# Phoebe....TGRR's Puppy Mill Momma's Blog....



## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

Hi guys. 

As some of you may know, I've been volunteering with the Triad Golden Retriever Rescue and am now the volunteer coordinator. 

I knew rescue was important, but being involved takes it to a whole 'nother level. I wanted to share this blog with you all. This is about Phoebe. She has been in TGRR's care for about 3 months and is around 7 years old. The first two were spent at our vet because she needed a lot of medical care for untreated issues before coming to us. 

Since then, she has been in foster with our President, who also happens to be a dog trainer. This blog shows the difficulties in taking a puppy mill dog that is used to no interaction and the trials she is going through in trying to learn to not only accept life with humans, but enjoy it. I thought someone here may want to read about it--and follow her story with us. 

I had the pleasure of meeting her when I went over to take pics of her the other week and she has a long ways to go. But she is in great hands and I am hopeful she will understand that humans are not only not bad--but grow to love them as well. 

Phoebe's Rescue


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Wagners Mom*

Wagners Mom

God Bless you for volunteering for Triad! Triad is a wonderful rescue!!
Rescues go through so much!!
Phoebe's blog is amazing!

http://phoebesrescue.blogspot.com/


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Stephanie, you are a star... thank you for the time and energy you are devoting to your rescue work and for keeping us in the loop as well. I'll check out PHoeobe's blog. My fingers are crossed that it turns out to be the happy ending you all have been working toward.


ETA.... I love Phoebe, I'm so glad she is in a better place with people who are taking care of her. Looking forward to reading about her progress.


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## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

Karen519 said:


> Wagners Mom
> 
> God Bless you for volunteering for Triad! Triad is a wonderful rescue!!
> Rescues go through so much!!
> ...


Thank you Karen! I think the Triad is pretty amazing--we have some terrific people that truly care about the dogs. Thank you for looking at it!


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## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

nolefan said:


> Stephanie, you are a star... thank you for the time and energy you are devoting to your rescue work and for keeping us in the loop as well. I'll check out PHoeobe's blog. My fingers are crossed that it turns out to be the happy ending you all have been working toward.
> 
> 
> ETA.... I love Phoebe, I'm so glad she is in a better place with people who are taking care of her. Looking forward to reading about her progress.


Awww, you are so sweet! Just doing what I can to try to help--and really enjoying it!  

I'm glad you love her....she made huge leaps this weekend with Tim (another volunteer), so I'm hopeful she will continue to make leaps and bounds. She has to! She is a bundle of sweetness just wanting to come out!  

Thanks Kristy!!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Beautiful Phoebe, what can I say except that I truly know and understand the journey she is on because my girl is a former Puppy mill momma. Phoebe has a very long road ahead of her, every little thing she accomplishes is a milestone on her road to discovering life and learning to love and trust people. 

It's a life changing experience to see Phoebe blossom, not just for her but for everyone that helps her along the way. 

She's a beautiful girl that deserves to have a wonderful life. 

Thanks to everyone at TGRR that is making this possible.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Bumping*

Bumping up Phoebe's Story!!


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## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Beautiful Phoebe, what can I say except that I truly know and understand the journey she is on because my girl is a former Puppy mill momma. Phoebe has a very long road ahead of her, every little thing she accomplishes is a milestone on her road to discovering life and learning to love and trust people.
> 
> It's a life changing experience to see Phoebe blossom, not just for her but for everyone that helps her along the way.
> 
> ...


Thank you, Carolina Mom! 

What is most amazing to me is the way the smallest things we take for granted are HUGE accomplishments for her. For example, this past weekend, she wagged her tail for the FIRST time. How awesome is that?! Considering Wagner got his name because his tail never stops wagging (always been this way), it's just so great to see it happening to her now. Even briefly, we'll take it.  

I have a whole new respect for what you've been through with your girl because I see first hand now, just how hard you have to work--and how much patience/kindness/thinking outside the box it truly takes.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Wagners Mom said:


> Thank you, Carolina Mom!
> 
> What is most amazing to me is the way the smallest things we take for granted are HUGE accomplishments for her. For example, this past weekend, she wagged her tail for the FIRST time. How awesome is that?! Considering Wagner got his name because his tail never stops wagging (always been this way), it's just so great to see it happening to her now. Even briefly, we'll take it.
> 
> I have a whole new respect for what you've been through with your girl because I see first hand now, just how hard you have to work--and how much patience/kindness/thinking outside the box it truly takes.


I know exactly what you're saying about her wagging her tail for the first time. Every little thing is a Huge Accomplishment and when you reach it, the feeling is overwhelming, you're so happy and excited for them. One of the big ones for my girl was when she started making eye contact with us. She wouldn't look us in the face for a very long time, now she will stare holes in you when she wants something. 

