The Canine Caviar newsletter was honored to speak to Furby, a ten year old Chihuahua who was saved from life in a puppy mill as a stud dog earlier this year.
How much of life in a puppy mill do you remember? Can you share some of your experiences? What were conditions like?
Iz do remember my wwife in the mill. It was a terrible, terrible pwace. Iz was born and kept in a puppy mill for ten years, up until this year. My cage was too smawl for me and my back is hunched because Iz did not have enough space to gwow correctly. They considered us livestock, not pets or famiwy members, and so Iz did not have any sort of temperature control. They awso only fed us enough to keep us awive, and our water came out of a rabbit water feeder that only gave a few drops of water at a time. Iz had so wittle water that the natural bactweria in my mouth didn’t get fwushed away and my teeth and lower jaw rotted aways.
Do you know how many puppies you might have fathered?
Iz was kept in a cramped cage with a bunch of female dogs and Iz had to make sure that they were awwl pregnant. Iz don’t know for sure, but my rescuers said it could have been over 1,000 puppies that were sold in pet stores dat were my babies! Datz a wot of babies!
How did you discover Canine Caviar? What is your favorite flavor? With such a calorie dense food, how much do you eat a day? 
Momma discovered Canine Caviar holistic dog food before she found me. She researched how some dog foods are pwacessed and was shocked at the fillers that werz in supposedly “healthy” dog food. She wikes Canine Caviar because they are upfront about their prowcessing and ingredientses. I personawwy wike the Wilderness formula the best. Because Iz don’t have any teeth or a lower jaw my Momma has to gwind up my food in the food processor, add water and feed me by hand. Iz so tiny Iz eat just a teeny tiny wittle bit…1/3 of a cup of food a day. Iz WUV, WUV, WUV my Canine Caviar!! My tail starts going so WERY WERY fast when Iz hear Momma open dat bag!!!!
How did the National Mill Dog rescue find you?
The operwator of my puppy milw didn’t need me any more so they had an agweement with National Mill Dog Rescue. They found me my fore-ewer home with Momma. Some puppy mill owners just euthanize their dogs when theyz are no wonger needed, so I was wery wery lucky.
What was it like meeting your forever family? Were you afraid of people at first?
Iz was handled wery roughwly at the puppy mill. Iz did not wook foward to the humans touching me. After the National Mill Dog Rescue saved me Iz was giwen compwete veterinary care. At first Iz was terrified when people picked me up and Iz would screech and screech in fear. But the people were so nice to me and for the first time people were loving to me, and Iz learned that being cuddled was enjoyable. Not awl former puppy mill dogs ever wearn about the joy of cuddelwing.
What is your favorite thing to do now that you have a forever home? 
Well, myz most faworite ting to do iz to snuggle on the couch in a piwle of bwankets. I didn’t have anything nearly wike a sofa or bwankets at the mill, just a teeny tiny cage. Bwankets are wonderful things! Iz have three siblings who Iz wuv, too. There’s Daisy, a 3 year old Chihuahua who Momma rescued from Lost Dogs and Cats of Northern Virginia, Cheez-It, a 4 year old Chihauhua rescued from National Mill Dog Rescue, and Coco a 2 year old miniature pinscher awlso rescued from the National Puppy Mill Dog Rescue. Right now wez have a foster sister, Socks. She’s a 2 year old terrier, also from the National Puppy Mill Dog Rescue, and she’s staying with us untiw she finds her forever home.
How can humans help other puppy mill dogs?
If youz cannot see in person the puppy’s parents and wiving conditions, then stay away! In our book, it iz better to adopt than shop. Therez are so many wonderful rescue and shelter dogs who long for a family to wuv up on! Do not think former puppy mill dogs are broken. They more than wikely will require some extra patience and understanding, but wuving up on them and giwing them a chance at a real wwife – a wwife beyond a cage – will give make your heart swell with joy! And make sure you educates de other humans about the awful realities of puppy mills. A lot of people just don’t knowz what the living conditions are like back at the mill. Don’t be silent!
What would you recommend to a human who is looking for a dog to bring into their home, based on your experiences at the puppy mill? 
- If youz cannot see in person the puppy’s parents and living conditions, then stay away! Visit your local rescue, instead.
- Ask yoursewf whyz you want a dog in your home. Make sure your bwinging a dog into your home is not an impulsive or seasonal decision. All members of your familwy should be in agweement.
- Remember that no dog is pewfect and a perwson should not tryz to make a dog into one. Wez all come with baggage and dogs are no exception.
- Dogs have feelwings…A wot of wove and patience goes a wong, wong way!
So is it safe to say you are happy in your forever home?
A few months after Momma adopted me Iz opened my heart to her and gave her kisses!! Iz had never felt wuv like this and Iz knew Iz could trust her that she wuved me back. So yes, Iz extremely happy with my forever home!
Follow Furby on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FurbyFriends