Monthly Archives: August 2012

This Week’s Featured Adoptable Dogs @ Willamette Humane Society by Martha Russell

29 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in This Week's Featured WHS Dogs

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Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

If you read last week’s post, you will remember the touching Delilah story. Well, I’m thrilled to report a happy ending. Delilah was adopted last week! Here she is with her new forever family who fell in love with her the moment they met her! Her former owner now knows that she got a wonderful new life in Oregon.

Besides Delilah, there were lots of other adoptions during the past week. Here are all the Blog Dogs who found new homes.

I want to mention one other adoption. Suket, a six-month-old Lab mix, arrived at WHS as a transfer from another shelter. It wasn’t long before staff realized she was deaf. On Sunday a family with deaf members came to the shelter looking for a dog. Everyone in the family knows ASL (American Sign Language), as does Suket. They had previous experience with deaf dogs, as well. You know where this story is going, don’t you? I didn’t even have a chance to get Suket’s picture before she was adopted! Her new name is Hope. Kim got a quick photo of the happy family just before they went home.

Chatter

Summer play groups are especially fun. Last week the dogs raced around playing, often giving play bows to each other. Here are some of the remarks I overheard.

It’s really cute when both dogs give play bows before starting a chase game.

Do these guys look happy, or what?!

Remember Daphne, the shy Border Collie who came to the shelter a few weeks ago, sad and confused? Volunteer Tom adopted her and as you can see, they have totally bonded!

Marley was giving play bows to everyone to see if they wanted to run with her. Mamie chose not to.

Little Astrid was anxious to be Kim’s assistant.

This picture needs no bubbles…just dogs loving running together.

Shelter Buddies!

Last Saturday, fellow volunteer Beth and I had an especially fun afternoon that we’d been looking forward to for months. Liz and Tana, two volunteers from the Crescent City Pound in California, took a day-long road trip to visit us and WHS. Beth and I had become “Shelter Buddies” with Liz and Tana over the last few months when WHS took in some of the Crescent City dogs who had been at their shelter for a long time. The latest success story was Brady, a CC dog for ten months, who was adopted two weeks after arriving at WHS. Liz and Tana arrived in Salem around noon. After a fun lunch and non-stop gab session about dogs, we gave them a tour of WHS where they met staff and other volunteers. Here we are outside the building. Our common love of shelter dogs made us feel like we had been friends forever. We look forward to getting together again.

Sunday Quick Shots

While getting caught up on new dog pictures Sunday afternoon, I took some shots of walkers. Here volunteer Paul is with new arrival Brooke, a two-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix. He is a polite, quiet fellow who loved my hot dog bits and eagerly sat on command for them.

This is Tiki with volunteer Amey. Tiki is a seven-year-old Pomeranian who needs a quiet home. She is averse to some touching, so needs a gentle and understanding person. She would love to be a couch potato and watch TV with her people. Short walks will do her just fine.

This beautiful girl is Marley, a two-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix whose calm, polite manners won me over instantly. She sat on command, took my treats gently and posed for my camera willingly. As with most Pit Bull Terriers, her eyes speak from her heart.

Cassie Jones and Lisa

You will remember from last week’s post that volunteer Lisa spends a lot of time with Cassie. She often takes her for respites; she just returned today from a camping trip! Cassie has become Lisa’s special project because Cassie has been waiting to be adopted since June. She is five years old. On Sunday Lisa came to pick Cassie up and before they left, I snapped these happy pictures. Cassie’s fans hope the right family will find her soon.

I really liked my respite with Beth Ann!

Also on Sunday, I happened to run into volunteer Beth Ann who was taking little Dingo to her home for a respite. Dingo is a six-year-old Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix who is a delightful little character. Here he is with Beth before they left.

And here is Beth’s excellent report and pictures from their time together.

“I have been surprised by the contrast between Dingo when he is in his kennel and when he is outside of the building. He becomes this happy, playful guy. He loved spending time in my back yard sniffing out scents, playing and rolling in the grass. He even chased the tennis ball and a plastic wiffle ball. He also liked sitting on my lap and being petted. He is quite comfortable around people and was curious about our neighbor dog he could hear yipping on the other side of our fence. I was pleased that he wasn’t a real yippy or barky dog like Chihuahuas can sometimes be. We also went for a quick walk at Riverfront Park which he liked as well. When I sat down on a bench there he quickly jumped up to join me.”

Here he is today with volunteers Meredith and Kenzi.

My name may be a little odd, but it fits me!

When I arrived at WHS this afternoon, Sarah was already spending time in a yard with Liftoff, a one-year-old Retriever/Collie mix who is a wonderful young boy. Sarah discovered he is a BALL DOG and will chase and return tennis balls for as long as you’ll throw them. He also had a great time in play group (you saw his picture in the cartoon above) and was polite with the other dogs. He walks well on leash, took my hot dog bits nicely and happily posed for my many pictures. He will be a great jogging or running partner and would love to attend training classes here at the shelter. Some lucky family will adopt him soon, we hope!

