My name is Mirabel!

Posted 3 days ago | Updated 3 days ago

Cared for by Pound Dog Rescue

Adoption fee: $800

This helps Pound Dog Rescue with pet care costs.

My basic info

Breed

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Color

White - with Red, Golden, Orange or Chestnut

Age

Young

Size

Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less (when grown)

Weight

–

Sex

Female

Pet ID

PDR2066

My details

Not good with kids

Good with dogs

Good with cats

Purebred

Shots current

Spayed / Neutered

Housetrained

Has special needs

My story

Here's what the humans have to say about me:

**IF THIS LISTING IS STILL POSTED THIS DOG IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. NO NEED TO EMAIL ASKING IF THE DOG IS AVAILABLE. PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS BIO THOROUGHLY AS INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY IS CONTAINED IN THIS LISTING**

For Adoption: Mirabel!
Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle.
We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process.
To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/.

Hello world, meet Mirabel!

Mirabel is a petite Cavalier King Charles spaniel who had quite a rough start in life. Mirabel is only 9 pounds and is quite small for a CKC spaniel. Mirabel has a wonderfully soft coat and the cutest little face with giant eyes that she often uses to gaze lovingly into her favourite people’s eyes. Mirabel is two years old, and she still has the innocence and energy of a puppy! Mirabel is an absolutely adorable and joyful little dog who has a wonderfully loving, gentle, and affectionate personality! Mirabel is fantastic company to have around and if you’re looking for a best friend or loved family member who adores being around you, or on your lap, Mirabel just might be your girl!!

Mirabel arrived to us months ago and was very ill and only 6 pounds when she arrived. She had been purchased to be a puppy mill mom but when the commercial breeders realized how sick she was they decided to dump her instead of getting her the care she needed. That ended up being great for Mirabel because she found herself in Pound Dog’s care! When she arrived her health had been neglected to the point where she was starving to death and she had multiple parasites. Her poor little body was just skin stretched over bones and she was so sick she could barely keep her eyes open as her body was shutting down. She was severely anemic and struggling to absorb nutrients and was desperately in need of rescue and some TLC and vet care! Luckily, after months in care Mirabel has recovered and has been loving all that life brings.

I am putting Mirabel’s medical needs up at the top of her bio, because other than her (managed) medical needs she is, in my opinion, a perfect dog. Mirabel will need an owner who is able to pay attention to specific requirements surrounding her eating and digestion.

After treating her parasites, we noticed that Mirabel was still not gaining weight. An ultrasound showed that her intestines were quite inflamed, and she has an intestinal malabsorption issue. Though this is manageable, it is a lifelong condition that needs to be monitored, and she needs to eat a specific diet without any changes, treats, or human food to prevent any tummy upsets. Mirabel is on a prescription medication that she takes every other day as well. Her forever family will need to be on top of monitoring her bloodwork every few months, to make sure all levels are staying stable and within the normal range. When her stomach is upset it is very hard on her and she will refuse to eat which causes her weight to drop. All family members in her adoptive home need to be to stick to her strict diet which is a mixture of vet prescribed wet food and novel protein kibble that we have found works well for her. We feel confident that with an attentive owner who supports her strict diet, her medical needs can be met and not negatively impact her life as they have been well managed for some time in foster care.

Though everything else about Mirabel is currently healthy, including her heart, CKC spaniels are dogs who tend to have high health needs. Mirabel’s forever family should be well researched or familiar with the breed as they are wonderful dogs but can be prone to needing additional medical support. Although tremendously lovely, this is not a breed for those who aren’t committed to having a very close relationship with their vet team and multiple visits yearly to keep on top of their health care. This is a high needs medical care breed and only those who are fully aware of this and adore Cavi’s despite their high medical needs and the costs that come along with that should consider sweet Mirabel. We always say that they make CKC Spaniels extra sweet and loving to compensate for the medical issues.

Other than Mirabel’s medical needs she is the most perfect little dog who just wants to be loved and included in everything going on in her home! Mirabel adores snuggling her humans and giving them constant affection! She is most often found curled up on our laps or in our arms. She is the absolute definition of a lap dog and will contort herself in many ways just to be sleeping on a human. We often say “Mirabel, that cannot be comfortable!!” when she’s all twisted into a pretzel shape to make sure she can fit on any available lap space. CKC Spaniels are known for being incredibly people oriented, lovey-dovey, and attached to their humans and Mirabel fits that description perfectly. She just adores being loved and in particular wants to be nearby her foster mum at all times!

