From Round One: Molly Duke and her 10 siblings were rescued by AngelDogs Deaf Dog Ranch. They were bottle-fed and cared for around the clock by foster moms & dads before being adopted into loving homes.

Congratulation to Molly Duke and family!

From Round Two: Buddy was originally a first foster dog from our local shelter. He was supposed to be an easy, quick foster that would get adopted quickly. However, after discovering he had heartworms, putting him through treatment along with complications, discovering he had been shot and even after eating a sock we fell in love with him and totally failed at fostering. He is very laid back, silly and happy. He makes us smile everyday.

Congratulation to Buddy and family!

We will be checking in with the owners of these two adorable dogs and we will share the results of the DNA tests here on The Water Bowl as well as on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our first-ever voting contest. We had a wonderful time celebrating these magnificent creatures we call mutts.  We couldn’t have done it without all you caring individuals who foster, rescue and adopt.

Thank you for all that you do and for taking the time to share your pictures and stories with us!

We plan to post a photo album of all the submissions on our Facebook page so stay tuned!

Feel free to congratulate the winners in the comments section below.

Special guest Cindy (in pink) was on hand to greet ceremony attendees.

We commemorated the day with games, giveaways, discounts and of course a delicious vegan cake and refreshments for all who attended.

Delicious vegan cake with fresh fruit from Jamaica’s Cakes.

A special “Thank You” to the City of Mission Viejo Mayor Rhonda Reardon, President-Elect of the Mission Viejo Chamber of Commerce Charlie Woodward, Director of Community Development Charles E. Wilson, Economic Development Manager Karen E. Wylie and Council Member Dave Leckness.

This is Found Animals’ second Adopt & Shop location. We opened our first Adopt & Shop in April 2011 in the Lakewood Center Mall, which to date has found forever homes for more than 1,600 pets!

Mitzie & Tucker are just two of the 1,600 cats & dogs placed into loving homes by Adopt & Shop Lakewood.

We also want to say thanks to Elizabeth Oreck and Best Friends Animal Society for their tireless efforts to promote responsible pet adoptions, Orange County Animal Care for their partnership, the Simon Property Group for expediting our move into The Shops at Mission Viejo, and all our amazing volunteers who not only helped set up the store, but will continue to provide outstanding care for our adoptable pets until they find forever homes. This day wouldn’t have happened without you!

Thank you to our partners at Orange County Animal Care!

Are you looking for a new furry addition to your family or an amazing array of pet supplies? Please stop by the store Monday through Friday 10 A.M. – 9 P.M., Saturday 10 A.M. – 7 P.M. or Sunday: 11 A.M. – 6 P.M. Found Animals’ adoption counselors are always on hand to match people with their perfect pet. All of the dogs and cats available for adoption come directly from Orange County Animal Care and their adoption fees include spay or neuter, microchip and registration, and vaccinations appropriate for their age.

Garfield snoozed through the entire party, he is currently available for adoption at Adopt & Shop Mission Viejo.

Have you visited our brand new store in Mission Viejo? Share your thoughts and photos with us on facebook!

Lost pets can turn up just about anywhere, and with over 10,000 pets lost every day in the U.S., many good Samaritans wind up as unsuspecting heroes by taking the time to coax wayward pets indoors and find out if they have families. Still, unless your hobby is “nerding out” over pet ID (guilty!), you may not always know exactly how to reunite a pet with its family. That’s why we’re sharing six quick tips to help you get a lost pet home.

1. Check for external ID

The fastest reunions happen when a pet is wearing visible external identification, but there’s more to ID than just tags. Nowadays, identifying information can be found stitched directly into embroidered collars, rolled inside metal ID capsules, voice-recorded on talking pet tags, and in the case of some animals, tattooed on the ears, belly, or inner thigh. If the pet is carrying a phone number or address for its owners, your search may be over that quickly.

 2. Scan for a Microchip

Sadly, many lost pets do not have visible ID, but there is still hope! If the pet has a microchip, owner information may be just a click away. Don’t worry if you don’t have a personal microchip scanner in your closet – as a microchip enthusiast, even I haven’t gone that far. Your local vet or shelter can scan the pet for you and find the microchip number. Most humane organizations provide this service for free. To be sure your local facilities are scanning for all possible microchip types, ask if they use a “true universal scanner” that reads 125kHz, 128kHz, and 134.2kHz. Hopefully they’ll know what that means and give a resounding “yes.” If they’re not sure, have them contact us for a free scanner test kit.

