Tag Archives: #rescueddog

Happy Gotcha Day Layla

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Dear Layla,

I am writing this letter to you over the Rainbow Bridge as it is your Gotcha Day and I will celebrate it like I do each year but with sadness also as you are not with me only in my heart and I cannot hug and kiss you the way I would love to do.

I miss you barking at me each time I said we were going bye bye, tail wagging so excited and happy.

I am so proud to have been your Mom, and was so blessed to have spent so many years with you, growing old with you and enjoying our adventures and fun together.

I am once again going to share your Gotcha Story here so that others will realize rescuing is so worth it and that is why I speak out for rescues, as like you, they all need a home with a warm bed to sleep on.

I remember when your sister passed away, I waited about 6 weeks and then decided my home was too empty without the pitter patter of paws, so the search was on. I ran around to all the shelters in the city but could not find a little fluffy at the time, which is what I wanted.

So Uncle Michael introduced me to Aunt Cindy by email, told me that he would be in LA for a week so I had a week to search online for a new fur kid and he would bring her home to me.

I sat 24/7 on Petharbor and Petfinder and was nearly giving up when I saw you sitting in a cage in the Carson Shelter. The look on your face said to me take me home. I immediately emailed Aunt Cindy with your information and photo and she went to the Shelter on Saturday to fetch you for me. I remember her calling me from there telling me she had a smelly matted mess kissing her, that sealed the deal.

You arrived on Sunday evening, the 31st of January 2011, I had got the house  ready for you, bought you a new pink bed and was so excited. Yes, you were smelly and dirty but I did not care as for me what was important was you were finally home, safe and sound with a nice warm bed.

Your dumping papers said you had been an outdoor dog; you bit when groomed and in a nutshell everything negative a person can say and OH What A Lie. You were the opposite. I am ashamed to even say what your name was in the shelter.

I waited a couple of days and then met a friend of mine, a vet, Dr. Phil in the dog park, he looked at you, checked you and said I had won, and he was so right.

I was so lucky to celebrate your last Gotcha Day with a big party, pink bacon cake, lots of treats and all your friends, it is a special memory that I think of all the time.

You passed away on 4 May 2024 at the age of 18+ and you are not suffering anymore, missed every day and I have saved and will not let Nili play with your pink poodle which was your first toy you got from me.

Happy Gotcha Day my little angel, I hope you have a wonderful time over the Rainbow Bridge today,

Big hugs, kisses and love from Mommy and Nili xxx

 

 

 

November 2025 Pet Holidays and Observances

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Hello November, you have arrived, one more month till the end of the year WOW woof. As always Mom does her list of Pet holidays and Awareness so she does not forget to celebrate on those days, so here we go.

Walking into the park on one of the last good days before winter

Month

  • Adopt A Senior Pet Month
  • National Pet Senior Month
  • NationalPet Cancer Awareness month
  • Pet Diabetes Month
  • NEAM – November Epilepsy Awareness Month

Week

  • 2-8: National Shelter Appreciation Week
  • 9-15: Human Animal Relationship Week

Playing with my boyfriend BoBo

One-Day

  • 1: National Cook for Your Pets Day.
  • 1: International Pet Groomer Appreciation Day
  • 7:  National Canine Lymphoma Day
  • 12:  National World Animal Enrichment Day
  • 15: National Shop with Your Dog Day.
  • 16: National Slobber Appreciation Day.
  • 17: National Black Cat Day.
  • 17:  National Take a Hike Day
  • 18: National Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) Awareness, Research and Education Day.
  • 23: Wolfenoot. This annual holiday, started in New Zealand, celebrates the Spirit of the Wolf and “is about celebrating our pack – human and animal – helping where we can, and making the world a better, kinder place.”
  • 23: Thankful for my Dog day
  • 24: Thanksgiving
  • 30: World Pet Day.

Cuddling with Teddy on a cool day, Nili

Have a safe wonderful November, stay warm with lots of cuddles and hugs,

Nili

 

 

 

 

A day in the life of a rescued dog

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TGIF! Weekend has arrived and that means time to kick back, relax and forget all the errands and tasks for two days but spend quality time with Nili.  I need to start doing this the way I did with Layla as it is only fair to her. Yup am having a guilty conscience at this moment LOL. So I decided to share with you what a day with Nili is from early morning till we fall asleep at night and how she keeps me on my toes, plus her training that she is getting, which is helping a lot, thank you Dani.

