Name: Brixton

Age: 2

Parents: Jon & Dan

Likes: Snuggling and snoring on the couch, wagging her tail, long walks, meeting new doggie friends, greeting her dads at the door, and her obedience classes.

Dislikes: Chicken and beef (they upset her tummy), and the rain.

Date adopted: May 23^rd, 2011

After relocating to Vancouver from London, Jon and Dan knew that one of their first tasks as Canadians would be to get a dog. Having heard that HugABull is always looking for foster homes to house their pups in need, they offered themselves as foster parents to Brixton, a Pit Bull/Lab mix that had been pulled from Chilliwack Animal Control. Brixton immediately impressed HugABull’s director of foster and family placement, Lauren, with how sweet and wiggly she was, and so she was sent to live with Jon and Dan as a foster-to-adopt.

During her first few weeks of fostering, Brixton proved to be a well-mannered gal with a ton of street smarts to boot. Eventually her amazing personality began to shine through and it became clear that she was much more than a “dog from the streets”, she was a regular four legged Einstein! In less than two months, Brixton had settled herself in as a permanent fixture in Jon and Dan’s lives, and the adoption papers were signed. Brixton has since completed her basic obedience course and is starting an intermediate course with Dizine Canine soon. This girl is remarkably clever and willing to learn new tricks and obedience commands!

In addition to being a smarty pants, Brixton’s an adventurous lady, too. She’s taken advantage of her beautiful surroundings and explored some of Vancouver’s most iconic landmarks such as riding the sea taxi and touring Stanley Park in a horse-drawn carriage. For Brixton, every dog she meets is another friend-to-be, big or small, and she loves running into them on her daily walks. In fact, Brixton is so popular with the human and canine crowd that she has her own facebook and twitter accounts where she recounts her daily musings and adventures.

Along with the responsibilities associated with adopting a dog, Jon and Dan have benefited from the new and exciting things Brixton has brought to their lives. They actually enjoy getting up early for their long walks before work, and get to come up with fun new things to do that include Brixton which has gotten them off the sofa and out into the world meeting new people (and, of course, dogs). They’ve also learned a lot about Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) and the challenges it presents to owners of the targeted breeds. Jon and Dan say that owning a Pit Bull has allowed them to initiate a dialogue with people to educate them about Pit Bulls and quash some of the myths surrounding this fallacious “dangerous dog” moniker.

Considering all the things that Brixton’s been through, she’s grown into a well natured, playful and beautiful dog. Everywhere she goes, Brixton receives comments from strangers about what a glorious coat she has and how pretty she is, even if they mistake her for a boy! Most of all, Brixton amazes her dads with her adaptability and how, despite her past, she takes everything in stride.

Want more Brixton? Check her out on facebook and twitter!

http://www.facebook.com/Brixton.Gamble.Haywood

http://www.twitter.com/brixton_the_dog

Name: Rugar

Age: 3

Parents: Dionne

Likes: Being vacuumed and blow dried, snuggling, long trail walks, swimming, and making new friends

Dislikes: BROOMS

Date adopted: June 2010

After being charmed by a friend’s pitbull, Dionne knew that this breed was for her. As a long-time proponent of rescue, she immediately turned to HugABull in search of a lovely canine companion. After checking out the adoptables page, Dionne was instantly charmed by a disproportionate-yet-adorable gent named Rugar. His over-sized head and debonair smile melted her heart, and she took him on as a foster-to-adopt. After only a month together, Dionne knew Rugar was the guy for her and the made it official! At first the two lived with Dionne’s parents, who Rugar deviously tricked into loving him. Dionne’s mother was at first skeptical of the breed, but is now an avid advocate of pitties and sings their praises to anyone who will listen!

Now Rugar and Dionne share their home with a couple of human friends which he loves because there are always new people coming around for him to smother. As one might expect from a bully, Rugar absolutely love to snuggle, and is transported to doggie heaven when someone cuddles him. He’s quite the outdoorsman, enjoying long walks on trails and vigorous swimming and stick chasing. Above all, Rugar loves to be vacuumed and blow dried, and will pester Dionne until she appeases his demands. However, his joy for being pampered pales in comparison to his fear of brooms. While Dionne sweeps she usually finds him crammed behind the couch, hiding from those evil bristles.

Rugar is always by Dionne’s side and has been a loyal and constant companion. He makes her laugh all the time and is usually the reason for her big smile (those frog legs are undoubtedly also to blame). Many people thought the responsibility of a dog would be too much for Dionne, but she’s so grateful that she took that leap!