3. Look for Registrations

If the pet has a microchip or tattoo number, your next step will be to determine whether that number is registered in a national database. Tattoo numbers will usually be registered in a breed-specific racing dog database or other national tattoo registry. For microchips, we highly recommend taking advantage of the AAHA’s free microchip lookup tool…it combs through most major microchip registries, so you don’t have to check each one separately. Search the chip number on that website, and AAHA will tell you within a few seconds if the chip is registered with Found Animals or another registry. If it can’t find a registration, it will at least tell you which company originally sold the chip, so you or your shelter/vet can follow up to see where it was implanted. Hopefully, it will be registered in their system. If not, you may need to do some detective work to track down the pet’s family based on the implanting facility’s records.

4. Meet the Neighbors

Contrary to popular belief, most happy pet reunions happen the old-fashioned way: either by the pet coming home on its own, or due to flyers, door-to-door knocking, and other local outreach. Make a poster with a picture of the pet you found and your phone number, and then distribute copies around the neighborhood. Hang them in places people frequent; good spots to hang posters include telephone poles (preferably on both sides of the pole), outside grocery stores, movie theaters and community centers, pet stores and boarding facilities, and in any other local businesses that allow them. While you’re out and about, look for other flyers and ask around to see if anyone is missing a pet like the one you found. Depending on how long the pet has been out and about, the owners may have stopped actively looking for their pet, but chances are they still miss it and want it to come home.

5. Search the Web

If your actual neighborhood doesn’t turn up any leads, take your search to the global neighborhood: the Internet. Lost and found websites like CraigsList and LostandFound.com are common places people look for news on their pets’ whereabouts. Pet-specific resource sites such as the Center for Lost Pets and Lost Pets USA can also help connect you with the pet’s family. Many states and counties are now creating local lost and found networks geared toward reuniting lost pets with their families, so it’s a good idea to search for any similar programs in your region. Of course, there’s also the “six degrees of separation” approach – send a shout-out to your network via Facebook or Twitter and get a little help from your friends. They may know a guy who knows a guy who’s looking for the pet you found.

6. Consult with Local Shelters and Humane Organizations

Your local shelter is more than just a great place to adopt a pet. Animal care and control facilities are a wealth of knowledge about lost pet resources and regulations in your area. Some municipalities require that good Samaritans notify the shelter when a stray animal has been found, and most shelters are glad to let you hold onto the animal while they help locate an owner. Shelters also keep logs and flyers of lost and found pets, so you can check to see if someone is looking for the pet you’ve found. Call or email the facility that serves your neighborhood to determine the best next steps. If possible, ask to keep the pet in your home until the owner is found – this will prevent the pet from catching any illnesses the other shelter animals may be carrying. Remember, animal care professionals are just that: professionals! They’re here to help.

By following these steps, hopefully the found pet will be home before you get too attached.

Have other suggestions for getting lost pets home? Share them below.

How about 16 good reasons? Click over to Buzzfeed and check out 16 heartwarming snapshots of lost dogs reunited with their families. Here is one of our favorites:

For more information on microchipping, visit our microchip FAQ page.

To register your pet’s microchip, visit the Found Animals Microchip Registry. Our registry is FREE and always will be.

Do you have a story to share for Microchip Monday? Leave a comment below.

The idea of adopting pets at retail locations has been around for quite a while, and dedicated retail adoption centers take things to the next step. It’s the perfect solution to the dilemma, you take the shelter pets to the people in a busy retail setting and capitalize on the fact that furry faces are irresistible to shoppers.

Found Animals opened our first Adopt & Shop location in the Lakewood Center Mall in April 2011 after more than a year of planning and preparation. This small but mighty store has done amazing things in just 1,000 square feet with nearly 1,500 adoptions in its first two years.

Once it was clear that the Lakewood location was going to be a great success, we started looking for a place to open Adopt & Shop #2. We searched high and low for the perfect spot that would have great foot traffic, affordable rent, zoning that permits pet stores, and all of the other particulars you need to run a retail adoption center. It took a while, but we finally found the perfect spot thanks to the Simon Property Group and The Shops at Mission Viejo.

