7/21/26 AWESOME ADOPTION ALERT! From Marley: My name used to be Midge Maisel, but now my forever family calls me Marley.
A few months ago, I was so scared. Back in April, I was all alone in a kennel, and I didn’t feel good because I had a yucky respiratory infection. I was so frightened that I just shut down. I didn’t know if I could trust anyone, and being brave felt impossible.
Then someone opened my kennel door, picked me up and took me home.
They believed I could be brave, even when I didn’t believe it myself.
At first, being brave meant taking one tiny step. I learned to walk around the room. Then I found the courage to explore outside. Day by day, I took my medicine, started feeling better and slowly grew stronger. Every little victory helped me discover that being brave doesn’t mean you’re never scared. It means you keep trying anyway.
Today, my story has a happy new chapter. I found my new home, and I’m bravely stepping into my new life. I have a new fur brother named Louie and I have a new name: Marley!
I’ll always remember where I started, but now I know that courage can change everything. Sometimes all it takes is one person to believe in you, one small step and a whole lot of love.
Love,
Marley 🐶❤️
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4/16/26 INTRODUCTION ~ Yesterday, we welcomed Midge Maisel to freedom. 
4/25/26 UPDATE ~ From foster girl Midge Maisel: I remember the first day I got here. Everything felt too big, too loud, too unknown. I found a small corner in my kennel and made it mine… “my safe space.”
If I stayed very still, maybe nothing bad would happen. I didn’t want food. I didn’t want water. I didn’t want to move at all! Moving felt dangerous and scary.
Then SHE came. She spoke softly, but her hands reached in and gently pulled me out of my kennel. I didn’t understand. Why would I leave the only place that felt “safe?” My heart raced. My body froze. But she kept telling me there was something better out here… that I just had to be BRAVE.
BRAVE? I didn’t feel brave.
Everything scared me. The room. The sounds. Even the food. My body didn’t feel right either… my eye hurt and I didn’t feel well. They gave me medicine, but I didn’t understand that it was supposed to help. All I knew was that everything was overwhelming. I refused to eat or drink, so medicine was not helping at that point.
But something started to change once my foster mom got me home. It’s been one week now. Just one week and maybe… I am a little BRAVE.
I still like my safe space. I still go there when things feel too big. But now, sometimes, I peek out. Sometimes, I take a step. I’ve done some really big things. At least they feel big to me.
I’ve started eating. Not a lot, but some. My foster mom even feeds me by hand, and it makes it a little less scary. Sometimes, I take a few bites on my own. That feels important.
I learned where to go potty, close to my safe space. That helps me feel a little more in control. I’ve taken small steps around the room. Just a few… but they’re mine.
My foster mom takes me outside and it’s so scary out there. So open, so many smells, so many sounds. I don’t always want to go. But she stays with me and keeps telling me I can do it and I have to be BRAVE!
Then something really big happened. She took off my leash. I stood there, unsure. The world felt wide and quiet for a moment. I took a step and I peed outside.
It might not sound like much, BUT to me, it was everything!
My foster mom told me she’s proud of me. She says I’m getting BRAVE. I don’t always feel BRAVE, but maybe… I’m becoming it.
5/3/26 UPDATE ~ From foster girl Midge Maisel: I’m doing well in foster care and I’m still working on becoming BRAVE. Baby steps… that’s what my foster mom always says. I’m not totally sure what that means, but I think it has something to do with being brave a little at a time. And I am getting braver.
This week felt different. Bigger, somehow.
I started eating from a bowl all by myself. At first, I wasn’t so sure about it, but now I kind of like it. Especially when I sneak over to the resident’s dog bowl. Their food just seems… better. My foster mom noticed, of course. She told me I’m getting my own bowl soon. I’m not sure how I feel about that yet, but I trust her.
I followed her outside into the backyard, too. That was a big deal. There are so many smells out there, and the air feels different on my fur. I’ve even gone potty outside a few times. I still think the pads inside are safer, but my foster mom says outside is better. I’m trying to believe her.
Then today happened.
She took me out front. On a leash. It was so scary! Everything felt loud and open and unfamiliar. My paws stayed close to the sidewalk as we walked just a little way up, then turned around. My foster mom kept talking to me in that soft, encouraging voice, telling me I was brave. I didn’t feel brave.
Not until we got back to the front door.
The second it opened, I dashed inside as fast as I could. My safe place. My heart finally slowed down.
And then… something nice happened. My foster mom told me I did a good job. She said I was brave today.
Maybe she’s right. Maybe those baby steps are working.
6/17/26 UPDATE ~ From foster girl Midge Maisel: I’ve been quiet for a while because I had an important job to do: learning how to be brave.
When I first arrived at my foster home, I was terrified. Everything was new, strange and scary. My bed felt like the only safe place in the whole world, so I stayed there. I wouldn’t eat, I wouldn’t go potty, and for my first 24 hours, I barely moved at all.
My foster mom kept telling me that everything would be okay, but I wasn’t so sure.
Slowly, little by little, I started to believe her. At first, I would only eat if she hand-fed me. Then one day, I gathered enough courage to nibble from my bowl all by myself. It felt like a very big accomplishment for a little Bulldog.
Going potty was another adventure. I started with puppy pads placed just a few feet from my bed because that was as far as I was willing to travel. Then, a few days later, I did something extraordinary… I took my first brave walk around the living room!
But the outside? Oh, the outside was terrifying.
My foster mom kept insisting that I go outdoors. She would tell me, “Midge, you need to be brave!” Personally, I thought staying inside sounded like a much better plan.
Fast forward nine weeks, and wow, have things changed!
I’ve had my cherry eye surgery, so now I can see much better, and I’ve been spayed too. I eat all by myself now, and I’ve become quite talented at helping clean up not only my bowl but sometimes the resident dogs’ bowls as well. What can I say? Food is my passion. Meal time is my favorite time. Actually, any time food is involved is my favorite time.
I don’t really understand the appeal of toys, but I do love my chew treats, especially those magical things called yak chews. They keep me busy and make me very happy.
I’ve also started going outside to potty sometimes. Now, between you and me, I still prefer my puppy pads. Foster Mom says I’m being lazy. I prefer to think of myself as efficient.
Unfortunately, my secret was discovered.
You see, I had quietly figured out how to use the doggie door all by myself. I was pretty proud of that achievement. But then the foster granddaughter told on me! Now everyone knows I can do it, and they make me go outside much more often. So much for my clever plan.
At night, I have another favorite routine. I get to hop up on the bed for a few minutes and spend time with my foster parents. We snuggle, play and enjoy being together. Then it’s time to hop down, collect my bedtime treats and settle into my cozy bed for the night.
My journey from frightened little Bulldog to brave girl hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve come a long way. I’ve learned that new things aren’t always scary, that people can be kind and that sometimes being brave leads to wonderful things.
Foster Mom says I’m ready for my home now.
And I think she’s right.
Love,
Midge Maisel