Mirabel is a playful little dog who loves zooming around and playing with her people and would be absolutely over the moon if any of her dog siblings played with her! Mirabel LOVES dog friends, she just thinks they are the best and wants to cuddle them, follow them around, and do everything with them! Mirabel loves her foster sister, who is overall pretty indifferent to Mirabel, but Mirabel is always happy when her foster sister decides she’d like to cuddle for a bit! Mirabel isn’t too pushy about seeking out love from her dog housemates, she has good body language and social skills, but she sometimes doesn’t realize personal space is a thing… She just doesn’t understand why anyone would want personal space! If you have a social pup who wants to play and have a dog best friend, then Mirabel would be a great fit! If you have a dog who is happy to have company but not too playful, Mirabel would also be a great fit! She is such a sweet little lady and she gains confidence being around dog friends around her size. Due to Mirabel’s delicate frame and small size, any dogs in Mirabel’s forever home should be small – medium sized so she doesn’t accidentally get hurt. Mirabel does not have good self-preservation skills and does not understand that she needs to get out of the pathway of other dogs. She could get seriously hurt if there is a large size discrepancy as she is so sweet and passive she will just let other dogs walk all over her, literally. A few times a week her cocker spaniel foster sister, who is over twice her size, will go lay on Mirabel and Mirabel won’t move even if she’s getting squished! We often have to step in and make sure Mirabel is safe due to her teeny tiny size. Another dog is not a requirement for Mirabel, she’s also happy just getting human attention, but she really loves friends of all species.

Mirabel has not been cat tested but I am certain she would love to be near any type of animal and would do everything in her power to win them over as a snuggle buddy. Any cats in the home would need to be gentle and friendly as she is smaller than a lot of cats and could easily get hurt by a swat, or at the very least, her feelings would be very hurt if she wasn’t accepted into the home by any family member!

Mirabel is housetrained and has learned how to ask to be let out to go to the bathroom. She will signal in our house by going to the back door to ask to go out to the yard, but sometimes she will have an accident in new places, or if she’s not taken out regularly. Even with her stomach concerns under control she still needs to go a few times a day so a home where she can be taken out every few hours would be best for her.

Due to Mirabel’s delicate and small size we would recommend that all family members in the home are at least over the age of 12. She cannot have any human food of any kind so all family members should be old enough to understand not to feed her, though this also applies to family members of any age who might want to cave to her adorable big eyes begging for food! Mirabel is quite playful and affectionate, so older children who are mindful of her size and needs, would likely make great friends of hers! Mirabel loves to play, but does NOT like rough play. She is so small and sweet it can be scary if those playing with her aren’t gentle and careful with her.

Mirabel is so friendly and loving that sometimes it’s so easy to forget that she had a tough start in life! The one area we do see this come out is when loud noises are happening on walks if it’s really busy out! When a dog is startled they act unpredictably and will panic and unfortunately we often see this fear response amplified with puppy mill rescues. Mirabel must never be in an open area without a secure leash attached to a properly fitted martingale collar. Mirabel would not do well in a busy downtown core and would prefer a quieter neighbourhood. Mirabel loves her fenced backyard at her fosters house, but we had to be very careful to board up every teeny tiny hole. Mirabel is not a dog that can be just let outside into the yard without supervision. Mirabel does LOVE zooming around her fenced yard, but it is not a requirement for her forever home. She will need somewhere semi-private to do her business, and does need bathroom access every few hours during the day, but she can do that on leash if need be.

Mirabel is still a young dog and she just loves to play and interact with the world around her! With her eager to please nature she would do really well with training and additional engagement with her! Honestly, she’s happy to do anything with her people and brainwork and learning would be quite fun for her! She settles and snuggles a ton, but she isn’t a couch potato who only wants to laze around all day, she wants to try new things and experience the world! Often when I’m working from home and it’s been a while, I’ll see her just get up from her sleeping spot and, tail wiggling, hop up the stairs just to go see a new room and hopefully get me up to follow her! She will settle back down but only after she’s stretched her legs, and maybe got a drink of water and some pets and snuggles!

Mirabel travels in the car really well, but the poor girl gets car sick if she’s put in a crate to travel. To keep her safe in the car, we use a doggie seatbelt rather than a crate. She likes going with us places, and even took a multiple hour ride to the cottage during her time in foster care!

Mirabel sleeps well in her crate overnight and is crated when we leave the house. When she is left alone, she settles pretty well, but can intermittently yip, whine, and bark depending on her mood. For that reason we recommend her forever home not be in an apartment building or condo so you don’t get any noise complaints. Mirabel is fine to be left alone for a few hours each day but the strongly believes that the more time she can spend with her family, the better! She just loves being around people!