In fact, our new location is especially perfect because we are taking over what used to be a traditional “puppy mill” model pet store space and putting a new and improved “humane” model retail adoption center in its place.

Adopt & Shop Mission Viejo will celebrate its grand opening on Tuesday, May 21st at 10:00 am with 2,300 square feet of adoptable animals and pet supplies.

Our adoption counselors will be standing by to match people with their perfect pet. All of the dogs and cats available are from our partners at Orange County Animal Care and their adoption fees include spay or neuter, microchip and registration, and vaccinations appropriate for their age. With prices ranging from $185 – $250, it’s an amazing value for a lifetime of love!

In addition to adorable adoptables, we have all the basic pet supplies you’ll need to take home your new family member along with lots of fun extras. From dog toys to dog clothes and cat treats to cat trees – we’ve got it covered. And, when you buy your pet products from Adopt & Shop we put all of the proceeds back into programs that support pets and decrease shelter euthanasia.  It’s a win-win-win scenario!

Visit our Eventbrite page for more information and to RSVP for the grand opening celebration of Adopt & Shop Mission Viejo.

If you are finding the cat box routine a bit more of a pain than you’d prefer, the Litter Genie can save you time and effort (for under $30)!

The Litter Genie was invented by the makers of Diaper Genie and we all know the Diaper Genie is a must in every nursery. The Litter Genie works the same way. Here is why it’s so great:

• Simply scoop waste into the Litter Genie and close the lid. Noxious odors are completely sealed inside.

• It “buys time.” You only have to empty the Litter Genie once approximately every two weeks (depending on the number of cats in your household).

• It’s tiny! The Litter Genie can be tucked under the sink or in a small closet.

• It’s inexpensive. You can purchase the Litter Genie with a bag dispenser cartridge (lasts up to 2 months) online through our Amazon Store* for under $30.

* Found Animals receives a percentage from every purchase made through its Amazon store. All of the proceeds Found Animals receives goes to helping pets.

Confused how it works? Check out this video from Walter and the Awful Pawfuls’ new album Nine Lives Left, brought to you by Litter Genie.

Cats love a clean litter box as you know!  Some cats will refuse to use their litter box if it is not up to their standards, opting for your closet or bedspread instead.  If you are looking for a gadget to help make the cat box chore a little easier. Try the Litter Genie!

Have anything to add? Leave a comment below!

Our opening day comes close on the heels of a certain holiday: Today is Chihuahua Appreciation Day. We have some very special Chihuahuas up for adoption at our new location.  They are the first residents of Adopt & Shop Mission Viejo! Their adoption into happy homes makes room for more animals to do the same. If you are considering adding a Chihuahua or Chihuahua mix to your family, Brianne, owner of the lovely Georgia would like you to know:

5 Reasons Why I Love My Chihuahua:

#2) She portable. I take her everywhere! And, it’s easy. If she gets tired or overwhelmed, I just pick her up and keep going. It makes for such an easy, fun lifestyle.

#3) She’s really smart.  When I rescued my pup, she was already a few years old. She was already housebroken and knew some commands like sit and high-five. She’s learned even more while living with me.

#4) She’s extremely loyal. She truly LOVES her person. She’s always very sweet and loving. And, this also makes her very obedient because she just wants to please me. I could totally walk her off leash, because she would follow my every command (I don’t, of course, but I could).

#5) She’s an individual. Yes, she has some “typical” Chihuahua traits, but she also has her own unique personality. She’s not yappy like some people assume Chihuahuas are. And, though MY Chihuahua is weary of strangers, I know plenty who are just as outgoing and friendly as a Labrador.

We invite you to visit us at Adopt & Shop and join us for our Grand Opening Celebration happening Tuesday, May 21, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:00 a.m. Meet Adopt & Shop pets, staff and supporters. Stick around for refreshments and a chance to win prizes!

Jacinto is a neutered male Chihuahua mix available for adoption at Adopt & Shop Mission Viejo. Thanks to A&S Volunteer Lori for helping us snap this little guys picture.

“Like” us on facebook to keep up with the latest Adopt & Shop news.

