Hi!  My name is Ming.  I came to Operation Scarlet in March 2000.  My family said they really did not have enough time for me and that is why I became a homeless dog looking for a second chance.  Everyone says I am very sweet.  I am also very quiet and gentle.  I feel very honored to be June Pei Mate of the Month.  I am glad I get a chance to tell the whole world that I really love my new life and my new mom and dad.  Now my mom is going to tell you the rest of the story.  Go ahead, Mom!

I have always wanted a "wrinkle" dog.    I placed a call to a breeder, but she was not going to have any puppies until spring. The breeder referred me to Operation Scarlet in Lancaster, PA.   I called Dawn Hertzog and set up an appointment and I told my boyfriend, Kevin, that we had an interview at the end of the week.

We went to the rescue looking for a male puppy with a lot of wrinkles. We learned a lot about Shar-Pei that night and we got to meet all the homeless dogs. We met  Ming that night.  Ming was depressed because she was really missing her family.  The volunteers were hand feeding her canned tuna because she would not eat anything else.  Dawn said she just stayed in the back of her crate and was very confused and scared.  I bent down to talk to her and she came to the front of the crate and gave me kisses and started waging her tail.  Dawn was shocked because she had been there for three weeks and that was the first time she reacted in that way.

Kevin and I decided we had to meet her. When Ming came out of the crate, she started checking us out.  Dawn said Shar-Pei typically choose their people. I did not believe her, but at the end of the interview Ming came in between Kevin and me and put one paw on his leg and one on mine. Dawn was right - Ming was choosing us.

We left that night knowing that we wanted Ming.  I called Dawn the next day and said that we would like to offer Ming a home. Now she has the run of the house.  She gets everything she wants, not that she wants much.   She has a lot of toys, but only plays with certain ones.  She knows that she gets treats when Mom and Dad leave for work and whenever she gives me that sad head tilting look like - pleeeease.

When we go away she gets her blanket and pillow, jumps in the truck, sits on my lap and stays there the whole time. She is a real mommy's baby.

She loves to go camping every weekend and loves riding in Grandma and Grandpa's golf cart.   She will sit on the seat until someone takes her for a ride. She even stays on the seat waiting for the next ride.  She also loves to go down to the creek and walk in the water (someone forgot to tell her that Shar-Pei do not like water).

All the love she gives us is the reason we became associate members and then shortly afterwards representatives of Operation Scarlet. We will always be very grateful for that first call to Operation Scarlet and for the opportunity to adopt Ming.  We have made many friends in the organization and are enjoying the new and wonderful experiences of Shar-Pei rescue.

                                                Kevin and Crystal


P.S.  Ming is enjoying her new life and would like to say - “I love you Aunt Dawn”.
 

I go camping with my mom and dad which is lots of fun.  Here I am on the golf cart that takes us all around the campground.
 

Yippeee!!!!  Time to mow the lawn.  Hurry up Dad, we have work to do!
 

Boy, all that work makes me dog tired.  I have lots of sweet dreams now that I have found my "forever home".

July Pei-Mate of the Month

Xavier

Hi.  My name is Xavier.  I needed to be rescued because my owner moved to England.  She loved me a lot and drove me from Ohio to Pennsylvania to be assured that I was going to a safe place.  I am five years old and I am a big boy of over 70 pounds.  But, I am really quite a gentle giant.  I was very afraid when I arrived at Operation Scarlet and became very depressed due to losing my owner and my home.  I heard the volunteers say that they needed to find a home for me quickly so I would not look so sad. 

Well, it did happen very quickly because a very nice lady and her daughter visited the rescue and immediately fell in love with me.  My new home and family are absolutely terrific.  Lots of good things are happening in my life, but I am going to have my new mom tell you the rest of the story.

Oh, by the way - Thanks, O.S.  You helped me find happiness again!
 

