The Show: Sad Pibbles and Happy Tails

[Bronzedog]

So, I'm waiting for the show to come on at the regular time, and I miss it because it was on an hour earlier than usual. WTH?

[auntieminem]

I really like the new property.  I feel bad for the dogs in the city shelter.  Anxious to see what they do with the new property and how it will help the dogs.  I am not a pitbull person ( have golden) but I still love this show.  Very sweet show tonight.

[zxy556575]

So nice of Matt to take Gentilly out for a meal! Poor little pumpkin, but what a great ending for him.

 

Congrats to the kids for wrangling the fence donations and doing a lot of the work themselves, and to the Jeep Club. I liked that some of the focus this ep was on people: the kids, parolees, and volunteers.

Edited December 20, 2015 by lordonia

[jnymph]

So, I'm waiting for the show to come on at the regular time, and I miss it because it was on an hour earlier than usual. WTH?

Huh? There was a new episode on last night?

I didn't think any new ones were until Jan 2nd!

Damnit ! I didn't set my DVR. Grrrr

[walnutqueen]

jnymph, on 20 Dec 2015 - 2:30 PM, said:

Huh? There was a new episode on last night?

I didn't think any new ones were until Jan 2nd!

Damnit ! I didn't set my DVR. Grrrr

 

jnymph - this episode reairs on Thursday evening/late night (12/31).

 

Also, it looks like there's a marathon on Saturday, 1/2/16.  Happy New Year!

[jnymph]

Thx WQ!

The DVR is SET!

[islandgal140]

So nice of Matt to take Gentilly out for a meal! Poor little pumpkin, but what a great ending for him.

 

That dog is a got dang genius. He basically pouted his way into a home. Love it!!  His bowlegs gave him a leg up (pun not intended).  

 

I keep wondering what happened to Raynelle. That little gray and white puppy with the bum leg who Matt and the British Girl found. Such a cute sweet dog, forever giving out kisses. 

 

I love this show. I have always been more a cat person but this show made me love dogs, pit bulls in particular. 

[Bastet]

I needed to clear some space on my disc for tonight's episodes*, so I just watched the "Christmas" episode.  I wish producers would quit making them do that shit.  The timing being so obviously staged makes me hyper-focused on what else may be staged/recreated and it's very distracting.  Which, admittedly, is my problem, but I really do think it's rather dumb.  Have Christmas decorations as the backdrop for the talking heads and play the "from our family to yours" message at the end, and you have yourself a Christmas episode without forcing people to let production come through and string up lights, tell them they have to reference Christmas, etc.  I hope Sui got to have dinner with his mom again for Christmas.

 

*There are apparently two "looking back on memorable moments" episodes prior to tonight's new episode (the 100th episode and special after-show).  It starts at 7:00 EST, but there's a Dr. Dee episode in between.  So it's the recap part one at 7:00, recap part two at 9:00, new episode at 10:00, followed by a half-hour special.

 

Anyway, yay for Gentilly!  He's adorable, and the difference between his behavior in the kennel and out and about just makes you feel for all of them.

 

I'm really glad they have that large property in the country now, and it will be great if they can eventually (if they don't already; I don't follow them in real time) have just the two facilities -- that one in the country, and the warehouse in the city.  I know their adoption rates skyrocketed after the move to New Orleans since they were now a public facility in a central location rather than out in the boonies by appointment only as they'd been in Agua Dulce.  And I know that for the overwhelming majority of the dogs they were happier in the warehouse than they'd been in Agua Dulce because they now have regular attention from a lot more people.  But I've remained a little sad that the Tehachapi idea fell through, because it would have given them so much space when out of their kennels.

 

So this two-location setup would seem to give them the best of both worlds, especially with how many more dogs they have in New Orleans than they did in Los Angeles.

[zxy556575]

Maybe it was my own mood, but I pretty much cried through the whole of Saturday's show. The 10th anniversary Katrina banner started it, then that poor skeleton puppy Almonaster, the sweet adoptive grandparents* with the twins in prison, and Mouse finally getting her own home after a decade. Damn.

 

Did the vet mention possibly removing the rocks from Almonaster's stomach? Could they be contributing to his lack of appetite?

 

Mariah looked really pretty this episode.

