Phetched’s Best Phriends

Today’s featured Best Phriend is Toby, who’s celebrating four years in his forever home this week (thanks to a coin toss!). Congratulations, Toby!

Name: Toby
Age: 4 years
Owner: Christa
Hometown: Des Moines, IA / Current city: Los Angeles, CA
Breed/s: Beagle/Bluetick Coonhound mix
Nicknames: Toby Tobe, The Tobes, Toby Wan Kenobi

Arrival story: My husband and I had decided we wanted to adopt a dog and went to see Toby (who was then named Scrappy) at the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Iowa in Des Moines. He had us at hello with his sad eyes, wagging tail, and outgoing personality, but we decided to wait and not make an impulse decision. We looked at other dogs, but kept coming back to that lovable little beagle. A couple days later, we realized that we needed to make a decision. At that point, it was between Toby/Scrappy and another dog. We decided to flip a coin: heads = Toby, tails = the other dog. Obviously it landed on heads (I have a feeling we would’ve kept flipping until we landed on heads anyway), and rushed to the ARL about 30 minutes before they closed, swooped him up and took him home. Adopting him was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. We’ve never told him he was the result of a coin toss. We wouldn’t want to offend him. Gosh, I hope he doesn’t read this…

Favorite food: We joke that he’s part goat. He will literally eat anything. The only thing he’s ever spit out is a piece of lettuce.

Biggest fear: Receptacles. Boxes (any size from jello box to giant UPS box), bags, hampers. If it can hold something, he’s afraid of it.

Favorite toy: His soft squeaky bones. We have a half dozen of them in various stages of destruction.

Best friend: His Grampy

Most expensive item ever chewed: A 2×3’ square of freshly-laid Linoleum. Absolutely destroyed. He was so proud of himself, too.

Upon graduation from training school, Toby is named Best… Personality or Most Likely to… Need Further Classes.

If Toby were on “Survivor,” why would he be voted off the island? He’d either eat the Immunity Idol or gas everyone out of camp.

If Toby were in high school, who would he sit with at lunch — jocks, nerds, freaks, preps, geeks, etc.? He’d be the kid going from table to table asking, “Hey, are you going to eat that?”

To say Toby’s a great dog is a huge understatement. Everyone who meets him falls in love with him, just like we did.

We’re not currently accepting applications for more Best Phriends – but check back in future installments to find out how your pup(s) can be featured.

Our newest Best Phriend, Raynor, is a rescued Bagle Hound (Basset/Beagle) from Cincinnati, Ohio. Mingus would love to meet her so that she could teach him how to open doors.

Name: Raynor, named after Jim Raynor, a character from Starcraft the video game
Age: 2 Years
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Owners: Katherine and Jason
Breed/s: Beagle Basset Hound — a Bagle Hound!
Nicknames: “The thing,” Rain-Rain, Baby Girl, The Butt, Rain-baby, and a lot of other things said throughout the day

Arrival story: Raynor was found as a stray in Prospect, Kentucky (outside of Louisville) and taken to a high-kill shelter. Fortunately, a rescue picked her up and put her onto Petfinder. There she was called Tevis and liked to chew on her friend Bubba the beagle (apparently!).  She was only on the website for about two days before we contacted Recycled Friends, the rescue she was at, to try to adopt her.  Only a week later, after she was renamed again to Gabby and spayed, I met with Kim and her family outside the Newport aquarium in Kentucky. They were taking a family trip and brought Raynor along to bring to me.  She hopped in the back of my car, I told her she was Raynor, and the rest is history.

Favorite food: Cream cheese!  She’s a Bagle – so she always gets to lick the cream cheese off my spoon.  She also enjoys steak and anything my father, Jim, gives her. (He just loves giving her nibbles and letting her clean plates!)

Biggest fear: The hose (she hates water), fire, snow, the vacuum… and mostly going into the crate!

Favorite toy: Dragon, a pink dragon from Go Dog! that has been destroyed beyond belief – no arms are left, he has been turned inside out many times, and almost in pieces.  Jason won’t throw it away, though.

Most annoying habit: Her ability to open doors – for so many reasons! She figured out long ago by that running straight into the door with the flat part of her head aimed at the door, she could open it. This causes door latches to break, probably some injury in her head (she never shows any sign of this) and a lot of annoyed people.  She does it a lot at her grandparents house where she can get a running start into their bedroom and into the bathroom!

Hobbies: Sleeping, cuddling, sleeping, playing tug or fetch, walking, sleeping, trying to get some people food, hanging with the guinea pigs, sleeping.  She gets cold in the winter and pushes her way in between us on the couch no matter what!