In March of 2001, after the loss of my Shar-Pei, Radar II (who was also an Operation Scarlet adoptee), I had intended to wallow in my sorrow for a period of time before considering another adoption. I lasted approximately one week and realized I missed that presence in my household .. so much so that my daughter and I trotted off the Humane League on a few occasions to see what we could find. For whatever reason, I had thought of adopting another breed, but came to realize that no other breed during those trips to the shelter had made an impact. Granted, there were lots of homeless, adorable dogs available, but I came home empty handed. I then realized that nothing else would do other than having another Shar-Pei. Radar was my fourth Shar-Pei since the early 80’s, and the breed is truly unique. I decided to call Dawn at Operation Scarlet.

Coincidentally, Xavier had just arrived a day or so before my call. I actually was thinking along the lines of fostering some dogs in transition, but Dawn told me about Xavier and the fact that he was not eating and was obviously depressed. Dawn also knew that I like the “big” guys – and Xavier weighed in at around 72 pounds. He was beautiful and gentle and very timid. Consequently, I took one look at that sorrowful face and fell in love. We immediately made arrangements to adopt him.

His transition into our household was slow, but being familiar with Shar-Pei for some time, I didn’t push Xavier in any way. He wouldn’t go out in the fenced yard alone, so I would walk out with him .. he was very timid about his new environment and cautiously explored, but insisted I be with him. His first evening with us I allowed him to find his own “space” to sleep. He finally curled up in his open crate. He continued to sleep in it for quite some time. I crated him during the day for the first two weeks, coming home each day at noon to check on him and let him out. He eventually started asserting his independence and it became impossible to push his 70+ pounds back into his crate. At that point, he had earned the run of the house. I knew than that he was becoming quite comfortable with us. I also knew that I had to do SOMETHING about my white couch. Without success I tried confining Xavier to an area in the home where he could not gain access to my sofa. I tried putting the cushions up so he wouldn’t hop up there .. to no avail. Finally, I gave up and bought a slipcover. He perches on the back of that couch and watches out the window…AND he takes up residence there at night.

He has been a part of our household now for over a year. He is a typical Shar-Pei… devoted, protective, trusting of his person, pushy about his daily walks, and a wonderful companion. He is also a great ambassador for O.S... people are amazed at his size and gentle temperament.
Thank you, once again, to Operation Scarlet,
Karen Macri
 

August Pei-Mate of the Month

Shong

Hello.  My name is Shong and I became homeless at the age of six.  I was surrendered by my owners to a shelter in Maryland in 2000. The reason given was that the family no longer had time for me.  The volunteers at Operation Scarlet were very kind to me and I began to feel loved again.  A loving family is what we Shar-Pei need to make us happy and content.  We love our families and remain loyal and devoted our entire life.  I was a very lucky dog because one of the O.S. representatives met me and liked me right away.  It was not long before I was traveling to her home in Maryland.  I am going to have my new mom, Vicki Petrisko, tell you the rest of the story. 

We call him Shong the Bear. He loves snuggling, smoochies, walks, going for car rides, and food—any food: fruits, vegetables (even cucumber), but not celery. Shong is a guy with many jobs. He is in charge of everything that goes on in the house. He thinks he’s a doctor—he checks all the other dogs and lets me know when anyone has funny-smelling ears. Everything in the house belongs to Shong, even the birdseed in the backyard belongs to Shong. One of his most important jobs is making sure that the crows don’t use the birdbath and the squirrels don’t eat the birdseed. He does his Ferdinand the Bull imitation, sitting under the tree and smelling the air, but actually I think he’s hiding from the squirrels and crows. And when they least expect it, he comes barreling out from under the tree and makes the yard safe again. No varmints. Shong’s hobbies are cooking, helping out around the house, gardening, and doing handyman jobs that involve tools. He loves to hammer things (especially the nails on the deck) and he really gets excited over electric screwdrivers and power tools—the noisier the better. We just have to watch that he doesn’t get too involved and get his nose hammered or sanded. He’s a wonderful guy, we love him, and we’re happy he decided to share his life with us.

- Vicki Petrisko
 

I would just like to add that I love my new home very much and my mom, Vicki, has made me one very happy dog.  Thank you O.S. for saving me and finding a wonderful home for me to live out my years.  I know that I have found my "forever" home!

