a dies ex abyssus or "a day from hell"

Late entry, events happened on 5/20/09

Well what was suppose to be a very positive and productive day turned out to be somewhat of a nightmare! First I want to let you know that Maroo is fine and nothing that occurred today involved him in any way.......Wednesdays I usually work from home grooming my client's dogs during scheduled appointments....I was to have 4 dogs today that needed grooming....Since my first dogs owner works very early at a local hospital and I myself am usually up at the crack of dawn I allow her to bring her baby to me on her way to work, which is around 7am........no problem at all. "Denzel" is one of my puppies from my last litter in 2007 and is also the litter mate and brother to my "Nobu" Denzel is solid black with a small patch of white on his chest........and he is as cute as a button! On the small side for a male Tibetan Terrier but what he lacks in size he makes up in personality! He is a joy to have here during his grooming days.......my next 3 dogs were scheduled at 10am and 1030am to be dropped off.........The 10am dog scheduled was "Webster" who is another puppy from my other litter in 2007 and he is also the litter mate and brother to my "Richard"......Webster's owners have had issues with him on and off since he first went home with them over a year ago......I really am too tired right now to go into any real details about this family but I will say that it is NOT Webster's fault! We are talking about people who ask for help, you offer or give the help, and they do what they want to do regardless of the advice you gave them..........This past Fall they wanted to return Webster to me and I was all set to allow this to happen.....just became so sick and tired of all the mentoring I did and it all going in one ear and out the other..........Poor poor Webster to live in a house where no body could get their acts together for his sake! Well this morning after being 40 minutes late for Webster's grooming appointment the owner arrived and told me that she no longer wanted Webster! She stated that he has had many issues and has become very aggressive toward members of the family! I asked how long had this been going on and she told me that it had been for a very long time now...........NOW, I have spoken to the owner several times during the past 3 to 4 months..........even had Webster her for boarding and grooming on several occasions.........and NOTHING was ever mentioned about any problem that occurred in their home concerning Webster???? I asked why they did not contact me or contact a trainer to come to the home to work with Webster......and she told me that they had met with a trainer and she gave them some tips on how to handle Webster's rambunctious behavior.......obviously it was not working since he was still doing what they did not like.......ok, I don't want to go into too many details or we will be here all night :) the bottom line is that she dumped Webster off at my house this morning and even if she did want him back.........it just is not happening!



Also this morning my sister who will help me out with grooming on occasion agreed to give me hand all day with my scheduled dogs......She said that she would be there at 9am which would give us plenty of time to even grab breakfast at the local dinner up the street....very good food btw..........Well she showed up at 11am after I called her when she was not here at 9:15.........she over slept.