What’s Raynor’s most embarrassing moment – or the most embarrassed YOU’VE been thanks to Raynor? It should be stated that I think these things are hilarious, but they are still embarrassing for all – Raynor has a bit of the “excitement pee.”  When she met a bunch of my sister-in-law’s friends, she got a little too excited when one girl petted her.  She was sitting near (okay, on) another girl’s foot and peed on her shoe (of course, this girl is a cat person, not a dog person.)  I apologized, but I was laughing hysterically inside.  Jason was laughing hysterically outside, though.  Her reaction was just priceless, and Raynor did not notice a bit as she was still getting petted by the other girl.  She has also done similar things when meeting our dog trainer, a long list of people on the street, and my dad – which was bad because that one was inside!

If Raynor were a superhero, what would her special power be? Super cuddles! This dog knows how to make you feel great when you are down. Her cuddles are great.  She even knows the command “cuddle” (which means get on the bed and roll over basically).  She is a 50 pound lap dog – and it’s super sweet when you are working and she comes up and just walks onto your lap and lays down.

If Raynor had a job, what would it be? She’d be a dishwasher designer. She’s already got the first prototype done (herself!).

As a note, getting a rescue / shelter dog is awesome – and there are so many great dogs out there everyone is sure to find one.  We wanted a basset (or mix) and found exactly what we wanted and saved her life. Plus, you’d never guess she was a stray dog – people are amazed because she seems like she would never survive it (she’s a princess for sure).

Glad to have you as a Phriend, Raynor! Please note: We’re not currently accepting applications for more Best Phriends – but check back in future installments to find out how your pup(s) can be featured.

I love this little guy! Ammo the Dachshund is both an artist and a horse whisperer.

Name: Ammo
Age: 2
Owner’s name: Kyley
Hometown: Downingtown, PA
Breed: Dachshund
Nicknames: Am, Ween, Am-ie, Amer

Arrival story: Ammo came into my life when my husband and I decided to get a dog after just getting married in 2008. Being limited to a small breed dog in our current apartment, we narrowed our search down to a Dachshund (mostly because my husband never had a dog before and was infatuated with the breed – so I let him pick). I have owned dogs my entire life, but never a small dog, and never a Dachshund. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into, but the moment I met Ammo I fell in love. He was and is the most challenging dog I have owned and I love him more every day for it.

Special talents or skills: Ammo is an artist! He makes amazing works of “scratch art” that have gone to homes all over the world. Through his artwork we are able to make donations to many animal charities. He is also a pretty awesome trick dog, performing alongside my trick ponies.
Best trick: Playing dead – it makes me laugh every time
Special honors or achievements: Ammo won the 2010 Equine Extravaganza Got Talent Contest in Doswell, VA alongside my trick pony, Minnow.
Best friend: Trooper, my parent’s Australian Shepherd/Lab, and Chincoteague Minnow, my pony
Most expensive item ever chewed: my cell phone

If Ammo wrote his biography, what would it be titled? Ammo the Dachshund, King of the Ponies

If Ammo were a superhero, what would his special power be? Well, seeing as Ammo already has a superhero cape among his wardrobe, I think he’d definitely be able to fly!

What’s the biggest trouble Ammo’s ever gotten in? This summer I decided I wanted to start a garden. I began meticulously growing seeds inside my sunroom in tiny little pots. After weeks of care they began to sprout, and I was almost ready to plant them outside. I’m sure you can probably see where this is going. In one fell swoop, when I ran to answer the phone, Ammo pulled all my potted seeds off the shelves I was keeping them on and threw them all around my sunroom. I returned to find an innocent looking Dachshund sitting amongst a sunroom littered with dirt. Needless to say I couldn’t stop laughing as I snapped a picture of him.

Ammo is my best friend and constant companion. He comes to work with me every day in my small picture-framing shop, accompanies me to the family farm most mornings and evenings, and never fails to be my own personal lap heater in the evenings. I look forward to MANY more years with my bestest pal by my side.

Our newest Best Phriends are Piper (left) and Gracie (right), two Doxie sisters from Colorado. One is a therapy dog, and one is a shoe thief! Here’s their mom, Cynthia, to tell us more about them.

Name: Piper
Age: 11
Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
Breed: Dachshund
Nicknames: Pipes, Numnut, Tiny Tyrannosaur

Arrival Story: My dad found Piper in March on the golf course near his house. A neighbor had said the dog had been hanging around for a few weeks. (March in Colorado is marked by LOTS of snow.) My dad took her home and then called me to see if I wanted her before he took her to the pound. She was dehydrated and wearing a collar licensed to a Golden Retriever! For the first few years, Piper would freak out whenever you took off her collar, so I think she was abandoned.

