Ethel

Little Miss Ethel has had a difficult life. Her first 4 or 5 years were spent in a puppy mill in Indiana . She then did a stint in Libby's Senior Haven and appears to have been an adoptive failure at some point. Fortunately for Ethel she joined the BONES program in early 2007 and had the great fortune to become part of the Springer family where she learned all about love, good food and beagle brothers. We found Ethel in July when the hole in our heart from losing our beloved Jasper was so big we didn't think it would ever heal. It was as if she was waiting for us. She is our little wiggle worm, love bug, cutie pie. She has fit beautifully into our household. She loves our early AM walks and arroos like crazy at all of the smells that mysteriously appear overnight. We've found she's afraid of the water at the pond, loves the woods and to socialize with the neighbors and neighbor dogs. We love you Ethel!

Tina and Dan Bellomy

Winnie (Cara)

Our experience with BONES has been great. Our adoption counselor Pam has been extremely helpful from the first time we spoke. She took the time to talk to us about every dog that we had an interest in and found us the dog that would best work into our family. I was amazed when she called us as soon as we arrived home with our new beagle to make sure that things were going well. She has answered any questions we've had and offered suggestions with the adjustment process. We've had Winnie (Cara) for 3 weeks now and she is a love. She always greets you with a smile and a kiss or ten. She is still working on housebreaking but doing better than expected. She loves to play with our other beagle Lucy and has learned to play fetch right along with her. She is a clown and makes us laugh. She has the funniest bark that always ends in a howl. She has adjusted well to sleeping in her crate and loves her blanket that is in it. She likes to find the cat when he sleeps under the bed and I think she thinks he's a squeaky toy. We'd like to thank everyone with BONES who helped Winnie find a home. Andrea, Garrick, Nem, Lucy, and Winnie Verrengia

Bob

Bob is GREAT!   What a love, he just wants to be with us, and has attached himself to me. (Guess who feeds him everyday!)  We've had a great summer together and have been taking classes at our local Pet Smart.  He is doing beautifully, except for barking at one particular Husky, named Jackson, whom he does not seem to care much for!  Fran and I were so surprised to see him react like this when he does not bark much at all.  It is only in the store that he becomes a loud mouth beagle!  There are times when I think his name should have been Napolean - he has little big dog syndrome!  He only barks at dogs bigger than him!!  Buddy the cat is still only tolorating Bob; and Bob continues to want to play ball with Buddy.  Oh Well! Andrew has taught him "paw" and Kevin has taught him to "drop it", the ball, most of the time.  Bob has a difficult time listening to Kevin because he sees him as one of his pack, not in charge.  We started back to school last week and Bob does not seem to mind being in the crate.  I still feel guilty.  He walks a mile with me at 5:30 am, with the boys after school at 2:30 pm , and again after dinner when, if time allows, we do 2 miles.  I have had to cut back on my 5 miles due to an injury to my heel.  Hopefully it will heal fast because I miss our long walks around the bogs. We almost had a crisis on our hands when the blue ball that Susan gave him went missing.  Bob was mopey for a few days until I found it under the basement stairs.  I went on line a ordered 2 more as back-up to avert anymore trauma.  He has taken to sleeping at the foot of one of the boy's beds, and first thing in the morning jumps up on my bed, when Fran gets up, to say good morning and to get his belly rubbed.  I have attached some old pictures before my digital camera bit the dust.  More to follow after I get them developed. 

Thank you again, Kim, Fran, Andrew, Kevin, Buddy and Bob

Abby

Closing in on one week and Abby is adjusting just fine. She has gone from a shy little girl to a partner in crime with her sister Jazz. Attached are some pics of Abby with Jazz, and my older dog Casey. All three get along really well, and it looks as though Abby is home to stay. Thanks again to all involved in getting her to us, we all love her. Feel free to check in anytime by phone or e-mail.

