Yay! What a wonderful thing to happen to her!

OMG....she's just precious. Sounds like she'll be just fine. Thank you for saving a life....and giving her a life!

I've worked with rescues. We have a mill dog rescue that buys the dogs at auction, who are "done" being bred. Her tail would have broken if wagged in a cage. Dogs often have to have their tails amputated "after" they're rescued. The rescue usually keeps the dogs for 4-6 weeks if they're older and "cage" raised before adopting them out. One volunteer I know, sits for hours just holding a pup...getting it used to human contact.

Modified to add: yes, it's just staining on her fur. Nothing more.

She's adorable.

She looks like she has quite a yeast/allergy infection with all of her pink paws and muzzle. I know that a lot of dogs are allergic to chicken and feathered food. You might want to feed her food that doesn't have chicken or bird in it and see if she improves. And no sugars.

They say the eyes are the window to the soul - her big brown eyes look like they are full of life, intelligence and curiosity. Those traits just need to be nurtured and you are the perfect person to do it.

How does she get along with the big dogs?

She's very cute; once she gains her confidence, I'll bet she's going to make a wonderful companion. Congratulations to you both!

Congratulations, such a cutie!

Thanks everyone!

She was in a foster home first for about 5 weeks. She got her used to walking on a leash and being nearby. Her foster mom did a great job with her.

She came with 3 little toys even though her foster mom said she never played with them. So far she's not shown any interest in toys. My other poodle lived in a cage the first year and a half of her life and had zero interest in toys as well so I'm used to that.

She watches the big dogs and she loves to scrounge in their food bowls even though we've put the same food in hers. She doesn't seem to eat a lot, but acts like she's foraging for some hidden treat they missed! I've ordered some senior food for small dogs from Chewy for her. She'll also get some canned mixed in but it's recommended she still get hard food for her remaining teeth and even her gums I guess.

I think she is very smart - she's definitely watching and picking up on things. We used a tie out in the yard even though it's fenced for the first day and now we don't need it - she goes out and potties and comes right back in. She loves to go outside! Only a few accidents in the house so far.

She warms my heart when I see her trying to come near us... I know she wants to but the fear is strong. I know she'll overcome it in time though and we're in no hurry.

It brings tears to my eyes to know she will live out the rest of her life being so loved and cared for. She deserves it!

Make sure when she is dried after a bath she is very dry. When their fur is not all the way dry it sets up an opportunity for bacteria to grow and could be part of the cause for her fur being stained. As someone else mentioned-some dog breeds are highly prone to allergens in food so try some out to see if it improves. She looks so sweet!

She is a little dear. She had a hideous life with the greedy Amish who care not one iota about animals, just their pocketbook. What a lucky little girl. She will love you forever and thank you for giving her a good life now. She lived in a wire cage and had babies all her seven years. Now she is loved.

I think she will come along well. Her facial expression seems to say that she gets it and realizes she had a good life ahead of her.

Welcome Tuffy!!!!

There's nothing more rewarding than watching a rescue learn to trust and enjoy life. I hope you'll keep us posted on her progress. Lucky girl that you came along and I know she'll add much enjoyment to your lives as well.

What a heartbreaker she is! How caring, and brave you are to take her in. I am sure she will reward you with love and devotion for what you are doing for her.

You are so kind and so brave to take this poor girl on. What a lucky dog she is but so much pain to over come.

Our dog loves poached boneless chicken breast, cut into very small squares. No chewing required, just gulp and swallow.

Congratulations! I wish you many years of happiness with this cute little girl. She does have a sweet look about her. It's good you have experience in this department and know just what to do! I hope the big dogs are a big help to her too!

She is a cute little pup and lucky to have you as new parents. I’m sure she will thrive With your TLC.

What a cutie pie -- totally adorable. It's so good to hear that she's adapting well to her new life !

I was hoping for an update and this is just wonderful. Sounds like it's a great match. You are so kind and understanding and I am sure Tuffy will be very happy in your pack.

How wonderful of you to allow her to find her way in her new life with you; I really appreciate that you sit back and don't force her to do anything. My dd's dog was a stray and in the beginning he used to "nose-bump" her (and me,) all the time, for assurance, I think. He also had very little interest in food until he became much more comfortable with his new home. Enjoy you new little darlin'. She's beautiful.

Awwwww...good luck with her, she is precious! <3

So happy she has a loving new home! Sounds like y’all are off to a good start.

What an absolute cutie. She looks like such a sweetheart. You are both so lucky.

Looking forward to updates on Tuffy. She will be a blessing to you, ...you will be a blessing to her.

Animal cruelty just makes me sick. A member of a local FB group rescued a dog, and the poor thing was terrified to eat.

It turns out that every time she went to eat her food the previous owner beat her! She was very much underweight and was terrified of everything.

With a lot of love and patience, she's grown into a loving dog. The first thing they did was feed her in her crate where she could take her time, and know that no one was going to get close to her.

And this week a dog was found in a suitcase that was left in the woods. 2 joggers came across it and saved the dog.

Hydrogen peroxide will whiten her paws. Our doggie licks her paws to that color. We adopt rescues and it is fun to pick up on their traits and work with them. We have one rescue for ten years that will not willing come to us if commanded. You'd think we'd beaten her, but it is one of her peculiarities. You say come, and she dips her head and takes one step, and on and on it goes. But if you pull out a piece of cheese, she is right at your feet! Our other rescue will do anything for smoked meats, but hates liver.

How lucky you all are to have each other! Wishing you many years of love and companionship.