I got to walk with a new volunteer!

It’s always fun to welcome a new walker to our Wednesday Volunteer Team. Today I got to meet Parker who will be walking the 4-6 time slot once school starts. One of his first “walkees” was little Astrid, a seven-year-old Shih Tzu/Pekingese mix with a slight under-bite. Astrid will make a great companion for a quiet home. She would love to curl up on the couch next to you and would be good with kids. As you can see, she is a happy little camper!

Looking for an active young dog to have adventures with? Take ME!

This is Arthur, a two-year-old Basenji mix, who is ready to GO! He would make an excellent student in WHS training classes, as he is a quick learner and eager for praise. He already knows some commands, and would like to learn more. He will be an active dog, so will need an active family. Here he is hanging out with Sarah this afternoon.

Emelynn’s Pick of the Week!

Emelynn had no trouble deciding on her pick this week. She chose Keeba, a Belgian Malinois mix. At ten months, Keeba is still very puppy-acting, so has lots of energy and few manners. She will grow up into a lovely dog, but will need an owner willing to work on training with her (remember, WHS classes are perfect for this!) and will need some patience. Here are some of the things http://www.dogbreedinfo.com said about this breed: They are ever watchful, alert and loyal. Belgian Malinois are good with children if socialized well with them. This breed needs to be part of the family and not locked up in a kennel.

The name’s Mamie. I’m looking for a fun family. Are you it?

Little Mamie was wearing a cone today, as she was just spayed. Even though she wasn’t thrilled with having to wear it, she was happy to spend some outdoor time with Meredith and Kenzi. Mamie is a gentle, playful girl who enjoyed play group, but didn’t care to romp with the big guys (which she explained to Marley in the cartoon above). Mamie is three years old and is a Spaniel mix. I’m sad to say that today was Meredith and Kenzi’s last dog-walking day. School is starting and they have to give up their shift. They have been such loyal Wednesday team members and dog lovers, I will miss them!

Here is how Mamie looks without her cone.

I don’t understand why I have to wear this cone thing!

I felt sorry for Opal today, as she, too, has to wear a cone because of being spayed. She is a very shy girl and having to wear the cone made her even more nervous than usual. Volunteer Kathy took some special time with her to help relax her. Opal is a two-year-old Chihuahua/Miniature Pinscher mix. She will need an understanding and patient family to help her gain more confidence. She has a beautiful face.

This is how she looks without her cone.

We’re a couple of old ladies looking for a retirement home!

Lastly, I’d like you to meet Annie and Tootsie, two older best-friend Dachshund mixes, who are hoping for a home together. Annie is twelve and Tootsie is ten. They have both had a little age-related surgery, so are wearing matching “tires” for a little while. They love to snuggle and except for some short walks, would love to just settle in with their people. Here they are today with Emelynn and Traci.

This is the way they normally look.

So that’s it for this week. I’m hoping for many more adoptions to report next post!

Remember, if you would like an email alert whenever I have published a new post, please sign up on the right side of this entry.

Also, 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.

This Week’s Featured Adoptable Dogs @ Willamette Humane Society by Martha Russell

22 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in This Week's Featured WHS Dogs

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Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

It’s been another busy adoption week at Willamette Humane Society! The last week of Junior Trainer’s Camp ended with several of the camp dogs on hold until camp finished. The following Blog Dogs (and one Blog Cat) were among the many recent adoptions.

There were 19 dogs in Sunday’s play group and everyone had a great time. Here are some of the comments I overheard during the romps.

During a particularly active game of chase…

Ferris has been at the shelter since August 4th. He’s anxious to be found by a new family.Kim found herself quite popular sitting on the bench!

I’m a laid-back kind of guy…

You may have noticed that Teddy, the Lhasa Apso mix, was not on his usual chair watching the action. That’s because he has been spending a couple of weeks in volunteer Krystal’s home. He’ll be returning to WHS tomorrow, having had a wonderful relaxing respite and sporting a brand-new haircut. Krystal sent the following report about Teddy’s visit and some pictures.

“Teddy is doing wonderfully living in our home.  He loves putting his paws up and looking out the window to see who is coming down the street and he also loves hanging out in our other office chair while I work.  We have 4 other dogs in our home and he gets along great with all of them and they range in size from a Chihuahua to a Lab.  He goes outside with all of the other dogs to go potty and sleeps through the night in a recliner in our room.  He travels well in the backseat of the car and doesn’t get up to move around, he just stays put.  Food is not a big concern for Teddy and he likes to take his time.  He doesn’t get excited or upset about anything and is a very laid back companion.   If you’re looking for a dog who just wants to hang out by your side, Teddy just may be your guy.”

