Gracie's Dog Haven

11/01/2026

"What's Really Going On Back There" (Bathroom Habits)

Let's talk about p**p. Yes, really. This is a major challenge for a large number of pet parents.

Nobody signs up to be a pet parent thinking they'll become a p**p detective. And yet — here we are.

Changes in bathroom habits are one of the most useful (and most avoided) signs pet parents can track. Softer stool than usual. Straining. Going more or less often. Any sign of blood, even a little. Color changes.

I know it's not glamorous to talk about. But your pet's digestive health tells a story, and it's often one of the first places chronic issues show up.

My advice: don't just glance and move on. A quick daily check takes five seconds and gives you real information.

This is one of my favorite topics to coach pet parents through, because it's so easy to miss and so powerful to catch early.

Be honest — do you actually check, or just clean and go? Let's normalize checking.

11/01/2026

Happy Halloween! The senior pups celebrated by going to their own maze!

10/31/2026

"The Couch Potato Days" (Low Energy / Lethargy)

Your pet turning down a walk isn't "just being lazy."

There's a difference between a lazy Sunday and a pattern of low energy — and as pet parents, we owe it to our dogs and cats to know the difference.

Maybe your usually-zoomies dog didn't ask for a walk today. Maybe your cat skipped their favorite windowsill nap spot and just... stayed curled up instead. It's easy to write it off. "They're just tired." "Maybe it's the weather."

But energy changes are one of the clearest ways our pets tell us something feels different in their body.

My rule of thumb: one low-energy day, keep an eye on it. Three or more in a row, or paired with any other change — that's a vet conversation.

I built Pet Health Pathways to Wellness because pet parents deserve to feel confident reading these signs, not anxious guessing at them.

Has your pet ever had an "off" stretch that turned out to matter? Share below. Reach out if you'd like to talk.
https://vist.ly/5qtb7

10/30/2026

Welcome to the pumpkin patch. Population: six very tired pumpkins.

They were told there would be treats. They were told there would be costumes. Nobody said anything about staying upright.

We’re ready for Halloween (some of us are horizontally ready), and here’s what we’re keeping in mind to keep our fur babies safe:

1. Candy stays out of reach. Chocolate and xylitol (a sugar-free sweetener) are big no-no, and wrappers aren’t snacks!
2. Costume comfort first. If they can’t move, see, or breathe easily, it’s okay to call it a night. (Our pumpkins have chosen to nap in theirs. Review pending.)
3. Doorbell chaos is real. Give them a cozy, quiet space away from the door.
4. Pumpkins and candles stay up high. Wagging tails and flames don’t mix.
5. Check the ID tags and microchip info. Just in case someone makes a run for it.

The only scary thing this Halloween should be the decorations.

If your pet gets into something they shouldn’t, call your vet or a pet poison hotline right away.

Happy Halloween from our patch to yours!

For more simple ways to keep your pet thriving: https://vist.ly/5qncn

10/29/2026

Great program for pilots to keep doing what they're doing for us in rescue

Please Wait... This question is required.* Let your voice be heard - Shelters should NOT euthanize perfectly healthy pets. Enter email to sign* Sorry! Answer to this question is required. This question is required.* Do you believe shelters should transport pets to areas of the country with higher ad...

10/28/2026

10/28/2026

Update 10/29: rescued

🚨ECLIPSE & 6 PUPPIES SCHEDULED FOR EUTHANASIA 10/29 AT 1PM-EXTENDED FROM 10/28!🚨

PLEASE SHARE EVERYWHERE!

Eclipse & her 6 puppies need a rescue hold by 1PM CDT 10/28 or they’ll be euthanized. NO extensions. They need a local foster & pledges for a rescue to save their lives. They’re rescue only.

💔 Eclipse came into BARC as a stray on October 19th. Now, just days later, this beautiful German Shepherd mix is facing euthanasia with six 5 week old puppies who need a chance to grow up safely.

🩷 Eclipse may need a little time to warm up, but volunteers have seen her gentle side. She loves people once she feels comfortable, takes treats softly, & was easy to leash during her time at the shelter. Staff documented that she walked calmly on a loose leash, and when a volunteer took her out, she wanted to get back to her babies. She also allowed the volunteer to interact with the puppies. She deserves a quiet, secure place where she can feel safe and settle in.

💔 Eclipse arrived underweight, with a recorded body condition score of 3.5/9. She has also tested low positive for heartworms, so she’ll need veterinary follow-up and a treatment plan. Despite these challenges, she has shown that she can cooperate with handling and approach people calmly once she feels comfortable.

Her six puppies are only FIVE WEEKS OLD. They need a safe environment, appropriate care as they grow, & a rescue & foster prepared to support the entire family.

———

Eclipse
• German Shepherd mix, black, female, 3 years, 46.6 lbs
• Stray-field 10/19/26
• Heartworm low positive
• Underweight, body condition score 3.5/9

Six 5-week-old puppies

Aurora , Stella , Star , Comet , Mars , & Cosmo

📧 ALL HOLDS MUST BE IN WRITING. PLEASE DO NOT CALL. Email if you can foster or tag by rescue. Put Eclipse’s ID & the puppies’ ID s in the subject line:

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

📍BARC Animal Shelter
3200 Carr St
Houston, TX 77026

‼️The Dogs Need Our Help is a volunteer-run networking page‼️

10/28/2026

🚨 URGENT MEDICAL RESCUE NEEDED — BETTY BOOP 🚨
⏰ DUE OUT: OCTOBER 30, 2026
📍 Miami-Dade Animal Services
🆔

Betty Boop is a 60-pound female American bulldog who came into the shelter after a suspected car strike. She has fractured ribs, significant abdominal pain, and painful scrapes and road-burn wounds on her front legs. She urgently needs a rescue able to continue her veterinary care.

Despite her pain, she allowed staff to handle her. On October 27, her veterinarian reported that she was much improved and walking with a limp. But as of October 28, she still wasn’t eating and continued to need fluids and pain medication.

💔 Betty Boop has already been through so much. She needs help getting the treatment and safe place to recover that she deserves.

‼️ RESCUES: Please contact Miami-Dade Animal Services immediately and reference BETTY BOOP — A2830971.

🏡 If you can foster through a rescue, please reach out. Please share to help Betty Boop find a rescue commitment before her October 30 deadline.