In 1999, two of the worlds most wonderful companions came in to my life. I adopted Jafo and Kita (their pictures and stories below) from seperate shelters, and they are now like my children. Along with their stories, there are methods in which I used to train them, feed them, etc. ENJOY!

Name: Jafo

Breed: German Shepherd

Approx DOB: August 98

Favorite Treats: Rawhide chews, pig ears, cow ears and dog biscuits.

Most Disliked Food: Pickles!! I once ate a dill pickle for mom and dad because I wanted to please them. While eating the horrid thing, I curled my lip in the most disgusted sour taste face I could think of while eating the thing. Thank goodness they havent done that again! I also dont like dog foods that contain mostly corn and soy products. I enjoy Lamb and Rice based dog meals. I would love to eat canned meat, but because its bad for my teeth, Im only given dry food. I get canned dog food maybe once a year as a treat. Since canned makes plaque appear quicker on teeth and the breath smell horrid, Ill just have to enjoy dry food.

Favorite Human Food: I love anything with loads of spice. My human parents say it is bad for me though and wont let me have it. A couple of foods that are EXCELLENT for my health are cooked rice and yogurt that I enjoy gobbling down when they make it for me.

Favorite Activities: Chasing tennis balls, playing with rocks, swimming, and long car rides

Best Quote: One of these days, Im going to get that squirrel!

Worst Memories:
1) Before my adoptive parents found me, my 2 puppies were taken away from me before I was finished nursing. I was a good mom, but someone wanted to take the puppies home and leave me to be destroyed. Fortunately, two loving people came in to my life. Before I could go home, however, the shelter required I be spayed. The vet who did the spay job did such a poor job, the incision became infected. Fortunately, mom was able to cleanse the wound, put Neosporin on it and remove the stitches when I was all healed up. (Note to readers of this site, removing a dogs stitches is NOT recommended unless you know how to properly do so, and when to. Often, many veterinarians will use dissolvable stitches, so please consult them for advice before using this or any material found on this site).
2) Being returned to the shelter 1 week after being adopted. Im sure lucky my human parents fell in love with me and came back 2 hours later in tears. Fortunately, they did some research right after dropping me off and learned that I had a condition known as separation anxiety (common in shelter dogs) and treated my condition with the miracle drug Clomicalm and behavior modification therapy. Im very relieved they came back since the mean shelter people had me scheduled to be put to sleep that afternoon.
3) Going to the vet and getting a lower canine tooth and an upper front tooth pulled after breaking them on rocks. Both vet visits within the same year. I still just cant seem to figure out why they discourage me from playing with rocks though.
4) The next worst memory was when mom was in the hospital for a long time after a serious car accident. I was wondering if she would ever come home. I became so worried and depressed that I stopped eating for a few days.
5) When my parents stopped buying me knuckle bones because they didnt want me to get a bowel obstruction since I kept swallowing pieces I broke off the size of golf balls. Another day I didnt like was the time I swallowed a piece of knuckle bone a little larger than a golf balls. I was immediately forced to drink Hydrogen Peroxide and it seemed like forever that I was outside throwing up in my litterbox. (Yes, Im a litterbox trained German Shepherd dog). The piece of bone came up saving me from costly surgery and a painful recovery.
5) I prefer to drink toilet water to using my dish. The self-filling water bowl is my favorite. Unfortunately, when I was home alone one day, the seat closed over the bowl. I just KNEW there had to be water in that tank, so I lifted the tank lid with my nose and then it happened: A big loud crash and the lid had broke in several pieces. Fortunately, I was not hit by the lids debris or cut, but I knew I had done wrong. When mom and dad came home, I was shaking like I had never shook before. They told me NO and pointed at the mess. They never said a word after that. Just cleaned up the mess, then fed me my dinner in the other room. I knew that I had done wrong and never stuck my nose under the new tank lid after that. I was very thankful they recognized I had done wrong, and although briefly confirmed such verbally, they never laid a hand on me, except to pet and love me later that day.