Nili my growling alarm clock, wakes me up at about 5 every morning and does not keep quiet till I am awake and searching for clothes plus to get her out. This for her is the best time of the day as I am sleepy and she is a bundle of energy but off we go. I normally walk her for about 3 blocks for her to potty, sniff and of course burn off energy. Once done and I by then am desperate for coffee, we come home. I normally let her run into the building to burn off more energy, but she will make a bee line for the front door, sitting with a wagging tail waiting for me.

I then take her harness off and feed her breakfast which is air dried kibbles, carrots, blueberries, apples and some coconut oil. She gobbles her breakfast down and then starts squeaking toys or takes a nap. While I drink my coffee finally LOL, she will sit at my feet growling and barking for attention and of course treats but have cut back with them because of her diet.

Breakfast time

 

While I work during the morning she will let me know if she needs to go out which of course we do and then once she is settled, I get back to whatever I am doing. I normally give her YOMP toy or Kong with veggies in plus a bit of salmon which keeps her busy for about a half hour. Then it is nap time for her. If we have been out longer than planned and it is hot I will give her some chopped up watermelon, carrots, blueberries and apples instead.

Yomp time yummmm

In the late afternoons around 4 or so I take her to the park to run and play while I sit back and watch her with my  coffee. She loves that time especially if all the treat people are out although most know she cannot have treats because of her diet.  I am battling to keep her on her diet plus now buying everything for her to munch on that is not more than one calorie which is not easy. If it’s a biscuit she gets a quarter. She is not starving but I do not want her to be obese and the 2 lbs she needs to lose. When we get home from the park in the evenings she gets her dinner, which is the same as breakfast and then the kitchen is closed for her.

Nili and Monkey, I just love this photo

Our last walk at night is around 9 pm when we walk about 4 blocks, she has time to potty, smell and check the p-mails. The other night while walking we came across a racoon which was as big as her, she barked like crazy while he looked at her as if to say what do you want. She thought she was so smart walking home tail wagging it was quite funny.

 

I then brush her out, make sure there are no matts, clean her teeth and she gets half a greenie and it is bedtime. Nili sleeps in different places each night but am relieved she settles down and goes to sleep.

 

So that is what our days are like, of course we do different things on weekends, but she gets lots of exercise, playtime in the park, and most of all she is not starving and goes to bed with a full tummy.

 

Rescuing a stray, is not easy in some ways, but I would not change it for anything, she keeps me on my toes and for a senior that is enough LOL.

 

Have a wonderful weekend, be safe

With a woof and hugs from Nili

A week in the life of Nili

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Good Morning,

August is National Dog Month plus the 1st of August is Dogust, so we decided to share in photos a week with Nili so you can see how busy she is LOL.

 

This is how I watch Mom eat hoping will get a crumb, Nili

Playing with Monkey in the park

Squeaking my toy which is fun Nili

Sleeping like a baby at the end of the day

And last but not least my favorite video of the week BOL

Have a safe wonderful week with lots of fun,

Hugs and Woofs from Nili

 

 

What a week

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Good morning, friends, we hope you have had a good week as mine has been a busy crazy one and phew thank goodness it is weekend time.

I have been very naughty eating the mud in the park which made me sick, Mom took the hood off my head as the dogs did not want to play with me when I wore it so I went crazy being hoodless and ate some mud, which is not good as it is full of fish fertilizer and it upset my tummy big time, yes I paid the price of being naughty and Mom did not sleep for at least 4 nights. She was giving me probiotics, bland food, no treats but nothing was working so on Thursday she took me to the vet for a check up as she felt she was losing. I was eating and drinking but nothing was staying in my tummy and as she said to the vet I suppose it is a good way for me to lose the weight that I have to lose BOL. The vet laughed with her and told her I had not lost anything.

