❤️🐾❤️HAPPY TAILS FOR TONKA, AS HE HAS MADE HIS WAY TO HIS RETIREMENT HOME!❤️🐾❤️
Chunka-hunka Tonka is so adorable! He has short legs and a stocky body that is oh so cute! We call him the baby hippo! He’s a senior at about 8-9 years old, and weighs in at a hefty 100 pounds. Tonka is an “underdog,” in that he is mostly deaf and partially blind. But that sure doesn’t stop him! He loves to play with oversized Jolly Balls and run around in the fenced-in yard. He’s doing super well with his training and is a fast learner! Tonka would do best in a home with no children, since he can startle easily because of his diminished sight. He’d love to be a couch potato on YOUR couch!
02/04/2022 Our hugest love bug is getting adopted this week! WOO HOO! We are all so happy for him. So many times people tell me how Tonka has changed their perception of PitBulls–everyone has truly fallen in love with him, because Tonka is full of nothing but LOVE. He has become an ambassador for the breed. I am really going miss this big guy, as he has become one of my best friends.
01/28/2022 Tonka is doing great! He went to see the vet this week for a check-up. He got his shots, blood work, and an exam, and everything was fine. He was great at the vet’s office–everyone loved him. He did super in the car ride over to the vet’s office and back to the prison, too. He’s just an all-around great dog! Tonka is doing very well with all his obedience training. He loves to chase the soccer ball, then he’s down for a nice snooze. My kind of dog!
01/21/2022 Tonka is an amazing dog with a wonderful soul. He enjoys Kongs, toy tires, long naps, snacks, kisses, kisses, AND kisses! He isn’t food or dog aggressive. He has mastered all of his commands. He might be a senior, but he still likes to play chase and catch the ball. He doesn’t miss a beat! The only thing that Tonka is missing is a home to call his own. He is a big boy with an even bigger heart. There has to be someone out there willing to open their heart and home to this A-DOR-A-BULL !
01/14/2022 COME ON PEOPLE! We need to come together and find Tonka his forever home! He is a great dog and more than ready to be paroled! He loves to be around people, play with his toys, and even likes the girl dogs! He might not hear or see as well as he used to, but that doesn’t hold him back. He follows his handlers everywhere, sits, waits, lays down, gives high five, and walks great on a leash. He is a cuddle bug and will lick your face right off with kisses. Tonka really needs a forever home to love him as much as he will love you right back. Don’t miss out–adopt this one-of-a-kind senior hunk!
01/07/2022 This week was a little hard on Tonka because of Diamond leaving. We’re happy she’s in her foster-to-adopt home, but I think he misses his best friend. She was the first to play with him and not act like she wanted to eat him. So I’m hoping that Nova, or one of the next dogs will have a soft spot for a grey spotted picky piglet like Tonka.
This week Tonka earned 2 gold stars for letting people pet him, even if they didn’t have food! He also wasn’t such a tornado for food this week, so one more gold star for that! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
12/29/2021 This holiday week and weekend had been a little different for Tonka. I don’t know if this was his first holiday with someone so personally in awhile, butI can see that he was a little more anxious. It’s wild however our pet family knows that the it’s the holidays and that it means something to each of us. Even thoughI can’t be with the ones that I love, I’m giving love to this Mack Truck. He’s become my family, and a very loved one at that! And one day, I hope someone gets to experience this amazing personality and love that Tonka has to offer because its truly amazing that moment you realize that this guy LOVES you.
This week I think Tonka may get a gold star for just looking this good without having to go to the gym. Although, he is one of those guys that just works his upper body and ends up with toothpick legs! LOL
He’s still working on being able to relax around the other dogs but he can be chill and eat some cookies when they’re around now. That’s progress!
