Prevention is Love

When we think about caring for our dogs, we picture wagging butts, long walks, and unconditional love. But behind every healthy, happy dog is something less visible, consistent preventative care and proactive health testing.

Operation LBD rescues many Boykin Spaniels in need of care that could have easily been prevented with common preventative treatment. It is difficult to see these dogs in this condition and knowing the pain they feel when all they want to do is please us. Treating these dogs that have heart worms, flea infestations, and skin conditions can be very expensive and avoided all together with preventative care. These aren’t just routine checkboxes at the vet. They are the foundation of a dog’s long-term wellbeing, and often the deciding factor between a vibrant life and one marked by preventable suffering.

Preventative care is exactly what it sounds like: taking action before problems arise. It includes:

• Annual veterinary exams

• Vaccinations

• Flea, tick, and heartworm prevention

• Spay/neuter procedures

While these may seem routine, their impact is anything but. Preventative care protects dogs from hidden threats and allows veterinarians to catch issues early, when they are most treatable.

Dogs are masters at masking discomfort. By the time symptoms appear, a condition is often already advanced. Prevention shifts the focus from reaction to protection.

Routine testing offers a window into a dog’s internal health, often revealing issues long before they become visible.

Through simple screenings, veterinarians can detect:

• Early-stage infections

• Organ stress or dysfunction

• Internal parasites

• Blood abnormalities

• Breed-specific or genetic concerns

Early detection means more options, less invasive treatments, and significantly better outcomes. In many cases, it can save both lives and resources.

Heartworm disease is one of the most dangerous, and entirely preventable, conditions affecting dogs today. Spread through mosquito bites, heartworms grow inside a dog’s heart and lungs, often going undetected until significant damage has occurred.

Early Signs

• Mild coughing

• Fatigue after activity

• Reduced appetite

Advanced Disease

• Severe lung damage

• Heart failure

• Organ dysfunction

• Death

Even when successfully treated, heartworm disease can leave permanent scars:

• Reduced lung capacity due to scar tissue

• Ongoing heart strain

• Decreased stamina and endurance

• Increased risk of future cardiovascular issues

• Strict activity limitations during recovery

Treatment itself is intensive, costly, and physically demanding. In contrast, prevention is simple, affordable, and safe.

Skipping preventative care may seem like a short-term savings, but it often leads to:

• Emergency medical expenses

• Long-term medication needs

• Chronic health conditions

• Shortened lifespan

• Reduced quality of life

Preventative care is not an added expense; it is a protective investment in a dog’s future.

Because in the end, prevention isn’t just good medicine, it’s an act of love.

Your support is needed in any capacity you may have. Whether that is through transporting, fostering, adopting, or donations it all helps OLBD provide the Boykin Spaniels we love the support they deserve. Visit www.operationlbd.com today to sign up for adoption, volunteering, or donating.

Rewarding for All

After being introduced to the Boykin Spaniel I knew that was the breed I wanted when the time was right. After purchasing our first two Boykins from breeders, we decided to rescue after losing our first and we were introduced to Operation Little Brown Dog and our love for the breed took on a whole new meaning. We first got approved to adopt and then we got the call. We were told an adorable girl needed a home but there were some “issues” and we were encouraged to meet her first. We loaded up our current dog and met with the foster family. All seemed normal at first and after getting home, we noticed some unique behavioral characteristics and became concerned they may be health-related. After visiting our veterinarian, we were confident that she would be fine, but she would require lots of socialization with people and other dogs. She slowly warmed up to our other dog, my wife and eventually myself. During this time, we recognized there was a tremendous need to help many other Boykins, so we began volunteering to help with transporting other rescues. We then saw there was a need to foster others that popped up. Transporting and fostering allowed us to see the joy brought to others worked with, most especially the children getting their new dog. Our passion continued growing more and more which led my wife, who loves scouring social media, to begin assisting in the search for available Boykins and Boykins in need. This led her to find a breeder who couldn’t handle a slew of dogs and puppies that needed rescuing. After many conversations, we arranged 3 separate pick-ups. The first included several needing hospitalizations, the second who was ready for adoption, and the third were all puppies just weaned from their mother. This scenario quickly taught us there is a tremendous need for more volunteers and dollars to best support OLBD efforts. While transporting was difficult, vetting and finding fosters and permanent placement was more of a challenge. Thankfully with the effort of many, we were able to get 20+ Boykins in need taken care of health-wise and/or into homes. We also added one more to our clan at home during this process. My wife now assists with the auctions and I’m looking forward to helping with raising awareness and raising money at different functions.

Your support is needed in any capacity you may have. Whether that is through transporting, fostering, adopting, or donations it all helps OLBD provide the breed we love the support they deserve. Visit www.operationlbd.com today to sign up for adoption, volunteering, or donating.