Sitting on the windowsill at the vet clinic waiting for the vet, Nili

 

So after a thorough check up including tests which came back negative the vet sat down with Mom and suggested a vet kibble, now you all know how anti kibble Mom is but this time can you believe it she agreed and am munching on them plus she is giving them to me as treats but not getting more than the vet told Mom to feed me, she is on a strict regime with me.  The vet and Mom think I am allergic to rice and chicken and that is why my tummy was not settling so we are taking each day as it comes but I must admit today for the first time in a week I am feeling a lot better.

 

Today, Friday was one year since I arrived home from my foster family, but we could not celebrate cos of my tummy issues and Mom explained to me that is the price I am paying for eating the mud, she has promised me a cookie when I am healthy.

My first photo on Nili in the house sitting on a pee pad chewing a treat

 

So this week has been a crazy week with my upset tummy and we have not done much, we are recharging our batteries this weekend as it is miserable outside and drizzling, next week we will take each day as it comes slowly cos Mom says she is getting old BOL.

My first time in the indoor crate and it is cozy, Nili

 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone, be safe and stay cool,

 

With hugs and love from Nili

 

One Year today

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TGIF!! We are celebrating today Nili’s Gotcha Day, it is one year since I rescued her from LA Animal Care and Control. How time has gone so quickly and I am sure Layla is smiling over the Rainbow Bridge or giggling as she watches Nili get up to mischief.

I remember the day I saw her online on Facebook, her name there was Gladys and all I could picture was me standing in a dog park calling Gladys, I am sure half the park would have laughed at me but as per my tradition I gave her a Hebrew Name : Nili – which means forever Israel. I love the name because it is short and easy to pronounce.

The face I saw in the cage and knew she was mine

 

I have been reading Nili’s intake papers from Animal Control as I was curious to know more about her and this is what I found, her intake was on 6 July 2024, and she was a stray/OTC.  What I have learned about OTC for stray pets is that it was brought to the Shelter by a person who found her and I would love to thank that person for saving her from the streets. She was not microchipped so they could not find her family but is microchipped now so she is safe. She was a perfect weight when they took her in, had no wounds but a scab on her head which has since gone.  They also wrote that she was born in 2021 so she is 4 years old today.

I think Nili is a Fireworks runner because of the date of her intake but am not sure, the most important is that she will never be alone on the streets again.

One of my favorite photos of her taken by Jonathan of her looking at Animal Control from the car saying bye bye I am on my way home

Nili went from LA to Palm Springs where she stayed with some friends of mine till we could find a lift to bring her to SF, where she is now a San Francisco dog living the life of a princess.

Guarding the oven waiting for her salmon treats

Since her arrival she has grown so much, her confidence is amazing, she is fearless in many ways playing with big and small dogs in the park, very food motivated which is one of my biggest problems as she eats anything and everything off the streets but is learning slowly not to do it. She got up to mischief the other day in the park, some guy left a pizza in an open backpack on the ground and guess who found it and stole a piece, LOL, she came running to me with it in her mouth and hid under the bench to gobble it up, I laughed but went over to the guy and suggested he close his backpack and put it on the bench so no other dog would get some.

https://youtube.com/shorts/fN1fGTBdl7w?si=Je7MrM-KIbmD2MR2 

She loves howling when sirens go off, she has a partner in crime with this and we just laugh, see the video below.

https://youtube.com/shorts/-0-TboXgbek?si=Vpef9sie99HpQi7v

So, to my darling devil Nili, Mom loves you, I count my blessings daily that you are part of my life and keeping me on my toes all the time with your antics but if you are happy I am happy and life is too short to make a big deal over things.

I love when she sleeps on her back under her blanket, the Diva

Happy Gotcha Day !!!!!!

Lots of love Mom and Angel Layla

 

 

A week in the life of Nili

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Woof hello my friends,

Friday has arrived. Mom says it is Friday the 13th so she is lying low BOL as she is superstitious and does not want to take chances but has promised me park time phew or I will drive her crazy BOL.

The past week has been cold, windy and really gloomy, the sun poking it face in here and there but not enough for long park time so I told Mom we should share with yu my fun times in the park so you can see how  much fun I have with my friends while our parents freeze and yell at us not to eat the mud, it is so much fun seeing them freeze and yell while we play.