1. Where to Find Your New Companion:

So you’re looking for a new pet to love and adore but don’t know where to start? Well the great news is there are tons of resources right at your fingertips… literally! Petfinder.com is a great place to start! Petfinder is an online database that features over 300,000 adoptable pets from 13,686 adoption groups located across North America. You can explore different species and breeds as well as animal shelters and rescue groups in your area. Best of all, these groups have incredible animals who are current on their vaccinations, spayed/neutered, microchipped and ready to go.

2. Which Pet is Right for Me?

With so many options, finding the right pet for you might seem like a daunting task, but have no fear! It’s simpler than you think! You might be tempted to narrow
your search before you’ve even begun by looking solely for a puppy or kitten of a certain age, sex or breed. However, the real key to ensuring the most suitable match when finding your
new companion is making sure that you bond with the animal and its own unique personality. Energy level is another important factor to consider. Remember, this is a long time commitment so don’t rush it. Invite everyone in your household to meet your new potential companion before making your final decision.

3. The Benefits of Adopting Older Pets:

It is easy to melt at the sight of an adorable kitten or puppy! But kittens and puppies need a lot time, energy and patience. Sometimes they can be an overwhelming new addition for families with young children or first time pet owners. Also, contrary to popular belief, cats and dogs in the 1 to 5-year-old range are a lot younger than you think. Depending on the breed, most dogs live an average lifespan of 7-15 years. Cats that are healthy and indoor only can live a whopping 15-20 years. With this in mind, it is easier to see how 1 to 5-year-old cats and dogs still have a long life to live. They are also usually settled into their personality and that can make it easier to determine if you are a good match.

4. Understanding Your New Companion:

When bringing home and new pet, it is not uncommon for them to use your favorite objects as chew toys. This is their way of saying “Hey, I need something to play with!” Every animal has just as much unique diversity as a human and often times troublesome behaviors are  just their way of communicating their needs. Once those needs are understood and met, you will quickly re-establish harmony with your pet and get back to enjoying their cute and lovable ways.

Kittens and puppies especially have lots of energy and a need to play! Providing them with toys and other pets to play with is a simple way to meet their natural need to socialize, run and have fun! If your pet’s behavior has you stumped, check out more blogs about cat behavior and dog behavior.

5. Keeping Your Pet Healthy:

Now that you’ve selected your new companion, it’s important to keep your pet healthy.  Keeping your dog in a fenced yard or on a leash when out and about and your cats indoor only are two great ways to prevent them from catching illness or becoming lost. Keeping an I.D. tag on at all times and getting a microchip are easy ways to prevent the possibility of losing your pet forever. Providing your animal with regular annual veterinary check ups and vaccinations are crucial to keeping your pet healthy and can save you money in the long run.  Try our low cost pet wellness clinic look-up tool, finding affordable pet care close to you has never been easier!

6. Keeping Your Pet Safe:

Each year, between 6-8 million animals end up in animal shelters in the United States. One of the easiest ways to reduce this number is to make sure your pet has identification. Collars with identification tags are great, but often not enough to ensure your animal returns home safely. One powerful yet commonly misunderstood resource is a pet
microchip. A microchip is a device that is about the size of a grain of rice and contains a unique serial number that can be linked to your name and contact information through a microchip registry database. This microchip is implanted between the shoulder blades of the pet and is permanent, unlike a collar which can break or be removed. However, if your information is never registered or is out of date, the microchip is useless.

Is your pet’s microchip up to date? If not, take 10 minutes and register with the Found Animals Microchip Registry. You can register or update your animal’s microchip at any time for free. Don’t have your pets microchipped yet? Adopt & Shop and SNPLA are just two of many resources that offer free or low cost pet microchipping in various locations across Southern California. So don’t wait! Now is the time to get your animals microchipped and registered!

7. My Pet is Lost! What Do I Do?

For some owners, it can be difficult to imagine the circumstances that could cause you to lose your pet. They don’t call it the unthinkable for nothing. It is important to know what to do in case the unthinkable does happen. To ensure your pet’s safety, it is best to act immediately! If your pet is microchipped, make sure to change your pet’s status in the microchip registry to “lost”. Often times your lost pet may be hiding so start your search locally. Talk to your neighbors and post flyers on street poles, in local shops, offices, and parks throughout your city. Make sure to check your local shelters constantly and make sure they are aware that your pet is lost. There is power in numbers so ask for help. Spread the word to your friends and family and utilize the resources they have to offer. Lastly, it’s important to stay positive! Don’t give up!

