Adoptions Gallery

[These are the stories of our adopted Shelties in their new homes.
See additional portraits in the Forever Home Album and the Before and After page.]

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"Dogs have given us their absolute all. 
We are the center of their universe.
 We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. 
They serve us in return for scraps.  
It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made."
~ The Late Roger Caras: for two decades, the Voice of the Westminster Dog Show

ABBEY -- Fall 2000.  Rescued by Twyla’s Friends and turned over to us, Abbey came into the program at 10mo and sweet, sweet, sweet. Abbey is S/W with full collar and milk stain blaze. She is really cute with very warm eyes and a lovely Sheltie smile. When she was adopted, she curled up in new dad's arms and road securely all the way home. Abbey was adopted by veteran HSS members and volunteers, who previously adopted Heidi.

ABBEY 2 (formerly Lily)--Summer 2002. She came into the program from Conroe as an adorable 12-week-old, 6 1/2#, CHW (color-headed white) female. She was found running in the woods with a pack of larger dogs; rescuers there managed to trap her. At first, Lily was very scared, but her rescuers worked with her for several days, and she now cuddles with and follows humans around; everyone is in love with this baby. She is playful, energetic, mischievous -- a super sweet, smart baby. Abbey now has new parents, siblings, and doggy companion. When she walked in the home, she was a bit shy for a few minutes, but within no time she was happily playing. Her mom writes that her favorite pastime is playing chase with big sister Candy and that Abbey has been such a blessing to their family.

ABBY [formerly Shelly 2] -- Spring 2004. This beautiful 10mo yyoungster was an OR from LaPorte.  Shelly lived in an apartment and was trained to a doggy litter box; we worked on housetraining in foster care, and she's doing very well. Her foster mom says she is extremely smart and catches on to new commands very quickly. She loves to run and jump, is great at playing fetch with the ball. Shelly is now in her forever home in Austin where she will bring her joy and energy to delight family members. She has already been on trips to Pet Smart and exercise outings with her delighted new mom who writes: "the minute Abby walked into my house she owned the place! There was no withdrawn phase or sad time for her...it's like she knew she was home. The first week I had her, I took her to a training class at Pet Smart and the trainer commented that Abby was a good 'role model' for the other dogs. She used her as an example to show how to train a dog to walk correctly on a leash because Abby paid attention very carefully to the trainer and quickly picked up the commands. (one girl with an unruly dog commented that Abby was "awesome!"). :) I signed up for an advanced obedience class at Pet Smart and the staff told me about an AKC approved training process I could go through to train Abby to be a therapy dog. Once she outgrows some of her puppy "excitement," I think she would be a wonderful candidate for this with her sweet disposition and love to meet new people. When she sees someone coming towards her, she can't get to them fast enough and just wants to put her paws on their lap and love on them. She's a heart-melter."

ADAM -- Fall 2001. From Montgomery County Animaal Shelter, Adam was part of a litter of Sheltie puppies that had apparently been dumped by a backyard breeder or puppy mill in the Conroe area. He is an adorable bi-black male with full collar, white socks, no blaze. However, he and his sister Anna also came into the program with a severe strain of kennel cough, and both pups developed pneumonia.  Over the next two weeks, the battle was on to save them. The puppies not only survived but are now healthy and happily adopted to wonderful homes.
ADAM 2 -- Winter 2005. Adam is a 3.5yo Tri with lovely markings. He and his sister, Eve (now adopted and named Willow), were OR's due to the family's relocation. Unfortunately, Adam tested HW+ and had to go through the treatment. He also has a skin infection we had to clear up first. He had been shaved before we brought him into the program, but once his coat comes in, Adam will be a beautiful Tri boy. His rescuer says he is a very friendly, happy boy who wriggles for attention. Adam completed the HW treatment without incident and has proved to be a very sweet, quiet boy who loves his tummy rubs and attention, happily giving kisses. He is now adopted by mom and dad who adore him as he deserves.
AIDAN -- Fall 2003. Handsome Sable Merle w/ lots of white factoring; one blue eye, one brown. He came into the program at 18#, seriously underweight, though he's now up to 22# and doing well. His coat was in rough shape as though he had been kept outside. He had both hook and whip worms;  also tested HW+ with heart murmur probably due to his compromised condition. We split his treatments to make them easier for him. As if Aidan didn't have enough to deal with, he also had two broken toes that had to be corrected. Still, Aidan is wiggly and snuggly; good-humored and loves to give kisses. After his recovery, he was adopted by his delighted dad and is settling in beautifully to his new home with adopted sister, Cassandra.