All For The Love Of A Dog

Many rescue dogs come from environments with limited exposure to many experiences that most of us take for granted. Some of these dogs may have never interacted with humans or other dogs except for feeding or breeding. Once in the care of a rescuer, these dogs experience many firsts. Their first bed, toy, warm and dry home, first good meal and playtime with another dog, even the opportunity to be loved and bond with someone. Like a child’s first, these are always great experiences that lead to wonderful feelings and memories. Seeing and hearing these first is the cherry on top you get with adopting or volunteering with Operation Little Brown Dog. Seeing pictures or videos of a dog comfortably resting for the first time is heartwarming. Watching a dog learn how to interact with another dog is blissful. Seeing these dogs play for the first time is rewarding. Knowing the happiness these dogs will have for the rest of their lives is the best of all. The pictures shared with this article are just a few of the MANY that are shared with OLBD. Each picture not only represents a “first” but shows the LOVE they are now receiving and giving.

There are 4 elements to giving these dogs the LOVE they deserve. Transportation, Fostering, Adoption, and Donations are all necessary to help each of these dogs experience their “first”.

Transportation is one of the key elements to OLBD success in rescuing many of these dogs. Regardless of where the dog may be, OLBD relies on its vast network of volunteers to assist with getting possession of the dog as quickly as possible. Sometimes this includes the effort of multiple transporters to get the rescue from its current location to its Foster or its Foster to Adopt home.

Fostering is vital to our success in rescuing. Sometimes it takes time to coordinate transportation across multiple states or identify the perfect furever home and fosters are key to helping make this all work. Many may think they couldn’t foster due to fear of becoming attached, but OLBD works feverishly to find its furever home quickly. “Foster Failures” (Fosters get attached and end up adopting the rescue themselves) do happen but always end with smiles and full hearts.

OLBD’s ultimate goal is to find permanent placement for each rescue. Adoption is paramount to our success and the lives of each rescue. Each of these dogs deserves a loving home and everyone from the pack leader, Cindy Love, to each volunteer, we strive to find the best permanent home for each dog. When needed, OLBD assists with vetting to ensure each dog is healthy.

Finally, if you aren’t able to volunteer, you can always assist through monetary contributions. OLBD is 100% volunteer-based and is focused on getting things done. All funds go to rescuing our beloved Boykin Spaniels and costs quickly add up Whether it is for vetting a rescue or OLBD is 100% volunteer-based and is focused on getting things done. Its volunteers are dedicated to helping find permanent homes for each rescue it finds to ensure they live the best lives possible.

Please consider helping Operation Little Brown Dog in any capacity you may have. Go to www.operationlbd.com to complete your adoption or volunteer application or to donate. You also have an opportunity to support OLBD through its Fall Auction on November XXXXXX. This auction will include many unique and hard-to-find Boykin items. Make sure to follow us on Facebook at Operation Little Brown Dog, Inc., Dedicated to Assisting Boykin Spaniels, and Instagram at operationlittlebrowndog for all of the latest news and stories.

For Cindi, With Love

Cindi Love, born on December 8, 1955, and passing on November 13, 2025, leaves behind a legacy of kindness, leadership, and unwavering devotion to Boykin Spaniels. As the beloved director of Operation Little Brown Dog (OLBD), Texas, Cindi dedicated her life to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming dogs in need. Her tireless efforts and boundless compassion touched countless lives, both human and canine, creating ripples of love and hope that will endure for generations.

In 2017, Cindi found her way to Operation Little Brown Dog after several impactful years with other rescues. Her transition to the smaller organization reflected her desire for a more personal, hands-on connection to the dogs and the people who cared for them. At OLBD, Cindi poured her heart into every rescue, shaping the organization into a family united by purpose and love. Under her direction, starting in 2020, OLBD became a sanctuary for the overlooked and unwanted, the lost and lonely, guided always by Cindi’s steady hand, humor, and fierce commitment.

Over the course of her remarkable time with the organization, approximately 800 Boykin Spaniels found safety, healing, and forever homes through Operation Little Brown Dog. Each one represented not just a rescue, but a story of compassion and dedication that bore Cindi’s unmistakable touch. Her leadership transformed OLBD into a trusted name within the rescue community—one that stood for integrity, care, heart, and above all, trust.

Cindi also worked tirelessly to ensure that every dog received the best possible care, regardless of the cost or complexity of their needs. She organized countless fundraisers—raffles, auctions, online campaigns, and community events—to cover medical expenses, transport, and rehabilitation for the dogs who came through OLBD’s doors. No dog was ever left behind under her watch, including 17 puppies born into OLBD in the last year. Her ability to rally people together for a cause was nothing short of inspiring. Her determination to provide for every “Little Brown Dog” not only saved lives but also united a community of supporters who continue to honor her by giving as generously as she did.

