Author: rico

Gizmo and Maya were adopted during fall 2014 by Candice. They were flown from Ottawa to have a wonderful life with their new Mom in B.C. Candice is very happy with ‘her girls’ and we are delighted they found a great home! Candice says “I have had one hell of a year the past year but I couldn’t imagine it without my girls. I love them both so much and they have changed so much. The absolutely LOVE the sun and love the beach so much..” Now in 2024, we can share that GIzmo and Maya indeed had wonderful and long lives with Candice, full of love and adventures, running on the beach daily. Candice says "they came with me everywhere, and I was with them till their last breath." Maya passed on Aug 6th 2024 and Gizmo on March 2nd 2023. Gizmo was 16.5 and Maya was only 2 months shy of being 16. "They changed my life," says Candice.

Maya was adopted by Jane in early 2015! She says “Maya has a delightful personality. She’s enthusiastic and affectionate. She’s shows such great appreciation when you give her anything or do anything for her. She loves her walk down by the water and has learned

Twiggy (was named Cza Cza) was adopted by Erika in early 2015. “I just want to let you know that I’m a very happy girl. I get to go for walks every day, eat food made just for me and my older brother Alfie. I sleep in my mom and dad’s bed, but have plenty of my own beds. I love to go outside even in the winter.

T-bone was adopted by Ann in early 2015. Ann says “T-Bone is very happy in his new forever home with his six family members. He absolutely loves to snuggle and cuddle. He enjoys taking his daily walks with “mum” as his special time of the day and getting treats for his good behaviour. All of us consider ourselves so fortunate to have found him. We love him so much!” What cute ears!!!

Socks was adopted by Rosemary in early 2015. He is a senior of 12 years who was brought in with senior Missy (see below) and senior dogs have so much to offer! Socks is a calm, friendly guy who likes to cuddle. Rosemary says “He is doing well – really affectionate little guy, and getting along well with our other dogs. We go for walks now that the snow is gone, and he really loves to walk around the park. He has gotten to know the back yard, and he loves to sit outside sunning himself whenever he gets a chance.” What a lovely boy and we are so happy for you!

Niki was adopted by Genvieve in early 2015!! She was a quiet and insecure girl when she came into rescue, but is learning to relax, enjoy walks and playtime. Niki’s ears look like they have been trimmed, but they just have an little odd back-fold!! Cute!

Freddy was adopted by Stephanie in early 2015! He is now called ‘Chekov.’ Stephanie says “As a first time dog owner I had my concerns, but we bonded instantly and he has become such an amazing part of my life. I’m currently at home recovering from surgery and he’s sleeping beside me. His behaviour has gotten much better and he loves playing with his stuffed moose and sleeping under covers with me. Thank you Minpinerie for rescuing this little ball of sunshine. He brings so much joy to my life.” So cute!

Su adopted Eve (now called Coco) in early 2015. She says “At first we had some trials and tribulations that led to doubts about whether the “relationship” would work out but it wasn’t long before our little girl captured our hearts and now we could not imagine giving her up for any reason. She is so sweet, smart, energetic, cuddly. It’s been a joy to observe her progress week after week and we know it will keep getting better. I urge anyone who has been “thinking about” getting a dog but is hesitating to take the plunge – you won’t regret it!!” YUP!

Kevin adopted Louie (formally Duke, formally Harpo) in February 2015. “He has gained all his weight back and has become the most lovable MinPin I have ever met. He and Georgie get along great and he has even warmed up to the neighbours. My only complaint is that my furniture is taking a beating from all the running and wrestling him and Georgie do. He has gotten over his fear of his food dish completely, he will even let you pet him while he is eating, rare for a Min Pin.I think he has become a very happy dog and we have become very happy dog owners.” Lovely!

Stephanie adopted Molly in summer 2015! “I adore her. She is a handful but she follows Bonds lead a lot so she hasn’t done much she shouldn’t. She does love garbage. Lol we had to change the garbage cans to make sure they all have tops. housetraining has come along great only a couple accidents on rainy days.

John adopted Harley in spring 2014. “He is now a full year with us, what a wonderful dog. He gets about two hours of exercise per day most of it off leash Harley gained about 3 pounds., He is a muscular dog and very healthy. We love him very much and he shows his affection very freely. Harley still loves his belly rubs.” Wonderful!

Geegee (now Piccolo) was adopted by Jolanta in spring 2014 and we get these nice shots of this little dog! Great fashions!

