Life is very amazing. Who would think that having a little blog would change your life in so many ways you didn’t expect. This is Astro. He is a three-year-old guy who so far has lived his life in a puppy mill in Pennsylvania. But his puppy mill got shut down, and he made his way to Denise, who does miniature schnauzer rescue. I met Denise on the blog, I don’t even remember how. Now, Astro will be coming to my house. I went to see Denise on Thursday to meet my little guy and affirm the match. He is very shy, but very, very sweet. Denise is not shy and very, very funny and wonderful. Her blog: On the Verge of Snapping. We had a great time — as if we had been best friends in high school and were re-connecting years later. Of course, we also took some time to go vintage-shopping. I’ll report more on that tomorrow. Meanwhile, meet Astro. I’ll pick him up at Denise’s on Jan. 25 to bring him to his forever home. 
Welcome, Astro
Posted by: • January 16, 2010
Carpet runner for the oak stairs — and Astro 
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I swear you are going to have so much fun with this little guy! We have 3 miniature schnauzers and hope to add a fourth some day. They are so much fun! I could go on and on about how wonderful this breed is, but you’ll find out soon enough. Congratulations!
What a lucky little guy. Looks like he’s nodding his head “Yes, Yes, Yes……bring me home!”. He’ll be a good Retro Mascot!!
Pam, I’d just like to clarify, just in case, the information I had received was that PA laws have changed and certain puppy mills were shut down, and Astro’s was one of them. I did not research to see if this information was true, and don’t want to mislead anyone…but raids are done on a regular basis and this could have been one. If I gather more information on the subject, I will give you an update.
On the Astro note: He is in my office with me, giving me the soft brown eyes of love…I’ve decided to let him out of his crate (with belly band) to see how he does. He has a lot of energy to burn and I feel maybe it’s time to start trusting that he can have house manners. So far, so good, except he still has the ‘Lucy drive.’ So, Lucy is crated while he is out.
He is such a cutie boy, I love hugging and petting him!
Kudos on the rescue. You wouldn’t think so put PA Amish Country (not the Amish themselves) is actually one of the worst places in the country for puppymills.
Im pretty sure that part of my heart just melted. Adorable.
Thanks, Denise, I edited the post. We are all SO EXCITED we cannot stand it.
Ooooo what a cutie pie!!! Congratulations, I can’t wait for you till he’s home with you! Especially with what he’s been through! Poor baby. I love the name Astro, perfect!
It’s the best thing to adopt a puppy or (two) kitties in my case!
My one kitten was born on the street, she was sooo scared, but has come a long way and is doing great, I can’t imagine not having her and our other kitty, both adopted at the same time from the shelter, and they get along so well. I had to crate her for 2 weeks, they recommended it, just because she would’ve just hid and never came out, but it worked well and she got used to us and everything and wanted out all the time even sooner than we thought.
Congrats again!
Actually, I live in Lancaster County PA (Amish country) and the PA kennel laws have been changed which made it harder and more expensive for people to continue to operate their kennels. Kennels are closing their doors and taking their dogs to local shelters, who in return are having free adoptions because of the high numbers of dogs they need to place.
I will also have to disagree with you Joe…Amish do own kennels. Like any other culture of people, some treat their animals really well and some Amish don’t. Some of the worst kennels are/were owned by Amish and Mennonite. They consider them to be animals after all, not house pets and members of the family…. just a way to make a profit.
You did a really good thing for that little guy Pam!
~MaryDeluxe
Welcome, Astro! What a cute little guy. In that photo he looks hardly bigger than a minute.
P’raps a special on midcentury dog-themed items is in the offing? There’s *tons.* I have to sit on my hands sometimes to keep from picking up all the lovely wiener dogs!
It’s wonderful to hear about another forever home for a deserving little guy! Kudos, Pam, for getting a rescue dog. With the exposure of your blog, this message will hopefully reach more people who don’t know about that very best option.
Have fun with Astro! He looks up to the challenge of living with the goddess of retro renovation!
Denise is the one who deserves all the kudos — she does the rescue and all the real work involved. She is one of my new heroes!
Congratulations on your new sweet one! Oh, he’s cute!
And big thanks to Denise for what she does. Happy endings are the best. Rescue animals seem to have an extra degree of happy once they have forever homes, if you ask me.