Paul

Hobie (Formerly Henry)

We're all doing fine and Hobie is adjusting well to life with us
(and vice versa).  We started obedience school as well with Missy Kielbasa
in Westfield.  She is awesome and he is very trainable and remembers well.
Hi energy dog. Loves to play fetch tennis balls at Stanley Park.  Loves his
run in the backyard too. Sometimes we bring him to see his friends Fred,
Flagstone, Yoda and Sophie.  Sometimes we bring him to the tennis courts in
Westfield (Missy's idea) where he can run free until he drops.. we get a
break and he loves it of course.  We love to see this dog run free, wish we
had a big barnyard for him.

His separation anxiety is getting much better now.

In winter we plan to let him roam our big back porch, and we'll have our
yard fenced off better as well. Thank you to everyone at Bones for finding us the perfect dog.
Regards Larry and Kate.

Bella and Cissy

Bella and Cissy made a very quick adjustment to their new life in Connecticut. The very first night they decided our queen-sized bed was much more comfortable than their doggy beds and they have slept there ever since, sometimes even under the covers! I remember thinking the first week they were with us that it seemed like they had always been with us. Cissy is the more independent of the two. During the day, she likes to find a spot by herself somewhere in the house to sleep, often on the top of the sofa back. Bella likes to stay close to someone during the day and will sit in my husband's lap for hours. Luckily for the dogs, my husband is retired and home most days. They really seem to enjoy having someone around with them.

Bella and Cissy are the most affectionate dogs we've ever had. Bella loves to roll over and have her tummy rubbed, and when Cissy sees this happening, she has to run over and get in on the affection too. They have become our babies and we enjoy spoiling them.

Please tell anyone who is hesitating about adopting two dogs that two are just as easy as one to take care of and love.

Thank you for two of the greatest dogs we've ever known

Fender (formerly Barry)

Here's an update on Fender (formerly Barry)!  He is such a hoot.  Our friends and family cannot get over how well he fits in our home.  We are actually considering taking him to the nursing home for visits with my husband's grandfather due to him being so well behaved.  Fender has brought much amusement and laughter to our lives.  The girls are so in love with him...as well as Scott and I.  Fender has found a liking to sleeping in between Scott and I at night, which Bristol is none to thrilled about, but eventually during the night she snuggles in too, good thing we have a king size bed !  I want to thank B.O.N.E.S. again for matching us perfectly with Fender!  We will always be grateful to you all and what you stand for, finding wonderful homes for priceless treasures! Here is a picture of Fender with his girlfriend, Bristol .  As you can see, they love each other!

Sincerely, The Harrington Family

Riley

Riley has become such an important part of our family! It's only been about 3 months but we can't imagine what it would be like without him. He is such a little snuggler (a 37 pound lap dog)! Riley is also the loudest non-barking dog there ever was! The only time he even yips is when he is dreaming of chasing squirrels, but he snores up a storm! Riley loves to relax and "hang out" but he is always up for a long walk. He is our dog-walker's favorite client and always a hit with any company that comes over. Riley loved attending the soccer games Shaun coached in the fall and I'm sure he's looking forward to lacrosse in the spring! Riley is our perfect little love but certainly not "too good to be true!" He has a mischievous streak and we have learned not to leave ANY food within his reach at any time! Riley could break into Fort Knox, as we have learned from his ability to get food out of zip-locked bags located in securely zippered backpacks. Riley has claimed our spare bedroom as his own. When the door is shut he just throws himself against it and climbs into "his" bed. Riley can be very possessive and tries to hide his bones inside the house behind curtains, under the carpet etc. I think he's pretty happy having us around as well. Although if he had one complaint it would be that we get up too early! Riley would sleep until all hours of the day if we let him, and finds going out in the morning an inconvenience! Although inclement weather doesn't usually bother Riley (he finds snow rather tasty) he does not care to go out in the rain first thing in the morning. He has even turned right around and ran back in the house! He certainly does not lack in the personality department! We can't thank everyone at BONES enough for bringing Riley into our lives.