October Pei-Mate of the Month

SASHA BOBIN

My name is Sasha.  I am a cream colored horsecoat Shar-Pei.  I have a pink nose and lots of wrinkles on my face.  I think I am pretty cute!  I have some big scars, but I don't notice them anymore.  My tail doesn't work right, but I can still wag it pretty good!

Something terrible happened to me in 1998 that changed my life.  One day I found myself on a big interstate highway in Atlanta, Georgia.  Before I could get out of the way, a car hit me, hurting me very badly.  A sweet lady named Pat was on her way to work and stopped her car to help me.  I kissed her hand.  She scooped me up and took me to her own veterinarian.  The vet said if I hadn't gotten help right away, I would have died.  Both of my hips were broken and I was bleeding.  I don't remember much, but I had at least two operations.

The people taking care of me were very sweet, but after I started to get better, I wanted to go home.  Nobody knew where my home was, and I couldn't tell them.  Nobody claimed me.  I was very sad.

Then a wonderful thing happened.  There were people who wanted me - a lot of great people who especially love Shar-Pei and help those homeless and hurt like me.  I was put on a plane (it was very scary!) and brought to Operation Scarlet in Lancaster, PA.  A nice lady named Dawn met me at the door and gave me a big hug.  Another nice lady took me home to her house so I could get stronger and walk better.  I was still kind of wobbly on my feet.

I had to have another operation on my back leg, but I knew that it would turn out okay.  My new mom helped me do my exercises, and I was very determined to get well.  Besides, I had a home of my own now, and two other Shar-Pei to keep me company along with my special person - my mom!

We had some bumps along the way.  I had to show my two other companion Shar-Pei, Astro and Simon, who was boss around the house.  They need a lot of direction and I am just the one to give it to them.  We get along really well now.  Astro and I play a lot!

My mom says I'm stubborn and determined, but that's a good thing because it's helped me get well.  I do all kinds of things now that nobody thought I would be able to do again.  I run and jump and play.  I love to chew on nylabones.  I would chase the rabbits in the backyard, too, but Mom won't let me!

I am a little shy with people I don't know, but love to give kisses when I get to know them better.  My mom even lets me sleep in bed with her.  I am a proud graduate of obedience class and can sit and stay with the best of them (when I want to).  I try to be very good most of the time.

I am just so happy everything turned out the way it did.

Here I am with my new mom, Jan Bobin.  Thanks to her and Operation Scarlet, I just love my new life! 

November Pei - Mate of  the Month

Miles Dunkle

Hello.  My name is Miles.  I was rescued by Operation Scarlet in March 1999 and I came from Delaware.  My owner brought me to the rescue because she was going through a separation and could not keep me.  I was very sad by that fact because I really enjoyed my life with her.  She was a hair stylist and I went to her salon and had a fun time greeting all her clients.  My life went from sad to very happy again when a very nice member of Operation Scarlet met me and said that she wanted to adopt me.  I am now a  very happy boy again not only because I am with a very nice person who gives me really good care, but also because I live above Operation Scarlet's headquarters and I get to greet the members when they are working at the rescue.  My mom, Kate Dunkle, is going to tell the rest of the story.  Thank you to all at O.S. for giving me a second chance at life!!!