Well after my sister arrived and we started to groom "Melody" and "Domino", my good friend Susan's two dogs I realized that both dogs were matted pretty badly.......This was very strange because Susan is fanatical about brushing her dogs......but with the change in the weather and some rain that we have had it was understandable that both of them would be starting to "blow coat"......During the grooming of both of these dogs I realized that I would not have time to run to my doctor's office to pick up a prescription that he wrote for me so I asked my sister if she would not mind going while I stayed home and finished Domino............she agreed and asked if she could take my Van.......I said yes. While she outside of the yard near the driveway she called to me and much to my surprise she was holding Luna in her arms! She told me that Luna had gotten out of the yard!!!! I was shocked because the gate was closed and locked and there was no other way for her to exit? I asked her to bring her back in the yard and go out again to see if Luna does it again and to also find out WHERE she was escaping from? Well she left the yard, locked the gate and headed toward the driveway.......In a flash quicker than a blink of an eye Luna ran to the far corner of the yard near the driveway and escaped through a hole in the fence that I could not even imagine a rabbit going through!!!! The first time she escaped she ran right over to my sister but not this time.....she ran right past her and into the street! Well this is just not any street.....at this time of the day there are plenty of cars and trucks and Luna was right in the middle of all of them!!!! My sister ran into the street to block the traffic in both directions and kept calling to Luna to come to her......no such luck........Luna was free to run and play this very dangerous game she thought was fantastic! I yelled to my sister to stoop down and call her like she was playing a gamed........Luna finally came over to her and my sister grabbed onto her hair around her neck and secured her by picking her up.......Both of our hearts were pounding so fast and my sister almost started to hyperventilate once the episode was over.....she told me she needed to use the bathroom......no surprise there since I would have l lost all bodily fluids if this had happened to just me and one of my dogs!!! She brought Luna into the house and proceeded to go through the gate between the kitchen and dinning room......this gate is in place to separate both my "Luca" and "Adam" since they do not get along in the slightest and would fight with each other in a New York minute! While I was still outside I had heard some pretty intense growling coming from the family room....I quickly went inside to find both Luca and Adam standing up like two Bears in the wild ready to fight! I immediately grabbed hold of the first dog I could reach and lifted Adam above my head to bring him out of the reach of Luca........in the midst of doing this Luca had gotten a hold of my right index finger and produced a very painful puncture :( I honestly was not his fault since he and Adam were in the middle of a dog fight.......and I placed myself in the middle by removing Adam.......Once both dogs were removed and safe I took care of my finger by rinsing it and applying a pressure dressing on it........Once both my sister and I had calmed down she left for my doctor's office.........about an hour later she returned and things had calmed down.......at least we thought that they had :) I was in the kitchen when I heard my sister call me into the yard with a frantic tone in her voice...........I arrive outside and see my "Olivia" (the other escaped artist) in my neighbor's yard behind my house running with her dog!!! Now their yard is large but it is NOT fenced in.........I called to Olivia in a loud voice and she stopped running and stood there like a statue..........oh she knew she was in trouble.......but with what had happened during the entire day I was in no mood to even get upset about this at all.........I very quickly lifted the bottom of the chain-link fence up and called to Olivia to come over and get her cute little butt back in our yard.........she did with no problem! I did not even have the energy to scold her and actually laughed once I realized what had happened.......So, this was my day from hell........That night when I was all settled in and the dogs were all around me....I was able to reflect back on the events of day and thank God that no real damage was done.......except for my poor finger which was very sore to say the least.

Warning: Kleenex will be needed

A few days ago Camille sent me the "slide show" presentation which will be shown this year at the National Specialty Tibetan Terrier show in Colorado....So far I have watched it about 4 times and each time I could not stop crying....I don't know if it is the pictures of all of those sweet faces, the music, or the sad fact that some of those babies are no longer with us and have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.......or all three! I do know that I am so grateful for each that Maroo brings a smile to my face and the tons of kisses he places on my face and neck when I am holding him.....Archie, his father is equally as affectionate and will lay on your lap for hours just loving every minute of it....both boys are so sweet! I meant to do and entry on Memorial Day weekend today since yesterday was our Memorial Day here in the states.......I had so much to write about which went on over the weekend....all good stuff! But I just had to make today's entry of Maroo's blog all about the slide show..........Camille did an awesome job and anyone who watches it will surely be touched by the bittersweet nature of the photos......Here is a link to the presentation.....I hope that you are able to watch it.........Thank you Camille......for all that you have done for these babies! and thank everyone else who has also helped out, you are all Saints in my book!

Link to slide show: http://animoto.com/play/vzNxGr7w5hKzg7liNLN0Og

Small dogs, big hearts......

Well this weekend, Memorial day weekend.......I have my "Luna" staying with me. Luna is the cute little girl that I co-own with my sister........daughter of my Liza and Luca......sister to my Richard. Since my sister had to be out of town this weekend and Luna is entered in shows both Sunday and Monday it made sense for me to have her stay here so that I would not have to run back and forth to bring her to both shows.....Well.....Luna is no stranger to my dogs since she has been her many times before........and Maroo has met and played with her in the past. But for some strange reason this time I honestly think that there is a "Spring Affair" in the midst :) Both of them are showing very strong signs of puppy love! Yesterday I thought Maroo's sweet little brown eyes were going to bug out of his head when Luna arrived in the play yard! His entire face lit up with excitement.....You see both Luna and Maroo are about the same size, which makes it much easier for them to play together.........I have noticed this also with my "Sabrina" (Luna's full older sister from a previous litter).......Sabrina is almost a clone of Luna...same markings and size........but Sabrina is such a little Diva that she is very selective with whom she gives her affection to.......most dogs do not make the cut. Oh she tolerates Maroo and will play with him......but can be very bossy and very vocal....something that Maroo just does not find appealing. Luna on the other hand is very much a little lady.......polite, demure, and very sweet to the opposite sex :) A perfect recipe for two star crossed Tibetans on a beautiful Spring afternoon...........Last night when all the gang was resting in the family room after a long day of playing in the gorgeous sunshine.....both Luna and Maroo were cuddled up on the sofa together while I was watching some TV.....Maroo seldom settles down with another dog except his pal Adam......but he certainly settled down with Luna last night! It was just too cute to see how great both of them got along during the day......playing and jumping about.........chasing each other.....drinking out of the same bowl of water.......sharing a toy.........and now they are both sharing a quiet evening together. It is also nice to see Maroo relate to another dog so well, especially a dog who is the same size that he his....all of my other guys are larger than he is with the exception of the spoiled rotten Sabrina :) Well we will certainly have to see what today brings between the two of them....since love is in the Spring air :)

