Pet of the Week: Layla

Meet Layla, the very sleepy Great Pyrenees! Layla has been trough a lot this week. When she came into the shelter, Layla was gross... Honestly, she was dirty and stinky and just well, gross. The groomers tried to save her coat, but it was just too matted. And no matter how many times she had a bath, they just couldn't get the rotten smell out of her coat. So she unfortunately had to be completely shaved.

On top of her new do, Layla was also spayed. She is still recovering from her surgery, and the pain medication she is currently on is making her a little tired and loopy. But once she is all healed up, puts on a little weight, and grows her hair back out, she will be a picture perfect Pyrenees.

Layla is a sweet and gentle girl that needs a quiet home. She is a little older, and may not be the best for a home with rowdy children. But older kids that understand her desire to not be jostled would be fine. Layla loves everyone, and is eager to make new friends. She will need to be on a special diet for a while, since she is a bit under weight, but should fill out with time.

If you think that Layla would be a good fit for your family, please contact the Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center in Franklin Tn, or Check out their Pet Finder page for their other adoptable pets!

Pet Of The Week: Gabby

Hello dear readers! Its been a little while since my last post... A mix of person/family issues and the unfortunate fact that my laptop is on its last leg has been keeping me from updating my blog as much as I would like too. So please bear with me over the next few weeks as I try to work out getting a new computer... or at least trying to fix my old one.

 I love her sweet smile!

But to start of this new week, lets meet our PotW Gabby! Gabby is a sweet, two year old, medium sized, chocolate Pit Bull Terrier. She is a very special girl, with an unfortunate past. Her previous owners did not loosen her collar as she grew, resulting in it becoming embedded. Because of this, she has a noticeable scar that encircles her entire neck. As well as several smaller scars from who knows what all over her body...

Here is a better view of some of Gabby's scars.

Despite Gabby's troubled past, her true Pit Bull spirit shines through. Gabby loves every single person she meets. And loves to be scratched, petted, and cuddled. We think that Gabby was used as a breeding dog, since is it very obvious that she has had more than a few litters of puppies. Thankfully now that she has been 'through the system', Gabby will be spayed before she is adopted.

Although Gabby is very gentle and sweet towards humans, she would need to go to an experienced dog owner. Because of Gabby's over-breeding, she wold prefer to be the only dog in her new home. She does not seem to trust other dogs very much, and acts very defensive if they get too close. Gabby is also Heart Worm Positive, so she will be undergoing treatment after she is adopted. 

Gabby is a wonderful girl, who deserves a wonderful, loving forever home. So if you think that Gabby would be a good fit for your family, please contact the Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center in Franklin TN or Check out their Pet Finder page for their other adoptable pets!

Pet of the Week: Romeo + Juliette

This week's PotW post is double header! Meet Romeo (background) and Juliette (foreground) the German Shepard mixes! These two are the definition of adorable! R+J are about 5 to 6 months old, and full of energy. They are brother and sister and the best of friends!

R+J practicing their herding skills

These two sickeningly cute pups love everyone. They are a little timid around larger dogs, but they are still puppies and can be socialized if given the proper care and training. These guys will be big! They are all paws and legs now, but will most likely grow into them rather quickly.

Juliette resting in the shade

Juliette is a bit more shy than her brother, but craves attention. They would both make a wonderful family dog. But be fair warned. These two are big, rambunctious puppies. So they may not be the best choice for a family with smaller children. But over all they are wonderful young dogs. 

 Romeo has a great smile!

Romeo is a little more rambunctious than his sister. And he has a habit of jumping up to greet new friends.  But that could easily be corrected with the proper training. Romeo and Juliette are both very sweet, and full of energy. So if you think that Romeo or Juliette (or both!) would be a good match for your family, please contact the Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center in Franklin TN or Check out their Pet Finder page for their other adoptable pets!

 Juliette enjoying some pool time

Juliette wants to remind everyone to have a safe and happy 4th of July! And remember to keep your pets indoors during the firework celebrations. Independence Day has the most recorded reports of lost pets over any other day of the year. So have fun and be safe!

Pet of the Week: Spur

Say hello to this week's PotW, Spur the Husky! As you can see, Spur is a whole lot of dog! He was picked up as a stray, but judging by his girth, he was probably someone's over fed pet at one point. The shelter does everything in it's power to try and reunite lost pets with their owners. But the sad truth is that sometimes it just doesn't happen. But after waiting the mandatory holding period, Spur is now up for adoption, and looking for a new forever home.

Spur is a very sweet, lumbering boy looking for someone who appreciates 'chill time' as much as he does. But he also needs someone who will be committed to keeping him on a strict diet, and taking short walks several time a day, to help him slim down.