Mirabel is an amazing little dog who is looking for a loving family who just adores her and can be attentive to her medical needs. She loves being loved and really is looking for a forever home with people who she can bond and connect with and truly become a family member, it’s her greatest desire in life! I’ve written this bio over the course of a few days and every time I go to sit to write it Mirabel finds herself in my lap alternating between snuggling and sleeping and staring at me lovingly. She is an absolutely precious and sweet little dog who just enjoys every moment she spends around people and with other dogs. She wants nothing more than to be cared for and show her humans all the love in the world in return. If you’re looking for a playful, sweet, loving, adorable little lap dog, look no further than our little miss Mirabel!

Rescue

Pound Dog Rescue

Contact info

Pet ID

PDR2066

Contact

—

Phone

—

pounddog.ca@gmail.com

Website

http://www.pounddog.ca

Address

P.O. Box 261, Drumbo, ON N0J 1G0

Donation

donations can be mailed directly to address above.

Their adoption process

Additional adoption info

Prior to filling out an application on a dog make sure you have read that dog’s profile in its entirety and do some research on the breed(s) of dog you are considering. Make sure that this dog will suit your home and lifestyle. If you wish to proceed please fill out and submit an application online. Alternatively you may print the completed application and mail it to us. It is also a good idea to send us a quick email letting us know to expect your application. Be very thorough in filling out your application. The more we can learn about your family, home and past pet ownership the better. Also, be honest with yourself. Do not apply for a high energy dog if you are not already a very active person. A dog will enhance your life and be a willing partner in your activities but a dog will not change who you fundamentally are. A perfect match will be a dog that suits your current lifestyle and activity level.

Upon receiving your application an Adoption Coordinator will speak with your veterinarian if applicable so please place a call to your vet advising them to expect our call and authorizing them to speak to us about your veterinary history. The next step is for an Adoption Coordinator to contact you to set up an interview and in home visit. Should everything go well we would ask that you contact your references and advise them to expect a call from us. The final step is a meet and greet with the dog at the foster’s home where you can see the dog in an environment where it is comfortable and at ease. The foster will be able to answer any questions on the dog’s behavior, training and routine and you can make the decision if this is truly the dog for you.

Through this procedure we may determine that the dog you applied for is not a good match and we may make suggestions on dogs in our program that would be a better fit for your home. The decision is yours though and we would never push a dog on anyone. We can also keep your application on file and with your permission contact you when a dog we feel would be suitable for you comes up for adoption.

Should your application prove successful we ask for the adoption donation made payable by cash or e-transfer to Pound Dog Rescue. This fee helps defray the costs of veterinary care, upkeep, grooming and transportation for our dogs and is only a small fraction of the total cost spent on each dog in our rescue program. Once you have adopted a dog through Pound Dog Rescue you become part of our family! We love hearing updates about our dogs and receiving pictures! We will always be there for you for advice and support will do whatever we can to make sure you are happy with your new dog.

We the volunteers of Pound Dog Rescue thank you for considering a Pound Dog to adopt and look forward to hearing from you.

Go meet their pets

All of our dogs are cared for in foster homes, and therefore, not available for general public viewing.

More about this rescue

My name is Kim and my husband’s name is Jarett. We are a married couple that is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing dogs in need. Individually, and as a couple, we both have been rescuing and fostering dogs for many other organizations for a number of years. From this experience came the skills, knowledge and connections needed to make starting our own rescue a reality. Having done the work for others for so long and loving the experiences we’ve had, we came to the realization that we can do even more for dogs in need by branching out and having our own rescue group and dedicated team of volunteers. From this fledgling idea Pound Dog Rescue was born and it has grown significantly! It is truly amazing how many good people want to help us save dogs. Pound Dog Rescue would be an impossibility if we didn’t have our team of dedicated volunteers offering their unique and valuable skills and abilities to help grow the rescue. It’s amazing how many animal lovers there are in the community who will donate their time and efforts when they know it goes to such a rewarding cause; to help save dogs. To this date we have received overwhelming support and we know that Pound Dog Rescue and its legion of dedicated supporters will make a positive difference in the lives of many dogs. WE WILL SAVE DOG’S LIVES. And that is why we are here, pure and simple.

We get a lot of questions about our rescue when we talk to people so we thought we would take this opportunity to answer some of the common ones.

Where does Pound Dog Rescue get its dogs from?

All of our dogs come from low-income, low-resource animal control facilities (aka “dog pounds”) in Ontario. These facilities do not have the funding for fancy adoption wings with teams of volunteers and staff. These facilities are minimally staffed with over-worked employees. The dogs have a kennel to stay in that is usually dark and loud and chaotic. These facilities are holding kennels for all of the strays and owner surrendered dogs of their counties and townships. They don’t get to pick and choose the dogs they take in. By law, these pounds must take in any dog that is stray or abandoned. Because of this, kennel space fills up quickly and space runs out. Sadly, without rescue, many of the unclaimed or surrendered dogs will be put down to free up kennel space for the next dogs arriving. This is why we at Pound Dog Rescue will only take in dogs from these facilities. These dogs have very few options, the lucky minority gets adopted, and the others face certain death without rescue. It’s these dogs that we focus on and are dedicated to saving.