Waiting for my friends to arrive, Nili

Some of the videos where you can see she is fearless when it comes to size of dogs LOL.

https://youtube.com/shorts/bgUoAlKqHbc?si=x2wTUhU6ik7X3lbZ

https://youtube.com/shorts/2_-cNfZufhc?si=ea42nKKNG7XVaOl3

https://youtube.com/shorts/vyj2fp9mQZU?si=UJYSdasJI1r5da16

My diet is going well, and I have lost weight, thanks to the good food from Mom and the exercise I am getting so my summer figure is ready for my bikini BOL and Mom says I am slim and sexy now so all the male dogs will want to play with me.  Thank you to Yumwoof for the good healthy food, which has helped a lot plus the Real Mushrooms mobility chews for keeping my joints in shape. With 4th Of July around the corner it is worth stocking up on their Relaxing Chews also which help me stay cal when I get scared, helped my Angel Sister Layla also, so they are a must have for emergencies in your house. (They are for cats and dogs)

YumWoof  : You have 5% off if you enter the coupon code YUMNILI –   https://yumwoof.com/?ref=nbmzrsze  

Real Mushrooms:  You have a 10% off  if you enter the coupon code LaylasWoof  –  https://shop.realmushrooms.com/?ref=488

Sleeping after dinner and the park

Don’t forget if you use the coupons Mom gets paid a small amount which will help her buy me more treats as that is my pocket money.

Have a safe wonderful weekend, take lots of photos for memories,

With a woof and Love from

Nili

 

 

 

 

 

Summer has arrived

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TGIF!! Hi friends, I hope you all are going to have a great weekend with adventures and fun like me, it is so important to make memories Mom says as when we become angels like my sisters Layla and Baby Mom will have lots of memories to make her smile.

Last weekend I went to the Shih Tzu meet up where there were lots of friends like me to play with. It was so much fun and what was the best was it was a different dog park which means lots of new smells to roll in which of course I did BOL so I came home stinky. I went on the bus there and Mom was so proud of me as I sat nicely and rode with no fear, Mom was also happy the bus was not full and she did not have to carry the backpack which I hate.

On the bus being a good girl, Nili

Hmmm something smells good should I roll, Nili

Meeting new friends, Nili

 

Did you know that riding the bus takes you to different places which means lots of new smells and dogs and that for me is a real adventure so I cannot wait to do more of them. I told Mom that summer has arrived, so the time has come to go out more and she agreed although she says it means her carrying lots of water for me, treats of course and BOL her coffee too, but it is worth it.

 

This weekend they are expecting HOT weather so we will be going out to the park, maybe a different one, and spending time outdoors so I can relax on the lawn in the sun, wearing my cooling vest of course, and just enjoy the outdoors. If I am good Mom says she will take the mask off too although I can drink through it but not eat oy vey.

 

Yesterday Mom went to have lunch with friends at one of the non-profits she belongs to, a part of this organization is PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support) which I am a client of and they have a food bank for us brats. Mom found there for me 3 new toys, some yum healthy treats and some great dog food which she so approves of so am all set here. I had so much fun with the toys which are really loud squeakers and woke Mom up this morning playing with one, it was 5 am and she was not happy BOL but when I want to play I will play. (See the video below)

So in the Nili Neighborhood life is busy, I am keeping Mom on her toes big time and enjoying my life to its fullest. I am one lucky rescued dog, from the streets as a stray to a wonderful loving home with everything I want plus so much more.

Have a wonderful weekend with love and woofs from

Nili

 

Living with a Rescued Pup

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Hi, this is Nili speaking as Mom is learning a lot about puppies from me as my Angel sister Layla was not a pup when she was rescued, and Mom has lots to learn.