Spur is a great low energy dog, which is really saying something for a Husky! He is gentle giant, and just happy about life in general! If you think that Spur would be a good match for your family, please contact the Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center in Franklin TN or Check out their Pet Finder page for their other adoptable pets!

Pet of the Week: Chex

Hello dear readers! It seems like we have been having a lot of PotW posts lately. I've just started a new job, so I have been a bit out of pocket as of late. But hopefully things will be calming down soon. Everything is going really well, and I'm just trying to get into the routine. I am taking Axle up to St. Louis this weekend, so be on the look out for a road trip post very soon! Now onto the PotW!

I try really hard not to pick out favorites at the shelter. I really believe that each and every dog there deserves  equal attention, care, and love. But this weeks PotW has a very special place in my heart. Chex is an absolute sweetheart! I am head over heals with this little guy.

Chex says 'cheese!' for the camera!

If you ask him, he will tell you that he is a Great Dane/ German Shepard mix. But really he is something more along the lines of a Dachshund/Corgi mix. And maybe a little bit of Ferret... Chex has such a big personality for his little frame. Every time I go into the shelter I try really hard to walk him at least once. 

Chex has been at the shelter for quite awhile, and has participated in several adoption events over the last few weeks. But for some reason, that none of us can understand, he just keeps getting passed over. Everyone at the shelter loves Chex and really wants him to get the loving forever home he deserves. 

 

Chex is a very active dog who loves to be taken for walks. He is affectionate, loves to give sloppy kisses, and would love to have a buddy to go on adventures with. If you think that Chex would be a good match for your family, please contact the Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center in Franklin TN or Check out their Pet Finder page for their other adoptable pets!

Pet Of The Week: Danni

Hello dear readers! I am so excited to bring you very special edition of the PotW! Please say hello to Danni the Pit Bull Terrier! Now I love volunteering at the animal shelter. I look forward to my Sunday shifts all week long. But this past week something really awesome happened, and it was all because of Danni.

Danni posing for her picture!

While I was walking Danni, we decided to stop and sit in the grass for a few minutes and talk to another friend/shelter volunteer. Danni was rolling around on her back, climbing in my lap, and giving me kisses as we talked. After a few minutes a family of three walked by and asked what kind of dog Danni was. As soon as I said the words, "Pit Bull" the father tensed up and retracted his hand that was about to pet Danni's head, and made a comments about how Pit Bulls are scary dogs. 

I  calmly replied that no, they are not. Pit Bull Terriers, just like any other dog breed, are wonderful, loving, family dogs. Their behavior is a reflection of their breeding and training. Yes, Pits are strong, sturdy dogs. But, they can be gentle and affectionate too.

How could anyone not just melt over this sweet face!?

The father looked at me in disbelief, but gingerly went to pet Danni's head again. And without missing a beat, little Danni girl perked up her ears, wagged her tail, nuzzled her head into this strange man's hand and lovingly licked his wrist. The look on this families face when Danni did this was priceless. You could see that this tiny, brown Pit was changing their minds about the breed. That, maybe not all Pit Bulls are the vicious, unpredictable dogs that the media usually makes them out to be. 

As the family gushed over Danni, the other volunteer that we had been talking to explained the SAFER program to them. And how the shelter uses it to temperament test all of the dogs that come through there. They seemed impressed, and even mentioned that their teenage son was needing to do some community service for school credit, and that they would look into having him volunteer at the shelter!

Danni enjoying an off leash romp in the shelter's dog park

Now, like I said. I love volunteering at the shelter. But I live for moments like this one. I am so proud of Danni for showing these three people what it really means to be a Pit Bull! Danni has such an awesome spirit, and an amazing personality. And as much as I love seeing her on Sundays, this little girl needs a loving forever home. She is a young adult dog that LOVES to play fetch and roll in the grass. Danni is pretty petite, and has beautiful golden eyes. She would make a great running partner, but also loves to cuddle on the couch. 

If you think that Danni would be a good match for your family, please contact the Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center in Franklin TN or Check out their Pet Finder page for their other adoptable pets!

Pet of The Week: Aiden

Aiden is a Great Pyrenees mix who is absolutely wonderful. He is very sweet four year old boy, looking for a loving family. He is unfortunately heart worm positive, but will be treated after he is adopted. I am personally head over heals for this giant fluff ball. He is so sweet, and loving. Aiden has great leash manners, and knows how to sit. And I'm sure with time, and the right training he could learn many other commands/tricks. 

If you think that you could be a good match for Aiden, please contact the Williamson County Animal Control and Rescue Center in Franklin TN. Or check out their Pet Finder page for many other adoptable pets!