Best Memories:
1) Three months after mom and dad adopted me they got me another dog pal to play with who they named Kita. Having a new friend kept me entertained when my owners were at work. In addition to behavior modification therapy and medicine to combat separation anxiety, having another furry companion kept me company during the times they were at work.
2) The time mom worked the graveyard security shift at a car lot. The owner of the lot loved it when she brought me to work and I was able to play ball throughout the evenings. The times we spent together were an absolutely wonderful bonding experience.
3) Going to the lake in the summer time. I just love to jump off the dock, swim around, then hold my breath, dive down and bring mom and dad slimy rocks from the bottom that I caught all by myself.
4) When mom and dad were both gone from home, Id sneak up on the bed and sometimes the couch to sleep while they were gone. Although they somehow always knew what I had done, they were always happy to see me and still loved me anyways. When they finally invited me one night to sleep on the bed with them, I absolutely loved it.
5) Although given in moderation, can you say TREATS, TREATS and more TREATS.
6) Im a lucky dog. Mom knows how to groom and makes Kita and I pretty as often as she can. I never have clumps of undercoat and dead hair all over me. My skin is healthy, my coat is shiny, and although I still love to roll on the grass and in the dirt, Im brushed at least once every couple of weeks between baths. My nails are always trimmed, ears kept clean and free of infection and my personal hygiene seems to be higher than a lot of other dogs. Mom says that because Im a German Shepherd. I dont necessarily have to be brushed every day, but she does recommend that other dog breeds may need to be brushed more often, and to check with your local groomer on what they suggest for a brushing schedule, and what types of combs, brushes or other methods to use to keep your 4-legged children looking good.
7) I know every day that I am loved. I get plenty of food, fresh water and shelter. Although I currently have to sleep outside, Mom puts my sweater on at night when its cold out. Kita and I also have our own soft cozy beds in our kennels to sleep on. The doors have been removed since we dont need those anymore. I always get plenty of exercise, and although I dont understand why I cant go all the time, mom takes me bye bye to the parks, lake, or just for good old walks when she can. Im petted all the time and I just know Im a lucky pooch.

In 1999, my at the time fiance happened to go by an animal shelter and found the first of 2 of the most wonderful four-legged companions that ever came in to our lives. The first of two wonderful animals was Jafo. Although she had done no wrong, she was sentenced to be destroyed the next day. She had sat at the county shelter for the time limit of 3 weeks before her death sentence. Fortunately, for both Jafo and Is sake, we found each other. When I first took her out to the play yard to see how shed work out, we bonded almost instantly, and I adopted her that very day, literally saving her life in the process. Although she was my very first dog ever, I had professionally worked with dogs for years and knew what to look for. I played with her ears, feet, tail and made sure she didnt show any unusual signs of aggression. It was love at first site

The county shelter did not allow dogs to be taken home until they were spayed. That evening, my husband and I spent quite a bit of money getting supplies we needed for our new companion; Bowls, a collar, a leash, an engraved name tag with our phone number, food, a grooming brush and a couple toys. It was all we could really afford that day, but it was a start with a few needed basics for going in to ownership with a new dog. At home that evening, we were skeptical, wondering if she was housebroke, if she would chew, or how her general behavior would be. Since on her card she was an abandoned stray with two puppies, the shelter had no other information they could give us. We were lucky. Jafo has never chewed and never has indoor accidents. The next day when we got home from work though, apartment manager greeted us in the parking lot, smiled and commented that she could tell we got a new puppy. (Fortunately it was such a pet friendly complex that we were one of the only ones without a pet before we got her).

During our first week with Jafo, she would cry and scratch and (unsuccessfully) dig at the door when we were gone. After a week of it, we didnt know that her problem was Separation Anxiety. We thought it was incurable, and while in tears, took her back to the shelter, thinking she would be that way forever to where we could never leave her alone at home. We were so sad that I started to call trainers to find out if there was anything we could do. I found out what Jafos condition was, and two hours after her return, I just HAD to get her back. Fortunately, although the desk lady at the shelter was a real snot, there was no problem in getting her back. Upon bringing her home, I began a two-month training process to break her of her anxiety problem.

