PEPPER

Thank You for visiting our beagles for adoption! A picture may speak a thousand words and a sad beagle tale might pull at your heartstrings but...how do you know which beagle is the RIGHT beagle for YOU? By submitting an Adoption Application, of course! By filling out an application, we learn more about you and what beagle would suit you best! Keep in mind, too, that the beagles posted here are those lucky enough to land foster families with us. We hear about other beagles in need practically on a daily basis. Sadly, there are never enough foster homes to take them all in. So, even if you're not sure if you see the Beagle of Your Dreams posted on our site today, don't let it stop you from sending us your application! Perhaps, fostering a beagle in need interests you. If so, we welcome your completed Foster Application as much as we do receiving adoption inquiries! Whether you're looking to adopt, foster or simply learn more about our special work on behalf of homeless howlers, give us a HOWL today! We're always wagging our tails in anticipation of your heartfelt messages!!!

October 5, 2009 - It's time for a Fall PUPdate on Pretty Pepper! Enjoy the note below from Pepper's Foster Mommy:

As I read the letter I wrote you about Pepper several months ago, I realize how much she has changed - one of the joys of fostering!

It took her about 5 months to settle with us, but she has calmed down completely. The earlier yelping was just anxiety. Whatever its cause, it is now gone. Once she decided that we are her pack, it was as though she gave herself permission to belong and finally be happy.

She does have a little arthritis but I have been able to ween her down to 2/3 the dose of medication the doctor originally prescribed. And when there is the prospect of a walk, Pepper will even jump into the minivan all by herself!

We've spent some time in the country with her over the summer. She is not a hunter, preferring to keep in sight of the house and on the cool and inviting cut grass even when she's off leash. On the hottest days in the summer, she would dig herself a dog-nest in the shade and lie down there.

She does not bark much at all, and remains very affectionate.

One of the things I like about older dogs (aside from not chewing shoes) is that they come with their own wisdom. If Pepper's water dish is empty, she bangs it against the wall with her nose until she gets my attention and I refill it. She has a certain way she likes to have her harness put on before we go for a walk, and a way she does not like to be outfitted. She taught me, ever so patiently, over the months, how to do it the right way.

We spent a week with our preschool grandchildren this summer, and she was great with the kids. She and Tom, our other beagle, get along very well too. She is not protective of her food or toys.

So I thought all those wonderful people out there viewing our Pepper would like to know the inside scoop on this special sweetheart. She's a good-hearted old girl and would make a wonderful companion!

Yours truly,

Pepper's Foster Mom

Pretty Pepper graced us with her presence at our April Howlers BYOB meetup at Pawsway on Saturday, April 4, 2009! She's still looking for her forever home so send us your adoption application TODAY!!

Pepper Pupdate as of February 17, 2009:

We thought you might like to read what Pepper's Foster Mom has to say about our little Pepperoni Beagle Girl!

Pepper is settling in nicely. After the first couple of days, we've had no 'accidents'. She comes to get me when she wants to go out. And if I'm late getting a meal ready - whew, does she let me know! A real chow hound, more so than any of the other beagles we've had. And...(sigh) a real poop eater. Yes, she IS a beagle.

Miss Pepper has proven her ability for self-control as she can sit and stay quite nicely if there is a biscuit in view! Alas, she does not respond to 'come' unless there is food involved.

On the heartbreaking front, we've sadly noticed some behaviour which has caused us to wonder whether she might have been physically disciplined or accidently injured in the past. She does yelp on occasion for no apparent reason but there is not really any fearful cringing either. Yesterday, for example, I was putting my jacket on and the sleeve swung in her direction. Poor Pepper yelped in surprise and jumped out of the way. And when she wants to come in from the backyard, she finds it hard to come through the doorway when I'm standing right there, as if (and I realize I'm completely inexperienced in this and could be 100% off base) she's expecting something unpleasant to happen. Sometimes, she runs away when I would expect her to come closer. I guess these things will remain a mystery. It pains me to think she's ever been mistreated as she's so very affectionate and gentle. She loves to snuggle up and be close to us.

There are definitely signs of arthritis. Her back end is stiff on occasion and she doesn't like stairs. She goes up them sideways, so narrow stairs are impossible. She'll gladly go down to our basement when we're there but we always have to carry her back up like a princess!

Here's one thing non-beagle about Pepper. She doesn't bark unless it's about wanting to go in or out, or (of course) she's excited about dinner or a walk! So far, she's not barked àt`anything or anyone. And although she's a chow hound, she's not in the least possessive about food - she eats more than twice as fast as our beagle Tom so there`s never an issue.

Pepper and Tom are getting along fine with only the occasional disagreement. They have to negotiate things from time to time, mostly at night which I presume is about who can sleep where. It's always Tom laying down the rules! He has this particular bark that somehow gets his point across loud and clear. Pepper is really just like her name - still full of pep! She's the perfect seasoning to spice up your life!

Judy, Pepper's Foster Mom.

All About Pepper...

Happy Pupdate as of January 23, 2009!

After sending out our plea for a foster home, we got the call of our dreams. The family who had adopted beloved Oda-May and Stanley who have now passed on, responded to our plea for Pepperoni! And so far, so good! She slept like a log the first night! Our thanks go out to Judy and her family for being our miracle for Pepper.

January 19, 2009: Mending Pepper's Lonely Heart...

Once upon a time, Pepper had a good life with a family of her own. Until her beloved master passed away a few years ago. It wasn't the same after that. But Pepper is a brave soul, helping to mend the heart of her master's elderly wife even while her own heart needed mending.

We know Pepper played a big part in mending her heart because that's exactly what the widow said...when she called a local animal shelter to have Pepper surrendered for euthanasia. Even though Pepper had been her greatest comfort when her husband died, she said she could no longer manage on her own to care for her 10-year-old beagle. And besides, she said Pepper had lost her pep and that arthritis had set in so badly that her dog could barely walk.

But Pepper can walk! In fact, she can run, beating the staff member to the shelter doors the day she arrived simply from the sheer joy of going for a long awaited walk - the kind of walk she used to take with her beloved master before he disappeared forever. While she may be a bit stiff in the back-end making stairs less appealing, she's still got a lot of living to do.

So Pepper's owner gave the shelter permission to find this dear little beagle a new life. That's when the shelter called us. And that's why we're writing to you.

We need a foster home for Pepper. Until we find that special someone, she must sit tight and wait for us, sharing sad tales with the rest of the Lonely Hearts Club at the animal shelter.

Let's not make her wait too long. Please contact us TODAY for information on becoming Pepper's foster parent. After all, there's so much more pep left in Pepper!