Mom took me to the vet for a check up on Tuesday, oy vey it was scary and me being stubborn refuses to travel in the back pack so I sat on the floor under her legs on the bus, I do not like busses but am learning, Mom was kind enough when there was space to pick me up and I stood on a seat looking out of the window which was fun. We walked from the stop to the Clinic which was great as I had lots of new smells to smell. Once we got inside, I rode the elevator to the waiting room and waited for my vet. When we were called into a room for my check up, I had a big accident with diarrhea oy vey, Mom was so embarrassed but the vet tech laughed and said to Mom accidents happen, cleaned it up plus put some in a test tube to check for parasites and heartworm. The Vet said I am very healthy, 2 lbs overweight which Mom is now working on. Mom also discussed me eating off the streets and the mud in the dog park, and of course the vet had a solution as you can see from the photo below. I do not like it but the guard is actually very helpful as it prevents me from getting foxtails also. I can drink water through it so Mom is happy, and my face is now packaged till I behave. It was not cheap, but Mom explained to me that it is cheaper than vet bills. I paid $59.00 for it from my local pet store.

Can you believe I have to wear this to stay healthy, Nili

 

Another thing the vet pointed out to me which I am so happy she did, is the LA Animal Control only gives one year Rabies shot so I have to get another in July, plus they only gave me one Distemper Shot and I should have two, so she gave me one while I was there, so I am now good to go till my next visit. She sent Mom home with a Puppy Pack of all information about puppies which is interesting and has taught Mom a lot plus some flea stuff as flea season has arrived.

We have since gotten the results back on my tests and all is negative, so Mom is double happy BOL.

Other than that, Nigel spent 8 days with us, Mom had a terrible cold, so between walking both of us daily and separately she was taking care of herself to get rid of the cold so we spent less time in the park but hopefully that will start happening again.

 

I need some playtime in the park to help me lose weight, Nili

So that has been our week, never a dull moment here, and I am really excited as Mom is taking me tomorrow to my first Dog Festival, DogFest which is held annually in our dog park, it is a fundraiser for the Mckinnley Elementary School, although this year we are visiting and not doing a booth. I cannot wait as I have heard from my dog friends there will be lots to eat and loads of samples of goodies.  Mom told me if I eat too much tomorrow Sunday is going to be carrots only all-day BOL.

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter, and will relax this weekend with lots of fun and memories,

With a woof and lick from Nili

 

 

 

 

My first real adventure

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TGIF! Hi friends, I am sure my sister will be very proud of me as I went on my first real adventure last Sunday which included a train ride, car ride and then lots of fun in a new dog park.

On the first Sunday of every month the Chihuahuas of San Francisco meet up in Stern Grove Dog Park. Mom has been going on and off since my sister Baby was on earth and then with Layla and now me. I know I am not a chihuahua, but we are always welcome and it is loads of fun.

Mom wanted to take me on the train in the backpack but I hate that contraption so she took me on the train without it. The train was scary and I am sorry there no photos but Mom was busy keeping me calm, not getting off and making sure I lay down to keep my balance. I moaned here and there and I have decided that it is no fun but as Mom says I have to get used to it if I want to go places with her. Mom calls it tough love.

Uncle Mark picked us up from the train station and took us to the park, the car was ok but I do not like them that much. When we got to the park the fun started and so much fun and food for both humans and us dogs. I barked, sniffed all the dogs and then saw the big dogs so I started chasing them, don’t tell Mom but Huskies are my favorite dogs to play with woof woof. Mom then took me for a long walk or should I say I ran along the park to the Lake where my sister’s (Layla) ashes are to say hi to her and Mom wanted to sit in the peace and quiet there with her memories but I wandered around and saw the ducks, which I wanted to chase but they were in the water. It is so beautiful there and now I understand why Mom spread Layla’s ashes there.

Mom says I look so tiny compared to the trees BOL

The ducks and turtles on the rock

Watching the ducks

 

On the walk back to everyone I ran, stuck my head down gopher holes BOL, sniffed a lot and just ran around happy as Mom was relaxed and happy also.

Hmmm Lots to smell

 

We did not take the train home, Aunt Suzanne gave us a lift which was pawsome as we got home quicker so we could nap which Mom needed. Of course that evening we went to the dog park for an hour and then called it a day.

Waiting to go home

 

This Saturday night starts Passover, the Jewish Holiday so Mom tomorrow is going to finish getting the house ready, she has promised to take me to the dog park to play with my friends especially as the sun is shining, and otherwise nothing exciting is happening.

 

To all our friends I want to wish you Chag Sameach, Happy Passover and don’t eat too much oy vey.

 

Lots of love

Nili