more to come

2-3-year-old Brownie is fun and fabulous. She has a zest for life and a love of humans. Her chocolate coat and stunning eyes have won her many beauty pageants, including the cutest chocolate-colored pittie we have for adoption (she may also be the only one, but don't tell her.) Brownie is what we call reactive. She gets very excited when she sees other dogs while on leash. Trainer Sue Riggiri is working with her on her reactivity, and Brownie is the recipient of a Handsome Dan's Rescue training grant meaning she goes home with FREE private training. Interested in Brownie? Apply at handsomedansrescue.org Thank you for choosing rescue!

“Big Boy” Max as his foster parents call him is loving and sweet. As a three-year-old pitbull mix, he is transitioning from puppydom to adulthood. Max is a man of leisure with moderate to low energy. He is very happy to lounge all day but does love (and need) regular exercise - fetch sessions are his favorite. He has a big smooshy head with the tiniest little front teeth. His tail curls like a piglet, and he loves doing “frog” legs. If you’re the family for Max, your life will be filled with affection and companionship. Max is house-broken, working on crate training, and solid with many foundational commands. Prior to foster care, he was also a participant in Handsome Dan’s Rescue’s “Shelter Dog Enrichment Program” and completed Outbound Hounds’ Pit Class in March of 2020. Max needs a family who will be committed to continuing his training. Areas of focus for Max are leash walking, jumping, and barking. We suspect the jumping and barking is related to excitement so helping him with impulse control and keeping all four paws on the ground will be important. A BIG plus is, Max is part of Handsome Dan’s Rescue’s "Take My Lead" program (http://www.handsomedansrescue.org/ho…/programs/take-my-lead/). “Take My Lead” provides training and behavioral support and supplies for recently adopted dogs as they transition into their new home. This will be an invaluable resource as Max transitions from his foster home to yours! Know that if you adopt Max, he has a big group of folks who love him and are happy to help you and him to be successful! Based on Max’s size and history, we think he would do best in an adult-only home or a home with older children. He should also be an only dog in the home. Don’t worry as your one and only, he is more than enough to love! • If you are interested in learning more about Max, please email his foster mom at cgerdsen@gmail.com. • If you are interested in adopting Max, please begin by filling out an adoption application (http://www.handsomedansrescue.org/adoption-application/). Max's adoption donation is $50. Thank you for choosing rescue.

Meet Diamond! Adorable Playful Snuggly Energetic Silly There are not enough good words to describe two-year-old Diamond. She still has her puppy personality so her new owner will need kindness and patience to help her become the best dog she can be. Diamond is strong for her size and does pull on the leash. She is currently attending Outbound Hounds training class to work on her leash manners and basic commands. Due to her being 71 lbs of muscle, and the fact that she is still working on not jumping up on people, she will do best with older or no kids. She needs to be the only pet in the home. For info and questions: 106 George Washington Hwy, Clayville, RI 02815 Phone: (401) 647-7200

Update: Sesame is currently in foster care in RI. He is working hard to habituate to life as a pet both in the home, and in the community. He is also working through some medical issues. Sesame is not available for adoption at this time. Please follow Sesame: #OhSesame FB: Handsome Dan Insta: Handsome Dan's Rescue and Outbound_Hounds --------------------------------------------------- In early June, this young red dog's life changed forever. He was removed from the yard where he was kept chained in the Arkansas heat. He and the others from this dogfighting case made their way to a rural private shelter. The dogs were met with open arms. Dr. Nanci got to work triaging each of the dogs. Next, evidence photos were taken of each dog. This was Nanci's first dogfighting case, and hopefully her last. I can only imagine the emotion she was feeling as she worked quickly to get each of the dogs patched up and settled in the back. Holly and I went down to Arkansas to meet and perform behavioral assessments on each of the surviving dogs. Sadly, not all were still alive by the time we arrived. Some of these dogs were very sick, some beaten up, and others just could not go on. One by one, we met and assessed the first dozen or so dogs. We found silly ones, fearful ones, some were extremely stressed or confused. A few not ready for human touch. Then, a very special one walked into the room. Holly and I are professionals. We assess dogs all the time. But this dog, this particular dog, was different. He cautiously entered the room, low to the ground he looked around and slinked toward us. Holly and I sat down, maybe two feet from one another, and he nestled himself right in between. The fresh punctures and a large abscess on the left side of his face, the surrounding scarring that covered his face, neck, and chest, told us some of his stories. We had a hard time deciding how and where to touch him so as not to cause pain to his wounds. We then sat there, in silence, and cried into him. In all the years of assessments I have done with Holly, this has never before happened. He took turns in our laps, snuggling in as tightly as he could. We comforted him, and told him never again would he suffer as he had. Over the last many weeks he started his heartworm treatment and watched many of the dogs he knew from his yard move onto rescues around the country. He was pretty sick a few times, but under the care of Dr. Nanci and the staff has been doing well. Last week, he left the shelter with Dr. Nanci, never to return. She decided to bring him to her vet office to live as he finishes out his difficult treatment. And after that.... He will come to Handsome Dan's Rescue as my foster dog. Please meet Sesame. Sesame has a long way to go before he is healthy enough to make the trip from Arkansas to us here in Rhode Island. But his shelter days are behind him, and his chain and dirt spot just a distant memory now. Questions? Email me at heather@obhounds.com

Ruru is in our Compassion Hold program. He will live out whatever time he has left with his foster care / forever dad, Steve, meaning his current home will be his last home. If you would like to support Steve and Ruru, you can send them gifts, toys, and supplies through their Amazon wish list: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/36AYOCW0L2ESK?ref_=wl_share Eight-month-old Ruru has a severe heart condition. His cardiologist tells us it is likely he will not make it to adulthood. We took Ruru into our Compassion Hold (hospice) program from a local shelter and placed him into a home where he will be loved and spoiled for whatever time he has left. For more info on our Compassion Hold program: http://www.handsomedansrescue.org/home/programs/compassion-hold-program/

Mister was a resident of the Pawtucket Animal Shelter when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. HDR pulled him to the Compassion Hold Program and he's living out the rest of his time with his foster mother, Sara. She reports to us that Mister is quite possibly the sweetest, kindest, and the most joyful boy she's ever met. His days are spent napping, snacking, lying in the sunshine, frolicking in the grass, and hanging out with his dog and cat siblings (whom he loves dearly).