 

 

 

* I don't want to presume, but they mentioned health problems and Myra looked like she may have had a double mastectomy. I don't even know these people, but it all just hit my sad spot.

Edited January 3, 2016 by lordonia

[Jenkins]

Maybe it was my own mood, but I pretty much cried through the whole of Saturday's show.

 

You weren't the only one...I get kind of depressed during the holidays (I live 2k miles from my family) and this was a pretty damn depressing episode overall.

 

And the look that poor dog kept giving them, like he expected them to start beating him at any time...I sadly know that look all too well. My Boston mix was abused before we got her and it took us MONTHS to get her not to run and find cover anytime someone would lift their hands above shoulder height. She just expected the worst any time someone raised their hands. And we got her at 14 weeks...so some monster abused her as a puppy...

 

Even now at 2 years, the oddest things will send her running to get under something. Absolutely breaks my heart she will never 100% trust us.

 

I won't even post what I would do to the person that did that to Almonaster...

 

On a positive note, Mouse certainly found a home that would spoil her rotten. That part of the show definitely made me smile. I would imagine older dogs have a really rough time finding homes and she got a good one.

 

The after show was better than I thought it would be (not a fan of Glazer, he comes off as so fake to me). Learned a lot about Tia....the country singer?

[Bastet]

I am so happy for Mouse, and so enamored of her owners.  They lost their daughter, saw their grandsons incarcerated, lost their dog earlier than they'd have ever expected, are dealing with health problems ... and responded to all this by driving across the country to adopt a 12-year-old pit bull who survived Katrina and spent 10 years in a kennel.   People like that give me hope for humanity.

 

Almonaster in his toddler pjs is just adorable, but his ordeal is heartbreaking.  His road to recovery will be a long one, with the mental taking longer than the physical. 

 

Jay Glazer tends to bug me, but now that I know he learned the truth about pit bulls by watching this show and then adopted one of his own, I have to tip my hat to him.

 

I never tire of hearing the story of Tatanka, because I can just picture the whole thing.  Tia and all the other adults terrified these girls are about to get mauled, the girls just giggling their heads off, and the dog thrilled to have a receptive audience. 

[islandgal140]

I can't deny or lie to myself anymore  - I am a Tia fangirl. I girl crush on Tia.

 

Ms. Tia has lived. Raised with horses; wolf dog rescuer; lived in Sri Lanka training lions and tigers and bears (oh my!); country singer; and now pitbull rescue. She is just such an impressive person to me. Find myself hoping that no scandal will come up to dim her shine in my eyes. 

 

I can't believe Tia lives in that trailer with all those dogs and sleeps on a couch with a dog when in New Orleans. To each his and her own, but damn how can that be comfortable?

 

I talk shit about reality tv even though I watch it more than I care to admit but most of that is just trash tv. So glad this show came around for Tia and her family when it did as she said they were on the cusp of having to close down. This actually provides value to the lives of people and animals. I am one of those masses who thought pit bulls were inherently dangerous. This show changed my mind and I am actually late to it. I only started watching it this fall and have been feverishly trying to catch up by dvr'ing episodes. 

 

When the interviewer was questioning the kids and their spouses at the bar, I was surprised by their answer to most impressive inmate. I thought they would say Earl, but it turned out to be an inmate back from their time in LA. I only vaguely remember him but it is great that he is reportedly doing so well.

 

I would love a 'where are they now' episode that focuses on dogs and the inmates. Curious about the inmate who left to be with his vet girlfriend in another state and start their own rescue. Also would love to know how Mando is doing. Or has that happened and I missed it?

 

 

I won't even post what I would do to the person that did that to Almonaster...

 

I will. I want to go old school Spanish Inquistion on their asses. Thumb screws, the rack, water boarding - you name it! That dog's plight turned my stomach and made me hate humanity. The other time I remember being so ragey was that poor dog that had been damn near starved to death but at least that had a good ending. They showed him being a happy dog for the most part and he was adopted by a very nice couple with a huge farm in Vermont. I really hope that with time this dog can at least have a long and loving relationship with at least 1 human. 

 

The scent of onions was definitely in the air because my eyes were making water throughout the episode. Even the Tatanka story elicited happy tears.

 

I really like the older couple that came to adopt Mouse.  Lovely to see the wife so happy and crying tears of joy to have Mouse home. I know that dog will have a good life for whatever amount of time she has. I also hope their twin grandsons stay out of trouble and get good employment once released.