Axle Bites at The Franklin Art Scene!

Its that time again dear readers! We will be set up at the Franklin Art Scene tomorrow selling Axle Bites home made, all natural and organic, dog treats! Our booth will be at 225 2ND AVE SOUTH in Franklin from 6-9PM. So if you are in the Nashville area please come and say hi! Axle will be with me again to greet customers and mingle (read: mooch attention off anyone that walks in the door)! We will be debuting our NEW Sweet Potato flavor, as well as our BEST SELLING Peanut Butter and Pumpkin flavor treats. We hope that you will join us for some amazing art, food, drinks, and live music! If you are not in the Nashville area, we invite you to also check out our Etsy shop!

We will also be handing out flayers to help our sweet friend Macie find her forever home! If you or anyone you know is thinking of adopting a dog, Macie is a dog you need to meet! Please check out her pet finder page for more information!

Pet of the Week: Snowflake

Well, its been quite a while since my last post... I've had some pretty heavy personal/family stuff going on lately and its been weighing a lot on my mind. And its been a bit hard to keep up with the blog as of late. But things seem to be calming down and falling into place. I won't get into it all here, that's just not what this blog is about. But I wanted to explain my recent absence...

I'm hoping to get back into the routine now. And I thought we'd start the week with something light, so without further adieu, lets get to this weeks Potw!

Meet Snowflake! This Dalmatian mix, senior girl could not be sweeter. She is absolutely a joy to be around. She needs to lay off the cookies a little, and has a pretty strict exercise plan to help her slim down. But that's not a huge deal, because this sassy girl loves going on walks. She has amazing leash manners, and will walk right next to you the whole time. 

She has a touch of arthritics in her back, so she requests that there be no rough petting or scratching, please. She would be great for an older couple or single person. She might do alright with a family with older children that can understand her needs. But she is really a great dog, with a lot of love left to give. I have always had a soft spot for senior dogs, and Snowflake is no exception.

If you think that you could be a good match for Snowflake, please contact the Williamson County Animal Control and Rescue Center in Franklin TN. Or check out their Pet Finder page for many other adoptable pets!

Pet of the Week: Brittany

Since we missed a few weeks of PotW because of the quarantine, I though we would go ahead and have an extra one this week to make up. This pretty girl is Brittany. She is a young Boxer/Pit mix and will do anything for a belly rub! She currently has a little bit of Cherry Eye, but is being treated by the vet staff at the shelter, and she will be as good as new in no time. Brittany is such a sweet girl, and would be great for a first time Pit owner. 

Brittany is great on a leash, and has lots of energy to play! But she isn't crazy hyper, so she would be great for an active family. She is extremely affectionate, and eager to make new friends. If you think that Brittany would be a good fit for your family please contact The Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center in Franklin, Tn. Or check out their Pet Finder page for their many other adoptable pets!

Pet of the Week: Petunia

Well hello there dear readers. Its been a few weeks since we have had a POTW post. The shelter where I volunteer had a little Distemper outbreak, and was under quarantine for almost a month. Everything is alright now. But the shelter was not letting the volunteers come in for safety reasons. This past Sunday was my first shift back, and I was so happy to be there! I hadn't realized how much I really love going into the shelter to walk the dogs until I wasn't allowed to go!

But we are now back and business! This weeks PotW is a sweet girl named Petunia. Or Tuna, as I have affectionately nicknamed her. When she walks the tips of her ears bounce a little and look like tiny fins. And the smidgen of white on her tail reminds me of an Angler Fish's lure when it curls over her back. Its so adorable! 

Petunia is a medium sized girl with pretty prefect leash manners. She would be great for a laid back family that likes to take long walks and cuddle on the couch. Petunia is a young adult dog, but is surprisingly mellow for her age. She is sweet as can be, and looking for her forever home!

If you think that your family would be a good match for Petunia please contact The Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center in Franklin Tn. Or check out their Pet Finder page for their other adoptable animals!

Pet of the Week: Myles

Happy Sunday dear readers! This weeks Pet of the Week is Myles! He is an adult Australian Cattle Dog and so sweet! Myles has wonderful leash manners, and will stay right by your side on walks. He is a smaller Cattle Dog, only about 30 Lbs. But he has a very big personality! This handsome boy loves being outside and would be great for an active family or single person.

Myles is a great little guy, looking for a new family to call his own. If you think Myles would be a good fit for your family please contact the Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center or check out their Pet Finder page to see all their other adoptable dogs and cats!

