and fussed over, a dog that will seek out human companionship or a dog that is a happy go lucky soul, Violet is not that dog.. She may come around somewhat but it will be a very slow process and she has to progress at her own pace. I have been told that it can take more than a year or two for a dog like this to fully trust anyone and some never do. She needs a stable constant routine, a place to call her own and a patient non demanding owner who does not expect quick progress or a major personality change in this dog. I do think it would be wonderful to get her into a home situation though, but that home must be dog savvy, quiet and understanding". and later that day she noted "She has made a bit of progress. Feeding is not an issue. It does not matter what is going on around her, when her food dish is put down she is right at it. There is also no problem putting on her leash, but I will not pursue her to do so. She knows that if she wants to go for a walk she must sit quietly and wait while I put on her leash and collar and she does that. She does seem to enjoy having people run around with her but I decided not to do that at all since it could reinforce running away from me. When playing with other dogs, there is the doggy version of chase, but that differs immensely from the way she plays with people. There is give and take in the doggy version, you chase me and I chase you, and there is frequent physical contact. With people she gets excited and enjoys having someone running around with her, but she does not reciprocate or make physical contact in the way she does with dogs. If she is out in the yard and does not want to come in when I call her, I simply close the door and try again later rather than chase her or force her to come in. I can medicate her ear, wash her face, brush her and pet her, and she does seem to enjoy it ...but... she is ever on alert to run if anything seems a bit suspicious, and she is definitely not totally trusting of me or anyone. Although a great deal of this behaviour must be the result of her past experience, the fact is that some pups are born fearful and suspicious and have a sensitive nervous system and I honestly believe Violet is one of those pups. Personalities in any given litter can range from shy and insecure, to bold and confrontational and the timid or suspicious pups need a different approach to socialization than the more outgoing pups in order to adjust properly to life as adults. If a shy pup is forced into a fearful situation without being allowed to assess it first, or if he/she is deprived of positive human contact and adequate socialization, that dog will always have serious issues. Even if properly socialized these types, unlike their more outgoing siblings, never fare as well in changing or active situations. I cannot see Violet ever being a big city, dog park dog..happily running about meeting and greeting, unfazed by traffic or kids or kites or any of the things often encountered in a dogs life. IMO she will do best in a quiet home and neighbourhood with another companion dog where few demands are ever placed on her. In time, she well may blossom in a situation like this to become the loving affectionate pet of one or two very special people, but she will never fully give over her trust to humans. Violet has been dealt a sensitve genetic makeup and a real unfortunate history. She must have someone that understands this and does not expect too much of her." When she was briefly in foster care in a home she liked sleeping with the people at night - but was so very scared mid morning into the night before bed *- that her foster home felt she would be better in more familiar surroundings so she is now back in a familiar setting but is now loved and cared for unlike when she lived at the puppy mill. *It appears she had not seen the light of day She was raised in a puppy mill and her mental state is the most pitiful we have ever had. Her foster mom in Goderich noted "Violet was great with Bailey and would sometimes play chase outside. With me too she would eventually play chase outside and run around which she seemed to really enjoy. When she remembered that she was afraid though playtime was over. I really had to try to get her to play and weird enough "chase" was what she liked. Inside though she wasn't into playing at all. She was only comfortable when we weren't moving around. To get her to eat we almost had to be completely still, and we couldn't leave food out all day or Bailey (or the cats) would eat it! The only time she would come near was the odd evening watching tv she may come up on the couch, but every night she would sleep on the bed and cuddle and let me pet her. Strange. Come morning she couldn't be touched again. She did love a walk although putting her leash on was a huge issue. That's when she ran away and peed and pooped in fear. We tried different methods of getting her leash on and maybe made a bit of progress before the vet visit. The only issue on walk is to never drop her leash and that there can be some things/sounds she gets afraid of due to not ever seeing or hearing them before due to her former life kept in a barn or wherever that dreadful place was. . As we all know she hates car rides. Really fears them, back to her pee and pooping. She never bit or made any move to bite, which for such a fearful dog is amazing. She was fine with the 5 cats and I think is used to having animals around so would benefit from a friend. She will need patience and time, as it can often get frustrating