We have sad new today about Sweet Pea. She has peacefully crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She just laid down and passed suddenly with her mom and dad right there. She was very loved and spoiled and was the most appropriately named dog ever! She loved coming to our events even after her adoption. She will be greatly missed by her family and we send them our condolences in the loss of their sweet Sweet Pea.
Beautiful Miss Sweet Pea has been adopted! If there has ever been a more aptly named bulldog than Sweet Pea, I haven’t met her. Sweet Pea joined our little zoo shortly before Thanksgiving, and in that time we saw her blossom into the loving and loyal dog she was always meant to be. To put Sweet Pea’s journey over the past few months into perspective:
She:- Went from being a family’s only baby, to second place behind a newborn child; – Was relegated to a crate on a full time basis; – Got stressed (who wouldn’t being in lockdown??), and began wetting her crate every day; – As a result, she had all blankets (and even the plastic tray) taken away from her, leaving her standing and laying on wire…; – Was ultimately abandoned to rescue at the age of 7; – Landed in a foster home with 4 other dogs- again, after a lifetime of being an only dog.
That would be a daunting set of circumstances for any of us. How did Sweet Pea do? Simply put: Amazing! She learned how to get along with other dogs, after a few scuffles with our girl Rigby. (To be fair, Rigby learned Sweet Pea’s simple rules the hard way- “stay out of my crate, and leave my toys alone!”). She lost her anxiety, and with it the habit of wetting her crate. She showed how much she loves a good walk. She earned the title of “Best Bullie Snuggler” from a completely biased Foster Dad. And on Saturday, she met her new proud parents. We knew it was a great match from the word go- Sweet Pea explored the house approvingly while they fussed over her, and made plans to ensure that this beautiful girl wants for nothing for the rest of her life. We felt the love that they had given their beloved Huskie that passed last year. We left not knowing who was the luckier- Sweet Pea, or the family. We decided it was a draw.
God speed Sweet Pea- it was an honor to share this time in your life, and we will love and root for you always. “All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. For, after all, he was only human. He wasn’t a dog.” — Charles M. Schultz
Welcome 7 year old, owner surrender Sweet Pea to Rescue. As their toddler became more active, Sweet Pea became more jealous of sharing her family with this new little human. She accidentally knocked him down and would try to sneak in between him and mom. They were just afraid things would escalate and did not want to take a chance with the safety of their young child. She has also had a couple of issues with small dogs, but has always gotten along well with dogs her size and larger. Her name seems to fit her personality.
11/15/16 Update: Sweet Pea’s moniker says it all. She is a very sweet and gentle bully girl. The way she eats her food is very lady like, not spilling a morsel. And when she takes a treat from your hand, it is so gentle. This foster mom is used to have kibble all over the floor while they eat! Sweet Pea had been an only dog and at first, with our dogs she was a little standoff-ish, but I think she was just overwhelmed and unsure of her new situation. She is doing great now, choosing to instigate play with her foster siblings or just laying next to them.
Sweet Pea is 7 years old, walks great on a leash and is around 58 lbs. She is crate trained and she will pee on her bedding sometimes. I am hoping this will stop as she gets more confident in her surroundings. She has only had one accident in the house and that is when she just arrived in our home. She would do great in a quieter home with no small kids, submissive dogs and some patience for her adjustment period. If you are looking for a beautiful blonde with the softest fur and the cutest tail wag, Sweet Pea is your girl!
11/27/16 Update: Our little blondie girl had a great week with us. She has the softest fur that I have ever felt on a Bulldog that makes you want to love on her even more. She doesn’t mind! Her best buddy was just adopted so she is missing her right now. Sweet Pea would do great with another dog that is very laid back and submissive. She loves to play and wrestle, but still has a quiet, independent streak to her. She is in awesome shape and you’d never know she was 7 years old. She loves her humans and wants to be always near them where she will happily roll over and give you her belly.
12/4/16 Update: Another great week with Sweet Pea and her foster family. She continues to have the cutest little bunny tail wag in the house. I find myself calling her name just to see it go! Even though she is 7, I would call her a young senior. She is in great shape, walks great on a leash and does love to play. Of course, she can completely chill with you on the couch, rolling over just so you can scratch her adorable belly. She is house trained, but she does pee in her crate overnight on her blankets. We are working on trying to stop this, but it may be just a thing she does. It’s just marking, so it’s not like she empties her bladder … it’s just a “wee” bit. For this wonderful girl, she is worth the little bit of laundry and she deserves to sleep on soft, comfy blankets for the rest of her life.
Sweet Pea will need a family with understanding and compassion with this issue. She would also do best in a quiet home with no kids and would be a great only dog, though she does great with calm and submissive dogs, too. She loves her people and will make someone a fantastic best friend.
12/22/16 Update: Sweet Pea has had a great week with her foster family. Along with her foster siblings, she has benefited from all the kitchen activity and occasional spilling of, well, anything! Naps, toys and treats…that’s the life Sweet Pea enjoys and deserves. She has improved so much in her house training with very few accidents in her crate. She enjoys playing with her foster brothers and sisters, but can get a little territorial with her toys or crate—these are her triggers. Sweet Pea was an only all her life, so she has come so far in her sharing capabilities. She adores her people and would really love them all to herself again, so she would be perfectly content as an only. She does get along with other dogs that are submissive and won’t get into her face and loves to play. Sweet Pea would also like to give a huge thanks to everyone that donated her fun toys and uber soft blanket that she just loves to snuggle with!
1/9/17 Update: Sweet Pea joined our happy little menagerie just before Thanksgiving. She was surrendered by her family when a baby came into the picture, and when she started wetting the crate she had been consigned to as a result. Sweet Pea had been an only dog, and took a little while to adjust to the realities of living with four or five other (equally stubborn!) Bulldogs. There was a little jostling for position before they worked out their boundaries, as they always do. Sweet Pea has done so well in our home. We couldn’t be prouder of this aptly named girl. She is loving, and gentle with us, craving nothing more than a good massage as she lays at our feet, or next to us on the couch. She has the most expressive Bulldog tail we’ve ever seen. When she’s excited, her little tail is wagging fast enough to create a breeze! She loves to walk and is great on a leash, matching our pace perfectly.
We are so very happy to share that Sweet Pea has adjusted so well that she no longer wets her crate! Her anxiety seems to fade by the day, and her sweet personality continues to emerge and blossom. We think this 7-year-old sweetheart would be best served as an only dog (more cuddles for her!), or in a home with a dog that tends to the submissive side. While we haven’t seen her around children, her boisterous nature might be better suited with older, rather than younger, children. We love her. You will too.
1/22/17 Update: Sweet Pea had the best time yesterday at the Mutt’s Cantina event! This was really her first event to attend and she was wonderful. She just adored all the attention she got from people, coming up to love and pet on her-she was in heaven! Sweet Pea looooves her humans. She would be an awesome first time bulldog for a family as she is house trained, crate trained and in great health. Loves to go for walks and is perfect on a leash. Wish she’d teach our girls to walk so well! She spent her whole life being the only thing with fur in her home and she would be happiest to return to that kind of life. She gets along with very submissive dogs that wont mess with her stuff! Could you be her forever family?