Pepper was adopted by Jaye in spring 2015!!! “Joy abounds in my heart and I just had to share. As some of you may know, I have one full blood Italian Greyhound (Mimi), one Italian Greyhound/Fox Terrier ? mix (Charlie), one MinPin/Chi mix (Twister) and we are in the process of adopting Pepper who was adopted and returned. We have had Pepper in our pack since mid-May and what a joy. Mimi is the oldest at 12 and is a puppy mill girl that I adopted a little over 3 years ago. She has

Bentley (formerly known as Bandit) was adopted recently by Cyrena and Armand. “He is doing wonderful! He has settled into our home/routine very nicely. We just love him to bits! He is so affectionate and loves to be snuggled under a blanket with us. He loves

Diamond was adopted in mid-2015 by Bernie, Jason, Tiki and Bonita, who say “I really do not have the words to thank-you enough for bringing this special little girl into our lives:) Diamond, honestly, is a perfect fit for our family!! I’m really not sure why this little gem was ever given up and how she ended up at your rescue BUT she did and we are so very thankful!! I took yesterday off to spend time with her and to see how the other 2 dogs would be:). It went very smooth except she

Baby, now called Lana, was adopted by Sadhika in July 2015. “She had a very timid and frightened demeanour but was incredibly sweet nonetheless. When I adopted her, she was shy with strangers, nervous, skittish, hated loud noises, and did not like walking on streets when other people or cars were around. Within two months Lana has made such great progress not only with me but with other dogs and people as well. After a horrible start to life, Lana now spends her time being hugged and kissed by mommy, going for walks, chewing on raw hides, and watching Netflix in bed. Lana has been such a blessing in my life. Thanks to all the volunteers at the Minpinerie for their knowledge and hard work!!” What a face! We love your eyes Lana!

Auggie was adopted by Manoo and her family in 2015 and she says he is a happy go-lucky dog. He loves his sister Moxie (long hair standard Dachshund). They play all the time and are now inseparable. “I have taken Auggie to basic obedience classes and he did good there. He is still a work in progress as he gets very excited when going for a walk and pulls on his leash but he is working on that. At the beginning he didn’t know what playing is but soon he started warming up to the idea and now he even invents his on games. I must say for a dog who had spent all his life in a shelter and did not have much interaction with humans or dogs, is doing fine and getting better day by day! He is an absolute cuddle bug and loves and demands attention. We feel very lucky to have him in our family and cannot imagine life without him. Thank you Minpinerie for all you do and for bringing us together.” So nice to see friends enjoying life!!

Whisper was adopted by James and his family in mid-2015. They say she has made a 360 degree turnabout. She is a much more happy, loving and a very healthy little girl. She gets along with our two cats, and gets along well with strangers who come into our home. She is a good guard dog, letting us know if anyone is in the vicinity. We named her “Whisper” hoping she would live up to her name, but that hasn’t happened yet. We love her dearly, and wish to thank the Minpin organization, and it’s staff for finding us the right dog who has made us both so happy to have her. P.S. Hi, it’s Whisper, I just want you to know, I am a proud Senators fan!” Go Senators, go! And go Whisper!!!

Quipper, now Kipper, was adopted by Teresa and her family in mid-2015. “Kipper has settled in quite well with us, and has made a number of human and dog friends in the neighbourhood in the last few months. He is a very fast dog – and is the life of the dog park. Thanks so much for your help in bringing Kipper into our lives, and for taking good care of him after he got here from the States. He’s brought us a lot of joy already, and we’re looking forward to many good years ahead.” What lovely eyes you have Kipper!

Diesel was adopted by Dean in mid-2015. He is blind in one eye but that does not stop him! Dean says “Diesel is an awesome companion. He loves traveling and seeing new places and has been truly a real joy to join me on the road. And, of course, is spoiled rotten.” Diesel is a great trucking dog!!! Way to go Diesel!

Bambi was adopted by Maia in 2015! “Bambi is still doing marvelous. Her eye has healed completely and she continues to love running in the yard and playing with her rubber rooster; I have attached a couple pics for you. There has been no issues between her and Patty and I no longer crate her and she is fine alone. Thanks! Maia” Nice tongue Bambi!!

Pebbles is nine year old chi who was adopted in 2015 by Minpinerie volunteer Lise right off the transport! Pebbles says: Woof everyone! Mammi says that I’m a very pretty and good girl and that she’s so happy to have me share her home. Yup, yup. What’s my secret? I’m a terrific negotiator…I now have my very own person pillow on the floor next to our bed. I also got to keep two down-filled napping bags. This over-shedding-covered-box-pooping thing isn’t even allowed up. Yap. Mammi may clean fuzzy’s box once a day but she comes outside with me five or six times a day! Yap. Move over puff ball. I am Chi Hua Hua! Oh! I’m smart, too. Mammi said I know better than to jump on our chair and stick my tongue up her nostril. Yap. Now I wait until it’s less crowded. Yap. Yap. Mammie’s a keeper. Thank you for finding her.” Enjoy the couches Pebbles!!!