8. Community Pets:

Don’t have a pet of your own but know a friendly stray in your area that you’d take care of if you could? Providing them with important veterinary care just got simple and affordable. The
Spay Neuter Project of Los Angeles and FixNation are just two of many incredible resources in Southern California that provide low cost or even free spay /neuter surgeries for your community cats. Don’t have a trap to catch these elusive kitties? After completing a simple application, FixNation will help you with everything you need to get you started, as well as a humane cat trap. With so many great resources, it is easy to feed and care for you community cat pals while keeping your neighborhood clean and safe!

9. Rehoming Your Pet:

Times have been especially tough and more and more families are dealing with having to give up their pets. It is often a difficult and overwhelming task but it’s also important
to know that there are many resources and tips to help you find a loving and permanent home for your pets. First and foremost, it is important to remember that the shelter should be your absolute last resort when trying to find your pet a home. Although shelters do their best to provide a chance for the animal to be adopted, after the required holding period your animal may be euthanized.

This may be the only option for some people but we encourage you to look elsewhere and keep another animal from entering the shelter when at all possible. The Internet can be one of your greatest resources so it is important to know how to search and use social media most effectively. When searching for organizations that can help, it is important to use keywords such as “kitten rescue, Los Angeles” or “Rottweiler rescue organization, New York.” There are some amazing organizations out there, like Petfinder, that will give you practical information on how to re-home your pet. Do not delay in contacting these groups and asking them for suggestions!

Utilizing social media sites like Facebook is another great way to find your pet a new forever home. All you need is a great photo and a short story to post. Do not be afraid to ask for help from your fellow Facebookers or Twitterers. Most importantly, be patient and stay positive! If you really want to give your pet the best chance of finding a new home, do not give up.  Ask family, friends and co-workers to keep your pet short term while you attempt to find it a permanent home. Most people who are animal lovers will work with you and be able to house the pet for a few days. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK!

10. The Responsibilities and Joys of Owning a Pet!

Our pets are very much like children. They are a long-term commitment that requires lots of time and energy. However,  following these tips can make taking care of your pet fun and  affordable. Also, during this special week, take time to enjoy your wonderful companions. They are one of a kind works of wonder that have the ability to build the most profound and lasting relationships of your life. Cherish them! Because they will always love you!

Do you have any pet tips to share? Leave a comment below.

Here are the 10 dogs that make up the second round!  We will be choosing one dog from each round so if you haven’t had a chance, head over to vote in the first round.  We had so many wonderful stories and pictures submitted it was really difficult to choose. We thank everyone who entered!

Bailey is an 11 week old rescue pup. Her brindle coloring and perky ears go against everything we were told she was. She is full of energy and love, and is growing so quickly that in the two weeks we have had her, she has almost doubled in size. We were told she was going to be medium size dog but it seems her paws are growing bigger daily. We desperately need to find out what she is so we know what to expect!

Bailey

Buddy was rescued from a shelter where he was “unadoptable” because of age (8 yrs) and a sore hip. He’d been left at the shelter by his family when they moved. Alone and scared, things were looking grim for this big guy (95 lbs), but the shelter staff loved him, a Chihuahua pitched in to help him (really!), and just in time, Lily’s Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary [501c3] in Petaluma, CA learned about Buddy and walked him right out of there! Buddy is in a great foster home, is ready for adoption, and he’s making all kinds of human and dog friends. Every person who meets Buddy wants to know his breed mix. Buddy thinks maybe he’s part St. Bernard, but beyond that he’s not sure. His foster mom says he’s gentle as a lamb, but we guess he isn’t part sheep. All agree he’s got a LOT of love in him! Buddy has brown spots that could be German Shorthaired Pointer or Spaniel, and some guess Mastiff from the size of his head. Buddy is unique-looking for sure! Let’s vote for Buddy to win the DNA test so we can learn exactly what makes him so super handsome!

