1. Home
2. Dogs
3. Alumni
4. Polly

Polly

Hi there, my name is Polly, at least thats what they keep calling me. I am a 4-5 yr old yellow female, I am housebroken, spayed, have all of my shots, and I was used as a puppy machine.

LRR came to get me from a local shelter that is near a lot of puppy mills, the shelter believes that I was breeding stock. It is very obvious that I have had a lot of puppies and it was hard work.

LRR is working with me to help me get more comfortable with being around people. I am afraid of loud noises, I don’t know what toys are—and squeeky toys scare me. You know what is really funny - one of my foster moms keeps calling me “Polly want a cracker”. I don’t want a cracker, I want good people and a good home and a nice bed would be good too! LRR says that I have no spirit left in my eyes—I want some, I am trying!

I also have lyme disease. But LRR says it is treatable. I am taking medication and should be better soon.

The people at LRR are always holding me close, petting me and talking to me. I am not sure that I like it yet, and I don’t know what they are trying to do to me. They also gave me a big, warm, soft bed to sleep on - it was so nice I didn’t want to get off of it.

Right now, I am not availabe to go to a new home. But as soon as I get these LRR people figured out and they prove to me that people can be nice and no one is going to hurt me…I will be ready to try out a new family. So, check back for updates on my progress.

UPDATE 4/5/06: I wanted you all to know that 3 LRR foster homes have been helping me to trust again. They have been reading about helping puppy mill survivors, and I want to be one for sure!

I have learned a lot of things since I came to LRR. I am now going into the same room that the people are in- sometimes I even surprise them. I also learned that chewing on bones and nylabones is fun, so I get one and hide to chew it. LRR says that the BEST progress I have made is that I will take food from my foster parents hands, but only sometimes, I am still trying to figure out why people are so nice to me. I also have other dogs to learn from, and they are funny, I am not sure about them, but I suppose that with time, I will figure them out too.

If you want to read more about the problems that Puppy Mill Survivors have, please check out this website: www.ilmorescue.org/adopting_the_puppymill_survivor.htm

UPDATE 11/4/06

Hey everyone, LRR and their vets decided to try a new product to see if it would help me. After many months of getting comfortable with the foster families and dogs, I still needed a bit more help. So, I am now using a D.A.P. collar and diffuser. It is supposed to emit some sort of Pheramone that is will make me feel relaxed and at ease.

Well, after less than a month of using the DAP products, I am beginning to have a puppyhood…one that I never had. I am running, playing, enjoying car rides, and I have even been known to do a little bit of chewing. So, everyone at LRR is THRILLED that I am making such great progress.

I am moving to a new foster home soon to continue my learning experiences, and I am hoping that one day soon, a great family will come along and want to take me home.

It may still be sometime before I am a “normal” dog, but I am coming around nicely. By the way, what is a NORMAL dog? Have you asked yourself that - is normal an out of control, crazy lab? Is it a just a laid back, sweet lab, that doesn’t bother anyone? I am beginning to realize that normal is nothing more than being happy, healthy and having what a family is looking for. My family is out there somewhere, I am sure of it!!

Check back for more of my updates. I am sure that you will be pleased with my progress.

UPDATE April 27, 2007

I have been extremely busy at my foster home lately. My foster mom has taught me to be a retriever and I LOVE to chase the tennis balls. She has to play with two tennis balls cause I am still not comfortable bringing it back to her hand. But, I am so happy chasing the ball.

I have also been going to obedience school for socialization each week. I am really good at a few things. I am really good at my sit stays, down stays and stand. Sitting on command is not my thing and coming when called is not high up there either.

I may act like a shy little thing, but my foster parents certainly know my miscevious side. I have chewed my share of slippers left out. Just thought I would share my update since I can’t get outside to play in all of this rain.