Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

Since I didn’t post last week, I have lots of news! First things first. Here are the latest Blog Dog adoptions.

And…I’m very excited to be able to report that a pair of bonded dogs went home together! Here they are.

Sunday’s play group was another fun one for both big and little dogs, as you can see here.

Play Group Chatter

Little Ember discovered how much fun it was to get into a pool, while Dottie kept an eye out for the little tyke.

Choji, the fastest runner in the group, decided it was time for a rest. I love her ears!

If you ever worry about the next generation, rest easy. As long as there are kids like Jadzia, we’re in good hands!

On Sunday while Sarah was helping me take pictures of the new dog arrivals, she noticed a little girl and her mother looking at the adoptable dogs. It turned out it was Jadzia’s birthday and instead of getting presents for herself, she had asked her family to donate money to our shelter for the dogs and cats! So her mother had brought her to WHS to see where her money would be going. I asked if I could take her picture for my blog, and her mother said yes. What a wonderful little girl! I have a feeling she’ll be volunteering at WHS in a few years.

The next morning I got the following email from Jadzia’s mother:

My thanks to you for making Jadzia feel like such a superstar! I was able to talk directly with Sarah (in Donations) this morning, and pass along my feelings about what a unique and positive experience we both had there yesterday. Both as a mom and a business person, I can tell you the methods employed yesterday by all staff and volunteers were impeccable! I have delightedly shared the story with numerous friends and coworkers, and will encourage anyone who can to get involved. Thanks so much for your role in helping my daughter become a devotee to philanthropy.

While I’m waiting for my new family to discover me, I’ve been hanging out at Beth’s house!

Yes, Hailey, and the many people at WHS who love her, are still hoping that someone will want to take her home to be in a family of her own. But in the meantime, to try to help her with her kennel stress (Hailey has been at WHS since May 25th), volunteer Beth has been giving her some respites at her house. She reports that Hailey is a perfect house guest. She is calm, polite, and loves being in a family environment. It is remarkable that Hailey has such wonderful house manners, since she has been in and out of shelters since 2009, almost her whole life. Unfortunately, the strain of long-term shelter life shows up when Hailey is at WHS. She is so stressed when she is in a shelter kennel that she jumps and barks so that potential adopters quickly walk away. If only they would give this girl a chance to see her at her best instead of her worst. One family did give her some time and fell in love with her last week. They were so anxious to adopt her, only to be turned down by their landlord. Here she was with the little boy who kept asking me, “Can we take her home?”

And in Hailey’s own words…

News Flash! I just got word yesterday that Hailey is being transferred to Second Chance Salem, a new rescue started by one of our very own WHS dog walkers, Angie! So Hailey will be in a home while waiting for a new family to adopt her!

Why you should consider adopting an older dog.

In the last several weeks, WHS has been receiving quite a few senior dogs. So I decided that I would feature these older-but-wiser gentle souls in this post. While it is no surprise that puppies are adopted quickly from shelters, thank goodness there are people who realize the value of seniors. Why should you consider adopting a senior dog? According to the “Senior Dogs Project” (srdogs.com) here are some of the reasons (in my own words).

1. They are already housetrained.

2. They can focus well, so they can learn quickly.

3. They settle in more easily, they know what a family is.

4. What you see is what you get. Their personalities are set.

5. They leave you time for yourself, they like to sleep.

6. They are content with less activity.

And I love this quote:

There’s nothing like an old dog.  Nothing like the love of an old dog.  The forgiveness, the devotion.  You see gratitude in their eyes.  It’s just words until you experience it.

~Deborah Workman – The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs

In case you need proof that I know what I’m talking about, here is a picture of my eleven-year-old Lab mix, Scout, and me.

Now here are some of the senior dogs currently at WHS waiting for their forever homes.

Rebel

Rebel is a twelve-year-old Boxer mix who is one of Sarah’s current favorites. He is gentle, calm, enjoys walks, and still has a spring in his step that belies his age. Rebel is a gem. Although he is a serious-looking fellow, his tail speaks volumes.

Molly

Here is Molly with volunteer Jennie. Molly is a ten-year-old Shepherd mix. She enjoys slow walks and lots of relaxing time. She needs to go home with adults or older children, as her frisky days with little kids are over. She’s an uncomplicated dog who will most enjoy lying at your feet while you read a book or watch TV.

Amber

Amber is a twelve-year-old German Shepherd mix hoping for a family who wants to hang out with her in quiet relaxation. She loves attention and conversation. She will make a wonderful companion.