Congrats!!!! Enjoy your new friend.
Hi Pam,
Thank goodness for wonderful people like Denise and the folks who go in and save these beautiful animals that are in harms way. Best wishes on your new addition to your family. We, like you, have rescued and now have three different rescue dogs (Ginger, and Freddy [Rodgers and Aistaire] and our newest Koko). We also have Hana lei, the last two dogs are named after Hawaiian locations I am fond of. We also have two cats, mom and sister that acquired us (Mouse and Freckles). We have a full and loving home and would love to bring another dog into the family that we could raise that would eventually be a helper to a person in need. Let’s just say we are trying to give our girls a life were we help others in need, human or animal.
I love your blog and read it everyday for the last six months. My husband and I are working on a delicate renovation of his families late 1950 house. His mom passed away five years ago and his father is in assisted living with Alzheimers. The house has seafoam green and black tile and speckled green and gold vinyl in the main bath, a bronze color tile in the master half bath, brown tile and original appliances and knotty pine cabinets and paneling in the kitchen and dining room and a significant amount of original light fixtures, furniture and farm implements in the basement. Oh, and under the carpet is beautiful hardwood floors. I do not have a blog as of yet, but am taking pictures of our process to renovate and clean up the house. I just don’t know how to start a blog, but will be looking into it soon.
Thank you for all of your information and research and your connections will like minded people to preserve our past, one piece, tile, cabinet or home.
Aloha, Teresa
Congratulations! I am the proud owner of a used shih-tzu. You are in for a lot of joy!
Oh, I am so happy that you’re taking Astro! All of our furkids (Rotties and Shelties) have been rescues and you’ll never find sweeter, more loviing dogs! It’s almost as if they know you are bringing them to a loving home and they are so grateful!
Denise, you are an angel! God bless you!
Hello, Astro! *waves* Isn’t he a darling?! Looking forward to more pics of this handsome fellow. I’m sure he’s going to be a very special member of your family.
Pam,
SO happy for you and for Astro! When I read your Welcome, Astro story—with one eye on his adorable picture—I at first thought the second sentence said “Who would think that having a little DOG would change your life in so many ways…”
Well, it will—-for the wonderful! My mom had a Mini Schnauzer (Hilda) whom I remember very fondly, and I have four little dogs (careful…they’re like potato chips, hard to just have one!). Can’t imagine life without them.
Astro is one lucky boy to be going to his forever home!
What a little doll doggie! For sure he will be keeping you very busy. Those little guys love to play.
This makes me very happy!
He’s precious! And Astro, what a name! Love it!
Well done, Denise! And congrats, Pam! He’s going to be a sweet little companion.
Aw, that makes me so happy I’m crying. Thanks for giving him a good home. He looks so sweet.
Congratulations on your adoption! I’m sure that grateful pup will give you more love than you can imagine!!
Kelly, I agree and when I talk to the new owners after a couple weeks, they confirm it and I think the humans have an extra bit of happy, too.
MaryDeluxe, thank you for your information on the Amish, I definitely would have set that thought straight. You are right, they do not regard them as little souls as many do, they are a commodity.
Andrea! thanks for the name idea of Hilda, I love it! and if another female comes in at sometime without a name and Hilda fits, she’s definitely getting it!
Thank you everyone for the appreciation of what I am doing with these dogs. I do but a pinch of what others in rescue service do.
ps: if I didn’t like Pam so much I might just keep Astro myself! — he’s a love! when he sits in your lap he melts into your body and looks up at you so adoringly…makes me just want to cuddle with him all day.
OH! Lucky Astro! I grew up with miniature schnauzers. We always had two at a time. They are such a sweet breed of dog. Stinkin’ cute too.
xo, suzy
Denise, you underestimate what you do, anyone who gives animals a home,love and rescue from such horrible lives is very appreciated no matter how big or small they are. And Pam too for adopting sweet Astro.
Oh, congrats! Enjoy the new family member, hope we get to see more of him.
You are going to love Astro (Love the name). I have a Schnoodle who is more
Schauzer than Poodle. I say she has personality plus. Never had a dog with so much spunk. She too was from a puppy mill. I also have two resuced Shih-tzus. I can’t wait to see more pictures.