Herd It Through The Grapevine

Sonoma County, CA - Herding Dog Rescue

ADOPTABLE DOGS

HITTGV posts all of its' adoptable dogs on the front page. Please take a look at our newest adoptable dogs and whether you are looking for the perfect face, the perfect demeanor, or it's love at first sight, hopefully you will find the perfect companion at HITTGV! But adoption is not the only way to help rescues. You can also foster a dog until the perfect forever home is found and we are in dire need of people who can support us as fosters.

You will find tabs for both Adoption and Foster at the top of the page. Kindly fill out the form of your choice and submit to us. You can also e-mail us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at (707)583-9583 with your inquiries. Thank you for considering rescue and for helping us save more lives.

FOSTER HOMES NEEDED!

HAVING MORE FOSTERS MEANS WE CAN SAVE MORE DOGS.

HITTGV is a foster based rescue and we are in desperate need of foster homes! It is fun, easy to do, and very rewarding. If you have a place in your home and your heart that you could share with one of our fosters please let us know. The more foster homes we have, the more lives we can save. Please consider fostering today!

Please contact us if you may be able to foster for even a short period of time. Click here to fill out our on-line Foster Care Application and Agreement form or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thank You!

PUMPKIN'S SURGERY A SUCCESS!

A huge thanks to everyone who donated to Pumpkin's knee surgery fund, and to all who contacted us to wish her well! Your donations helped to pay for a big chunk of our costs for her surgery and vet care after surgery. We are very happy to report that Pumpkin's knee surgery went well and the patient is doing just fine!

Additionally, we are very pleased to report that our girl, Pumpkin, has also found herself a very loving new family. Please see Pumpkin's article below (under Happy Tails) with some news about her new forever home. Pumpkin is such a sweet little soul and she will now be able to hang with her new family pain free!

We would be grateful for any donations - even $5 or $10 - to help us help our furry friends.ewewewefv c

JASPER

We believe Jasper is mostly border collie. He has the best qualities of a herding breed, loving, loyal, and playful without being busy or high energy. He is about 2 years old and weighs about 31 lbs. with a very sweet, gentle disposition. Jasper is extremely intelligent and observant. His personality seems to be very border collie, as he is quiet, reserved, and very attentive. We have not heard him bark yet. He also holds his gorgeous bushy tail, with a white tip, low, like a border collie, and has the softest fur.

Although super loving and happy, he can seem timid when first meeting people. When Jasper knows someone is friendly and will not harm him, his tail will wag non-stop, and he will try to shower you with kisses. He does NOT have a mean bone in his little body, and will shy away, if he is unsure. Jasper is also very good and has an easy way with other dogs. When a few large males behaved aggressively towards him, he backed up and turned away, not wanting any trouble. We have not seen him with cats, but are told he is good with cats.

We believe he will bond very quickly with his person/people when adopted. This boy is a moderate energy dog, who is fine doing whatever you feel like doing. He will wait for you calmly and patiently, and is a happy and playful when he knows it's time to play or be active.

Jasper is a very sweet soul, who wants to please. He needs people who will help build his confidence, as he is a little unsure of himself and hangs back in new situations or around new people. When outside, Jasper loves to play and run. He appears to be completely housebroken. Jasper is great about checking in with his people, and does not try to escape or run off. Although he does not like going into a crate, once inside he is fine and quiet.

As a very observant, super smart dog, Jasper is also a quick learner. He has shown herding tendencies, and will need someone to teach him how to channel his instinct. When Jasper first arrived and I lavished attention on him. He was happy and playful, when I made a sudden, quick movement away from him, I felt a tiny peck on my shoe. Jasper had given my quick moving heel an instinctive herding nip. For this reason, he will need people who have some experience and will teach him when and how (and how not) to use his herding instincts.

DUTCH

Dutch is an Aussie shepherd and Dutch shepherd mix, weighing 41 lbs. He is still just a pup, probably between 8 to 12 mos. old. He is very friendly and playful with all people and all dogs. He is also good with cats. Dutch is a happy guy with a calm personality. His tail wags non-stop! Although he loves to play, Dutch has a moderate energy level. He has met children in the park and is very good with them.

He appears to be housebroken, and walks fairly well on leash, but pulls a little in his excitement to get outside. Dutch is learning how to use a dog door, too. Because he is a very smart, eager to please and very attentive to people, we believe he will learn routines and pick up on training very quickly. Dutch knows "sit" but will otherwise need basic obedience training. His foster dad is working on "wait," "stay" and trying to teach him to "come."