Just too sad........

It is with great sadness that I am writing to let everyone know that little "Sadie" my Maroo's sister/litter mate crossed over the Rainbow Bridge early this morning.......I do not know the complete details of what had happened to her but Camille had written to me this week to inform me that Sadie was not doing well at the hospital where she was being treated.....I remember Sadie as a very sweet and bright little girl.......Just like her brother Maroo, Sadie craved love and affection. She was a total joy to visit when Susan and I would make trips to the kennel where the Missouri 18 were sheltered...I am certain that in the short time that some of us got to know her that she touched our lives for a very long time...........Rest well my sweet princess, you are finally free to play in those fields of green over that wonderful Rainbow Bridge......

"Playing on a Wednesday Afternoon" the movie :)

This past Wednesday was a gorgeous Spring day....The sun was out, there was a gentle breeze, the temperature was in the low 70s........a perfect day to play in the yard! Normally I do not let all of my guys out at the same time to play because I become out numbered.....and cannot monitor who is pulling who's tail or ripping out who's coat while chasing each other......Everyone gets along just fine but sometimes the playing becomes a bit too enthusiastic! But on this Wednesday afternoon I through caution to the wind........or the "gentle breeze" so to speak.......and let everyone out to enjoy this awesome weather. Maroo was the in heaven with so many choices in playmates.........He managed to find a chew toy in the freshly mowed grass and ran with it! This engaged all of the other dogs to chase him and attempt to steal this treasure away from him.......no such luck! He was the fastest of them all......Now I do not know if this had anything to do with his size but Maroo managed to escape each attempt to tackle him and claim the toy..........he would weave himself in and out of the others.......between their legs......around the trees........up and over other obstacles......A pro football player could not have done a better job! I tried to capture this adventure on video but he and the others were just too fast for me........What I was able to film was some of the down time in comparison to the real fun! So for your viewing pleasure........North Star Tibetan Terriers present "Playing on a Wednesday Afternoon" .........Enjoy...........I know the gang did making it :)


Link to YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y7CatCxlgk

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We love you "Archie", oh yes we do. We don't love any dog, as much as you....

Well the North Star TT pack just grew larger yesterday afternoon with the arrival of "Archie"......the father/sire of my Maroo. Susan and I decided to share the fostering responsibility for Archie and since she was lucky enough to have him stay with her the past several weeks it is now may turn to enjoy this wonderful boy! She has called me a few times since yesterday to check up on him since she is very attached to him as well......The best thing is that she will still be able to see him since she lives very close and we both work together during the week at her office where she has her practice (she is an MD) I just pray I do not fall in love with him and not return him to her when she wants him back :) Sharing a foster dog is not an unusual situation since there is normally much care involved for one person to handle at times.......so this situation works out very well for all involved! Plus it gives Maroo a chance to play and interact with his father.........which I am sure that he misses very much since he left the shelter kennel months ago....The play that goes on between the two of them is hysterical! Maroo jumps on Archie and just does not let go......as if he is hugging him so tightly. My other dogs have accepted him with flying colors! I am so proud of the gang for doing this......At meal time Archie is polite and waits his turn........in the family room he finds his spot on the sofa to cuddle up with myself or one of the other dogs......He barks when something is there that is not suppose to be there....and he is just adorable sleeping like a baby after hours of running in the yard! Archie seemed to have a head start on the other rescue dogs from Missouri since he was the only dog who actually looked like a traditional Tibetan Terrier! His size was appropriate and he had a few inches of hair growth that gave him that classic look! Watching him move in the play yard I am impressed with his structure since he moves very well and can turn on a dime........just like some of my other TTs when they play! "Adam" my alpha dog of the house has found a new buddy who is not a threat to him also......seems that Adam can get his tail out of joint with males who are not neutered......but since Archie has been "clipped" pardon the expression.....all is well at North Star :) Right now it is also difficult not to spoil this sweet little boy....he loves to jump onto my lap when I am sitting and gives me the "look" like he knows that I already adore him........Camille is still working on finding Archie a "forever home" but for right now he could not be in a better place......with Susan or myself, Archie will always be loved and treated with the kindness and respect that he so well deserves now that he a liberated puppy mill dog!