when she is so sweet at night and then reverts back to being scared during the day. She has potential in the right home where she can have the time to trust and gain confidence. It is so sad that it is by the acts of people alone, the first years of this poor girls life have been lived in trauma, fear and distrust". It is absolutely sickening that anyone would ever buy pups from mills, or pet stores supplied by mills. This makes them breed more and makes the remaining pets suffer more. She is as she is because she was a mill dog for 18 months. Her ideal home is a place where she can take the time to adjust without being pressured. If there were a doggy door - she would love to be able to go out into a fenced yard. we were emailed January 7th, 2007 regarding a mennonite breeder planning to shoot 13 small breed dogs by Friday January 11th - we do not know who he is or where is from - our concern was saving the dogs. they were taken to vets to be fixed on January 10th, they have been vaccinated, dewormed and treated with parasite prevention. This girl came into our care January 17th. Please bear in mind she could not handle young kids or even the activity of teens, since she is so skittish, but she does loves other animals. She does not know any commands - she does shed - she is not hypoallergenic. The adoption fee does NOT cover the cost of vetting or supplies for these animals - if you cannot afford the adoption fee (that is a fraction of actual expenses incurred) then you should reconsider adopting. These animals deserve forever homes, good food, regular vet care, and emergency care as needed. They do not deserve to be euthanized by their owners simply based on financial consideration when something goes wrong. You must complete an adoption application in order for us to determine if the dog is a good match for you and you are a good match for the dog. We do not show dogs to people that merely want to drop in and look at the dog or see multiple dogs - not only are the dogs fostered in various foster homes in various towns often hundreds of kilometers apart and not only do we simply do not have the manpower for that - more importantly it is unfair for the dog to be shown to various people and passed by - therefore we chose the most suitable application for the dog - then schedule a viewing. If we do not carefully screen where dogs are adopted to then the cycle would only continue when the ill-suited dog ends up back in the pound. As it stand pounds are begging us to find space for healthy and adoptable dogs (who will be euthanized due to a simple lack of space) - So we Thank You in advance for respecting our successful process. If you would like to foster or adopt - please fill out a dog adoption form here: Dog Form On intake a new dog is assessed in a foster home to determine which type of home suits them best. As an adoptive home - you will have access to advice from our dog trainers. Please note - We will not adopt out to homes with children that are not respectful of animals, nor to people that will give up a dog for any little reason due to their children's behaviour with the dog. Dogs should not be expected to tolerate poorly behaved humans, of any age! Rules, boundaries and limitations must be set in order for a dog to follow them. This also goes for children. Please also consider that treating a dog with a heavy hand and old school training is of no value to any dog - treating a shy dog with bad training techniques can truly damage the dog. We will give preference to any application that has the fortitude to take their newly adopted dog to training to bond and learn together from a professional who has the dog's best interest at heart. HOW DO INTERESTED PARTIES GO ABOUT MEETING THIS DOG? Our rescue prides itself on adopting out the proper dog to the proper family. If you would like to be considered for one of our dogs please complete a dog adoption application as outlined in this bio. If you are a successful applicant you will be asked to come to a viewing at the dog's foster home with your entire family, as well as your existing dog. This viewing will allow your family, the foster home and I to see if this is a suitable match. We will all take 24 hours to mull it over and go from there. Adoptions are not rushed. Our priority is placing the dog in the proper family. We always need foster homes for the constant influx of new dogs in need - if you are interested in fostering - please consider that the rescue vets the dog before they go in to foster care - they also provide a new collar and rescue i.d. tag on intake - as well as food - and any additional vetting needed thereafter the initial vetting. If there are any dog lovers out there now is the time to step up - there are many on the short list to be killed in shelters all over due to simple lack of space - please consider helping now - dogs are killed every hour - they die by being jabbed thru the heart (heart-sticking) and being gassed to death more often than humane euthanization! We are happy to consider your home to foster an appropriate pet for your lifestyle if you are a believer in positive reinforcement and keeping dog on lead until recall and boundary trained, unless in a completely secure off leash area - We welcome foster homes in the Guelph to London to Durham to Goderich area. Please contact the rescue via email for more info if you are interested in fostering - again we do ask that you complete our application so we know your expectations and can match with you a dog that suits