ALEX -- Fall 2001.  Found on the south side of Houston at a busy intersection, Alex is a gorgeous 6yo, Golden Sable/White male. He had heartworms and hookworms but was successfully treated. Alex is a smart, active boy. He is sweet, affectionate, and very well behaved; loves to play with his humans and other dogs; does floor pats and Sheltie spins. Alex's new family are ecstatic with their beautiful new boy, whom they now call Honey Boy.  He is the love of their lives and so beautiful that on their walks, his admirers ooh and ahh over him. Honey Boy now has a new brother, Beaux, and the boys are delighted to have each other's companionship.
ALLY -- Spring 1999. Charming Ally (formerly Patty) was an abandoned 3-4yo girl in need of rehab and socializing.  Now she spends her days going for walks with the neighbors and their dogs, sunbathing, swimming in the pool, and sleeping on the foot of her mom and dad's bed or on her favorite ottoman or even the stairs! The family and find her delightful and are so proud to have her as a member of their family.   
ALLY 2 -- Winter 2004. Ally is a lovely 4-5yo shaded S/W OR from Kingwood; she has a luxurious coat, 3/4 collar, milk stain blaze, tipped ears. In the beginning, Ally was very shy but sweet; needed a bit of socializing in foster care, but quickly responded to TLC. She was quickly adopted by a loving mom who had grown up in a Sheltie family, and she also now has a BC sister and extended family who adore her. Her grandmother babysits her when mom needs to go out of town. Ally recently came to a spring picnic with her family and had a great time with all the Shelties and humans who adored her. She is now completely socialized and self-confident because of her mom's love, and enjoys her monthly 'spa' treatments, complete with pedicures and 'bikini waxes.'