A Tibetan Mother's Day.......

Today being Mother's Day I did a lot thinking about all the TT mothers I have known in the past and present....With three living in my house right now......my Liza, my Olivia, and my Kimberly. I remember Kimberly's first litter of TT puppies back in 1994. I never dreamed that she would have 12 healthy beautiful puppies with her first whelp! Retired from her show career and a well deserved AKC Champion of record, Motherhood suited her very well...she took excellent care of her babies...And 5 days later my first "Liza" had a litter of 10! Raising 25 TT puppies was a full time job and I was lucky at that time to be working from home......The quality of care that they needed was essential to producing a well rounded, socialized, and happy puppy to go off to their new home when old enough to leave......this work was shared between the TT mom and myself.....TTs moms are wonderful to watch in action with a litter of pups......it is amazing to see the progress each day.......and how the bitch knows far more than we give them credit for......nature is amazing at it's best. A year and a half ago history almost repeated itself when my second Liza and her daughter Olivia both had litters of puppies 4 days apart with a grand total of 15! This time I was blessed with plenty of support from family and friends......those puppies were handled and loved on each day and the proof is in the pudding so to speak because both Richard and Nobu are extremely well adjusted dogs today.... But I give much credit to both moms for turning out such wonderful boys. And then I started to think about my Maroo and what sort of relationship he had with his birth mother when she was raising the litter he came from.....Knowing very little about the conditions of the puppy mill, one can only imagine the worse. Out of the "Missouri 18" there were many female TTs......a few older than the others so I wonder if one of those sweet gals could have indeed been his birth mother. I was able to sort out who is Dad is by reading the website of the puppy mill....."Archie" who is a darling boy is listed as his sire. The both do resemble each other in both physical traits and temperament.........so perhaps this is correct information. Maroo has really come far with his ability to play with my other dogs outside in the play yard...today since it was a spectacular sunny spring day I let the gang play outside for most of the day........Maroo had the chance to interact with both Liza and Olivia during a number of times while playing outside. He loves to tease the other dogs and engage them in chasing him around the yard........this game is not received well with all of the dogs but Olivia loves to chase him! All of them going back to a puppy play instinct that only they can relate to.........Maroo was part of the litter again today......playing with his litter mates, chasing each other, jumping on each other, and having a ball........Liza layed in the sun on the deck and watched as Olivia and Maroo had a ball.......I am sure that she was thinking what a great daughter Olivia turned out to be....strong and beautiful.........and accepting another as one of her own..........Happy Mother's Day Liza, Olivia, and Kimberly...you all are very special moms!

Grass seed-$6.99, Garden tools-$22.99, Fun with a Garden Hose - PRICELESS

There are only a few things in my opinion that need to stay far away from a freshly groomed dog.....Another dog who wants to play rough, laying on a dirty surface, a rainstorm, and a garden hose spraying water at full force..........For the past few weeks I have been re-seeding the dogs play yard with new grass seed since this winter had taken its toll out on a large portion of the lawn and several smaller areas which have become completely bald......When it rains the bald areas become mud and when the areas dry out there is far too much dirt exposed which creates one big dust bowl in the play yard.....So faced with the choice of purchasing a large amount of decorative stones or re-seeding the lawn..........I chose to plant new seeds. Most of the new grass seedling has begun to grow and it is looking fabulous! But there are still a few small areas that need new grass seeded.........(ok where am I going with this you may ask?) This afternoon I blocked off a few more areas with ex-pens and sprinkled the new grass seed down............Once the seed had been carefully sprinkled I then needed to water the areas with the hose to get those tiny grass seeds started with a healthy drink of H2O.........all according to the directions on the seed bag. Now I knew that my Richard absolutely loves water........water in pools, his water bowel, bath time............and water from the garden hose. Last summer we had a ball together when I set up the doggie pool in the play yard for my guys........Most of my dogs would stop by and maybe dip a paw in the refreshing water on a hot and humid summer day..........but Richard would jump in and stand in the middle splashing himself feverishly until he was entirely soaked from his little black nose to the tip of his gorgeous long black tail! We would play game often where I would toss all of his floatable toys into the pool and some of those which did not float and he would actually go diving for the ones that sank to the bottom.........now we are talking about a "kiddie pool" here...........no 6 foot deep end :) I would love to watch him submerge his entire head under water fishing for those toys and bringing them up just to toss them onto the grass when came up for air! I never knew that dogs could do what he was doing...........I am certain that he was not holding his breath.......I do not think that connection is made in their logic.............but none the less he would put his entire head under water and search for those toys under he found them............an easy task in a very small pool.