Name: Gus

Age: 1.5

Parents: Sara, Troy, Wylie and Walker

Likes: Long walks in the woods, the dog park, car rides and family time

Dislikes: Being home alone

Date adopted: April 2011

Sara and Troy knew they wanted to eventually have a dog together, but didn’t want to rush in as they took the responsibility very seriously. They agreed to wait until their two boys, Wylie, 5, and Walker, 3, were old enough to share in the joy and responsibility of having a dog. Having done much research in anticipation for the day they’d be ready, Sara had already fallen in love with her breed of choice – the Staffordshire bull terrier. This silly, active, and loyal family dog was a wonderful fit for their household! She kept a watchful eye on the HugABull site, hoping to find the perfect Staffie-bull for her young family.

At last, all the stars aligned and the timing was right, Sara found Gus and he was too perfect to be true! Good with kids? Check. Adorable? Yep! There was only one foreseeable problem; HugABull is a Vancouver based rescue and Sara’s family lived in Kelowna. The match probably wouldn’t work out…but wait! Gus was being fostered in Kelowna!! It was meant to be! The family met him at his foster home and the match was one made in heaven. Sara and her brood were immediately taken with Gus’s charms, but he was a bit rambunctious and excitable. Would he be too much to handle? No way! Gus settled right in to their home and instantly transformed into a calm and well behaved young buck. He loves his boys (as is usually the case with the Staffie-bull) and is very tolerant of their own rambunctious tendencies!

Everyone who has the pleasure of meeting Gus loves him, even the non-dog lovers! His big, goofy grin wins ‘em over every time! His new family is confident that he is changing the way some people view bully breeds; he’s good with other dogs, loves kids, a perfect breed ambassador! He has made Sara and Troy’s family complete by being such a good dog.

Name: Cooper (aka Cujo)

Age: 11

Parents: Kelly

Likes:  Tennis balls, walks, swimming, and chicken

Dislikes: Motorcycles/motorbikes and big birds

Date adopted: July 2011

Cooper (aka Cujo) was abandoned by his owners into the Chilliwack shelter system at 11 years old. Luckily for him, Leah from HugABull came across this senior charmer and had no problem finding a family willing to take him in. Once Kelly saw his picture, she was lovestruck!

Cooper is a charming, happy-go-lucky Mastiff mix and an ideal ambassador for well-aged pups! According to his new family, Cooper’s drive to play has not diminished despite his age, and he still knows how to turn on the charm when there’s chicken-a-cookin! He LOVES chewing on tennis balls, in fact any ball will do for placating that giant maw. Cooper is a natural outdoorsman, revelling in leisurely walks and even the occasional dip. Any activity is fun for Cooper as long as he’s with his new bestie, Mommy, a high energy youngin that helps balance out his more mature persona. The pair instantly bonded and is now inseparable!

The only obstacle that Cooper’s family faces with him is knowing that they won’t have him as long as they’d like, but that just means that they love him a little more each day. The rewards of adopting a senior dog have been endless for this family; Cooper’s trained, mellow, loves to snuggle in a lap and watch a movie, yet he still has the energy to join
in on the daily fun! Dogs like Cooper are a perfect example of how much life so-called “old timers” still have to live!

Name: Elsa

Age: nearly 2

Parents: Kelly and Nik

Likes:  Squeaky toys, bully sticks, and meeting new friends (both human and canine)

Dislikes: Rain and vegetables

Date adopted: June 2010

In May of 2010, HugABull was called to assist with a cruelty seizure of 26 dogs in
Surrey, all of which were in deplorable physical condition. Among the 26 dogs
seized (mostly pit bulls) was Elsa. Suffering from worms, a respiratory illness,
and an advanced case of mange, Elsa and her littermates had to be quarantined
until medication and a quality diet could stave off the worst of their afflictions.
After just a few months of diligent care, Elsa recovered and was listed on
HugABull’s page as an “adoptable”.

Around the same time, Kelly and Nik decided to add another pittie to their lives after
mourning the loss of their much-loved pit bull, Manna. Either by fate or
coincidence, Kelly happened upon the HugABull site the same day they posted the
story of the seizure and the dogs in their care that desperately needed homes.
As you may have already surmised, Kelly and Nik agreed that they had to have
one of the rescued pups and shortly thereafter, adopted Elsa!

But alas, all was not smooth sailing for the new family. At one year old, Elsa
suffered a devastating embolism that left her back-end paralyzed. Although her
prognosis was uncertain, Elsa’s family opted to do everything they could for
her, and after months of costly diagnostics, treatments, and rehabilitation,
she learned to walk again! Today Elsa is walking in short bursts and continues
to make strides everyday towards recovery. Recently, Elsa has been approved to
be a service dog through Pets & Friends, an organization that provides a
pet visitation program to long-term care facilities. She plans to visit human
rehabilitation centers to inspire two-legged friends in situations similar to
hers and to encourage them to never give up! Kelly and Nik hope that Elsa will
soon be able to rejoin her favourite doggy daycare to reunite with her canine
buddies!

