TINY PAWS FRESNO - THE STORY - the Promise

The Story 
A few days before Mothers Day 2010, Founder Cinnamon and Co-Founder Deuna was shopping at an outdoor mall, when Deuna came across a pet adoption organization. She noticed a 1 year old small, tan, scruffy, malnourished dog sitting in a crate by himself. Deuna pointed out to Cinnamon that he resembled 'Socks', (which was a dog that her sister owned and had passed away). 

While they both looked at him, Deuna suggested to Cinnamon that she should adopt him and give him to her mother for Mothers Day. Cinnamon was hesitant at first, and decided to adopt him. She would have to wait a couple of days to take him home because he still needed to get neutered.  When she arrived home with the little dog, the surprise was on Cinnamon, because the little dog bonded with Cinnamon instead of her mother. Cinnamon was happy to be his fur parent.

That evening, Cinnamon realized he was very sick. Cinnamon and her mother rushed him to the Veterinary Emergency and was told by the Veterinarian that he had severe pneumonia. 

He was desperately struggling to breathe as his lungs gurgled with every breath he took. 

The Veterinarian did not know if he would live.

The Cost

The vet showed Cinnamon the estimated bill of $3,000.00. It was then that she had to make a decision whether to euthanize him or try to get him back to health. 

She decided to take a gamble and try to save his life. At that time, she didn't have that much money, but with the help from Care Credit, was able to get him the care that he needed. The Veterinarian said he was very surprised she would gamble that much money on such an undetermined outcome of whether he would live or die.

The Treatment

After a few days in the hospital, the Veterinarian sent him home with some medications. 

The struggle and the challenge Cinnamon had to face, was far from being over.   

Cinnamon, her mother and sister, teamed up together to help him get better. Cinnamon's mother fed him, kept him hydrated, and patted his back to loosen the phlegm in his lungs. Her sister gave him the prescribed medications, and Cinnamon would take him to the bathroom and sit with him in the steam for 15 minutes, a few times a day.

The Battle for Life

There would be times when he would be very weak and it seemed like the life was leaving him. One afternoon, after taking him outside, he collapsed. Cinnamon picked him up, looked into his eyes and said, "If you get better, I will find you lots of friends and give you the best life ever. Just stay with me." 

After four long months of fighting for his life, he began to grow stronger, and become more active. The day of his check up, the Veterinarian said that he was completely healthy. 

Cinnamon named this little dog Titan  because  he was strong willed, and became healthier each day. 

Cinnamon started teaching him some fun games, such as, how to play with toys and human rules (sit, stay, wait, etc) and Titan was teaching Cinnamon some fun games, such as soccer and dog rules (proper dog greeting, dog body language, etc.)   Within those 3 years, Cinnamon and Titan developed a clear understanding and communication between them. 

The Promise

Cinnamon immediately fulfilled her promise to Titan. She and Deuna took him to different local dog parks, and had some scary experiences. They noticed there were a few irresponsible dog owners who didn't correct their dogs negative behavior, therefore, some dogs could potentially cause bodily injury to other dogs. 

Dissatisfied with the dog park experience, Cinnamon and Deuna started Tiny Paws on April 14, 2013 as a small dog play Meetup group at another local dog park.  

Since it was their dog group, their rules were simple. There was no negative dog behavior allowed during play time. 

During the small dog socials, Cinnamon's and Titan's communication was very apparent. The members would notice the communication between her and Titan, and wanted to know how they can improve their communication with their dogs too. 

Cinnamon started training the small dogs that joined the group, and found the owners actually liked that because their dog would listen and learn Cinnamon's training techniques.  The dog owners loved the group because Cinnamon had all the dogs under control. Every dog was playing and having a good time. The owners felt that Tiny Paws was a safe play for small dogs to play. 

Meanwhile, Titan was very happy playing and running around with a few small dog friends that he met up with every Saturday. 

Then We Got Diamond

Since Deuna found Titan, Cinnamon found Diamond for Deuna on an online website at a local shelter. A few days later, Cinnamon and Deuna went to meet Diamond at the shelter. 

There was 4 dogs in the dog pen, and Diamond was the only dog that was sitting in the back very proper and quiet while the other dogs were hyper and jumping at the front.

Deuna and Diamond took their first walk together. We knew it was a great fit when Diamond kissed Deuna on the face.

Diamond was malnourished and needed to be spayed. After her surgery, she had healing complications that would lead to another surgery to replace the first spay stitches that were getting infected.

After a few months of recovery Diamond was at a healthy weight and she was ready to be introduced to Titan. At first sight, they became instant friends and quickly created a strong bond between them. 

To Our Surprise

After our 4th year the unthinkable happened.......the small dog play group GREW! 

Every year after, about 100 people would join the group. During those years the fur parents would exchange information about dog care and their experiences at Tiny Paws. This group became more than just a dog get-together, it became a valuable resource for everyone.

The Next Level
Five years later with over 550 members, it was at that moment Cinnamon and Deuna wanted to make a huge impact, and take Tiny Paws to the next level.  

What was once a small dog play group, is now Tiny Paws Fresno - Small Social Canines, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation helping the community with Canine Socialization, Education, and Resources.      ....But...the story doesn't end here....

Learn & Play Small Dog Socials for Dogs and Humans

Cinnamon and Deuna, turned the small dog play group into Learn & Play Small Dog Socials that are guided by on-site Canine Communications Specialists, Pet Psychologists, and Trainers to ensure playful and positive canine etiquette while socializing. 

Cinnamo'sn and Deuna's goal is to help dogs get socialized with people, other dogs, and assist with negative etiquette & behavioral issues so they can be a confident and happy dog. They also teach humans how to properly communicate with their dog.

Titan - Canine Communications Assistant 

Titan, being a fun and relaxed middle of the pack dog, Cinnamon noticed that he was attentive to the shy dogs that joined the small dog social. 

March 2019, Titan was initiated as a Tiny Paws Fresno Canine Communications Assistant. 

As a Canine Communications Assistant, Titan focuses on Behavioral skills. He helps the shy/nervous dogs relax and play. He also loves to play and run with the other active dogs.  

In the year 2021, Titan had attended over 500 small dog social meetings and has made tons of friends.

Diamond - Canine Communications Assistant 

Cinnamon noticed that Diamond was an Alpha dog leader. Diamond taught Cinnamon and Deuna the body language for proper dog etiquette. Diamond immediately joined the Tiny Paws small dog socials and had an important role. Her job was to help Cinnamon with dog and human training.  

March 2019, Diamond was initiated as a Tiny Paws Fresno Canine Communications Assistant. As a Canine Communications Assistant, Diamond focuses on Etiquette & Behavioral skills. She will test each dog on their dog pack introduction skills, friendliness, temperament, and behavioral skills. She also participates in group running with the other active dogs.

In the year 2021, Diamond had attended over 400 small dog social meetings and has made tons of friends.  

The Social Impact

There has been many small dogs that has joined our small dog socials and became mentally and physically better than they were before. Dogs gain new friends, build their confidence, learn better social skills, and become physically fit. Through our Learn & Play Small Dog Socials and Leash Training Classes, we share our expertise and educate dog owners about the signs of both positive and negative canine body language. Dog owners enjoy the experience of learning the dog language that improves the communication with their dog.

Our Community

2,551 community members/followers as of June 2023 

2,621community members/followers as of July 2023  

and the numbers are still growing!!

The Future

The goal is to achieve a Resource Center and private dog park to expand our Learn & Play Socializations while providing Canine Education, Training and other Resources to help the community on a larger scale.