Journey

Journey is a ten-year-old Shepherd/Alaskan Husky mix. He gets along well with other dogs and even kids; however, he should not be around little kids who would jump on him, as they could hurt his joints. He enjoys meandering around the yard during play group, though is racing days are in the past. Journey is a happy boy looking for a laid-back home where naps are totally acceptable.

Biscuit

Meet Biscuit, a happy-go-lucky ten-year-old Bull Terrier/Chinese Shar-Pei mix. And yes, she’s another one of Sarah’s current favorites. While a little shy at first, Biscuit is quick to warm up and loves hanging out. I have to smile every time I see her eager face.

Daphney

I first met eleven-year-old Daphney on Sunday. She had arrived at the shelter a little while before and was feeling nervous and confused. Today she was still a little shy and unsure, but volunteer Patrick, who has a special love for shy dogs, spent a long, quiet time with her out on the lawn. She really enjoyed snuggling next to him. She is a sweetheart and would love calm, understanding people.

Beach Party

Don’t even ask…I have no idea where her name came from, but she is wonderful. She is another shy one, so once again Patrick gave her some quality time today out in the big yard. He came back beaming, saying that she LOVES to play ball and will race after it and return it to you. She is an eight-year-old Australian Cattle Dog mix. I love her smile.

So there you have it. If you are looking for a loyal companion without the complications that a puppy or young dog can bring, consider adopting one of our seniors, where “what you see is what you get.”

Updates

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I love to get updates from adopters about their WHS alumni. I’m happy to report that I have received several happy emails lately.

Ruby

First, I got a kick out of Ruby’s people sending this shot of her enjoying the summer sun. It seems Ruby loves nothing more than stretching out and soaking in rays! Is she relaxed or what!?

Hoggie/Danner

This update was posted on my WHS Facebook page.

Hoggie (now Danner) went to the BEST forever home! His new mom is a close friend of mine who has fallen in love with him.. and brags about him (how can you not??) He loves his car rides and meeting new people and gets plenty of toys and loves. Thank you WHS!

Sage

I got this email with this picture attached from Sage’s person.

Here is one picture of Sage being oh so cool in his brother Murphy’s hat.  Murphy is a dachshund so it’s a little small but Sage thinks it’s pretty cool.  LOL

Cooper

Long-term readers may remember Cooper.

Cooper came into our lives early August 2010.  We had recently lost our two beloved 14 yr old companion dogs within a two month period of time.  My husband, Larry, and I and our Sheltie, Boots, were grieving. I looked online at the Willamette Humane Society Website and saw Cooper for the first time.  Something about his face reminded me so much of Henri, our Australian Shepherd who had recently passed.
The next day we went to the shelter and brought Boots with us to check out Cooper.  Although my husband and I fell in love immediately with the very shy blue heeler mix; Boots did not feel quite the same way. We decided to adopt Cooper and took him home with us that very same day.  With time he and Boots became great buddies.  We simply can’t imagine our lives without Cooper and his quirky ways!

Cocoa’s adventures in Florida!

And finally, remember that Cocoa was moving with her family to Florida? She is now settling into her new surroundings and sent me these pictures. They speak for themselves.

One more very important thing…

August 4th will be a big day for Willamette Humane Society. It will be the first ever WillaMutt Strut Fun Run & Walk! It will be held at Salem’s Riverfront Park.

Participants can choose from a non-competitive 5k run, 5k walk or 1.5K walk starting at the North Meadow of Riverfront Park in downtown Salem. The walk and run events will kick off at 8:30 am, with all activities finishing up at 12 pm. Dogs are welcome on all courses, but not required. The event includes doggy games and family-friendly activities, including a dog and owner look-alike contest and the crowning of the cutest mutt!

The cost is $25 per person and includes a t-shirt, snacks, participation in one of the three run/walk events and post-race activities. Walkers and runners are encouraged to gather their friends and family and form a “pack” (team). Participants can register one of three ways: 1) Online 2) by picking up a registration form at the shelter, the WHS Thrift Store, or Gallagher’s Fitness, or 3) on site the morning of the event, starting at 7 am. Prizes will be awarded to the top individual and team fundraisers. All proceeds from the event will help Willamette Humane Society provide food, shelter and medical care for homeless pets and match them with loving new families.

So come join us in the fun on August 4!

Also remember, if you see a dog on my blog whom you are interested in meeting, try to make arrangements to get to the Willamette Humane Society soon. Some  dogs are adopted more quickly than you might think.

You can reach me at adoptanoregondog14@yahoo.com. Also check out my WHS dog Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/adoptanoregondog for updates on this week’s dogs.