Betty was adopted by Randy and his family in 2015. Betty came all the way from Kentucky with Bess (now Tessa, see her story way down below). They were originally found together taking shelter in an abandoned house — starving, cold and alone. Concerned neighbours and rescue folk got close to them and then they were treated, fixed and shipped north in due course, to Minpinerie and to two great families! Here is Betty and her best friend Buster in the backyard. Randy says “They are inseparable.” Great to hear – from rags to riches, from alone and vulnerable to loved and cared for.

Donovan (now called Dudley) was adopted by Danielle and her family in July 2015. Dudley is an unusual mix!!!! He’s a Basset Hound Rotweiller mix who came to Ottawa from Kentucky where he was found as a stray with a little note that said “He has a big bark but is ever so loving” and so loving he is!! In Dudley’s words, from Danielle: “My new family is awesome. I have two boys now to play ball with and two cat friends! I never thought I’d be friends with a cat, but they were very patient with me and I’ve even stopped barking at them. Mama told me a million times that they are not squirrels and now I believe her. I love watching squirrels and birds. I have a big back yard that I can lie around in and watch them while Dad putters around in his workshop. Or I can lay in the sunny window with my cats and look outside while my cats snooze. I’ve gone on lots of adventures since coming here. We went camping and hiking and they even let me come in the canoe with them! I was so still and just watched the birds fly over us. Then we had campfires and they let me sing along while they played guitar!! My little hound heart just loved howling out the song of my people. I don’t really need to bark anymore. Mama told me that just because I’m short I’m still a big dog and no one is judging me so I can let that big bark go now.” Lowrider love!!

Miniboots (now called JEWEL) was originally rescued from Kansas USA. At the time of her rescue this poor dog couldn’t even walk due to her back hips being collapsed. She was caged for 16 hours/day in a pen too small for her. Her new (forever) owner Colleen says “Many thank you’s go out to the shelter in Kansas and to Minpinerie where she was ultimately rehabilitated within weeks. From then on she was fostered and we adopted her just 2 months later. She is so bright and loves training. She loves her walks twice a day and has become very sociable with both other dogs and people alike. She loves her treats; her favorites being baby carrots, fresh peas, green beans, watermelon and even banana!! She is incredibly sweet and cuddly. Jewel loves belly rubs and even discovered that she enjoys the water. She is getting along well with her new roommate, a 10 year old Papillon. They walk together so closely that they actually bump one another often. She is super happy. If she is not on the couch sleeping, you can always find her on her bench in the front bay window watching the world outside. She doesn’t play with toys as she prefers a soft touch and tone. We couldn’t be happier; nor do I think could she. Many thanks to the Minpinerie for saving this 5 year old little girl. You are all saints and your work/volunteerism is so appreciated as our family could not imagine life without our precious gem; our Jewel.” So great to hear!

Lucy Lou was adopted in July 2015 by Kristi and Roger. They say: “When our beloved minpin, Ceildh, passed away in April 2015 at the age of 15, we decided we would spend a few years dog-free so we could travel, etc. However, after only a few months, we knew something was missing in our home – the love and laughs of a minpin. Of course, Louise had the “perfect minpin” for us that needed a loving, forever home. She explained that she had a wonderful, little four year old girl who had recently arrived from a shelter in Ohio (her history unknown) and was currently staying with a foster dad, Steve. Steve called us and told us all about Lucy Lou. Well, the rest is history 🙂 We both fell in love with Lucy the second we saw her. We are an active, outdoor family and Lucy has really taken to cycling and kayaking. She loves car rides but is also extremely happy at home, curled up in her favorite chair in the sunshine. This chair happens to be the leather chair, purchased shortly before her arrival, the chair we decided when we brought her home that she would not be allowed in! Her favorite hobby is knitting and helping us exercise. She is a pro at doing the “downward dog”. Lucy craves human touch and we are only too willing to provide that to her. She spends a great deal of her time in our arms or cuddled up beside us. She is so cuddly and lovable. Sometimes her “minpin” behaviour makes us laugh so hard she brings us to tears. When we brought her home to our place in the country she didn’t seem to take notice of a frog hopping in front of her, a leaf blowing, etc. Also, a long blade of grass or a weed seemed like a scary jungle to her. We don’t know why, perhaps there was just so much to adjust to and she hadn’t been a country dog. Now, three months later she will plow headlong into the long grass/weeds and enjoys several hikes a week on the woodland trails near our home. Lucy isn’t a fan of strong wind or cooler temperatures, so we are waiting to see how she will adapt our cold winter. Perhaps her new favorite spot will be curled up near our woodstove. Lucy is more comfortable around female humans but after getting to know her male humans she gets more comfortable, even her very tall big brother human, skittish at first, she will now cuddle with him for hours. Lucy’s human dad is home all day with her and her human mom works four days a week. Every day when Kristi arrives home from work she gets the best welcome anyone could ask for. Lucy comes running, spins in circles and jumps into her arms. She has to sit down and cuddle before she can take her coat/shoes off. We must say, although we give her so much love and care we still feel she gives us more☺ Before we finish, Lucy has a message:

“Thanks to everyone involved in helping me find my forever home. Thank you to the shelter and Minpinerie staff and volunteers, to the driver who brought me to the Minpinerie and a big thanks to Louise and Ruth. Thanks Steve for sharing your home, your time and your love. Sorry about the pillowcase :)” Lucy is forever grateful to you all!” What a great life!

Mason (now Reggie) was adopted by Tom and family in 2015. He says ” He’s the cutest little dog and our dog Georgie is getting along very well with the new addition to the family.” Mason is a very little guy!

Buster, now Ted, was adopted by Ryan, Katie, Piggy and Aidan in 2014! He had been up for adoption for quite a while! “Not knowing what to expect, but prepared for anything, we welcomed Buster with open arms. We were told that we had 21 days to decide if he was going to be the right fit for our home or not. After spending a few days together, he quickly found his comfort zone. It wasn’t long after that, we decided on a new name for him and that name is Teddy. He earned this name mainly due to his elite snuggling powers and his undying desire to make himself a permanent ornament on our bed. After reaching the 21st day, we kept waiting for the little monster inside to unleash itself, but it never did. Instead Ted continued to fit himself into our family like he has been here all his life. Just a happy little soul, thankful for a new home. Every day Teddy gives us his undying attention and love. He rarely leaves our side and has found his life long best friend in our other Min Pin Piggy. We will be forever grateful. While we can never thank you enough for all hard work that you do. As a token of our immense appreciation for all of you at the Minpinerie, Katie and I have made a donation on behalf of Ted. We know this money will be put to great use to help other families find their Ted.” Way to go Ted!!

Zoee was adopted in 2015 by Pete and Chris. Chris says “She is doing awesome. She has come a long way. She now weighs 10 lbs. (since beg. of May). She has even warmed up to “Daddy”. She doesn’t startle quite as quickly anymore although I don’t think she’ll ever like the big bendy-busses or keys. She loves to visit Nanny and Poppa and makes herself comfy on their sofa with her blankies. She loves car rides. Once in a while I’ll take her up to the senior’s residence to visit and she doesn’t mind too much. Of course the seniors all love her and think she’s so cute. She sleeps in bed with us the whole night through. She even enjoys her crate which sits in the dining room and will sometimes go in by herself when I’m working in there. I bought her a really good “Chilly Dogs” winter coat which keeps her nice and cozy and she’ll go for a 30-40 minute walk without any complaints. She is very close/attached to me and sits or lays down beside me whenever I’m on the sofa, which is often, throughout the day. Whenever I come home she does this major “happy dance” and goes flying over onto the sofa (as if she’s trying to say ‘okay Mom, park yourself for awhile’ – ha, ha). Oh my God Lou, she’s just too cute and soooo precious. Even my husband loves her to bits! We are so thankful and blessed to have her. I can’t thank you, Ruth and Minpinerie enough for all you’ve done to bring Zoee into our lives.” What a cute face!