Cindi’s own life was rich with love and laughter. She shared it with her devoted husband, Mid, whose fondness for crawfish was a source of endless amusement—especially since Cindi couldn’t stand the sight of them. Together they built a home filled with warmth, humor, and unforgettable memories. Their son, affectionately known as “Little Mid,” daughter Patricia, grandchildren and great grandchildren were her greatest joy and source of pride. Her love for her family was as fierce and enduring as her passion for the dogs she rescued. Cindi was rescued by her own Boykin, Gunner, and adored by her Cocker Spaniel, Gabby, who surely greeted her at the gates of heaven. Her young Boykin, Rowdy, OLBD Birdie, and Cricket the Mini Aussie will remain at home with their daddy, Mid.

Long before her rescue work, Cindi’s vibrant spirit shone through in her younger years as a nightclub singer. With a voice that captivated and a personality that sparkled, she lit up every room she entered. She was funny, witty, and never afraid to speak her mind—a combination that made her both magnetic and unforgettable. Those who knew her remember not just her laughter, but her strength, her boldness, and her ability to lift others with her humor and heart.

The Operation Little Brown Dog (Texas) board—Cindy Koile-Penn, Karen Rekieta, Jennie Cannady, Cassandra Fildey, Kimberly Bishop—stood proudly beside Cindi through the years. Together, they shared in her vision, her dedication, and her deep love for every Boykin that crossed their path. They, along with the entire volunteer staff- spanning from the east coast to the west coast, will continue to carry her spirit forward, ensuring that her life’s work continues to make a difference.

Within the Boykin community, Cindi’s name became a symbol of reliability and compassion. Everyone knew that if her name appeared in a post about a dog in need, she would show up—without hesitation. She was always there: rescuing, comforting, leading, and loving. Her presence meant safety, her voice brought reassurance, and her heart gave hope.

Cindi Love’s impact cannot be measured in numbers alone—it lives in every dog she saved, every family she touched, and every person she inspired to care a little more deeply. Her legacy is one of love, laughter, and loyalty—a reminder that anyone, with enough heart, can change the world for so many.

In loving memory of Cindi Love, Director of Operation Little Brown Dog—thank you for showing us what true dedication and compassion looks like. 

Written by Stephannie Hughes Worrell 

The Importance of Volunteering

Volunteering with Operation Little Brown Dog is more than lending a hand it is answering a call that often comes with urgency, compassion, and the power to change a life forever. In rescue work, there is frequently only a short window to respond. A single “yes” at the right moment can mean the difference between uncertainty and safety, between survival and a future filled with love. These dogs truly deserve that chance.

Operation Little Brown Dog exists because too many dogs find themselves abandoned, neglected, or at risk through no fault of their own. Saving them is not something one person can do alone. It takes a village: transport drivers, fosters, medical coordinators, volunteers, donors, and adopters all stepping up together to ensure as many dogs as possible get the help they need, exactly when they need it. Every role matters, and every volunteer plays a critical part in that collective effort.

One of the most profound benefits of volunteering is witnessing the transformation of a rescue dog firsthand. Many arrive frightened, injured, or unsure of what comes next. Through the coordinated efforts of volunteers and veterinary professionals, their stories begin to change. Adopter updates bring hope that a dog is healing, or that a once-critical case is now stable. Seeing those updates turn into visible improvements in a dog’s quality of life is an experience that stays with you forever.

There is also a moment that words rarely capture, but every volunteer recognizes: the look. It’s the way a dog meets your eyes once they begin to trust again. In that quiet exchange, you know they are saying thank you. For the warm bed, the gentle care, the patience, and the second chance. It’s a reminder that even the smallest act, an extra walk, a ride to a vet appointment, a few weeks of fostering can have an immeasurable impact.

Volunteering also allows you to be part of something joyful and forward-looking: helping a new owner’s dream become a reality. When a rescue dog finds their forever home, it’s not just an adoption it’s the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another. Volunteers help bridge that gap, preparing dogs for family life and supporting adopters as they welcome a new companion. Knowing you played a role in creating that bond is deeply rewarding.

Beyond the dogs themselves, volunteering builds connection and purpose. It brings together people who care, who show up when it’s hard, and who understand that compassion in action matters. The urgency of rescue work fosters teamwork, trust, and a shared mission: to act quickly, thoughtfully, and with heart.

Operation Little Brown Dog relies on volunteers because lives depend on it. When the call comes and time is short, volunteers make the difference. They are the reason a scared dog gets another day, another chance, and ultimately, another life.

Volunteering is not always easy, but it is always meaningful. And for the dogs who look back at you with gratitude in their eyes, it is everything.

Volunteer to foster, transport, or adopt today at www.operationlbd.com