Well today the fun of summer returned as I was watering the grass seed...........but along with Richard and his amusement, Maroo discovered that he too loves to play in water! Based on his trips outside for potty breaks this past week with all of the rain we have had I knew that he was threatened by wet grass or a strong and steady rainfall...........he would run around getting wet and jumping all over the place feeling the refreshing new rain on his legs and paws...........When he would come back into the house I would towel dry him and place him in a warm crate to take the chill off..........I do not need a dog with a cold :)

This afternoon both Richard and Maroo could not get enough of the water coming out of the hose during my watering task............Each time I sprayed an area, there they both were jumping in the way of the spray..........Maroo was trying to eat the water as it came out in a strong steady stream when I adjusted the hose nozzle to change the force.....Of course both Richard and Maroo had been just groomed and were recently completely brushed out...and looked so handsome! Now I had two completed saturated dogs who looked like two drowned rats! The fun that Maroo had was priceless........He was totally relaxed and free of any anxiety........After the watering job was over I towel dried both of them off and we came back inside........I cannot wait until the "dog days" of summer arrive so that I can watch Maroo discover the fun that can be had in a kiddie pool........This is going to be one fun summer around here :)

*UPDATE: Camille sent me an email this evening regarding Sissy#5. Read for yourself this great news!

Hi everyone, Today is a beautiful day - Sissy #5 came home today! With the exception of 7 different meds - you would never know she had been near death a week ago. She is barking right now along with the rest of my crew as the critters are stirring in the property next door......go figure.

The woman who saved the TTs in Missouri will be making a visit to Mr. R's home to see what else she can find out in terms of diet, vaccines, illness etc. She will also be contacting the miller's standard vets to see if any of these dogs were treated for anything in the past. It is a long shot but she is willing to try so that we may be able to figure out what is going on. She will also be asking the vet that treats many of these dogs out in Missouri to do a consultation with my vet to help rule out things and think of more.

But again Sissy is home - no worse for wear just loss of muscle tone which I am sure she will start filling out after a few good meals.

Keep praying

Camille

Raining cats and dogs...

Well today was the 9th day of rain that we have had here in the northeast........The sun came out yesterday for a short while and then thunder storms replaced the warm rays of springtime....Normally my dogs do not mind going out when the grass is wet or it is raining lightly. But after 9 days even they have had enough! Maroo on the other hand does not seem to mind if there are sunny skies or rain clouds above........he still enjoys himself running in the yard. Watching him jumping and leaping through the wet grass reminds me of the Gene Kelly movie "Singing in the Rain" He seems to love the feeling of the wetness on his belly because when he comes in from a run outside he immediately jumps onto the sofa and feverishly rubs himself up and down all over the cushions as if he was a cat! It is so cute to watch him do this ritual each time he comes back in from the rain or the wet grass....My other dogs seem to have forgotten this simple pleasure for some reason except for my Kimberly who will occasionally do a similar dance with the sofa cushions when she comes back inside.....He is such a happy boy most of the time....He is feeling so much more confident during his play time outside.....he does not stay so close to the back door as he did in the early days after his arrival to his new home. It is wonderful to see him go exploring with the other dogs in the play yard.......Dogs love to explore, so nice to see Maroo in action some days finding new smells, sights, and sounds in his outdoor world........We take so much for granted with our dogs who are socially adjusted...We do not notice some of the simple pleasures they enjoy on a warm spring day playing in a yard....But when that play has to be learned....we watch that dog for the slightest improvement each day....and hope that progress will be made.....Maroo is making progress in so many areas each day. I am so lucky to be able to share these things with him...even in the rain :)

Not out of the woods just yet.........