[Jenkins]

Great post islandgal! Agreed on everything you said, even what you would do to the owner(s) of Almonaster....

 

And I am with you on hoping no scandals come out.

 

Before I found these forums I read quite a few other TV related forums. And there are sadly people out there that seem to HATE Tia and her family (mostly some idiot on IMDB). Spreading rumors about them pocketing money and the twins being drug addicts...

 

Hell, even on these forums, I saw people picking at the girls appearances. Blows my mind...you have a family dedicating their lives to rescuing animals and people concentrate on tattoos, piercings and hair styles...I don't get it...

 

And I have to admit, even the animal lover that I am (I have owned just about everything from dogs to cats to tarantulas to pacman frogs to sugar gliders), I bought in to the hype that pit bulls are naturally aggressive. This show and Pit Boss change my perspective on that. Which on a funny side note, Shorty from Pit Boss actually worked for Tia at Villa Lobos.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Jenkins

[Missy Vixen]

I can't deny or lie to myself anymore  - I am a Tia fangirl. I girl crush on Tia.

 

Ms. Tia has lived. Raised with horses; wolf dog rescuer; lived in Sri Lanka training lions and tigers and bears (oh my!); country singer; and now pitbull rescue. She is just such an impressive person to me. Find myself hoping that no scandal will come up to dim her shine in my eyes. 

 

I can't believe Tia lives in that trailer with all those dogs and sleeps on a couch with a dog when in New Orleans. To each his and her own, but damn how can that be comfortable?

***

The scent of onions was definitely in the air because my eyes were making water throughout the episode. Even the Tatanka story elicited happy tears.

 

I really like the older couple that came to adopt Mouse.  Lovely to see the wife so happy and crying tears of joy to have Mouse home. I know that dog will have a good life for whatever amount of time she has. I also hope their twin grandsons stay out of trouble and get good employment once released.

I'm a Tia fangirl, too. She (in my eyes) is a curmudgeonly introvert who loves two things in life -- well, maybe three. Her family. The dogs. The parolees she works with. That's it. And the fact she's unafraid to be who she is at all times makes me want to be like her. To say that I was thrilled to hear Jay Glaser say Tia "wasn't like" the other "TV people" he deals with every day is an understatement. And I hope, like you, that she is every bit what she seems to be.

 

Someone was cutting onions in my kitchen the other night during the episode, too. Damn it. I say I'm going to watch the episode and not be scrabbling around for the Kleenex, and then I'm watching a nice older couple who's had more than their fair share of sadness in life open their home to a dog who really needs some people... And I'd like to join the party who's looking for Almonaster's former owner. I don't think there's a terrible enough punishment for anyone who would do something so horrific to a living being.

 

If anyone is interested, I know Villalobos has an Amazon wish list. We can't take the dogs of Villalobos out for lunch, so we hit the "one click" for them on a regular basis.

 

It was a great 100th episode. It's our rescue Lab's favorite show, too. And I look forward to 100 more. I'll buy more Kleenex.

[walnutqueen]

This show always brings me to tears - of joy, of sorrow, and sometimes of anger.

[islandgal140]

This show always brings me to tears - of joy, of sorrow, and sometimes of anger.

 

 

Yes to this! The Roxy episode where she is reunited with her owner was on today and it slays me every single time!  Roxy is just so ecstatically happy in that scene with that big pitbull grin that most definitely looks like a smile. Plus, Tia's reaction all combine to totally unzip me. I think that scene was my intro to the show and inspired me to check it out. For some reason that scene was in my youtube recommended watches. I do watch a lot of cute/funny cat videos so this showing up was a surprise. Kismet I suppose. It really made me see not only pitbulls but all dogs in a different light. Love!

Edited January 5, 2016 by islandgal140

[walnutqueen]

islandgal140, on 04 Jan 2016 - 5:39 PM, said:

Yes to this! The Roxy episode where she is reunited with her owner was on today and it slays me every single time!  Roxy is just so ecstatically happy in that scene with that big pitbull grin that most definitely looks like a smile. Plus, Tia's reaction all combine to totally unzip me. I think that scene was my intro to the show and inspired me to check it out. For some reason that scene was in my youtube recommended watches. I do watch a lot of cute/funny cat videos so this showing up was a surprise. Kismet I suppose. It really made me see not only pitbulls but all dogs in a different light. Love!