Buddy

We rescued Marty when he was about 11 months old  and have had him for about seven months now. We were told at the time that he is Corgi/Golden Retriever. Everyone who asks usually says, “Ah, I see it!” whenever we disclose these two particular breeds. I hope this is actually true because it’s a fun & seemingly unique mixture. He is short & long like a Corgi. He has the coat of a Golden Retriever and is extremely fast when playing fetch.

Marty

Buddy was our first foster dog from our local shelter. He was supposed to be an easy foster that would get adopted quickly. However, after discovering he had heartworms, putting him through treatment along with complications, discovering he had been shot and even after eating a sock we fell in love with him and totally failed at fostering. He is almost 2-years-old very laid back, silly and happy. He makes us smile everyday.

We are curious what he is mixed with because of his chill attitude. We have been told Poodle and Cocker Spaniel.

Buddy

I got my pup Toby in Chino hills, California. He was the last one in the litter and the family could not keep him. I can’t figure out what he is. All I know is that he is adorable and loveable and his fur if soft to the touch like silk.  If  I knew his ancestry, that would be great!

Toby

Lilly was one of 263 dogs seized from a hoarder/puppy mill case on May 4th, 2012. When I saw the video on the news and how the rescues in the area needed fosters, I knew it was time for me to step up and help the rescues and dogs. Lilly had spent her life in a chicken coop type cage, had been bred once, and had never known the touch of a human hand. She wouldn’t even look a human in the eye.

It’s one year later and Lilly turned me into a foster failure. She had little to no interest for adoption due to her extreme fearfulness but when she finally started to trust me, she became the perfect dog, with me and her fur sister.

Lilly is approximately two years old and has some really “bad hair days”! We are guessing it may have been due to stress, or poor diet that kept her hair from growing out.

The rescue first had her listed as a Chihuahua/Yorkshire Terrier mix then changed it to Australian Terrier/Chihuahua mix, and I wonder if she might be a Rat Terrier/Yorkshire Terrier mix. I would love to have some idea of her genetic background. Thank you!

Lilly

Liza is our foster dog. She was picked up with six siblings along the side of the road, and we have heard of two other dogs picked up around the same time that we think are also related. She is around 4-years-old, about 40 lbs but all the dogs in the group were stocky and overweight. We think she has cattle dog since all the dogs had ticking, but we aren’t sure what else. Some had short stub tails like Liza, some had long thin tails. Some had flop top ears like Liza, some had erect. Please help us find out what she is, it may help her get adopted easier.

Liza

I met my dog Misa during my first week in Liberia, West Africa, as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I adopted him as a puppy and for two years he stayed with me in my village. We didn’t have luxuries like running water or electricity, but we had constant fun together, adventuring in the African bush. He loved to accompany me, even to teach at school. I think my dog was more popular than I was, because where ever we went we heard kids shouting his name, “Misa!” He took good care of me as far as security too. If he heard anyone near my house at night, he would bark his head off until my landlord would venture across the yard from his own house and check the premises. Everyone in the neighborhood was grateful to have such a good watch dog around. After two years in Liberia, I couldn’t bear to part with my best friend, so we got his papers in order and hopped on a flight back to the US together. He now lives in Indiana, where he’s adjusted to things like snow, electricity, and dog food. I have no idea the background of my dog, but I know that he looks unlike any other dog in Liberia, where they’re mostly small, short-haired, and yellow. The kids always called my dog an old man because of his white chin hair. In this picture he has his first winter coat, which was pretty funny to see. Misa is unique in so many ways, and I would love to learn more about his background!

Misa

Pantera was found living under a wrecked car with her three darling puppies. She was protecting her puppies from some big mixed breed dogs in the area and feeding her pups by scavenging for food. American Maltese Rescue has taken Pantera and her three puppies and they are being fostered in Escondido, California.

Pantera looks like she may have some Scottish Terrier genes and could possibly have some Maltese in her. She is very intelligent, has a silky black coat with some brown in it and dark brown eyes. She is small and weighs about eight pounds, but her physical size is no relation to the size of her heart. She is a brave little girl who luckily, no longer needs to defend her puppies. The whole family is in a safe and loving foster home waiting for their “furever” families.

