Meet Amos

Barrio Dog volunteer Gina Damian of Mason Park Greater East End recruited her neighbor Leticia Vasquez and together they rescued Amos. He is one of the many suffering dogs in this area but he needed immediate attention because he was truly suffering.  

Amos was treated at Gulfgate Animal Hospital Friday, April 27, 2012; he has scarcoptic mange (contagious), is heartworm positive and weighs 57 pounds. He was able to receive all his vaccinations and bordatella for boarding. He is currently at AC Boarding. 

With some love, care and good medical treatment, we expect Amos to fully recover and be ready for a home within the next few months.

Meet Izzy

Izzy was rescued by independent rescuer Estelle Mack. Here is Estelle’s story: “Izzy is a Valentine’s Day 2011 rescue. We found her running erratically on Dowling and Holman, with not an inch of hair, starving and extremely pregnant. Dumped in the heart of cruel Third Ward, she was left to fend for herself --we had never seen her in with any of the strays we usually fed. We got her fully vetted, microchipped and spayed ASAP and under my friend fellow rescuer Brenda’s care, Izzy gained weight, recovered from sterilization and even slowly started sprouting some hair again.

With her stocky build and her square jaws, we think that Izzy might be a Staffordshire/pitbull mix. She is beautiful and her eyes shine like gems. Although a little rowdy at time and a bit of a tomboy, she is the truly one of the gentlest creature I know. She gets along with dogs of all sizes and goes out of her way to meet them and seek their friendship! This spunky 2-year old exudes love, love and more love. Sadly, she has been living at AC Boarding for the whole past year now and has yet to experience the day-to-day love of a forever family who will spoil her with affection and care for her special needs. Izzy has finally grown a full black coat of hair but her non-contagious demodectic mange might be recurrent and she continues to be treated with ivermectin shots every two weeks to help with it the condition. She has also developed chronic dry eyes for which she needs daily eye drops per the veterinary ophthalmologist. But this feisty little girl is not at least hindered by these two health issues.

When she isn’t socializing with other canines, sweet Izzy enjoys going for walks and loves going for outings to the dog park. She is an avid swimmer and loves to dive in the water to retrieve Frisbees. You should see how fast she paddles with these powerful legs of hers! She is 38-lbs, approximately 2-years old. Izzy is up-to-date on all of her vaccinations, spayed, microchipped and heart worm negative. She is on monthly flea and tick preventative and heart worm preventative."

Meet Derek

Derek is a black/brown Staffordshire terrier, approximately 2 years old. He was rescued by Claudia, Barrio Dogs Volunteer Coordinator. She saw him in the streets and noticed he was extremely thin. He was limping from his right leg and was dragging a long rope still attached to his neck. He was very approachable, friendly and sweet; Claudia noticed he was infested with fleas and did not have the heart to leave him behind.

He was immediately given a bath with flea shampoo and the following morning he went to see the vet. The injury on his right paw was a bullet wound and the bullet was removed. He's heart worm negative and has received all of his vaccinations. He will be neutered as soon as he's off antibiotics and gains a little more weight. He's very friendly with other dogs and humans too. Derek is currently living at AC Boarding.

Meet Lucy

What would you do if you saw a poor dog like this? Thank goodness caring residents,Wendy Thiessen and Bill Johnstone of Idlywood East End Houston took action to help when they found her in mid April 2012. It’s a common theme in this area; they mentioned they see homeless dogs roaming throughout the neighborhood. As we have expressed to many we are maxed out and not even a rescue group, but how could anyone say no to this poor girl that was suffering from a serious skin infection? Wendy and Bill sponsored first vet visit, she is going to need a lot of care. Lucy, is young boxer, probably only a year old. She has demodec mange (non-contagious). Gulfgate Animal Hospital recommended only treating skin for now, she has received antibiotics, ivermectim, fish oil, medicated shampoo and was treated for the fleas.She is currently boarded at AC Boarding; she will need to see the vet once a week for a while. She is already doing much better; she loves people and attention and wants to play with the other dogs. We have high hopes for Miss Lucy once she starts to look and feel better; she should have no trouble finding a new home at all.