Jafos anxiety was so bad at first that I couldnt even be out of her site to take a shower. She would insist on sticking her head thru the shower curtain to watch me. A friend had an extra large vari-kennel (crate) that she gave me. It was an excellent training tool, and is now a cozy bed for her. At first, I would take Jafo to work with me, but slowly began to leave her home when I went to the store for an hour so. I would leave her in the crate. Because we were in an apartment, the insane barking was just not an option. The last thing I wanted to do was get her de-vocalized. (and now, Im so thankful I worked with her instead of going for the expensive easy fix on the problem). I went to K-Mart, and for about $35 I bought one of those anti-bark shock collars. Within 3 4 weeks of wearing the collar, she learned not to bark. (If you ever try to train your own dog with an anti-bark shock collar, be sure to remove their collar that has tags. Because the collars operate on a vibration sensor, the tags can trigger it causing an underserved shock that is by no means fair to the dog).

When I first would leave her in the kennel for a few minutes at a time. If she was quiet, I would come in from the other room and praise her for the good behavior. If she started to go nuts, I would slip out of the other room and tell her NO!. She was so smart however, that after a couple of days she figured out how to OPEN the crate and let herself out. That was frustrating so we took the kennel apart, drilled four holes, and put for keyed master locks on it. That afternoon, she got one of the master locks undone!! (Smart dog!!!). With Jafos individual problem, she just could NOT be out of my site for more than a few seconds at first. The use of the kennel was to prevent damage to anything else while teaching her that I would eventually come back for her every time I was out of her site.

After a month of crate training, I had been reading about a miracle medication for dogs called Clomicalm. After using the stuff, Id swear by it! Within a couple days of use, in addition to the behavior training, it really helped give Jafo and edge to calm her down. I initially needed to use the medication for 1 weeks. Then I was able just to continuing with the crate training. After that, she would maybe need the aid of the drug for about 3 or 4 days a couple weeks later then just for a couple days when she got out of line another month later. Now, she NEVER needs the medication. Within 3 4 months of adopting her and working with her, she got free reign of the house. While some may argue that locking her in a crate at night and for periods of time during training is mean, shes now a well natured dog that would never think of destroying anything. Now I can leave her alone, and she trusts and knows that I will return to her.

After a month of owning and training Jafo, I realized she was lonely when my husband and I were gone during the day. We started driving to different shelters looking for that right companion for Jafo to enjoy when we were gone. By the time we had started our search, I had trained Jafo to sit, stay, lay down, roll over, shake, other paw, chair and a couple of other unique commands. By the time we found and adopted her friend, it made training the second dog easier since it had a trained one to copy.

Heres the profile on Dog #2. then her story.

Name: Kita

Breed: Adorable Mix! Mostly German Shepherd (about 80%), Heeler (about 15%) and a touch of chow-chow (about 5%). Thats about our best estimate.

Approx DOB: February 99 ???

Favorite Treats: Rawhide chews, pig ears and dog biscuits.

Most Disliked Food: Any foods with spice.

Favorite Human Food: Cooked rice and plain yogurt are the top of the list.
Favorite Activities: Cuddling with humans, playing with the other dog, road trips and sleeping.
Worst Memories: (as Kita would likely tell it from her point of view)
1) Being adopted at the shelter in April of 99 only to be brought back by the first owner for the reason of wouldnt stop chasing the horses. At least this turned out to be a good thing since I ended up in a better home with owners willing to love me and work with me.
2) After being adopted, getting a lot of spankings. I just did not respond verbal, praise or treat training. Spankings when I was caught being bad, such as making a mess indoors was the only way I ever seemed to catch on. At least those days are now a faded distant memory.
3) I dont know if its the chow in me or what, but I absolutely hate water. One day, mom put a wetsuit on and carried me in to the lake with her. I struggled and protested, but she made me swim. I never came anywhere close to drowning, but I think drinking and baths are the only things water is good for.

