Las Lomas k9 Rescue & Adoption Foundation (LLK9)

11/18/2025

Day 1: How to keep your cat happy — safe spaces.

Credit: Doggie Drawings by Lili Chin

07/27/2025

Pavement may look harmless to you in your comfy shoes, but for your dog’s paws, it can be a hidden hazard—especially on warm days. Pet parents are often surprised to learn just how quickly surfaces like asphalt, concrete, metal, sand, artificial turf, and even dry grass or wood can become dangerously hot for dogs.

Unlike us, our pups walk “barefoot,” making them highly vulnerable to burns and injuries from heated surfaces. Even when the air feels comfortable, sidewalk and road temperatures can soar:
- At just 77°F (25°C) outside, asphalt can reach 125°F (51°C)
-At 86°F (30°C), it can hit an astonishing 135°F (57°C)—hot enough to burn skin in under ONE minute!
-Burns can occur at pavement temperatures as low as 120°F (49°C)—and some surfaces, like metal or artificial grass, can get even hotter!

Prolonged exposure may leave your dog temporarily unable to walk, causing pain, frustration, and a lengthy healing process.

Dog paw pads may look tough but are just as sensitive as your own skin. Signs of paw pad burns include limping, refusing to walk, excessive licking, blisters, discoloration, or even missing skin. Protecting those precious paws is essential to their safety and happiness.

SAFETY TIPS!
Always test the walking surface: Place the back of your hand on the ground for 5–10 seconds. If it’s too hot for your skin, it’s too hot for your dog. When in doubt, opt for early morning or late evening walks, stick to shaded or grassy areas, and apply paw wax like Musher's for extra protection.

Your dog depends on you to protect them—let’s keep those tails wagging and paws happy! xoAmy

07/13/2025

***I am a 21st century dog.***
-I'm a Malinois.
Overskilled among dogs, I excel in all disciplines and I'm always ready to work: I NEED to work.
But nowadays I get asked to chill on the couch all day everyday.

-I am an Akita Inu.
My ancestors were selected for fighting bears.
Today I get asked to be tolerant and I get scolded for my reactivity when another approaches me.

-I am a Beagle.
When I chase my prey, I raise my voice so the hunters could follow.
Today they put an electric collar on me to shut up, and you make me come back to you - no running - with a snap of your fingers.

-I am a Yorkshire Terrier.
I was a terrifying rat hunter in English mines.
Today they think I can't use my legs and they always hold me in their arms.

-I'm a Labrador Retriever.
My vision of happiness is a dive into a pond to bring back the duck he shot to my master.
Today you forget I'm a walking, running, swimming dog; as a result I'm fat, made to stay indoors, and to babysit.

-I am a Jack Russell.
I can take on a fox, a mean badger, and a rat bigger than me in his den.
Today I get scolded for my character and high energy, and forced to turn into a quiet living room dog.

-I am a Siberian Husky.
Experienced the great, wide open spaces of Northern Europe, where I could drag sleds for long distances at impressive speeds.
Today I only have the walls of the house or small garden as a horizon, and the holes I dig in the ground just to release energy and frustration, trying to stay sane.

-I am a border collie
I was made to work hours a day in partnershipwith my master, and I am an unmistakable artist of working with the herd.
Today they are mad at me because, for lack of sheep, I try to check bikes, cars, children in the house and everything in motion.

I am ...
I am a 21st century dog.

I'm pretty, I'm alert, I'm obedient, I stay in a bag...but I'm also an individual who, from centuries of training, needs to express my instincts, and I am *not* suited for the sedentary life you'd want me to lead.

Spending eight hours a day alone in the house or in the garden - with no work and no one to play or run with, seeing you for a short time in the evening when you get home, and only getting a small toilet walk will make me deeply unhappy.

I'll express it by barking all day, turning your yard into a minefield, doing my needs indoors, being unmanageable the rare times I'll find myself outside, and sometimes spending my days sunk, sad, lonely, and depressed, on my pillow.

You may think that I should be happy to be able to enjoy all this comfort while you go to work, but actually I’ll be exhausted and frustrated, because this is absolutely NOT what I'm meant to do, or what I need to be doing.
If you love me, if you've always dreamed of me, if my beautiful blue eyes or my athletic look make you want me, but you can't give me a real dog's life, a life that's really worth living according to my breed, and if you can't offer me the job that my genes are asking, DO NOT buy or adopt me!

If you like the way I look but aren't willing to accept my temperament, gifts, and traits derived from long genetic selection, and you think you can change them with only your good will, then DO NOT BUY OR ADOPT ME.

I’m a dog from the 21st century, yes, but deep inside me, the one who fought, the one who hunted, the one who pulled sleds, the one who guided and protected a herd still lives within.

So think **very** carefully before you choose your dog. And think about getting two, rather than one, so I won't be so very lonely waiting for you all day. Eight or ten hours is just a workday to you, but it's an eternity for me to be alone.

07/12/2025

Today is World Pet Memorial Day, and we're taking time to remember and celebrate the loved ones who are waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge. 🌈 If this resonates with you, know that you're not alone, and we're holding space for you in our hearts.

For those who have found peace and healing after losing an animal family member, we'd love to hear any gentle guidance you might be able to offer others experiencing a loss. Leave a comment below to share words of support and connection. ❤️

07/12/2025

04/28/2024

04/14/2024

04/14/2024

Let’s talk ear hair. Did you know on breeds that need regular grooming, their hair in the ear canals should be plucked? We are seeing so many of these breeds that are either not plucked or are being shaved (like the top left picture). The hair in these canals continues to grow trapping moisture causing ear infections (like the 2 lower pictures) Both regular plucking of hair and ear flushes are recommended in these breeds. Scratching at ears and shaking of the head are some of the classic signs that your pet may need to come in to have their ears checked.