Pet Of The Week: Mason

I had another fun shift at the Animal Shelter on Sunday. A few of my favorites were adopted (Yay!), and there are a few more new faces. Its bitter sweet volunteering. I love working with all the dogs, and I know that they are grateful for all the people that come in everyday to walk and play with them. But it also breaks my heart to see their sad faces when its time to go back in their cages at the end of their walk. 

And every dog is in there for a different reason. Weather is be that they were picked up as a stray, their owners moved into an apartment that didn't allow dogs, or my all time favorite excuse, "We just got new carpet." (you would not believe how many times I have heard this one...)

But anyways... onto to point of this post! Meet Mason, the 2 year old Shepard/Husky mix! This super sweet boy is amazingly affectionate and has wonderful leash manners. He is a little timid at first but it only takes a few minutes before he jumps in your lap and showers you with kisses!

I absolutely love this little guy. At only about 35 Lbs he is great for someone who wants a little chill buddy to hang out with. If you think that Mason would be a good fit for your family you can contact the Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center or check out their Pet Finder page to see their other adoptable animals!

Volunteering: Rain, Rain, and more Rain

What a weekend! Have you ever felt like you just need another weekend from your weekend? Hah! Saturday was full of house cleaning and organizing. Paul got some new (to him) furniture from his Grandfather's old apartment on Friday while I was at work. It might be a little over sized for his bedroom, but it works. 

Tanya - Female Cattle Dog - Available for adoption

I went into the shelter to volunteer for a few hours Sunday morning. Its getting harder and harder to make time to take pictures of the dogs I walk when I go to volunteer. I'm so focused on getting as many as I can out for a walk, there just really isn't time. So I think instead of trying to take pictures of everyone, I may just choose one each week. As sort of an 'Adoptable Dog of the Week' segment. We'll see how that one goes, haha! 

By the time I got back home the little drizzle that started a bit towards the end of my shift had turned into a torrential down pour. (I feel like Tennessee winters are nothing but rain...) I thought that if I waited an hour or two the rain would stop, but no such luck... the rain only stopped when the sun started to go down. So there was no way we could have made a trip out. But there will be other chances to go to the dog park. I always feel a little guilty when the dogs don't get to go to the park on the weekends. 

They get walked during the week, and they play with each other in the house and out on the patio... but its just not the same as getting to see them sprint at full speed around the park with all the other dogs. I wish we were able to go more often...but once the days start getting longer and it warms back up, we will be able to reinstate our wednesday trips to the smaller/closer park after I get off work.

What did you get into this weekend? Do you have any tips for getting rid of the rainy weekend blues? Share with us in the comments below! 

Snow Doggies

What a weekend! Whew! We had so much to do this weekend, I'm surprised we got it all done! I took Axle to the vet Friday night after work. And then he came with me to the Franklin Art Scene. He had so much fun, and just about everyone stoped to pet him. He was in doggie heaven! It snowed Friday night/Saturday morning, so Axle and Clover got to play on the patio in the snow for a little while.

 Is there something on my nose?

Saturday afternoon Paul and I met with Sarah from The Bang Candy Company to talk about catering options for our wedding in November. We got to try a few of the treats that they offer, and they were amazing! The treats were so good we decided to stay for lunch. (Which was just as delicious!) And I got a t-shirt!

Afterwards we had a few quick errands to run (including stopping at one of my favorite local clothing store's in Nashville. House of Stella. They were having a 20% off sale!) before heading off to pick out our, wedding bands! This was so exciting. I absolutely love the rings we picked out. I wasn't allowed to take any pictures in the store, but I promise I'll share photos as soon as we get them back from being sized.

Paul and I had dinner with my brother and his girlfriend Saturday night, we always love getting to spend time with them. After dinner we called it a night, because we had been runing around all day.

Sunday was just as busy, Paul had to go to work and I had another morning of volunteering a the shelter. There were a few new faces, and few of the dogs had 'I've been adopted' signs on their Kennels! Including Shelia's who's picture I shared last week! 

 Hooper the bowlegged Min Pin - Available for adoption

There are not just big dogs needing homes, there are also a lot of toy breeds that are in the shelter as well. I walked this sweet boy Hooper today. His back legs are bowed out so he looks like a little cowboy when he walks. He probably only weiged about 4lbs! So tiny!

 Conan the Husky - Available for adoption

 

This sweet 8 year old boy stole my heart. I think this might be what Paul was afraid of when I signed up to volunteer at the shelter. But I promised I wouldn't bring home any more pets, haha! Conan was absolutely wonderful! I have always had a soft spot for older dogs, especially when they have a little gray on their muzzles. So cute!