I first saw Miles at Operation Scarlet when I started helping Dawn to do paperwork in the office. Miles was 4 years old at the time and a beautiful dog with a great personality. He was very friendly and loved people. At the time I knew I could not adopt a Shar-Pei because I was still living at home with my parents and they already had 3 Shar-Pei. Two months later I moved into an apartment. Every day that I went to Operation Scarlet I was afraid that Miles would be chosen. Fate must have been on my side because no one ever chose Miles. One day the rescue was full and Dawn received an e-mail about a Pei in a shelter. I volunteered to "foster" Miles so she could take in this other Shar-Pei. So Miles came home with me to be "fostered".
The first day that I took Miles home he wasn't in the apartment 1/2 hour and he had already gotten into a trash can. I learned pretty quickly that I had to Shar-Pei proof my apartment. Miles slept in his crate for about 3 days and then he started to sleep on my bed. Although I was just "fostering" Miles, I never suggested showing him to prospective adopters. After about 2 months Dawn asked me if I was planning to adopt Miles and of course I said "Yes".
Miles is definitely the couch potato, and has his chosen spot on the sofa. Miles loves his walks and to go visit "Grandma" and take a walk with her Shar-Pei. Miles loves to go camping with us, lying in the sun and taking walks around the campground. Miles is a very laid back dog and seems to take everything in stride. He had to learn to get along with my sister's cats when she moved in with me. Miles thought it was great fun to chase them so he had to be kept on a leash. After about a month of "Leave it" exercises, he was sleeping with the cats. He also has accepted my boyfriend's Shih Tzu without any problems.
It has been 3 years since Miles has become a member of the family. He still has his spot on the sofa and at the end of the bed and begs for treats and to go out for his walks. Miles can often be seen sitting at the front window on a bench put there specifically so he can look out the window and watch what's going on outside and watches for me to pull up in my car. By the time I get in the door, Miles is waiting at the top of the steps to greet me with whichever stuffed animal is nearby and does his "happy dance"; the one where his tail wags so fast that the butt wiggles and he does play bows and runs around the room like a maniac because he is excited to see me.
When I look at Miles I can't understand how so many people walked through the rescue and never gave a thought to adopting him. He has been a wonderful companion to me and brought a lot of joy and laughter into my life. I guess Dawn is right when she says that the Shar-Pei will pick its person. Miles must have picked me and was just waiting for me to take him home and love him and spoil him and give him his forever home. And that is exactly what I have done. Thanks Dawn for taking in this wonderful boy and keeping him safe until he could come home with me.
-Kate Dunkle

December Pei - Mate of  the Month

Clyde Hewes

Hi! My name is Clyde. I was rescued by Operation Scarlet in 1993. I along with a female Shar-Pei were picked up as strays hence we got the names Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie presented the rescue with five beautiful puppies only several weeks after she and I arrived at O.S. Bonnie is still doing fine and is living in North Dakota. I was about two years old when I was rescued and was full of vim and vigor. I was raring to go and in search of a home with kids to play with. Well, luck was with me because a really great family met me and immediately offered me a forever home. There is lots more to tell but first here is a picture of me. I am affectionately referred to as Mr. Clyde.

The Hewes family adopted me in 1993. When they came to Operation Scarlet to look for a dog to adopt, they had a tall skinny boy named Tom who I liked immediately. I jumped on him and knocked him down. He got a kick out of that and so did the rest of the family, so they thought they would take me home to live with them.

Life was good! I guarded the house and played with the kids. I did not need to search for food and water anymore. I was served regular meals that were really yummy.

Sometimes when strangers came into our yard, I got a little over protective resulting in broken windows when I could not stop in time. Also my mom was not too happy with me when I shredded all her family room curtains - we now have wooden shutters.

On my first Halloween, Dad got two pizzas for dinner. One was mushroom, the other was pepperoni. He stacked them on the kitchen table with something on top to weigh them down so I could no open the lid. While the entire family was outside, I helped myself to an entire pepperoni pizza by opening up the side of the box and sliding it out. The best part was that Mom blamed Dad for eating the pizza! When they realized it was me, they just laughed and hugged me. After all that, they never once thought about bringing me back. Boy, was I lucky to have such a great loving family!

I did attend and complete obedience training and became a better behaved dog. My family was quite happy about that. As you can tell by this picture, my boy Tom and I have grown older. I still love to take walks, only they are at a slower pace. Mom takes me on lots of car rides and I really enjoy watching for cows and horses. I even talk to them when we drive past them.

I recently got a new little Shar-Pei sister named Ashley. At first we did not get along too good, but it is getting better now. I just let her think she is top dog, but I really know better.

I just want to say thanks to my good friends at Operation Scarlet and especially Dawn for giving me the chance to know what real love is. I have a very special family and I love them a lot.

YES, LIFE IS GOOD.