Best Memories:
1) I was adopted by parents who had another dog for me to play with. I just loved my new playmate, Jafo, from the moment the two of us were trialed out to see how we got along.
2) I didnt have to go thru any crate training. Housebreaking, basic obedience and learning not to chew on everything were my main problem areas. I was a very relaxed dog from the start. I didnt bark, dig or scratch.
3) I always get lots of treats and plenty of loving.

3 months after getting Jafo and after a long search, we found an adorable little dog who looked just like Jafo, except the facial and body features were more rounded and unique. Her personality was very loving and sweet. According the profile the previous owners had filled out, the dog was perfectly housebroke and well behaved. That profile sheet could not have been further from the truth! Kita felt the need to relieve herself indoors whenever she pleased. She was previously a farm dog which meant she probably ran loose outdoors all the time. Kita had not been even any training and had absolutely no manners. She would jump on everyone and everything she could.

First, to housebreak her, we took her on several walks per day to the designated potty area. Sometimes as often as every 20 30 minutes. Whenever she went in the proper spot, she was praised. If she was caught going indoors, she was scolded. Please note that I say if she was caught. Unless you catch a dog in the act of an inappropriate behavior, undue scolding and/or punishing will only confuse the dog. At night, Kita stayed in the bathroom for about 2 weeks until she learned not relieve herself indoors, or to at least whine and let us know if she needed out. Once she figured out how to tell us her needs, she had free run. Having Jafo around to copy helped her with basic obedience. Kita is a very eager to please girl. She would always do her best to learn. Teaching her to sit and lay down took a lot longer than it did Jafo, but lots of love and patience has turned her in to a wonderful family companion.

Since Kita was only my second dog ever, teaching her not to chew was now a new hurdle for my husband and I to work with. There was absolutely no way we would keep a dog who obliterated everything with her teeth, so it was time to get creative. I was no about to lock a little dog in a crate all day just because she liked to chew. The first thing I tried was to buy more toys. Lots and lots of squeekies, chewies, ropes and balls. Jafo and Kita have never been given plush type dog toys. I feel that if my husband and I were to ever have kids, or someone with kids visited, the dogs may have trouble distinguishing between a childs toy and their own. To avoid any confusion to the dog, theyre just never allowed to have plush toys. Toys just werent Kitas cup of tea. She was more interested in chewing everything she shouldnt. She completely destroyed a nice 6 nylon leash, and would keep making attempts at items such as shoes. Bitter apple spray was on the walls, furniture and items within jaws reach, but we had to do something about the chewing. She was scolded and given a light spanking every time she was caught with something in her mouth that shouldnt be.

I thought real hard and came up with a solution to stop the chewing. It worked 100%! I went to the store and bought a buckle collar and a roll of duct-tape. (Duct-Tape fixes everything, right?). Eventually, I came up with a sturdy designed muzzle out of duct-tape, and had cut the little collar in half to buckle on her. It wasnt like a true muzzle. Her nose and front half of her snout stuck out normal. She could, eat drink, and open her mouth with no problem. It was more of a design that fit on her head that had Side guards along the sides of her mouth where she liked to stick objects in to chew them. Whenever we left her home alone with Jafo or were unable to supervise her such as at night, we left the chew-guard on. After about a month of wearing it, we took it off for longer and longer periods of time. If she was caught, she was immediately scolded and it was put right back on. After about 3 4 months of working with her on her chewing problem, we had it completely eliminated! Now, rawhide, treats and food are the ONLY things that enter her mouth. Now, she wont dare put her mouth on something unless its been given to her or put in the food dish.

Two years later I have wonderful girls who I cannot live without. Its obvious their feelings reflect the same way towards me. Most of my family members just do not realize the amount of love, time, patience and dedication it took to make them the wonderful dogs they are today.

I Corinthians 13:4-7. (4) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (5) It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. (6) Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (7) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. LOVE NEVER FAILS.