Why do we need rescue?

Rescue is needed because sadly, not all dogs live long, happy lives in loving forever homes. Many dogs end up in homes of irresponsible owners who don’t provide them with the training, socialization and care needed to live a happy life. For no fault of their own many of these dogs end up in a pound situation, all because they had the misfortune to be owned by irresponsible people. Sadly, many people still don’t spay or neuter their pets and breed them without any thought to providing quality homes for the puppies or proper care for the mothers. This adds to the already over saturated dog population and takes homes away from dogs already in a pound situation. Because dogs don’t get to choose their owners, rescue is needed. Once in rescue, we choose their next home for them. We strive to make certain that none of our rescue dogs end up back where they came from. We do this by having potential adopters fill out applications and we conduct home visits and interviews and do background checks. We take the extra steps needed to make sure we are sending our dogs off to loving, forever homes.

How does the rescue process work?

We have established a long standing and trusting relationship with a rural Ontario animal control facility. We select most of our dogs from this facility but we are open to helping any low resource pound. We take pictures and do write up’s of all of the dogs available to go to rescue organizations and we forward this information in an email to various different trusted rescues across Ontario. We work hand in hand with a large number of rescues to save as many dogs as possible. We at Pound Dog Rescue not only rescue dogs for our own organization, but assist and facilitate the rescue of dogs to a number of other trusted rescue organizations. We evaluate the dogs in need of rescue and we select dogs based on temperament and the criteria our available foster is looking for. We look to match dogs with fosters. We will never force a foster to take on a dog that they are uncomfortable with or ill equipped to handle. Once selected we have the dog vet checked, vaccinated, heartworm tested, microchipped, and spayed or neutered if required. The dog will then be placed in a preselected foster home to live on a temporary basis where it will be loved and cared for. While in foster care the dog will receive training, socialization, and handling all the while being observed and assessed for behaviour. This way we really get to know the dogs in our care and can confidently determine what will be the best forever home for each individual dog. A successful adoption applicant for a specific dog will have a meet and greet with the dog and it’s foster in the foster’s home. This way the applicant can talk directly with the foster who has been caring for the dog to learn first hand about the dog’s routines, quirks and mannerisms in a home environment. We fully believe that the foster parent knows the dog best and they are an integral part of our adoption procedure.

Is there something wrong with dogs from pounds? Why are they there in the first place?

For the most part the dogs that end up in pounds are there for no fault of their own. A lot of them were owned by people who were irresponsible and let them run loose and when apprehended, did not bother to claim them from the pound. Many come in because the person that owned them either selected a breed of dog that did not suit their lifestyle, or they expected a dog to come fully trained and didn’t want to, or know how to, put the time and effort required into training their dog. And unfortunately, many end up in a pound because they became inconvenient for their owners and the pound is the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to dispose of their dog. Some end up there because their owner passed away or had a crisis and were no longer able to care for their dog. We have seen almost every breed of dog in the pound in need of rescue…from the smallest of toy breeds to the largest of giant breeds and everything in between. We have seen many purebreds and just as many mixed breeds. There is no breed of dog that is exempt from being abandoned, lost or unclaimed. We have rescued and fostered countless dogs in our years of volunteering and we have never yet encountered a “bad” dog, or one who had an issue we couldn’t work through. Again, these dogs can’t help who they are owned by. We at Pound Dog Rescue work to educate the public on responsible dog ownership and fully encourage and insist on applicants researching and being educated on the breed of dog they are applying for. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing a beautiful Border Collie in the pound having been turned in because he was “too active” or a gorgeous Newfoundland Dog having been turned in because he grew “too big”. Unfortunately these are true stories and real excuses people have used to abandon their former “best friends” at the pound. How about the black Lab who was turned in because the owner redecorated her house and he no longer matched the decor? We aren’t kidding. It happened. So, the answer is no, not all dogs in a pound have something “wrong” with them. Most are there because of things they have no control over, like their breed, their colour or who the person was that happened to pick them out of their respective litters at 8 weeks old.

We thank you for caring enough to consider rescue. We hope you will choose to adopt a rescue dog. Rescue saves dog’s lives and gives dogs a second chance at finding a loving home. And if you want to save a dog and adopt through rescue, as we like to say around here…..There ain’t nothing like a Pound Dog!!!