Pantera

My family got Deebs as a rescue pup eight years ago, and we ended up with one of the most loving dogs a family could ask for. Despite his size (90 lbs of muscle), and what can be seen by some as an intimidating appearance, everyone who meets him falls in love and wants to know, “What kind of dog IS he?” I’ve been answering, “A rescue mutt,” and encouraging people to visit local shelters to find their next best friend. I would, however, love to know what on earth he is a mix of! I have had people say he looks like a Rhodesian Ridgeback, a Boxer, a Staffordshire Terrier or Pit Bull, and a Great Dane. No matter what, we love him dearly, and appreciate how he helps all sorts of people, both adults and children, overcome their fear of large dogs. He has even played with a number of special needs children who formerly were afraid of dogs, and afterwards, the children wanted dogs of their own! He also snuggles with kittens. He’s just an all-around fantastic guy and we couldn’t be luckier to have him in our lives.

Deebs

With so many pet owners in one place, we are always on the look out for pet supplies that are affordable and make our lives a little easier. Today, Estelle, the owner of three large dogs, reviews the no-pull harness from Sporn.

In researching dog training classes last month, I ran across a trainer who required that all dogs attending his class be outfitted in a Sporn Harness.  Hmmm, I thought…that’s awfully specific.  I had never heard of a Sporn Harness before so I googled it.  There were reviews galore and most every one I read was glowing.  “The best harness I have ever used!”  “Stopped my dog pulling instantly!”  “I will never use anything else with my dog!”  Wow, I thought.  This might be worth a try.  I happen to have three large breed dogs that looooooooove to pull.  Individually, they are manageable and even pleasant to walk.  Take all three on a walk together, though, and I am transformed into a human sled with my three eager hounds “mushing” me into oblivion.  Not fun.

I had tried various harnesses and leads in the past:  the standard collar and leash, the “choke chain,” the pronged collar, the Martingale, the gentle leader, the standard harness and even a collar that Cesar Millan sells on his website (which, though humane, looks medieval, but was slightly more effective in controlling my lab/rott mix than anything else I’d tried).  The solution I had finally settled on was walking my two female labs together first, and then walking my male German Shepherd dog by himself afterward.  This meant a two hour time investment every evening, which did not leave me much time for anything else.

So, what did I have to lose by trying the Sporn Harness?  The price was certainly reasonable and if it made as much of a difference as reviewers were saying, it would be worth the money ten times over.  So I ordered one.  On the evening it arrived, I took it out of its box and examined it closely.  What makes it different from other harnesses?  A rather ingenious difference, actually.  Standard harnesses fasten around the body and have a ring on top to affix the leash to.  This doesn’t discourage pulling and, in fact, can encourage pulling because the dog has the benefit of using his whole body weight at his strongest center of gravity.  There is no impediment stopping him.  The Sporn Harness differs in that the harness loops around his chest and under his front legs, affixing to an adjustable loop at the neck.  So, when the dog pulls, his body weight actually makes the loops tighten, constricting his front legs and discouraging him from pulling.

Click on the link above to watch a demonstration video from Sporn.

I understood all this in theory, but wasn’t really convinced until I saw it in action.  I strapped it on my most notorious puller, Scout, and took her for a test run with my other two dogs.  We were barely out of the driveway when I became a believer.  During any other walk, Scout would pull forward, straining against the leash.  I would give a the leash a jerk and she would relent for a few steps before pulling and straining all over again.  And she has the stamina and energy to keep this up indefinitely.  With the Sporn Harness, she tried to pull, but didn’t like the sensation that created under her front legs so she stopped.  This was really frustrating to her and she let me know about it by grumbling at me for the duration of that walk.  I didn’t care.  She didn’t pull!  That was enough for me.

The next day, I ordered two more Sporn Harnesses for my other two dogs and now I am doing what I once thought was impossible: taking all 250lbs of dog for a walk at the same time.  Two lab mixes on one arm, a German Shepherd on the other, all walking in a harmonious pack.  Does it completely eliminate all pulling?  No.  But it cuts it down dramatically enough that, for me, it was a game changer.  It saves me time, wear and tear on my body, and makes my dogwalking a pleasurable experience that I look forward to.  For the very reasonable price of the Sporn Harness, I would recommend it to anyone with a “puller.”

The Sporn Harness is adjustable and available in small, medium and large sizes.

Have you tried the Sporn Harness? What did you think? Leave a comment below.