 Gabana the Pit Bull Mix - Available for adoption

For anyone that thinks the shelter is just full of adult and senior dogs, you would not believe how many puppies get dropped off every day. Gabana was another dog that I have apparently fallen for. This sweet baby is only 8 months old and is just precious! He is a little timid, but so affectionate! He was more interested in cuddling than anything else. I would bring him home in a heartbeat if I had the room!

Whiskey the Pit Bull Mix - Available for adoption

This charming girl is Whiskey, she is 2 1/2 years old and is beyond sweet. She is a cuddle bug! It is really hard to imagine how so many well behaved and sweet dogs end up in the shelter. I can't ever imagine giving Axle or Clover up for any reason... but I guess that I don't know the circumstances of every surrender. But it still makes me very sad... I walked a few other dogs today, but sometimes its hard to get their pictures. But they are all so wonderful and deserving of good homes! 

After I got done at the shelter I came back home for a quick lunch and then it was off to the Brentwood dog park with Axle and Clover. We met up with our friends Indy, Bentley and their mom Katherine! I'll post all our pictures later this week. Right now I think I'm going to curl up on the couch with the dogs and watch the end of the Puppy Bowl! I hope you all had a good weekend! 

Volunteering: First Day At The Shelter

This past Sunday was my first official day as a Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center volunteer! I had orientation the week before, and Sunday was  my one-on-one training with a senior volunteer (She was super awesome, and very helpful!). I have to say, it was so much fun!!! I have been wanting to volunteer at an animal shelter for a while now, but I wasn't sure how to go about doing that. I was originally looking for a Pit Bull rescue to volunteer for, but I couldn't find one that was close enough that actually housed the dogs. And since I already have two large dogs of my own, it wouldn't be fair to try and foster another big doggie. But a few weeks ago I found out that this shelter was looking for volunteers and I signed up! And I'm so happy I did. 

 

Mallory - Available for adoption  

This shelter is great! They have a lot of Pit Bulls (one of my favorite!) and lots of other dogs that really need the help. From what I have seen so far most of what the volunteers do is feed/water/clean/ and most often walk the dogs. (They also have a lot of cats there, but I haven't worked with any of them yet.) Walking the dogs was a lot of hard work, but it was also a ton of fun! These sweet doggies spend most of the day in the kennels, so its a real treat whenever volunteers come to walk them around the complex. 

There is a really nice little walking trail that goes around the grounds. And there is aslo a fenced in dog park for the public, as well as a few other fenced in areas just for the shelter dogs. I think its wonderful that the shelter dogs not only get to go out for walks, but also get to have some safe, off leash time as well (they can only go in one at a time for safety reasons). I could not believe how much the dogs lit up when it was their turn to be taken out for a walk. I guess its what they look forward to the most every day. So I am beyond happy to be getting to volunteer here and help these dogs get ready for their forever homes. 

Sheila - Available for adoption

The other great thing about having all the volunteers take the dogs out is that its a great way for the dogs to become used to all sorts of different people. They spend so much of the day in kennels that it can become very scary and stressful for some dogs. By being taken out of that environment for a while and walked by different people they are given a chance to calm down and get used to being around many different humans. This makes them better candidates for adoption. And that is the number one goal. To get these sweet babies adopted into loving and responsible homes. All of the dogs I have encountered so far have been so sweet and deserve another chance at finding a family that will love and care for them the way they deserve.

 

Ralph - Available for Adoption

My next volunteer day is Sunday and I can't wait! It looks like every Sunday I am able to, from 10-noon (this is the only window of time volunteers are able to come in and walk the dogs) I will be at the shelter helping with the dogs. I promised Paul I wouldn't bring home any furry friends. But its going to be a challenge keeping this promise, they are all so cute!!! But we do want to get another doggie after we get married (in November) and move in together. But we will probably have to get a bigger place before that happens. But a girl can dream! I would love nothing more than to have a big huge fenced in yard with a bunch of fluffy doggies running around! Haha! 

I am really happy to be volunteering at this shelter. Both my dogs are rescues, and Axle came from a shelter, so I know how important it is to all of these dogs that people are coming in and helping take care of them. I was so lucky to be able to adopt both of my dogs, so this I guess is my way of saying thank you to all the shelter workers who take care of these sweet dogs and dedicate so much of their own lives to helping them find  loving homes.

Fred - Available for adoption

Have you ever volunteered or worked at an animal shelter? Have any of your pets come from a shelter or other rescue? What have been your experiences with animal shelters? Leave us a note in the comments below! I love hearing all of your stories about your pets! 

Looking for a new furry friend in the greater Nashville area? Hop over to Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center's Petfinder page! or check out their website if you are interested in volunteering yourself! They are always looking for help!