Check out this video to see Elsa in action!

http://www.youtube.com/user/GoElsaGo#p/a/u/0/BfMzMPi0_OY

Name: Marty (aka Bishop)

Age: 2ish

Parents: Megan & Mac

Likes: Nylabones, fruits and veggies, antlers, stealing his mom’s office chair, laying in the sun, snuggles

Dislikes: baths, being left alone, the cold and rain

Date adopted: December 23rd

Originally, Megan and Mac offered to foster Marty (known as Bishop at the time) over the holidays as a last-ditch resort to ensure he wouldn’t be euthanized as a result of a shelter closure. The deal was they would provide a temporary home until other fosters returned from their vacations. After the recent loss of their beloved pittie Lily, they both agreed that it was too soon to adopt another dog. Plus, their lab/Doberman mix, Quin was very particular about who he welcomed into his household.

Marty had to spend his first 10 days as a foster at the vet since he had an abscess on his head that required daily veterinary care. By the time Marty made it to his foster home, he was in pretty rough shape – his malnourished form was almost completely covered with scabs which eventually fell off, leaving bald spots instead. Megan also noticed that Marty had an awkward gait, and since X-rays concluded there was no skeletal damage, deduced it must be muscular. They believe that a large, mysterious scar on Marty’s back may have something to do with his rear-end issues since he’s sensitive about having the area touched.

After only a week in his temporary home, Marty worked his magic and permanently wiggled his way into his new owners’ hearts. Although his physical problems were mostly overcome, Marty’s behavioural issues had to be addressed. When it came to general obedience, Marty barely knew how to sit and was not house trained. He was also fearful and anxious, especially if Megan raised her voice in his vicinity. Eventually, Marty learned from his two older siblings and picked up on their good house manners. After only two weeks, he stopped peeing in the house and learned how to alert his owners when he needs a bathroom break. He has since passed his pit-ed course and is a very quick study in his weekly classes at doggy daycare, although it’s hard to concentrate when surrounded by so many other excited dog friends!

Megan and Mac love the little grunts he makes when he wakes up in the morning and his gentle eyes, how eager he is to learn new things, or when he leaps like a bunny in sheer delight. Perhaps most of all, they love that he looks like a muscular beast but is just a gentle dog.

*Update: Marty thrilled his parents this summer by achieving his CGN! He also wowed the crowds at this year’s Vancouver Pride Parade with what a good boy he is!

Name: Preston

Parents: Laura & Duncan

Likes: Sitting in “his” chair watching over “his” neighbourhood, doggie friends, walks, being brushed.

Dislikes: Preston tolerates ear cleaning and nail clipping because he knows a massage will soon follow.

Date adopted: December 30th

Preston was pulled from a Port Coquitlam shelter after being found roaming the streets. Once it became clear his owners weren’t going to claim him, he was pulled from the shelter system for fear of the type of owner this big, blue, cropped gentle behemoth would attract.

For some reason, Preston had back luck in foster homes and had to be moved a couple of times. As the holidays approached, the need for foster homes became desperate, but finally our pleas were answered by Laura who was still mourning the devastating loss of her big blue pittie. Laura agreed to foster Preston, but was apprehensive to fall in love again so soon. Despite his dull coat, kennel sores, scars and bony physique, Preston was and is a stunning dog, and Laura was powerless to resists his charms.

The moment Laura realized Preston was truly hers was while getting ready for one of their daily walks. As she sat on the floor tying up her shoes, the gentle giant lumbered over, stood between her knees and lowered his gigantic head onto her chest and rested it there, as if to say “thank you”. Laura’s heart melted and still does each time Preston “thanks” her for giving him a chance.

Name: Bobby (Greyfriars Bobby)

Parents: Karen & family

Likes: Being dressed up or used as a pillow, playing “vet” with the girls, being read to, beachcombing, running, tennis balls, and TREATS

Dislikes: Loud noises such as mowers, leaf blowers, and water hoses, mylar balloons and the bull statue at the corner of Richards and Georgia

When Karen and her family began their search for a dog, their first priority was finding one that would be gentle and respectful of their children since they had minimal experience with dogs. Karen’s husband, Lawrence, had grown up with a Pit Bull names Daisy and had regaled Karen with stories and fond memories of growing up with a pittie. Still, they were hesitant to start with a “hard bodied”, larger breed since they were living in a condo and had very busy schedules. Both Lawrence and Karen, along with two of their four children, are also hearing impaired, so the dog would need to be a perfect fit.