Winnie was adopted in 2015 after waiting a long time, by Anne and Jeff, and Anne has special things to say about adopting a senior! “After losing my own dog after 16 years in December of 2014 I was apprehensive about adopting. A friend a work sent me a link for senior pet adoptions, scrolling through the pages I saw Winnie’s profile and looked at it for 4 months before I contacted your organization. After a teary phone call with Louise about my trepidation I told her my frequent visits to Winnie’s page. Louise described Winnie as being the “most melancholy dog.” She had been “homed” twice but they had not been successful. Louise offered to show us others but I could not be swayed, after one visit to Ruth’s we went back a few weeks later and brought her home. My husband has never had a pet before but I am guessing that some time in Winnie’s 8-10 years (her age is unknown) she was loved very much by a man because she dances, jumps, shakes all paws (even one of her back legs) and follows Jeff around relentlessly. No door can be shut where he is concerned and she is even known to scratch on the shower enclosure when he’s showering. He owns his own business so sometimes she spends the day with him in the truck too with her own blanket and water dish (and the odd timbit too, I’m guessing). Every day without fail she waits at the patio door for him to come home and a whole production of jumping, running, tricks and treats takes about 20 minutes. It’s hard not to feel a bit snubbed but she loves me as well (just not as vocally!) she is a great snuggler and often curls up in the chair with me when I am reading and when working nights she will often come to bed again after Jeff leaves for work to keep me company curling up with his pyjama pants and pillow. She eats well and has lost some weight with frequent but short walks. When meeting new people she is still a bit shy and will hide behind Jeff until she feels comfortable but has never once growled or nipped. Winnie coming home with us that day made our home and our family complete. We were married this summer and had an outdoor wedding just so she could attend. Our catered lunch even included homemade, iced dog cookies which we a huge hit for her and my son’s dog. It was the perfect day! For anyone who thinks that adopting a senior dog would be a waste I cannot encourage you enough. The love and loyalty are immeasurable. Thank you Louise for the patient and kind words when I was struggling to decide, never knowing if I could love another dog as much as I did my Chloe. I think often of how you said our first dogs leave us a legacy- of learning to love more and over again for all of our pets to come. Thank you Minpinerie, I cannot tell you how happy we are with our “melancholy” girl.” So happy this senior found love!!!

Jester, now Max, was adopted in 2015 by Eric and Barb, and lives in NB! “It’s been one year already so we wanted to let you know that Max (Jester) has been enjoying life. He’s a great addition to our family and has bonded well with our 10 year-old Minpin Riley. Here are a few clips of what Max has been up to over the past year. ENJOY! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXBO7EW1ANo ”

Suzie was adopted by Judith and family in late 2015! What a cutie!

Toxon, now Ollie was adopted by Dave and Tina in 2015! Dave says ” He is doing extremely well and making huge strides in becoming a lovable, cuddly member of the family. He no longer spends hours in his crate, but loves playing with his toys and looks forward to his walks (and runs) outside. He now wags his tail feverishly whenever his mom or dad enters the apartment, and loves his pre-bedtime doggie-massages.” Loving his life!

Daisy was adopted in late 2015 by Kelly and family! “She says Daisy has brought a smile back to our lives after being without a dog for two years. She is gentle and playful. Daisy is smart and even plays hide and seek. A real treasure, thanks Minpinerie!” Nice kisses Daisy!!

Brennie, now Ollie was adopted in 2014 by Jessica and family. He had been found in the cold after wandering for days and being abused and starved. Jessica says “His foster mom and dad did an amazing job at bringing him back to good health and showing him a healthy way of life! When he went to his forever home, he adjusted well and made himself right at home! Once Ollie learned how to play with toys, he made everything his toy! He loves to cuddle and rest, dog park visits, hiking in the trails and long walks. He is so happy to have a forever home and is fiercely loyal to his humans. He loves to play with other dogs, especially his girlfriend Maya! And he never tells her that she is too big.” From cold to cuddled!

Ty was adopted by Karen in 2015 after waiting a while on our site. Ty is an older dear dog who has found a great home!! Karen says “He has settled in nicely. He is ‘practically perfect in every way’ just like Mary Poppins. He has never had an accident in the house, he doesn’t bark when I am away, walks well on leash, and ignored the cats (that’s a picture of the two cats below). He curls up beside me as soon as I sit down on the sofa and curls up on the bed as well. Lately he has been trying to usurp my Siamese cat’s place in bed but that’s not going to happen….it was hilarious watching [one of our cats] yowl, growl, and hiss at the dog while Ty didn’t even acknowledge his existence. The cat was very confused and a little bit ticked off, so eventually he gave up on the hissing and stuff since it had no effect. Last week I was able to give all three of them treats in the kitchen at the same time. With my Labrador retriever, it took the cat 18 months to tolerate the dog. He does bark a bit at some people, but corrects easily. He does get grumpy with some dogs, but I think I need to introduce him to other dogs in a different way. He is a lovely confident little guy who immediately took to my house as if he had always lived there. It was only a few days until he knew the routine and now anticipates what I’m going to do before I do it. When we go for walks, he doesn’t ‘walk’ so much as prance along. I don’t think I could have a better companion. He’s Ty-rrific!” He sure is!