Meet Ennis

Ennis is currently living at AC Boarding.

Meet Otis

Otis was adopted earlier this year but was returned to Barrio Dogs through no fault of his own. He has been living at AC Boarding for about a month.

Meet Wallis

Rescued February 2012: Thank you to a very caring Sylvia Garcia-Solis and dog trapper Kelle Mann Davis for saving this poor dog who got himself stuck in an 18 wheeler engine. Our thinking is during a cold snap he crawled up into a warm engine. When he was discovered by a not-so-caring truck driver he was scared and got his back leg stuck. When he was trying desperately to get away from the angry owner who was only thinking of his engine parts, this poor boy escaped with more leg damage. This poor dog was hurt and had a horrible infection. It took several days, but he was finally trapped with the help of Kelle and Sylvia. Sadly, the solution from the owners was to kill the dog. Had Sylvia not stepped in, his story may have not ended so well. Barrio Dogs had to help with this injured boy we are calling Wallis. Wallis was taken to Abbott Animal Hospital where he had surgery on his leg. By April 1 Wallis was all healed up and out of Abbott Animal Hospital, but now needs some friends to help start his new chapter in life. He is a bit shy and skittish, but he is starting to come around. What do you expect for a dog that has his leg stuck in an engine? He is currently at AC Boarding and will benefit greatly from the time,attention and love of A Home for All volunteers.

Helping Those Canine Wallflowers Bloom

From: ASPCA Professional

February 27th, 2012 - Written by: Shelters' Edge

Everyone’s heart breaks for the shy dogs. Just look at this video of an extremely under-socialized young pit bull at a shelter. The enormous pupils, the lip pulled back in a fearful grimace, the furrowed brow, the trembling muscles. The first thing most people want to do when they see such a dog is to march straight into the kennel and give her lots of pets and cuddles. Surely if you show a frightened dog enough love, she’ll respond in kind?

Unfortunately, this is not usually the case. In fact, it’s usually easier to win over a shy dog by playing hard to get, rather than by smothering her with affection. Here are some tips for helping these guys come out of their shells: 

•  Try squatting down with your body sideways to the dog. 
• Look down or away, and keep your body language quiet and calm. 
• Scatter treats on the floor around you, so that the dog can self-reward without any social pressure from you. 
• Do not pet the dog until she is begging for attention. 
• Sometimes just sitting in a corner of the kennel reading a book will allow the dog to approach at her own speed. 
• Avoid looming over, reaching a hand down from above, approaching quickly and frontally, even making direct eye contact, can be frightening for shy dogs.

It may take a number of repetitions of the above techniques to get into a shy dog’s “club,” but the rewards are worth it. And good news—the pit bull in the video came around in a couple of weeks and was adopted.

Plant the seeds for making your wallflowers bloom by sharing this post with your colleagues or bringing it to your next staff and/or volunteer meeting. And if you’ve found additional ways to coax shy dogs at your shelter out of their shells, leave a comment.
Link to article.

The First Two Weeks With Your New Dog

From our friends at Open Paw

Congratulations on the new addition to your family! Your new dog will be a wonderful companion for years to come. It is important to recognize that first impressions are often lasting ones. If you follow these simple guidelines, your dog’s transition into your home will be a piece of cake for you and your new best friend.  

1. Teach your new dog the rules of your house from the beginning. In the words of Dr. Ian Dunbar, “If you want your dog to follow the rules of the house, by all means do not keep them a secret.” When your dog first gets home, he or she may be a little confused and unsure of the new living situation. Even though your home is undoubtedly more comfortable than the shelter, it is different, and different can be stressful. It is important to remember that dogs do not speak our language and will best understand your expectations through training and management. Training and management should begin the very moment your new dog arrives in your home.