 

That is one of my most favorite episodes, islandgal140, and I bawl like a baby every time I watch it.  Roxy was so shut down and basically a lost cause until she was reunited with her owner.  Like Tia pointed out - how many other wonderful animals are passed over or euthanized in shelters because they are traumatized by losing their loved ones and shut down with grief?  It breaks my heart to even think about it (and I can't type any more because my eyes are once again blurring with tears).

[Maharincess]

Roxy is my favorite story from the show too. Seeing that dog completely change upon seeing her mama makes me cry every time.

Jake got married a couple of weeks ago, looking at the wedding pictures I noticed that nobody from ViaLobos was there. I thought that was strange since they seemed so close.

[Maharincess]

Tania berating these guys for not showing up during a hurricane pissed me off. I know they're on parole and Tia gave them a chance etc. But, I'm sure these guys have homes and families of their own to worry about during a hurricane! I wouldn't leave my scared children to go to my job during something like that no matter what that job was.

The guilt trip this girl laid on them was uneccesary in my opinion. That place may be their lives but I'm sure most of the men have lives outside of the place too.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Maharincess

[zxy556575]

It seemed like Tania was angry in the heat of the moment, but to call out those three guys by name was mean and unfair, especially since they're some of the hardest-working and most loyal staff at VRC. I was surprised that Tia backed her up on it, to be honest, and went so far as to mention firing them if needed. I mean, seriously. What kind of job could Earl get now, at his age and with one good arm? I don't think we needed to see that meeting with Tania berating them; we could have gotten the gist with a talking head explanation of what happened. What about all Tia's talk about the guys being family? It didn't sit well with me at all.

Ruckus was totally cute the way he attached himself to Cinnamon and immediately started looking to her for approval.

I wish there had been some follow-up with Century at the vet to see what the problem was with his breathing and janky nails. I don't know if they were like that from never being trimmed or if there was a medical issue.

Edited January 10, 2016 by lordonia

[Bronzedog]

I didn't have a problem with Tania berating the guys for no one showing up to help during the storm. They knew what they signed up for. I was once threatened with my govt. job for calling in sick with a sinus infection and no one's life depended on me showing up. I think part of the problem was that she never heard from any of them and some were scheduled to work. Jobs generally require sacrifice at some point. Being part of a family works both ways. I can't believe none of them could show up. They all owe Tia a lot.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Bronzedog

[Bastet]

Yeah, I think what really upset her was them not responding. I think if someone had called back and said, "I can't get over there because [good reason]" that would have been fine. I think the other factor was how out of character it was for them; Earl rode out the hurricane 24/7 with them during Isaac (I think; the one that damaged the twins' house), Matt has always gone the extra mile because Tia gave him a place to live along with a job, etc. Add in Sui, and you have the guys who know the dogs best and thus can be of the biggest help during a major storm, and they've always acted accordingly. I was really surprised that none of them on their own called and asked, "Are things under control over there or do you need help?" never mind just ignored her texts, so I can only imagine how much it blew her mind. I'm all for work-life balance and saying if I'm not on duty, then do not bother me, but there are always special circumstances and this was one. Which they all acknowledged, so I think things are copacetic. (Plus, we've seen that they have flexibility to leave early so long as the dogs are taken care of, so this has never been a strict "9 to 5" outlook from either side.) But I don't think this would have happened on Tia's watch, so it will be interesting to see how things go as Tania continues to settle into the management position.

Despite my agreement with how she handled things, that segment had an odd feel to it, and I wasn't entirely comfortable watching it.

As for Tia's talking head ... Since there were two other guys in that meeting, maybe guys who were scheduled to be there and didn't show up, I figured that's who Tia was talking about when she said if Tania decided to tell some of them to hit the road she'd support that decision (and figured she knew that wasn't going to happen, and was just saying that she didn't put Tania in charge in name only or something; she has the authority and won't be overridden by Tia). We've seen Tia give chance after chance, including specifically when guys don't show up, so I can't imagine she was talking about the possibility of letting Earl, Matt, or Sui go for this.