AMY -- Winter 2000.  From Katy, a 9-10mo S/W female. Amy was rescued by a Sheltie owner who also put up flyers and checked ads for a week. She was underweight due to malnutrition, which her foster mom corrected. She is bright and sassy; loves children. She also loves tummy rubs and is eager for attention. Amy was adopted by a family who had recently lost their beloved senior Sheltie and wanted Amy for mutual comfort and love. She is now her dad's favorite photography subject. They enjoy leisurely walks and cuddles.
Andy -- Winter 2006. From a local shelter, Andy 5-6 years old, S/W. He came in overweight but with exercise and good nutrition became his svelte self. His coat was matted & dirty but is now gorgeous. He is super sweet, just loves to go for rides in the car and his daily walks. Andy is a wonderful, sweet boy who loves his humans. He wants to be close to his humans.  Andy enjoys cats, stuffed toys and loves to run and play chase with other dogs. Andy is a very happy dog, eager to please and though he's not a big barker he will talk to let you know he's glad your home. He is cautiously friendly when meeting new people
ANGEL 2 -- This darling is one of Sierra's pups born Dec. 15, 2003.  She and her siblings were quickly adopted and are happily growing up in their forever homes.
ANGEL 3 -- Spring 2005. Adorable 3yo bi-black girl found running on the highway in Kemah and taken in by one of our volunteers in the area. She kept Angel for a week, but did not find the owner, so we brought Angel into the program. Angel was covered in fleas and in desperate need of bathing and nail clipping, as she was filthy, and her claws had grown back into her pads. Angel gets along with everyone: kids, cats, and other dogs; she is also crate-trained. She is a real cutie-pie: adores people and gives lots of kisses. Angel was joyously adopted to her forever home who will make sure she is never again lost and scared.
ANNA -- Fall 2001. From Montgomery County Animal Shelter, Anna was part of a litter of Sheltie puppies that had apparently been dumped by a backyard breeder or puppy mill in the Conroe area.   Anna is a golden sable female, half collar, no blaze, white socks. However, she and her brother, Adam, also came into the program with a severe strain of kennel cough, and both pups developed pneumonia.  Anna was the more seriously ill of the two, but both puppies survived and are now healthy and happily adopted to wonderful homes.
ANNABELLE -- [Renamed Shenka] Fall 2005. This gorgeous girl is an OR: she is a 6yo Color-Headed White; 17", came in at 52.4#, and is now down to 45# and continuing to get fit. She is UTD, spayed, HW-; vet records indicate she went through HW treatment in 2003. Former owner says she barks at thunder, as do many dogs. Annabelle has basic obedience training; is a delightful, happy girl who is charming everyone in the program. Her foster mom reports that Annabelle loves her teen-aged son and daughter, enjoys playing with the resident Sheltie, Spencer, adores her walks, and is very good on leash. However, she does chase cats and is afraid of thunder storms, needing extra cuddling. Annabelle is a sweetie-pie who came to the dog show and was one of our main greeters, enjoying the people who admired her so much. Annabelle now lives in San Antonio with her loving family and our Rocky, her adopted brother.
ANNIE -- Spring 2001. An owner relinquishment from League City. She is a 5yo Tri from Guy Mauldin's Kismet Kennels, one of the best. The former home relinquished her because of alleged problems, but there have been no such problems in her new home. Annie has been adopted by HSS members, Susan and Bill, who have resident Sheltie, Pearl, and who also adopted a male, Shelby and Gigi. Her family reports that the Shelties love one another and enjoy playing together or cuddling with mom and dad. 
ANNIE-GINGER -- Winter 2001. Beautiful 3yo, S/W female. Annie was used by a puppy mill breeder who abused her, and she came into our program having recently had more puppies, sick with HW disease, afraid of men, and extremely traumatized. After we got her well, she remained traumatized, needing beanie babies to cuddle because she missed her puppies. Through months of therapy in our program and then finding the right home for her, a year later Annie is now emotionally well and enjoying life as she deserves with her wonderful family and Tristan who was adopted along with her. With her new confidence after patient care, Annie happily goes for walks, greets friends at the door, and patrols the house and yard with her brother. 
ARIEL -- Spring 2005 This darling girl is an 8yo S/W from HCAC who was in our clinic for three weeks. She came into the program in very rough shape: flea-ridden; short, dry coat; very long nails that hadn't been trimmed in months; terribly underweight. She is 13" but weighed only 10#; she should weigh about 15#. She is now UTD and tested HW-, but she struggled for weeks with URI infection and severe anemia from effects of fleas; intestinal worms, tickborne disease, possible circulation problems, severe arthritis, and near starvation. Despite the neglect Ariel endured in her life for a very long time, she's a precious girl. Though she was depressed, curled in a tight ball in the shelter cage, after she was rescued, Ariel cuddled next to her rescuer in the car and soaked in the love and petting; would gently 'head butt' or touch her leg with a delicate paw to ask for more. When her rescuer cupped her hand, Ariel would rest her chin in it and close her eyes--clearly knowing she was safe at last. After two weeks on medication, nutrition, iron supplements, and TLC in clinic care, she is now well; her coat already looks better, and though she was worried in the early going, she's carrying herself with confidence now. She is a sweet girl who follows her human around and is already housetrained. She did great in foster care: perking up and showing a terrific personality; in fact Ariel turned out to be an adorable little pip and is so busy these days her foster mom had trouble getting a new picture of her. She wants to jump in the car when foster mom takes the kids to school, and if she doesn't get to go on a trip because mom has other errands to run, Ariel comically sasses her. This wonderful girl has come a long way and has now come into her own. She recently attended the Highland Games and Houston Dog Show with the program volunteers and had a grand time. Ariel was one of our greeters and charmed all our visitors to our booth. She has been joyously adopted by and HSS family who had previously adopted and lost their girl to cancer. So Ariel is a great comfort to them as they are adoring of her.