Another update on Sissy#5 came this evening from Camille via email.......It looks as though things are improving each day with her right now BUT they have yet figured out what exactly has made her so sick.......Medicine is a peculiar thing sometimes......and with dogs it can become even more peculiar......I am thrilled that she is eating again as per the email from Camille.......a true and tested sign of a dog's illness can be measured by just how much of an appetite is present........

Sissy #5 is doing much much better today. She ate on her own 3 times today - which is huge progress. If she continues to eat on her own she will be able to come home tomorrow night or Saturday. The IV fluids have been cut down progressively over the past few days. The only yellow that is evident on her body is now on her abdomen - no sign of yellow in her eyes, ears or gums . Her poop is becoming normalized (only way I can describe it) and her excessive urination has subsided and returning to a normal color and consistency.

Once again - all good news - but no ideas on what it is . My vets are speaking with several specialists throughout the community to come up with anything else it could be. Once again - all tests- lepto, tick borne, toxplasmosis, babesia, and Super Blood panel are normal which exception of liver and bilirubin which is getting better every day......

Still waiting on test results for 3 other dogs to see if they are consistent with Sissy's

Keep praying that she can come home.........

Camille

Update on Sissy#5

The following is an update on Sissy#5 as per an email sent by Camille this evening.......Please continue to pray for her!

Sissy #5 had a really good today.....her liver values are down and her bilirubin is down . This is the first time that she was standing in her kennel , wagging her tail giving me the finger when I left her - as if to say "Hey you are leaving me here again today!!)

All her tests came back negative (Babesia, Toxoplasmosis, Lepto etc) - this is not to say that she does not have any of these things as they are extremely hard to detect (even with a full blown Liver biopsy - which she is way to weak and ill to withstand) . She is loaded up many different medications as well as liver support therapy and the vets are not sure which one is having the positive effect. But are not going to wean her off anything until she is stable and eating on her own.

I have been going there daily along with Kathy a wonderful volunteer (thank you Kathy) to either give her love or syringe feed her so that she can tolerate the meds better. She has not eaten on her own for 1 1/2 weeks but is getting about 6oz of food daily since Sunday through a syringe.

So on the surface the news is good but unfortunately we still do not know what is going on or what has caused this but we keep searching so that we may help the others....we may need to choose another one who is affected to do a biopsy on....

In the end please keep hoping and praying for Sissy's full recovery so that she can come home....

Camille

Prayers for Sissy#5

Camille sent me this pic of Sissy#5 as one of her favorites of her and I have to agree.......she is adorable! I guess you would have to spend time with Sissy to really appreciate just how sweet she is........Please say a prayer for Sissy that she recovers from her recent illness.......She has come so far since leaving Missouri and does not deserve to be suffering like she is right now......

Brings May flowers.........

Well April has passed and May is here but since it has arrived we have had nothing but rain, rain, and more rain! This past weekend was a big dog show weekend here in the NJ/PA area.........On Saturday Maroo came along to the Bucks County Kennel Club show while I showed both Richard and Luna at their first outdoor show of the season......He had a blast meeting many new dogs at the show during his walk about the grounds while we went shopping........The rain held off for most of the day but arrived when we were at the show.......Sunday was the Trenton Kennel Club show which is my kennel club, so I had to work the show....It has been some time since I have seen that much rain at a dog show! It poured most of the day and it was not a pretty sight! Maroo was home with my other guys being watched by my niece for the day! Recently Maroo has taken to Marie, my niece and loves to cuddle up with her on the sofa.......even gives her kisses :)

When I returned from the show on Sunday I checked my email and read a very upsetting message from Camille..........Apparently some of the other dogs from the Missouri 18 have had elevated liver enzymes show up in their blood work......"Sissy #5 who I adored at the kennel when we would go and visit has been very sick........Camille has asked everyone who knows her to pray for her so that she recovers from this illness......so sad. God only knows what would have happened to these babies if they had not been rescued when they were from the puppy mill....I cannot even imagine the shape that they would be in right now! Maroo looks so good these days that it is hard to believe that he even came from that place..........his coat is shiny and growing, he has put on weight, he plays with other dogs appropriately, and he is happy! The other dogs who I hear about are also doing great! It does take time to rehabilitate a puppy mill dog but just like the flowers in May which come from those April showers..........Maroo is starting to bloom!