Best wishes, Merri, Shaun, and Riley

Gracie

Gracie has been with us just over two months.  She is doing really well and has really adjusted to her new Forever Home.  Gracie is very
sweet and loving and just LOVES when we come home from work.  When we let her out of the crate, she just goes crazy for us and her tail wags so much that you would think it would fall off!   Gracie loves to go for long walks, but she is still very shy when it comes to new
people or new situation but give her a few minutes to adjust and she is a happy, friendly, adorable beagle.  Gracie absolutely loves going
to for car rides, she will run into the garage and jumps at the car door as if she is saying "let's go".  She loves to snuggle on the couch with one of us or in bed with both of us.  Gracie has been a wonderful addition to our family and we see her progressing more and more each day.  Thank you BONES for all your help matching us with Gracie. ---- Jannell and Caleb Cook

Molly

A year after we lost our first beagle Jake who was a rescue from the SPCA in Stratham, we adopted Max in October 2006. He was two years old at the time and such a bundle of joy. He is a happy-go-lucky guy and loves just about everything. BONES didn't have any background on him so we don't know too much about him, but it doesn't matter. We had become a whole family again with a very loving pet. In February 2007, my husband sent me a picture from the BONES website of a little girl beagle with a valentine hung around her neck. Her name was Star and I fell in love with her at first sight. We talked it over and decided that Max with all his energy could use a little sister.

After going through the adoption process again (a little easier the second time), we went to a foster home to meet Star. We took Max with us and sitting in their living room and watching Star, we wondered if we were doing the right thing. She had a high-pitched screeching bark and she didn't seem to want anything to do with us. We were told we could take her on a trial-basis and if it didn't work out, we could bring her back.

We took her home and Max wanted to play but Star hid in the corner and wouldn't take a toy or a rawhide bone. It was like she didn't know what they were. We had some house-breaking issues and after having such an easy time with Max, Star seemed like our problem child. We found out that she was abused like so many rescues and knew if we gave up on her, she might not find anyone who would want her and she would be passed around to foster homes like some children are. We couldn't do that to her. Between giving her a lot of love and having Max as a guide, a new little beagle emerged and we decided to give her a new start with a new name. We named her Molly.

Now we have Max and Molly and they are the sweetest dogs we have ever seen. Molly loves to tease Max by stealing his rawhide bones and hiding them, and they play tug-of-war among many other games. They love the snow and run wildly in their enclosure as well as enjoy their walks with us around the neighborhood.

This was Molly's first Christmas and as you can see, she is quite the ham for picture taking.

Winston

It has only been 3 months, but it feels like Winston has been in my life forever.  He has truly been a blessing and I could not I have imagined my life without him.  He loves to play with and destroy his toys and bury his rawhide in the carpet!  He is also a huge cuddler and has turned into a large lapdog, literally!  I have started bringing him to daycare, twice a week, so that he can get some extra exercise and interaction with other dogs.  The kennel is right next door to my office so sometimes I sneak a peak during my lunch break.  Just the other day, I saw him tackle a large golden retreiver!  It's great to see him have so much fun! 

Winston is doing really well and has really settled into our routine....well except for the waking up in the morning part!  He definitely lets me sleep in, which isn't always a good thing!  We did have a couple of episodes with seizures, but the doctors and I think that it is simply from epilepsy and that he is otherwise extremely healthy.  "Knock on wood," he hasn't had one in a month.  

I just want to thank you all again for putting your confidence in me and my ability to love and care for such an amazing animal.  Winston has become reason for working, loving and living passionately.  Thank you for this amazing gift!  ----- Jen Somers

Patch and Marco

Here we are, we have been in our new home for 14 months and we could not be happier. I mean look at this great room we got, it even comes with a human to keep us warm. We are in beagle heaven. Hi this is John & Pauline Lyons and we absolutley love our boy's. Patch and Marco rule the roost and we couldn't be more pleased to make sure they are made to feel special. They love their back yard, they run around the pool like a greyhound race track. Wrestling is their favorite past time, we love watching them when they are out on the deck showing off. Both boy's are doing just fine and love everyone in the neighborhood, kids love coming by to play with them. Thank you B.O.N.E.S. for these special beagles they may not have replaced our dearly departed Mckinley, but the sure make it easier to live without her. Sincerely, John, Pualine, J.T & Owen Lyons