Special talents: Eating! Piper can eat and eat and eat. When she goes to visit Grandpa, she sits down at the bowl and will eat until it is empty. Needless to say she always goes on a diet when returning from Grandpa’s.

Special honors: Piper is a therapy dog and often visits schools and nursing homes. She is so gentle and loving; she always puts a smile on people’s faces.

Biggest fear: Jurassic Park big animal noises. Whenever we watch an animal horror movie, Piper tries to crawl underneath us for protection. She whimpers and whines when she hears the tyrannosaur or raptors.

If Piper were on Survivor, why would she be voted off the island? She would win! Nobody could vote her off with those brown eyes and winning ways.

Favorite thing: Piper LOVES her purple bed. We were at a local store, she hopped in the bed, curled up, and just stayed. I tried to pull her out, no go. I tried bribing with her favorite treat; she turned up her nose and snuggled deeper. Finally, I did the “I’m leaving” thing and walked out the door with Grace. Still no movement! The employees were in hysterics. Finally I picked her up, much to her dismay, and carted her out. I went back the next day and bought her the bed for Christmas. She adores it. It even fits in the front seat of the car and can be buckled in, giving her a view and a large degree of safety.

(What’s up with Dachshunds not wanting to look at the camera? Is this a breed thing? Anyone?)

Name: Gracie
Age: 5
Nicknames: Amazing Grace, Graceful, Grace Monster

Arrival Story: We picked Gracie out as a companion for Piper. We bought her from a responsible breeder and picked her out at 2 weeks old. She was SOOOO tiny! When I went to pick her up, the breeder offered me pick of the next litter, since for some reason Grace seemed to have sprouted FUR. She is a papered SHORT haired dachshund! Genetic anomaly!

Favorite toy: Her rope ball. She has had it since day one, just a bunch of frayed rope tied into a ball. It used to have a stuffed head attached, but that suffered disembowelment after a couple years.

Most annoying habit: She is a shoe thief! Gracie will not chew the shoes, but she gathers all the shoes into a large pile to sleep on. If the shoe has beads, she will neatly take off every bead and leave a nice pile for you to reassemble.

Best trick: Roll over. She does it for every command! She will roll over, then sit. Roll over, and then flat. Roll over, and then roll over again!

If Gracie were a superhero, what would her superpower be? She would fly. Gracie loves to run and jump at top speed. When she was little she would jump down the steps like she was preparing to fly. We occasionally tied a little cape on her.

Want your pup to be a Best Phriend? Send an email with your name and your pup’s name to bestphriends [at] gmail [dot] com.

Our newest Best Phriends are two brothers-from-different-mothers, Tron (little spots) and Orbital (big spots), who have moved cross country from North Carolina to California.

Name: Tron, 6 years old
Hometown: Originally from Clayton, North Carolina, but has since become a Cali dog
Breed(s): Mom was a coon hound, think dad was a dalmatian
Nickname: Cap’n Ron, Twenty-Nine
Arrival Story: My mom saw a sign for me in PetsMart.  My biological mommy was adopted from a shelter, and to her adoptive mommy’s surprise, she was pregnant. That lady wanted us to go to a good home, so she interviewed people. I claimed my mommy, so they let her adopt me.

Favorite Food: Anything I can put in my mouth! But my mommy is starting a pet bakery and retail site, and she lets me try everything from the clothes to the yummy treats.
Biggest Fear: Being left behind
Best Friend/Favorite toy: Aside from Orbital, my other best friend is the cat, Draco. I like to push and pull him around the floor.

If Tron were on “Survivor,” why would he be voted off the island? For being the Russell of the dog world, especially when food is involved.

Name: Orbital, 6 years old
Hometown: Originally from Charlotte, NC. Moved to Raleigh, NC, and then moved across country to become a Cali boy
Breed: Jack Russell/ beagle mix
Nicknames: Orbie, Orberto, Herbie the Love Bug
Arrival Story: Mommy was shopping in Charlotte. She and my Grandma popped into PetsMart to get something for Tron, and they were having an adoption weekend. People kept picking me up, but no one adopted me until my mommy picked me up and didn’t put me down.

Favorite Toy: Rope pull toy
Arch-nemesis: Gypsy the cat
Hobbies: I love to curl up with my mommy when ever possible.

If Orbie had a job, what would it be? Orbie loves to clean his brother’s paws, so he would be a nail technician.

From mom, Kendel: People always think Orbie is Tron’s pup since their coats look so similar, but Orbie is actually a month older then Tron. Before Orbie came along Tron’s head was completely black; after, he started getting a little brown in the same spots of his face as Orbie’s. I think they would be lost without each other.