I rolled my eyes pretty hard at however "Cinnamon" spelled her name - Cinimin or something - but a) that's on her parents (unless she changed it), and b) it's meaningless, especially in comparison to the fact she has devoted her life to helping animals. Ruckus was kind of heartbreaking when he just shut down after realizing he'd done something wrong (in jumping on the son), so I was glad to see him respond so well to just a few moments of training. I think she picked a great candidate for a working dog. And he was just so happy lying there with his ball.

Century's nails were crazy! When my parents adopted their cat Chester from the shelter, the paperwork said that when he arrived (as an owner surrender; assholes dumped their 8-year-old cat at a kill shelter in the middle of kitten season) he had one claw so long it had curled back around and embedded itself in his skin (he's polydactyl, and this was the claw that's between his "thumb" and first digit).

[Bronzedog]

I've always wondered about their personnel issues. I remember one parolee they had a problem with and a couple of mentions of parole violations and re-arrests, but, generally, we only see the success stories that spotlight Tia's wisdom in hiring these guys. Not showing up or checking in during a storm is relatively minor as long as everything works out OK, but, Obviously there had to some parolees that did not work out in a big way, but, that isn't really ever mentioned.

[walnutqueen]

I think Tania handled the situation quite well. By her own admission, Tia probably would've lost her temper and said some things she didn't mean. Tania shared her hurt and reminded the guys that they let the dogs down in their time of need; dogs that provided them all with everything they now hold dear. She expressed her disappointment, admitted she probably had very high expectations of them because they were her key people, and told them she loved them and needed to depend on them. I think the guys took it to heart. Maybe it wasn't comfortable having that on TV, but Tia has always kept it real, and this was a real crisis.

I loved seeing how gentle and patient Mariah was with Century. I hope that poor doggie continues to improve under her care.

[Maharincess]

If your home is flooding and you have terrified kids/wife/mom whoever who would be alone in a hurricane, fuck your job. I realize and understand that this is more than a "job" but if my family needs me during something like that, I'm staying with them.

Not to mention the fact that they were probably trying to protect their own homes from the storm.

The ones already scheduled are a different story but they still may have homes and family to protect.

I think she handled it horribly. I don't think doing it on camera was the right thing to do at all and berating grown men the way she did was out of line in my opinion. If they can't handle this stuff without losing tempers, yelling and saying things they don't mean, maybe they should find something else to do.

[Bronzedog]

I don't recall any yelling or Tia or Tania losing their tempers, and the rescue is their family business, which they are extraordinarily devoted to , so, I don't see them finding something else to do.

I thought Tania was calm and soft spoken when she spoke to the men. Doing it on camera was something they all agreed to participate in and they are probably all being paid to do so. I don't know of any job that it is acceptable to not show up for without explanation. Many, many people are expected to work during emergencies so, to me, it's Tia's business to run as she pleases, and if she had felt their unexplained absences were grounds for firing, so be it, she does not owe anyone a job.

The men who were not expected to show up and didn't respond to texts, are another story. However, Tania simply explained to them why she was disappointed. It just came down to the rescue not being as important to them as she had hoped it was, and for that, she was disappointed.

[blondiek237]

I live in the NE and I looked at this like a snow storm here. No you are not scheduled to work, but if there is a snow storm and you are needed, you come in period. And your boss would have an issue if you fell off the grid and them just showed up to work the next day like nothing happened.

[gesundheit]

If one of your job duties is always reporting to work in emergency situations, then you make other arrangements for how your home and family are taken care of during emergencies. Can you imagine if everyone just left a hospital to take care of their homes and families anytime there was a major regional emergency? If you have signed a contract saying everything about your job is subject to being on national television, you can expect that your job failures are going to be on television as well as your successes. Fair game. I thought Tania was easy on them. (I do always wonder how many actual employees they have who aren't under contract with the show.)

 

I was so happy for Ruckus! What a lucky boy! That's so great that she specifically wanted a dog with a fighting history who'd be a real challenge. 

 

How would that even happen to a dog's nails? (re: Century) That looked so painful.

 

I'm enjoying that for every new episode we get these days that we get 3 classics leading up to it!

I would love a 'where are they now' episode that focuses on dogs and the inmates. Curious about the inmate who left to be with his vet girlfriend in another state and start their own rescue. Also would love to know how Mando is doing. Or has that happened and I missed it?

Yes, they really need a "where are they now" special!!

