Size
(when grown) -
Details
Good with dogs,
Story
Meet Rhode 💙
Rhode is one of the beagles recently welcomed into Ruff Start Rescue from Ridglan Farms, and this sweet girl is truly the bravest little peanut. Every tiny win, every curious sniff, every wiggly butt greeting feels like the biggest celebration.
Because of the first six years of her life, Rhode currently finds the majority of her confidence in fellow canine companions. She looks to other dogs for comfort, guidance, and reassurance as she learns how to “dog.” The world is still incredibly new to her. Stairs are something we are continuing to work through, dog beds are still more something she lays beside than on, and toys have not been discovered yet, nor what snuggles are.
Despite everything she has been through, Rhode continues to show incredible resilience. She has picked up on potty training wonderfully, though she sometimes needs extra patience and time outside to feel safe enough to go to the bathroom. Once she settles in, she absolutely loves exploring outdoors with her nose. Right now, her crate is her comfort space and where she chooses to nap or retreat if startled.
In the last few days, Rhode has started showing us more and more of her personality. We have officially heard her beagle voice, she gives happy little tail wags when greeting us, and she has even attempted a few tiny zoomies with our resident dog. She absolutely adores other dogs and would do best in a home with a confident canine companion who can continue helping show her the world.
Dogs who have experienced trauma as significant as Rhode do not heal in a straight line. Success comes through consistency, patience, flexibility, and compassion. Rhode needs people who are willing to meet her exactly where she is at, celebrate the little wins, and gently guide her forward without pressure.
Rhode should absolutely be considered a flight risk. The world is still overwhelming and unfamiliar to her, and she startles very easily. Because of this, a securely fenced yard and/or the ability to keep her securely leashed and supervised outdoors at all times is required. Loud noises and sudden movements can be very scary for her. For example, cardboard falling onto our hardwood floor startled her so badly that she scrambled trying to get her feet underneath her fast enough to run away.
Everyday things most dogs take for granted — couches, affection, household routines, walks, toys, and simply existing safely in a home — are completely new experiences for Rhode. Our foster home is the very first safe space she has ever known, and she has only been here a little over a week.
Rhode is one of the 1,500 beagles recently released from Ridglan Farms, a commercial breeding and research facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin that became the center of a major national animal welfare case. For six years, Rhode lived inside a cage in a windowless warehouse as a breeding dog, producing litter after litter of puppies sold to research laboratories. She had never experienced grass beneath her feet, a couch, a home, or kindness simply for existing.
We want to be fully transparent about Rhode’s needs because adopting a Ridglan beagle is genuinely different than adopting a typical rescue dog. These dogs have never lived in homes. They have never experienced television sounds, household routines, leash walks, stairs, or normal daily life. Experts working with Ridglan beagles recommend a “6-6-6” decompression timeline: six days to decompress, six weeks to learn routine, and six months to truly begin feeling secure. Rhode’s adopter must understand and embrace that process with patience and compassion from day one.
A confident resident dog is non-negotiable for Rhode’s forever home. She relies heavily on canine companionship for reassurance and stability while she learns how to navigate the world around her.
Rhode’s home will need to be calm, understanding, patient, and committed to helping her continue building confidence slowly and safely. Experience with fearful or trauma-background dogs would be incredibly beneficial. She is not a plug-and-play dog, and she is not a “project.” She is a six-year-old girl who spent her entire life giving while receiving very little in return. She deserves a home that truly understands what that means.
Watching Rhode discover comfort, trust, safety, and joy for the very first time is something incredibly special. The person willing to take this journey with her will get to witness a truly beautiful transformation unfold over time.
If you think you may be the right fit for Rhode, please submit an application to learn more and possibly meet her.
Rhode was meaningfully named after Rhode, a certified cruelty-free company whose values reflect the kind of future we wish every beagle like Rhode could have always known. Companies that are cruelty-free prove there are other ways forward, ones rooted in compassion rather than suffering.