ARTHUR -- Summer 2004. From La Porte shelter, Arthur was an OTI. He is a 6mo possible Sheltie-Doxie X. Arthur is very sweet and super smart. His foster home says he is completely house trained, loves to play fetch with stuffed toys; brings them back and drops at his human's feet for another toss-and-chase. He gets along wonderfully with the resident dogs and enjoys a good romp--racing so fast other dogs can't catch him. He sleeps peacefully in his crate at night, worn out from his busy days. This cutie is a delight for his lucky forever home, and he was happily adopted at our 6th anniversary picnic. His new mom had another Sheltie-Doxie X, Henley, who could be Arthur's twin.  The boys are happily bonded and enjoying a wonderful life together.
ASA -- Fall 1999.  Beautiful 8yo Asa was adopted through our program and then relinquished Spring 2004 along with his brother, Max; both adopted to a family through HSS and both doing well.
ASHER -- Spring 2003.   6mo S/W male found wandering by himself in NW Houston and relinquished to our program after the finder was unsuccessful in locating his owners. He is adorable: a wriggly, kissy baby who is crate trained, very social and playful. His favorite place in the whole world is in his human's lap. He loves to play with other dogs and adores his chewies. He is very smart: already knows his new name and is eager to please. Asher has been adopted by a long-time HSS family and now has joined Dodger in his forever home. The minute his new family walked into the room, he crawled into his new mom's arms and cuddled quietly and gratefully. Like so many of our Shelties, he knew he was home.
ASHES -- Ashes is a handsome 8-9yo Sable Blue Merle gentleman who was relinquished by his owner so he could get more attention from a new family. Pictures can't quite capture his unique silver coloring, and he must be seen for his beauty to be fully appreciated. He has a thick coat and loves to be brushed. Ashes is a healthy boy except for his daily thyroid medication; a gentle, loving dog who waits patiently for attention; he will lean into his human for love and cuddles. Ashes is very smart and obedient: has learned "sit," "down," "stay" and “kennel.”  He also learned to accept crating during the day, especially when he knows a treat is involved; enjoys his walks, and sleeps beside his humans' bed at night. Ashes loves to be loved on: he will not get on furniture, but will sit close to his human, with his head on knee and eyes gazing adoringly--a complete love sponge. His foster mom said he is the easiest Sheltie they have worked with: "To know Ashes is to love him and vice versa." He came to the spring picnic and dog show with his foster family and pals, enjoyed all the other dogs and attention from loving Sheltie folks. His new mom, who also adopted Bandit 4 from us, fell in love with Ashes at the dog show and moved quickly to adopt him the following week.
AUSTIN -- Summer 2002. 5yo S/W male from Harris County Shelter. He came into the program with a severely matted coat and was probably wandering out there for a while before the shelter brought him in. Austin was HW+, but he sailed through treatment without incident. He is a friendly, comical boy who likes to carry his toys around with him. Austin has been adopted by a wonderful family who are delighted with our beautiful boy. 
AUSTIN 2--Summer 2003. Beautiful S/W boy found in Austin and kept safe for several days by finders who took good care of him. They placed an ad in the Austin newspaper; no one claimed this sweetheart. His coat was matted and in bad shape but came in gloriously along with his svelte new figure. He has a slight limp, but x-rays indicated no injury. His doctor says it's a touch of arthritis; glucosamine compound and continued weight loss are helping help him. We know from our volunteers in Austin that he is very sweet and was thrilled to be rescued. Unfortunately, Austin tested HW+ as we suspected he would since he had been out there for quite a while, but he handled the treatment with no effects. His foster mom says he's one of the sweetest fosters the family has worked with; always happy and easy going, though he's still a bit shy. This delightful boy, who is finally safe from the streets thanks to all the volunteers involved in his rescue both in Austin and in Houston, has been adopted by his loving foster mom and now has his forever home and Sheltie sister, Maddie to love him all his life.
AVALON -- Spring 2004.  This gorgeous 3yo S/W boy was abandoned at a groomer's in Austin. The Austin Rescue Group took him into the program, and we assisted with his veterinary expenses. Avalon was quickly adopted by a family in Austin who have given him the love and security he deserves with barely a skip in his life. They are thrilled, and Avalon is delighted.
AXEL -- Fall 2002. 6yo deep red sable, ľ collar, a little white on nose only. Incredibly fully coated. He was abandoned by owner and kept by the finder who transported to us. Axel is loves plush toys; very loving; warms up quickly to people, and is one of the sweetest Shelties we've met. Axel's new mom writes us often abut how thrilled she is with her boy and what a blessing he has been in the family: "He is still the absolute light of my life; he is so loving and sweet; his main goal seems to be making me happy. Since he came to his forever home, he has really opened up his personality, becoming quite the clown. When we play, if I laugh at something he does, it makes him begin to spin and prance around. I have had a few health problems this year, and he is so in tune with my feelings, he will lay next to me and snuggle as close as he can get as if to try to alleviate my pain. I just don't know what I ever did before he came home! Thanks again to all of y'all for bringing this little angel face into my life!!!"

Before Adoption, all HSS Shelties are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and treated for initial ailments as possible within the scope of our rescue program.