[Bronzedog]

Well put, gesundheit! That's why having a job is called work. Work requires doing agreed upon stuff you don't necessarily want to do when you are obligated to do it. Doing whatever you want whenever you feel like it is called working for yourself or unemployment.

I was surprised Earl was among the no-shows, although it wasn't clear if he was one that was scheduled. They hired him with a disability and extensive criminal record, he lived at the rescue and they helped him raise money for his surgery. Hell, the house he bought as a result of the job is nicer than mine.

I know I'm in beating a dead horse territory, but, I felt for Tania because she feels the guys are family and to her, that means being there for each other, whereas to the guys it may just mean, I'll introduce you to my mother when she's in town.

I'll stop now. I obviously spent too many years as a supervisor.

[zxy556575]

Hey, this has spurred more post-show comments than we normally get. :)

 

I can see everyone's points. My main issue was Tania putting the guys on blast about it. But yes, they did agree to be on the show and I assume are getting paid for that? There were 5 guys in that circle with Tania but 2 had their faces blurred. And Matt seemed pretty calm about it in his talking head afterwards. Realistically, this was undoubtedly less than nothing compared to some of the things they went through in prison.

 

As a manager, I would never criticize or discuss someone's failures in front of other staff so it rubbed me the wrong way. But as others have pointed out, it's not at all the same situation here so I can't justifiably apply the same standards.

[Jenkins]

Yes, those nails were HORRIFIC!

 

And anyone that owns dogs knows you can't just cut them down immediately. The blood vessels grow with the nails. They would just have to trim a small amount back every few days. Though maybe there is a surgical procedure I don't know about.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Jenkins

[Rlb8031]

Tania didn't put the guys on blast about not showing up. However, she did remind them the one thing that was important - they are all successful contributing members of society today because of the dogs. Their ability to have houses to protect and cars to get to and from work in happened because of the dogs, and the dogs can't care for themselves. She wanted them to remember how they got there, and to make them realize they were being selfish, and I think she did so in a way that didn't single anyone out or call out anyone specifically. As for the blurred faces, one was the guy who has been accused of rape (Tony Converse) and is therefore not appearing in the series this season (but who continues to be employed by Tia, who is 100% supportive of him). I assume the other person was someone who is in the parolee program but not on the show - which is why his face was obscured.

 

Did anyone else catch when she noted that Matt had gotten married???

[Maharincess]

I was watching an old episode this morning, it was the one where Tia went to New Orleans to adopt out Corey. After the adoption she and Moe were driving and just randomly decided to stop to look for dogs.

I think this scene was fake as hell. First off, why just randomly stop somewhere and look? Second, they parked so far away from where they were going to look. Then there just happens to be a dog tied up under a bridge. The dog looks just fine, he's healthy looking, seems to be well fed and is friendly. Then just as they're leashing the dog, a storm hits and they have to dramatically run to the van they had conviently left parked far away.

That whole segment read as totally fake and set up to me.

Comparing a dog rescue to a hospital during a hurricane is like comparing well...a dog rescue to a hospital. I'm sure the people at the hospital were already there working when the storm hit. Completely different scenarios.

I understand everybody's points but its my opinion that if I wasn't scheduled to work, my family was terrified and needed me, I wouldn't go in either. The guys who were scheduled that day are a different story.

[jnymph]

I can't believe I haven't had the chance to watch this latest episode.  And the reasoning is I keep forgetting to pick up a nice bottle of wine..............

 

 I can't watch this show without drinking booze.   Somehow it soothes the agony of the bad stories. 

 

My name is jnymph and I am a Pitbulls and Parolees alcoholic. 

[Bastet]

I'm watching football tonight, so just popped in a DVD to record tonight's episode, and according to my program guide's description of it we do, indeed, finally get to see Brandi with an i get a home.  I'm so excited!

Edited January 17, 2016 by Bastet

[Bronzedog]

Aww, Brandi, you little butter bean! I hope you know how loved you are! Now, let the spoiling begin!

Edited January 17, 2016 by Bronzedog

[zxy556575]

Such a perfect ending for Dee! Working dogs usually have such happy lives. I assume Tia meant that Dee was unadoptable because she wasn't friendly or outgoing? As an adopter, I would have been drawn to her calm, low key personality; I'm not the right fit for a jumpy, barky dog. It seems like Dee settled in really well at the prison and her handler was super pleased with her as well.