Haley

Last September I held my best friend of 11 years as she calmly slipped from this world. Putting our Lucy down was the hardest thing ever I've had to decide, but the most loving act I could do for her. Months later, I visited the BONES website, and scrolled through pages lined with sweet faces and sad tales, all looking for their new forever homes. Then one day I spied a little beagle and had a feeling that Haley might be the new “little love” in our lives. I started the process and shortly after that we had a home visit –imagine my joy when Nicole came to our home with the beagle she was fostering-the very same one I had my heart set upon! A few days later and Haley came home, and she has wiggled her way into each of our hearts ever since. Every night she “roos” and jumps in the air to greet me at the door, plays ball after dinner and has a bed in almost every room in our house!

This Christmas was nothing short of wonderful; watching her play with my husband on the kitchen floor with the stuffed squirrel toy he bought for her and rolling in the used wrapping paper!

We kept her name to avoid adding anymore confusion to her life, and I wound up sitting on a chair next to her crate the first 2 nights to help get her settled. Over time we have learned her personality quirks (things she does not like or fears) and through re-assurances, love and consistent positive reinforcement, we have worked out some of these kinks-but I have no doubt that some will always remain. But she knows she is loved and seems genuinely happy-that tail rarely stops wagging!

Haley is a bundle of energy and an absolute snuggle bug. Thank you BONES, Sandi Church and Nicole Chang for bringing my new best friend into my life, and giving my family the chance to love a “Roo” again

Eva

I just wanted to thank everyone involved in getting Eva to us.  She is the best dog ever!!   I was a little hesitant in getting another dog so soon after losing our best friend Jake (12 yrs) and with our twins only being 2 yrs old, but everyone has gotten along great from the day she came home to us in July.    She is very gentle with the boys - Kyle and Ryan and loves to go into their room for story time and to wake them in the morning - if they do not wake up her and I first..  She loves to be cuddled and sleeps in our bed with her blanket every night.  She has been a wonderful addition to our family and we are so grateful to you. Whenever anyone I know talks about getting a dog I always tell them about BONES. Maryann, Kevin, Ryan and Kyle Fletchall   

Bubba

Greetings from Raymond, Maine! We have had Bubba as a member of our family since the middle of December and to say that things are going well would be an understatement! With all of the activities that go along with the holidays, we weren’t sure how Bubba would do with his shyness, but did he ever impress! He put himself in the middle of all the action, meeting new family members, playing with his new canine cousins and friends, and even opening a present or two! Needless to say, he’s making his parents look really good by obeying sit, leave it, give me your paw, and roll over (we just tell people he learned it in a week!) Currently, there is a waiting list for people who want to visit him; he has become quite the celebrity. His days in Maine are filled with play both in (with his feline brother, Clyde) and out of the house, squirrel and bird watching from the many windows, and long naps on the bed and couch. Bubba’s true nature comes out when we go on hikes through our woods where there isn’t one scent that can hide. If he has this much fun in the snow, we can’t wait to see what the summer has in store for all of us. B.O.N.E.S. has given us more than we could have ever hoped for in a new family member and companion and Fran was so great in making sure that we found the right match for our needs. We just want to say thank you to all who make the organization so special! We’ll be sure to keep you updated on our many adventures to come!

-Jess, Aric, Bubba & Clyde

Bodie

Hi B.O.N.E.S. Folks,

My husband Alfredo and I adopted Bodie in September 2007. We've had him now for about nine months, and we are totally in love with him. We are first time dog owners, and Bodie has definitely challenged us at times, but he has come a very long way since he ran away from the neglectful home where he lived as a puppy. He's one resilient guy, and we're thankful to all the B.O.N.E.S. volunteers who helped bring us Bodie and who continue to rescue beagles in need. We've had such a fulfilling experience with Bodie that we've even started volunteering with B.O.N.E.S. Bodie's favorite so far was doing outreach - he got non-stop attention and treats!

Warmly,
Dara and Alfredo