Tuffy looks like one smart cookie! It's nice that she has big siblings, but I bet she will be running the show someday. So sad about what caused the staining of her feet, but I found myself smiling with your description of her bunny hopping! I would love to see a video of that! So happy for you and her!

She is adorable! Sounds like everything is going as well as could be expected. We had trouble for months getting our puppy mill rescue to eat. She ate better if we threw her kibble onto the ground - probably how she ate at the mill. For breakfast I hand fed her kibble dipped in yogurt - putting it into her mouth piece by piece. She now scarfs up her meals and asks for more. I’m sure Tuffy will eat when she is more comfortable with life.

Those urine stains made me sad . . . and so mad. But you've done a wonderful thing for this little dog. Lucky Tuffy!!

Tuffy is such a perfect name, she looks like a real sweetie. I teared up while reading about what she’s been through. Poor baby, what the h*ll is wrong with people! You’re making a difference in her life already and I think having other dogs as well will help her to heal and trust too.

I don’t know if this will be helpful, but I have a friend who is really involved with a local rescue. They take in a lot of dogs who’ve been neglected and/or treated brutally. When she has to clean or cut the fur of a dog who’s been through so much trauma, she takes it to a vet who is also active with the rescue. He gives the dog a relaxer or will even put it to sleep for a bit so it can get cleaned up without the added trauma. Finding a way to do something similar might be an alternative way to get her cleaned up.

I hope you will continue to post pictures of Tuffy as she goes through this new journey. No doubt that a few months from now, she’ll be a completely different dog. Congrats!

Tuffy is blessed to have someone like you in her life, and I know you will be as well! Cannot wait to hear of her progress!!

Congratulations! I’ve been checking every day to see if you adopted her. She has missed out on so much in her past life. It will be fun showing her the world once she is more acclimated! Picnic at a park, day at a lake, etc. what do the other dogs think of her? Do they attempt to play? It sounds like she’s off to a great start!

Love to follow the thread. She has won the dog lottery! I hope there will be more pics to come. Congrats for rescuing such a cutie.

So sweet, so wonderful, so happy for you and Tuffy.

Sue

Poor little thing! Thank you so much for taking her in.

Well, it's easy to see why you fell in love with her, she's adorable!

Rusty

Thank you all! You've brought tears to my eyes with your kind words... and I appreciate the advice! We'll be trying different things to see what works or not.

Here are a few more pictures - the corner where she spends most of the time. We put her in a pen in our room at night to sleep but during the day she has free roam of the house and found herself this corner. The other picture is of her and Sadie our 1 1/2 year old pup. They don't play but they get along good so far.

Thanks for giving her the chance of a good life now.

Throwing out some other 'soft' food options that wouldn't be hard to chew. My dog is a connoisseur of various treats. He loves some more than others. Cheese is also a favorite. He also wildly loves cucumber which I find interesting. I peel and give him the inside seeds so I don't make my salads watery. My sister's dog loves banana.

She looks so much smaller than in her first picture!! LOL Either that or your big dogs are giant dogs! LOL She is so cute. Since she picked that corner (back to the wall, smart) maybe put a little pad for her to lay in. Then maybe at some point you could move the pad and it would have her scent on it and maybe she would accept laying in another spot? She sure is cute!!!

Your comment about her not playing reminded me of when I got Murray (my picture) from the dog shelter. He never played with toys. I got him a very hard bone to chew on and he ignored that too. Then one day a friend was over with his dog and his dog picked up that bone and started chewing on it. It was like a lightbulb went on in Murray's head. After they left, he picked up that bone and started chewing on it. I'm guessing Tuffy may end up doing something like that. Seeing the other dogs play with things may teach her how to do it too. If you've never had something like that, you wouldn't automatically know what to do. Dogs are smart!!

She's 7 lbs. Sadie is about 50 lbs. She's got pretty short legs but she's a good jumper. When she wants on the couch, she usually lands all 4 at a time! lol

The black item on the ground next to her is actually a cushion off the chair (the cat knocked off). I left it there thinking she might want to lay on it but she apparently does want her back to the corner. I was hesitant to move it into her spot and have her not want it and think she had to move... if that makes sense.

It doesn't look lovely, but dd's dog loves, loves his old comforter and will gravitate toward it when he wants a little rest; he makes a little nest before settling down. Could you try something like that in the corner, at least for a short time?

Share, this is just beyond touching. Sweet little Tuffy is a very lucky girl. Bless you for saving and loving her!

I would leave her corner be. She chose it for now and will eventually move out once she internalizes it is safe.

Yeah, I agree, leave her corner as is. In her mind, it’s her safe spot. She looks like a little midget compared to Sadie! LOL. That’s a precious picture.

From her perspective that corner may be a whole lot more comfy than the wire cage floor she was sleeping on. When she's ready she'll leave the corner. Meantime, perhaps you could put a blanket or rug down near the corner to allow her to choose what she wants. I'll bet she'll come around soon.

She's beautiful. I love her face! So lucky to have you! It sounds like she is already coming around. I can't wait to see her in a few months when she feels more confident and her fur improves.

I compare her to the abused cat I got in June from the humane society. She was and still is a little skittish and runs down the basement if anything scares her. But now she spends 90% of her time up here and is currently on my lap. Your little sweetie will be a wonderful pet for you and doesn't it feel good to show her the good life she was missing living in a wire crate for seven years with no love. We try everything to crack down on the Amish puppy mills here in PA but they're sneaky.