 

Brandi's adoptive dad seemed like a real sweetheart so I hope Tania didn't have any second thoughts. The guy's apartment made me smile. There was the bachelor black leather, of course, and then what's a good accent color for that? Red!

[Jenkins]

I just couldn't figure out why no one would take Brandi...she seems like such a sweet dog. How does a dog like that keep getting passed over?

 

I could relate to Tania though. My peagle (Pekingese and beagle mix) LOVES to just follow his nose wherever it takes him. He doesn't want to "run away", he just wants to investigate EVERYTHING and he is an extremely confidant dog, so absolutely nothing scares him. So we have to be extra careful with him and not give him a chance to get out the door without a leash on. It is scary to think, one little brain fart and your dog is gone....

 

I am honestly surprised things like last night don't happen more often, where they have gotten really attached to a dog.

 

And man, kudos to Matt....if I had been in prison for four years, that is the LAST place I would want to visit. But it was awesome how Dee warmed up to that correctional officer SO fast! Dogs are like that though...they have that sixth sense where they seem to know good people (and bad).

[zxy556575]

And man, kudos to Matt....if I had been in prison for four years, that is the LAST place I would want to visit.

 

That was this week's Scene That Made Me Cry. Realizing the progress Matt has made and how admiring the correctional officers were about his maturity and growth was really touching, as was the happiness of his inmate friends at seeing him again.

[jnymph]

Finally caught up on the last 2 episodes.

 

Brandi with an "I" !!!  You go girl !!  What a sweet dog, she seemed to love everyone she came into contact with. I don't blame Tania for being leery of potential adopters and to be emotional over her getting into her FINALLY forever home.  I am so glad her owner (can't recall his name right now) made a strong case in point that Brandi will be spoiled and loved in his talking heads. 

Great to see Matt's progression !!!!

 

In the other episode, I thought Tania handled her managerial duties very well.  She spoke from her heart and it showed.   Great job and the guys seemed genuinely sorry.  

Mariah did a fantastic job of handling Century.   Century certainly was giving off mixed signals.  Very nice to see he's settling in.

 

More later.  Gotta begin corporate drone day here.  Ugh.

Edited January 18, 2016 by jnymph

[Bastet]

I just couldn't figure out why no one would take Brandi...she seems like such a sweet dog. How does a dog like that keep getting passed over?

 

With Brandi, she has the same thing working against her all the dogs do -- there are more of them than there are people to adopt them, so the odds of her being the one picked out of all those dogs by any given adopter are against her.  Then, as the years went on, she had the additional problem faced by all dogs her age, as many people want either a puppy or a young adult.  Add in her specific issues, that she needs to be an only dog, and that she requires a nearly escape proof home and someone willing to be vigilant every time a door is opened, and you start to see how another dog with an open, happy demeanor like hers can seem like a better fit than her for a lot of people.

 

Tania's conflicting emotions were palpable, and I cried when she said goodbye to Brandi.  Then cried more watching Brandi and her new owner spoon.  I bet Brandi settled in quickly, and I hope they have many years together.  I really felt for the guy; he's seven months out from losing his dog, and finally emotionally ready to adopt another.  It's no small thing to open his heart to a dog he'll probably have only 2-5 years with, rather than the 15 he had with his first dog.

 

I am so happy to have finally seen Brandi get chosen; I've been ridiculously attached to that dog since the first time I saw her on my TV.  I enjoyed the episode's other stories, too, but I've been waiting for Brandi's for years. 

Edited January 19, 2016 by Bastet

[gesundheit]

What were the end-of-episode updates this week? I keep programming my DVR to record a minute longer because it always stops before the updates, but then it never seems to work! Drives me nuts.

[Bastet]

What were the end-of-episode updates this week?

 

Brandi and her new owner adore each other, Dee is enjoying her job and bonding well with her handlers, and the rescued duo are on the road to recovery but not yet ready for adoption.

[gesundheit]

Brandi and her new owner adore each other, Dee is enjoying her job and bonding well with her handlers, and the rescued duo are on the road to recovery but not yet ready for adoption.

Thank you! I saw about a millisecond of the Brandi update, but the others cut off. I'm so glad Dee's doing well at her new gig! That was so cute how quickly she took to that one guy, he seemed pretty charmed. Her lean-in just melted my heart.