12/22/2021 This week I wanted Tonka to focus on getting him up in the mornings. Before, it was a lot easier because he didn’t like the harness so he would get up, find the harness and play keep away. Now, with his new collar he will life his 200 lbs head to put it on, but will go right back to sleep! Treats don’t work a lot of the time because he will just lay there with his mouth open like the hippo he is and expect me to put the treat right in his mouth!!! The only energy he will exert is the energy it takes to chew the treat! Then he lets out a big sign when I stop. So, it took some time to figure out but I did it…a full body rub down will get this guy out of bed in the morning! He LOVES it! Nothing like a full body massage to get you moving in the morning! He lives giving morning breath kisses too. Then he’ll fun over to the door like, “FINE! I’m only doing this because I want to get up, not because you asked me to!” Dude just has an amazing personality!
Tonka is getting ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for how well he’s doing with the dogs in the program. He’s getting more and more relaxed around the newbies and can even ignore them! He is curious about the other dogs but he’s not great at communicating with them…yet.
12/14/2021 Is your pooch giving you the ole run around about putting on a leash? Do you have a bucking bronco, or maybe a stubborn sally? Well, do I have the perfect product for you…Introducing the WALK-A-TOY! What’s a Walk-A-Toy you ask? It’s a state of the art leash, made here in Pennsylvania, that clips to your dog’s favorite toy and off you go! Within seconds your favorite family friend will be on your heels, tail wagging like a leaf in a wind storm! Call or visit now and we will even throw in this ADORABLE HUNKA TONKA! He loves kisses, loooooooong naps, throw in a treat and you will be sure to get a LOVELY glob of love in thanks, as an added bonus! This big guy also comes with a lifetime worth of training too!
Tonka received more ⭐️s this week for being a good sport when some little pup, not going to drop any names, startled him and instead of getting upset, he walked it off with his chest out and his head up high. He stays classy! Oh, and he earned another ⭐️ for eating all of his food every day, because he’s a picky boy too!
We are still working on him being okay with knowing that every dog isn’t out to get him, which is tough when you’re partially deaf and blind. He gets a little cautious around other dogs and they may not understand that he may not be ready just yet. Give him some time and he will warm up eventually. Tonka’s handler takes him around the other dogs, at a safe distance, and when its nice and calm, and he’s doing very well! Tonka can be dog-selective, and seems to prefer calmer dogs in his social circle.
12/10/2021 Eventhough this Construction Truck of a pup has retired he still has a few tricks up his leash! I wake the ole “Stinkasauris Rex” to take him out in the morning andI can’t seem to find his harness. Keep in mind, some mornings its like putting socks on a chicken when it comes to getting him into it, but after a good 5 minutes of looking for that harness, something tells me to just get him up and the universe will direct me to it. Well, what do you know! As soon as I finish folding his blankets, guess what I find…his harness all nice and tucked away under the blankets! Like that first time a kid plays hide and seen and hides behind the smallest plant in the house! So now, we play hide and seek, just keeping that harness out of his reach.
Tonka received ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for how well he has been around the other dogs this week. He still keeps a wisened eye on them, but he doesn’t seem to mind the company. He can been a little cautious and trying to watch his back when other dogs are around and that can consume him if he feels unsure of the situation. There isn’t anything wrong with that, its just something we work on with him, giving him distance so he’s comfortable around them and giving him other things to do or work on when they’re around.
12/02/2021 Tonka’s handler says, “I’ve played in the sand box and had a lot of toys growing up, but Tonka by far is my favorite!” Step right up and pucker up, for just one treat, you can have a kiss…or a few! This big baby has so much love to give, he should have a page on Match.com! With a name like Tonka, and his silver chubby cheeks, you know you’ll swipe right because he’ll work hard for your love!
Tonka also played with his new friend, Diamond this week. They were both on leash, and through a fence, but it was amazing to see! For such a big dude, he makes these high pitched screeches to get her attention and its adorable!
His size and looks can be misleading, but all he really wants is a chance to show how big his heart is. Humans and dogs are quick to judge from looks and we want to show Tonka that he doesn’t have to be on guard with every dog. So we will continue to work on building his confidence with new people and dogs. Diamond will really help bring him out of his shell.”