Dutch rides nicely in a car. He does NOT have any food or resource guarding. As a young dog, Dutch loves toys and balls, but is not obsessive about them. He also does like to chew, and will need a variety of toys and treats to satisfy his desire to chew. He is great in the house, but still being a puppy he initially complains when you leave the house, but will calm down and be quiet again after a few minutes. He is usually very quiet, and will otherwise only be vocal and bark if he is in very excited play outside with other dogs.

He would do well in a home with another dog, will bond quickly with someone, and make a great companion.

KING

The following description is based on information from King's owner, who must find a new home for him:

King is a very friendly, affectionate, and playful, 3 year old Australian Cattle Dog mix. He weighs 35 lbs. and is great with all people, children, other dogs. He is also fine with cats, but likes to play games with them. King likes to rush up to them, stop, and then either just look at them or give them a "woof" before trotting away.

While King is very playful, he is a moderate energy dog. He is a quick learner and eager to please. He has a very easy, go-with-the-flow personality and should transition easily into a new situation. He loves human attention and having his ears scratched. As a typical young dog, he loves toys, running and playing - especially playing ball, and chew toys to keep him busy. Although King does not get out of the yard much in his current home, he loves to go on walks and explore the world. He will pull on leash in his enthusiasm to get out and take his walk. King knows sit and a few commands, and is good at minding you when you want him to do something, but has not had formal obedience training.

His current owner is moving and needs to find King a new home. in his first year of life, he lived inside, and was crate trained. However, due to a change in his person's living situation, King has now been living outside most of the time. He comes inside the house a few times a day during his meal times. King was housebroken when he lived inside, but since he is now outside most of the time, he may need to have his memory refreshed in a new home.

King is a wonderful, happy soul, who needs people who will give him the attention, mental and physical exercise, and affection he needs. At the same time, his new people need to provide him with some training and structure to transition into a new home and as an inside and outside dog, again. He is definitely a gem, who just needs a little dusting off and polishing.

PEPPER

Pepper (ADOPTED!) is about 18 mos. old and is a compact little 40 lb. We believe she is pretty much an Australian Cattle Dog/McNab mix. Whatever she is, this girl is as sweet and friendly as can be. In true cattle dog fashion, Pepper's main focus is on her people. She adores human attention and praise. When her foster mom tells her she is a good girl, Pepper just beams - her eyes light up, her tail wags, and she will sometimes roll over for a belly rub. She very much wants to please and will rub up against your legs to communicate her affection.

She is also very good and playful with other dogs. Although she is a very quiet girl, when she is playing with other dogs or toys, in her excitement she make happy growling sounds. She is very playful with and follows her foster sister around much of the day. They even drink together from the same bowl. Although she likes to play with toys, she is NOT obsessive about them, but if another dog is playing with something, Pepper will decide to want that toy, too. She is NOT a barker. We have not yet observed her with cats or children.

Pepper catches on very quickly and is extremely smart. She is extremely mindful of anything you tell her to do and very obedient. She seems to be completely housebroken, and learned how to use the dog door in a single day. This dog loves treats! Her foster mom is teaching her to 'sit,' 'wait,' and to come when called. Pepper is also a good car passenger and is learning "load up" to hop into the car. She also walks nicely on leash.

As a herder, she likes to keep tabs on her pack, but again, is not too obsessive about it. She likes to make sure she knows where everyone is and if you leave the room for too long, she will come to find you to be in the same room, but will not get underfoot. When inside, she likes to lay on her bed, content to have your company. Pepper was in heat when we got her from the shelter, and currently a low-moderate energy dog. When she is completely out of her heat, and recovers from spay surgery, her energy level may be different. She also seems to be more of a house dog than an active outdoor dog, although this may also change as Pepper settles in and once is is out of heat.

Pepper would do well as an only dog or with another playful, secure, neutral or submissive dog. When her foster mom is giving the dogs quality time, Pepper is pushy for attention. She will squeeze herself in front of the other dog and try to hog all the attention. She is very cattle dog, in that people and toys are "mine." Pepper is NOT overtly dominant and is NOT aggressive at all about it, she just knows what she wants and tries to insert herself to get it. She needs to learn some manners in this area. As a cattle dog, she will need her people to work on giving her structure and teach her not to hog attention or try steal toys that other dogs have. Because she wants human praise and attention more than anything, we believe that some treat and praise based training could stop this this behavior quickly.

Pepper is fully vaccinated, microchipped, heartworm negative, and we will have her spayed when her condition is appropriate to do so.