I think the key is being patient, it takes lots of love, time, and you can never ever give up on them. Normal training does not always work on puppy mill adults, as you said, thinking outside of the box. You have to be willing to try different things. You also have to get over their past or what they've been through in order to help them to move forward. 

I've had Roxy six years now, she still has panic attacks at time, we work through them and try something different. Sometimes it takes several tries or approaches. 

I think along with being patient, I also learned, you can't force them or force anything on them, you have to let them accomplish things on their terms. 


It's not easy, but if you're willing to put in the time and effort, it is one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do and the satisfaction comes in the form of seeing them happy and loving life.


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

Thank you for your work with your rescue organization. I always admire people that volunteer their time.

Also, thank you for posting the link to Phoebe's blog. I'm so glad she is in your rescue.

I have the site bookmarked so I can keep up with her progress. I'm hoping to learn some things too on how to handle puppy mill dogs.

Thank you again!


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## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

Goldens R Great said:


> Thank you for your work with your rescue organization. I always admire people that volunteer their time.
> 
> Also, thank you for posting the link to Phoebe's blog. I'm so glad she is in your rescue.
> 
> ...


 
Thank you--that is very sweet of you. And thanks for following her. The more routing for her, the better.


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## Tucker's mommy (Nov 9, 2011)

I'm rooting for Phoebe and for all of those humans who are out there helping her and every other rescue (and I know so many of you forum members are involved in rescue!). You are all truly wonderful people. I've bookmarked Phoebe's blog so I can continue following her story. Thanks so much for sharing.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

I know there will be tears, will read when I come home. God bless her.


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## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

Thanks so much, guys. Seems she is having a hard time adjusting back to her foster mom's after her great weekend, last weekend. Seems there is one step forward, 3 back. Hoping this is temporary and she can work through it.


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

I imagine life is just a little confusing and overwhelming for her with all the new things she is experiencing.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Wagners Mom said:


> Thanks so much, guys. Seems she is having a hard time adjusting back to her foster mom's after her great weekend, last weekend. Seems there is one step forward, 3 back. Hoping this is temporary and she can work through it.


Sorry to hear it, but I think that's pretty normal for the most part, at least that's the way it was with my girl and still is at times. It can be very frustrating, you just have to work through it, try not to let it get you down, and try a different way to reach them.


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## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

Goldens R Great said:


> I imagine life is just a little confusing and overwhelming for her with all the new things she is experiencing.


Yes, and I imagine it may always be a struggle with her. She is 7--and it's all she has ever known. 

I wish the guy that babysat her this past weekend would adopt her. He is fantastic with dogs--and she seemed to really blossom with him in 48 short hours. but alas, it's not meant to be.  

I'm sure she'll be fine--just going to take lots of time--and patience.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Wagners Mom said:


> Yes, and I imagine it may always be a struggle with her. She is 7--and it's all she has ever known.
> 
> I wish the guy that babysat her this past weekend would adopt her. He is fantastic with dogs--and she seemed to really blossom with him in 48 short hours. but alas, it's not meant to be.
> 
> I'm sure she'll be fine--just going to take lots of time--and patience.


 
It's going to take the right person to come along for her. It's a very long journey, I've had my girl 6 years now. She's great with us and when she's at home. Take her out of her comfort zone which is our house and yard, she gets scared. Sometimes the scars are so deep they never fully go away unfortunately.


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## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> It's going to take the right person to come along for her. It's a very long journey, I've had my girl 6 years now. She's great with us and when she's at home. Take her out of her comfort zone which is our house and yard, she gets scared. Sometimes the scars are so deep they never fully go away unfortunately.


I'm afraid hers will never go away, either. I just hope she can be truly happy. I hope her special person is out there that can give her some stability and a real chance.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Stephanie*



Wagners Mom said:


> Yes, and I imagine it may always be a struggle with her. She is 7--and it's all she has ever known.
> 
> I wish the guy that babysat her this past weekend would adopt her. He is fantastic with dogs--and she seemed to really blossom with him in 48 short hours. but alas, it's not meant to be.
> 
> I'm sure she'll be fine--just going to take lots of time--and patience.


Stephanie:

Maybe we should pray that he adopts her!!


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## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

Karen519 said:


> Stephanie:
> 
> Maybe we should pray that he adopts her!!


That would be ideal.....I think she really likes him! Yes, let's pray he adopts her!!


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## njoyqd (Oct 20, 2012)

Thank you for all your hard work! "Our" Phoebe is 7 months old now and with her many problems could have easily ended up a rescue dog or worse. While not a puppy mill dog she has had to endure way too much for a baby. I'm so glad we chose to address her problems in an effort to help her. Someone else may have given up. Your work and mission with the Triad group is beyond commendable. Thank you!


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