[walnutqueen]

gesundheit, on 19 Jan 2016 - 1:53 PM, said:

Thank you! I saw about a millisecond of the Brandi update, but the others cut off. I'm so glad Dee's doing well at her new gig! That was so cute how quickly she took to that one guy, he seemed pretty charmed. Her lean-in just melted my heart.

 

I know, right?!  That even surprised and delighted Tia, who said something about Dee being a shameless flirt.   Dee has found her people!  :-)

[auntieminem]

Tonight I didn't cry all the way through.  So happy for Smack to have this second chance.  I wish I knew more about the first people who tried to adopt her, that whole thing was so odd.  Glad Doris and Smack found each other and it all worked out for the best.

 

I am curious if they tried other things to locate Desire's (?) old family such as looking for a phone #.  Hope she finds a good home soon.  

[Bastet]

It's hard, because the show doesn't (can't) cover every step, but by the conversations we did see, it seems like a phone number either wasn't provided on the adoption paperwork (unlikely) or had been a dead end (makes more sense, but odd there wasn't a simple line thrown in to that effect) and thus the address was their big lead; when that proved to be an abandoned house, and the neighborhood a whole was pretty wiped out so, as Mariah said, she couldn't even go door to door to try and find out where the owners had gone, they were pretty well assured this dog's owners were long gone.

 

They've proven themselves over and over to be a rescue that tries to find owners, help them if they're not a perfect home to be a better one, etc. rather than one that puts forth a cursory effort and has ridiculous standards that lead them to believe their kennels are a better option than a loving but flawed home.  So I trust they did their best.

 

It was, on the one hand, odd how she - apparently - wasn't scanned until the vet visit, since they have a scanner, but since she was dumped - rather than a found stray, AND they knew who'd dumped her, I can see it not coming until they'd got her the necessary medical attention to think, "Wait, maybe this asshole got her through nefarious means and we can go back a person to look for a legit owner."

 

Yay for Doris and Smack!  I love seeing dogs roll around on the ground and present their bellies, like, "Oh, I am so happy to be here."

 

And I love how this and other episodes have shown VRC doesn't refuse to turn over a dog when there's something about the yard that needs to be fixed but can be fixed; if the owner is aware of it, and committed to fixing it (and the dog can be safely kept away from the problem area in the interim), they'll proceed with the adoption.  And here Doris is the one who said, "This was designed for a dog who couldn't jump, so I'm concerned it's not enough for Smack, so you tell me if it will work and, if not, what I need to do to make it work."  Absolutely get that dog into her home rather than making her wait.

 

And, hee - "I'm not a hugger, but I have to hug you [because of this dog]" -- Doris is a perfect match for Tia in that regard.

Edited January 24, 2016 by Bastet

[walnutqueen]

^^^ ITA

 

It was so sweet seeing Smack snuggling on the couch with Doris.  She finally found  great home.

 

What an amazing transformation for Atlas once he wasn't in so much pain, and had received some food and caring attention at the vet's office.  He seemed like a totally different dog when Tia picked him up.  And I cried right along with the sweet boy who rescued him (forgot his name, but the guy "wears his heart on his sleeve").

 

It must be extremely frustrating to know about these shady people/abusers, and have to wait for law enforcement to do anything, knowing full well they do not have the manpower or resources to go after these people.  The penalties for animal neglect and abuse need to be much more severe in all states.

[zxy556575]

The scene where Mariah is washing Desire in a tub outside the office reminded me of the Best Friends shelter on Dog Town where they have a large grooming room with wash station, special training facilities, 30K acres, 60 staff with five full-time adoption specialists, on-site vets, $65M in revenue, etc. etc. They're obviously a much bigger organization, but it's hard to watch Tia's financial struggles in comparison.

 

I don't understand why she doesn't get more donation money or grants, especially considering the publicity and awareness the show brings to VRC. Obviously they're doing well enough to add the satellite sites and take on more dogs, but my guess is that their annual income is only $2-3M. They're too small to be tracked on Charity Navigator and VRC doesn't even have its own Wikipedia page; only the one for the show itself.

[walnutqueen]

Is VRC a 501C3 charity?  That might make a big difference. 

 

Best Friends is in a league of it's own - it is an awesome place run professionally on a HUGE scale.