Hefner's Haven

07/28/2024

07/18/2024

Too much too soon WILL cause issues.
It is a really common occurrence with newly adopted dogs.

Congratulations on your new dog.
I know you want to take them to the beach, the pet store and your café....however can I ask for a few minutes so I can explain just what your dog has gone through.....and why you need to take the next few weeks SLOW.
Your new dog has had it's whole world turned upside down.
They don't know you.
They don't know if they can trust you.
They don't know if they are with you for an hour or forever.
They may have been in various scary places.
Other houses, rescues, the pound and likely ALL of these in the past few days or weeks.
Your dog has stress hormones surging through their brain, they are STRESSED....they need to decompress, they need STABILITY in their environment and from you.
They need time with you and their new environment.
They need to know that the tree outside may rustle against the house and that's OK.
They need to know that those normal creaky noises in your house are OK and that at 3.45 the neighbours bang their door shut.
They need to know when it rains that tapping sound is OK.
They need to know that when the door opens they won't be moved somewhere else again.
They need to trust that YOU are safe even when you have had a bad day, you will still give them food and that they can close their eyes around you.
You know what your good intentions are with your new dog, your dog however has NO idea what is happening.....only that everything has changed and it is scary.
They do NOT need other new environments yet. Take it SLOW.
Dogs that have just been adopted need TIME. There is no need to rush out the next day and take them to all the places you want to go with them.....They need the opposite.
Let them decompress, let them inspect a new area of your house or yard every day or two. Walk them up and down outside your house for a few days (and only there), let them sniff, and sniff some more. Let them p*e freely.....it may be boring for you, but not for your dog. They need to know what is happening around them and they learn that through their nose, eyes and ears.
They NEED this.
They need to learn to TRUST you.
The long walks can wait, the café will still be there in a few weeks and you can visit the pet shop alone until they are ready.
Your bond together is the MOST important thing to concentrate on right now.
You will never regret taking it slow and it can save your dog and yourself from making the very same mistakes that can lead to people rehoming in the first place.
All the very best with your new dog.

07/18/2024

Please read this article online before you are fooled by advertising!!
Carrots!! A SAFE, treat for dogs!

07/14/2024

Everyone is finding little kittens riddled with fleas. If kittens are under 2 pounds, we don’t do anything for fleas but a bath in Dawn. But please do so, especially if their gums are turning white. Otherwise, chemicals are too toxic for them if not at 2 lbs.

However if you find a kitten that is lethargic, please give it a tad of karo syrup immediately and then a few more times an hour to get its blood sugar back up and keep it on a heating source before you give it a bath. Because no matter how warm or lukewarm your water is that you are bathing it in, a bath will drop their body temperature just a tad and that might be all it takes to slip over the rainbow bridge.

Kittens with goopy eyes should be cleaned with warm water and given terramycin ointment in their eyes 3 times a day.

We can all do our part to help. Because most likely when you find one it will take days to find someone to help you with it and what you do for it in those couple of days could mean life or death. And please DO NOT GIVE IT COWS MILK.

If it won't eat canned kitten food, you can give it chicken flavored baby food or kitten formula depending on age.

If you find a litter of kittens under 3-4 weeks of age, leave them alone! If they are quiet and healthy they have a mama. If they are sick and screaming, most likely they don’t. Know when to intervene and when not to.

TIA!

06/05/2024

Please Spay and neuter your pets! If you know someone whose dogs keep having unwanted puppies, Please share this with them! Pounds and Rescues are completely OVERWHELMED

05/21/2024

Sweet Oliver (sort of 🤣) was SO much cooler after his groom! Due to excessive matting, he had to get a buzz cut, partially! It took a LONG time with scissors for a bunch of it!

Please my friends, don’t let a busy life keep you from tending to your fur baby, as often as necessary. It hurts them terribly, to be groomed when they are matted.
They will love their groomer and you even more, when it’s sooner than later!

05/20/2024

My sweet Champ! Such a darling!

05/20/2024

05/13/2024

I wish.. 🤣

05/07/2024

“ She was 18. Her people, who loved her whole life, took her, a vaccination booklet, a leash, a collar, and her belongings and took her to the Baldwin Park shelter. They said they were tired of fighting with an older dog, signed papers, and left, without even looking at her.

When she was picked up by a volunteer at the shelter, she leaned on him probably wishing it was all just an ugly dream.

The moment was immortalized by photographer John Hwang, who was in the shelter at the time.

Unfortunately, dogs love sincerely, with all their heart, with all their soul, and are unable to understand that human 'love forever' most often has an expiration date.. - to annual, to moving, to illness, to old age...

Dogs deserve better people! ”

Credit: Stuart James

05/06/2024

When you help in a small way to help Rescues, it is so amazing to get a sweet card from the person who will be a forever dog mom to a deserving fur baby. A very generous Amazon Gift card that will go a long way to help us with supplies! Thank you so very much Leslie Mitchell 🥰❤️🐾

05/06/2024

Sweet Pepper was way overdue for a Spring hairdo! All cleaned up and ready for Summer! 🥰❤️🐾

05/04/2024

They always seemed to pass me by, I never knew the reason why.
All my friends had found a home, And only I remained alone.
But finally somebody came, And spoke to me with gentle tone.
I hardly dared believe it true, Into my human's arms I flew.
Our first embrace - my heart beat fast,
A family of my own at last!
And when tonight I rest my head, In my new warm and cosy bed A prayer I'll send, high up above,
May all the shelter pups find love."
Author Unknown

04/20/2024

Sweet, sweet Cooper ❤️🐾
Today was his first groom and he was so amazing! Thank you Kendal Jones for trusting me with your new puppy.

04/11/2024

SWEETWATER FRIENDS- Please Share!!
If you picked up this dog, please connect with the owner through Sweetwater Pet Pages, Thank you!

Literally begging and pleading at this point.
A woman driving a white vehicle was seen picking up my dog, but has not made any public posts or looked for her family.
I’ve posted everywhere, and it’s been shared tons of times yet still this person hasn’t come forward

If you have my dog PLEASE let her come home.
She is 18yrs old, hard of hearing, and has no teeth.

I’m grateful you picked her up with the intention of keeping her safe, but PLEASE do the right thing and return her to her family.

Coconut is very well cared for and loved, she’s an absolutely spoiled old lady.

Went missing from Lubbock Street.
No questions asked, we just want her back.

04/08/2024

I wish somcone would tell me
What it is that I've done wrong
Why do have to stay chained up
And left alone so long?
They seemed so glad to have me
When i came here as a pup.
There were so many things we'd do
While I was growing up
But now the master "hasn't time"
The mistress says i shed
She doesn't want me in the house
Not even to be fed,
The children never walk me
They always say, "not now"
I wish that I could please them.
Won't someone tell me how?
All l had, you see. was love
I wish theywould explain
Why they said they wanted mine
And then left it on a chain.

By: Edith Johnson

03/19/2024

That’s so smart!