Your instinct may be to give your new friend a few days to unwind and adjust before imposing rules and restrictions. Wile you may mean well, this time delaying training has the potential to be both frustrating and damaging. Right from the very first day, it is crucial to convey your expectations to the dog and to establish an errorless training system. If you do this, your dog can succeed in learning house rules right from the beginning. If you change the house rules a few days after your dog has arrived, he will not understand why things have changed. Your dog may have already formed new habits and will have a difficult time adjusting to yet another set of expectations. It is much more efficient to teach your dog everything you would like him of her to know from the outset.

2. Try not to overwhelm your new dog with too much activity during this initial adjustment period (individual dog’s adjustment period will vary). It is very exciting to adopt a new family member. Of course you want to introduce her to all of your friends and family and of course you want to take your new pal everywhere! All this excitement however could be exceptionally stressful for your dog. Please keep in mind that even in the best of shelters your dog’s world was probably limited to a handful of environments and activities. It is best for your dog to spend the first couple of weeks quietly settling in and getting to know you. Limit introductions to just a few visitors, and preferably only one or two at a time. If your dog has time to become familiar with you and your home surroundings, she will be more confident when setting out on adventures beyond your immediate neighborhood.

3. Keep your new dog confined or supervised at all times. This is the best way to keep your new friend (and house!) out of trouble when you are unable to monitor his actions. Your dog requires a dog-proof, safe place: a “doggie den” – the equivalent of a toddler’s playpen – where he can rest and chew appropriate items in your absence. There are many options for your “doggie den,” but a crate or small room in your house is ideal. However, you may also choose an outside kennel run. Initially you must be around to gently redirect your dog when he chooses an inappropriate activity. If you are vigilant about supervising our dog and showing him what you expect, your dog will learn to settle down quietly, to chew only appropriate chew toys and eventually to become trustworthy in your absence.

Remember: always try to build good habits, because good habits are as hard to break as bad ones.

FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST TWO WEEKS WITH YOUR NEW DOG. PLEASE REMEMBER SOME DOGS WILL TAKE LONGER TO ADJUST SO BE PATIENT.


DO immediately show your dog to his/her appropriate toilet area.


DO take your dog to the designated toilet area once an hour, every hour, on leash (except overnight). Allow supervised free time only after he relieves himself in the appropriate area. If your dog does not go to the bathroom on one of these trips, confine him to his “doggie den” OR keep him on leash and supervised, until the next scheduled potty break.


DO confine your dog to a “doggie den” whenever you are physically (or mentally!) absent. Such as when you are at work, paying bills, talking on the phone, sleeping, etc.


DO feed your dog out of a hollow Kong or other chew toy stuffed with kibble and snacks throughout the day, especially when she in her “doggie den” or when you are busy. Also use part of your dog’s daily ration while on walks, during training or when meeting new people.


DO provide plenty of appropriate chew toys to keep your dog busy and prevent chewing “casualties” in your home and yard. Redirect any chewing “mistakes” by directing your dog to an acceptable alternative. This will also help establish an appropriate chewing habit for the lifetime of your dog.


DO introduce your dog to new people and other pets gradually so as not to overwhelm him. Use kibble and treats to help form a positive association to new people. Be sure he has access to his “den” in case he needs a break from all the activity.


DO enroll in a basic obedience class right away! This will help you to understand how to better communicate with your dog in a way she will understand.


DO look for a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT) that uses dog-friendly training methods. Contact APDT.com or call 1-800-PET-DOGS to find a trainer in your area.


DON’T allow your dog free run of the entire house right away, or else your new friend may learn all sorts of bad habits. First take the time to teach him good habits.


DON’T take your dog off-leash in public until you have successfully completed an obedience class.


DON’T feed your dog out of a bowl; all food should come either out of a Kong or from somebody’s hand.

For more information regarding training your dog please read “After You Get Your Puppy”. To place an order visit the James & Kenneth website at jamesandkenneth.com.

Click here for a printable PDF version of this article.
Link to the article is here.