Tron and Orbie’s mom has started an Etsy shop, Kennel Kouture, featuring handmade toys and accessories for pups and cats.

If you’d like your pup to be featured as one of our Best Phriends, just send an email with your name and your pup’s name to bestphriends (at) gmail (dot) com!

Here’s our newest Best Phriend, a lovely King Charles Spaniel named Amelia. Isn’t she gorgeous? We love her.

Name: Amelia
Age: 1 1/2 years
Owners: Stephanie and Chuck
Hometown: Eldersburg, MD
Breed: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Nicknames: Moshie, Melie, Pumpkin Head, The Doglet.  (“Moshie” happened like this: Amelia -> Melie -> Meliemoo -> Melie Moosh -> Melie MooShoo -> MuShoo -> Moshie.  It seemed obvious until someone asked where it came from!)
Arrival story: I was a dedicated competitive horseback rider who relocated to the Baltimore area from western Maryland as part of a career move (and meeting Chuck didn’t hurt!)  After several years of driving close to two hours each way to work her horse, I made the difficult decision to sell my horse, on the condition that I could get a dog to help fill the loss.  Amelia is my replacement “horse” and it’s worked out wonderfully!  She’s a heck of a lot easier to haul around, I can pick her up with one arm, and no bones get broken if she steps on my foot!

Favorite food: Meatballs or hot dogs
Best trick: Will perform a bow when asked “Who’s your queen?”
Favorite toy: “Squirrel Dude” – We put her dinner into the purple rubber squirrel, and Amelia loves carrying it to the top of the stairs and chucking it off, then eating the food that falls out on her way back down to start the process over.
Hobbies: Has participated in obedience and agility (she loves tunnels!) and is quickly learning about K9 Nosework with hopes to compete.  (Well, I have hopes to compete, and Amelia has hopes that bits of meatball will continue to magically appear in the practice boxes.)
Best friend: My parents’ cat, Sherlock.  Amelia and Sherlock play non-stop when they are together.  Sherlock likes to jump off of couches or chairs and swat at Amelia’s tail on the way down, then they happily run up and down the hall and attack the toy basket at the end.  Sherlock usually ends the game by hopping onto “his” dresser to tidy his fur.  (Her favorite two-legged friend is my brother Rob.  She got on his lap at the beginning of the Superbowl this year and didn’t move until we dragged her back home.)

Upon graduation from training school, Amelia is named Best ____ or Most Likely to ______? Most Likely to Channel Elmer Fudd – she is constantly hunting for “wabbits” in the backyard!

If Amelia were on “Survivor,” why would she be voted off the island? Whining!  I am working on teaching puppy classes at a local dog school, and Amelia is my demo dog.  She stays in a crate at the front of the room when I teach, and the for first few classes she “sang” while I was talking or working with student’s dogs.  It’s terribly embarrassing to be the one in charge and have the dog who is conducting choir practice in the background!  I’d have voted her off the island (to a sound-proof booth)if I’d had the opportunity.

If you’d like your pup to be one of our Best Phriends, awesome! Just send an email with your name and your pup(s)’s name to bestphriends at gmail dot com.

It’s time to meet our newest Best Phriend, Buddy, a black lab with a rather unnatural fear. Buddy’s mom Emilee is a photographer, and as you can see from the first photo, Buddy makes a wonderful assistant and model.

Name – Buddy
Age – about 7
Hometown – Englewood,  Florida
Breed – black Labrador Retriever
Nicknames – Budman, Budawud, Buddy Boy, Psycho
Arrival story – I like to say that I didn’t find Buddy, Buddy found me. Four years ago, and just three days after my 14th birthday, Buddy appeared in our backyard. We tried to find his owner, but no one ever claimed him. The rest is history. He quickly took over our home, hearts, and couch. He’s the dog I’d always dreamed of having when I was little, and I wouldn’t trade my big belated birthday present from God for the world.

Favorite food – Anything and everything. He doesn’t discriminate.
Biggest fear - Water. He’s a hydrophobic Lab. Isn’t that an oxymoron?
Hobbies – Sleeping on the couch, chasing lizards, barking at the UPS person
Best friend – Olivia Jane, his Boston Terrier cousin
Arch-nemesis – Olivia Jane, his Boston Terrier cousin

In a movie about Buddy’s life, what actor provides his voice? Will Ferrell (“Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?”)

If Buddy wrote his biography, what would it be titled? How I Became King of the Couch

If you’d like your pup to be one of our Best Phriends, send your name and your pup’s name to bestphriends(at)gmail(dot)com.