Karen diligently perused the HugABull site looking for a potentially perfect match. They even met a few dogs, but Bobby immediately stood out as “the one”. One of the things that solidified their immediate bond was when their 3 year old daughter, Isobel, ran past Bobby on their meet-and-greet walk and smacked him on the rear. Bobby didn’t even flinch, but instead ignored her affectionate “tap” and continued along at his tranquil pace.

Bobby’s family is unique in that both Karen and Lawrence, along with two of their children, are hearing impaired, so it’s comforting to know that they can rely on Bobby to alert them to unusual activity while remaining unruffled by harmlessly strange behaviour. Bobby especially loves spending time with his kids. Meriel and Isobel shower Bobby with loads of love and attention, and in return he gladly acts as their guinea pig in their dress up and vet games. Ivor and Bobby love to spend time together alone away from the other three siblings where they hold silent conversations in their own little world. According to Bobby’s oldest kid, Miles, he’s the highlight of their day and they all look forward to seeing him after school. It seems that Bobby shares in this sentiment as he falls into uncontrollable bum wiggles after being reunited with his kids after any period of absence.

Despite living in an off-ground condo, Bobby’s family has received nothing by positive feedback from their fellow tenants. Bobby is very laid back and rarely barks, he likes to just lay back in his bed and go with the flow. Although they do receive wary stares on occasion, the family is very proud of Bobby and his ever-improving manners. That’s not to say that he’s perfect, however he’s always gentle, well mannered and respectful of everyone he meets.

Since 2004, Bronte had been adopted and surrendered a number of times, through no fault of his own. Lifestyle changes, break-ups, illness – Bronte just couldn’t get a break, or a family that could keep him through thick and thin.

All this turmoil paid a price. Although Bronte was whip-smart and eager to please, his time in the shelter and as a yard dog made him increasingly anxious. This came to a head when one of his owners let him loose in an off-leash dog park. He got into a fight, and although he caused no damage he was labelled a “dangerous dog” in Victoria. Bronte was eventually dropped off at the Vancouver Animal Control, surrendered, yet again let down by his owners. This is where HugABull found him. He was a diamond in the rough, a dog with pure love for people and, with a responsible owner, showed fantastic potential.

It took Bronte awhile to find that perfect home, and in 2007 we thought we had it right; however, poor Bronte found himself yet again looking for a new home after he was surrendered in 2008 due to a family illness. He was fostered by Lauren, Luke and their dog Rex. Rex and Bronte bonded closely and were inseparable until Rex passed away. In their grief, Lauren and Luke decided that the best way to pay tribute to Rex was to give his best friend a forever home, and the adoption was made official.

Bronte’s mom is now a HugABull director and the two of them can be seen attending Rally-O and obedience classes. Bronte is thriving. When he passed his Canine Good Neighbour test, the crowd broke into wild applause, and even a few tears.

From “dangerous dog” to certified Good Neighbour: a testament to the potential of this breed, and the power of responsible ownership!

Early in January 2009, Vancouver Animal Control alerted us to a sick senior AmStaff who had been seized. He was in bad shape, with a scabbed and puffy face – so swollen he could barely see. He was also mostly deaf, but if he smelled or sensed a person around he’d approach without hesitation, wagging and smiling.

Poor Mason was an itchy mess. His face was the worst problem, but the bald, scaly patches covered his entire body and he scratched constantly. No one knew if it was mange, infection, or something worse, but HugABull director Shelagh knew he needed out of the shelter ASAP. She took him home and started him on a regimen of testing, medication and an allergy-controlled diet – treatments that wouldn’t be available at the shelter, but made possible in foster care through the Lovely Fund.

Mason’s skin problems turned out to be allergies run amok, and after a few weeks of treatments he was recognizable as a dog once more. His sweet, mellow and loving personality never changed. Mason has an easy smile and wag for humans and dogs alike, and is so dog-social that Shelagh often uses him for shelter dog assessments and socialization training with reactive dogs.

At 9-10 years of age with health problems, Mason is going to be a long-term compassion foster through Shelagh and HugABull. With his puffy little face and soft temperament, he has become somewhat of a HugABull mascot. He’s also an example of a dog that has every strike against him: he’s a senior, he’s dark in colour and not traditionally attractive, and he has health problems. He’d have very low adoption potential in a shelter, but is one of the sweetest, most affectionate, and easygoing companions one could ask for.