Most people probably aren’t aware that Teddy also makes a great office mate!

After a busy day at the office, time to hit the hay.

We’re all hoping that someone who wants a gentle companion will find Teddy very soon.

I’m Delilah

On Sunday I happened to walk into the exam room when a new dog was being processed. Her name is Delilah and her smile immediately caught my attention and my heart. It was then that BJ, Adoption Lead, read the letter that had come with her from California. I asked for a copy so I could share it with you.

“Hi, I’m Delilah. I was abandoned on the street by my former guardians. Then I was brought to the Los Angeles Animal Shelter on 3/31/12. I didn’t do very well there because I was very depressed and got sick in the shelter right away. The kind people there kept trying to cheer me up and get me well, but I kept getting sick. Volunteers and staff loved me, so they put out a plea to the rescues to come and get me out. I was so thin and ill they were afraid I might die. One day a lady came and got me. She took me to the doctor and they were so nice and made me well. I gained weight and everyone said how pretty I was. Then something really great happened! In May a man came to meet me at the hospital and said he wanted to give me a home of my own. The lady who saved me took me to him and we also had a trainer who taught me all kinds of commands and I did really well. I’m very smart! Now I am sad again. My new dad is very, very sick. The nice lady told me that I need to find a new home. The people at WHS said they would help me. I miss my dad so much. We were all we had in the world. He had no other family but me. He said he wants what’s best for me and is glad that there are kind people like WHS and START to help me. Thank you for reading my story. I’m a good girl. Everybody says so. My dad packed my toys for me to take along so I’ll have familiar things of the time we had together.”

I was anxious to see her again today. Volunteer Kathy took her out for a walk and I snapped these pictures. Delilah is a two-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix.

At the end of our shift, after all the dogs had been walked, Emelynn, Sarah and I took her out again to the big yard. There we discovered that she is a ball dog through and through. She loved chasing and returning the tennis ball over and over again.

Want a dog who loves to swim? That’s ME!

Another new dog I met on Sunday was Alma, a four-year-old Pit Bull Terrier/Lab mix who came to us from California. She is an eager, happy girl with lots of energy and would do great in a family that wants an active dog to go on adventures. She loves to play fetch and returns the ball well. Here she is today with Emelynn.

On Sunday, volunteer Andrew discovered that Alma has quite the sense of humor…at least SHE thinks her jokes are funny…Andrew not so much.

Did I mention she likes to swim? Here is a picture from her foster’s home in California.

She really does have a great smile! Diane and Andrew enjoyed getting to know her.

My name is Bambi and I’m a shy, gentle soul.

Meet Bambi, an Australian Cattle Dog/Border Collie mix who is two years old. I first met her on Sunday and was struck by her pensive face. Here she is with Sarah and Diane.

Bambi seems a little shy at first, but warms up and really enjoys being with people. Sarah spent some quality time with her today. Bambi would make a great jogging partner.

I like to learn stuff! Will you teach me?

This is Kayley, a four-year-old Rottweiler mix who spent time with Richard today. She is eager to please, and sits on command, but would like to learn more things. She’d be a great candidate for our WHS training classes. She loved my hot dog bits, so would be easy to motivate.

She has such a sincere face. With some additional training, she’ll make a great family dog.

You want me to what?

I get this look a lot. It’s when, camera in hand, I explain to the dog that I want him to pose for me. This is Barthalamew, a one-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix. Today Sarah and Emelynn had a fun time with him. He is remarkably calm and well-behaved for such a young boy and we enjoyed our time with him, as you’ll see in the pictures.

He is very affectionate and knows several commands.

Sarah really likes me; you will, too!

Sarah was anxious for me to take her picture with Gracie, a three-year-old Hound mix. Sarah absolutely loves the way Gracie is such a well-behaved girl who knows several commands and likes to play or just hang out with people. She is polite not only with people but other dogs, as well. She didn’t mind at all posing for my camera.

I don’t understand why I’m not adopted yet.

Both Ferris and I are baffled why he is still at the shelter. I wonder if it’s his kennel presentation. He can seem shy and nervous at first and sometimes barks when in his kennel. But this isn’t the boy he really is. Ferris is affectionate and playful. He loves to cuddle and is good with other dogs in play group. He just needs someone to take a little time to get to know him and they will realize what a gem he really is. Ferris is a Chihuahua mix and is four years old. Here he is with Kathy today.

Emelynn’s Pick of the Week!

Yep, Cassie is still waiting at the shelter for her new family to find her. You’ll remember last week that volunteer Lisa wrote a wonderful report on how great Cassie did on a respite at her house. I made a special flyer for her kennel to show prospective adopters what a great girl she is. And she’s been working on her kennel presentation. She comes eagerly to the front of her kennel, tail wagging. But still she has not found a home. Perhaps it is because she needs to be an only dog, at least at first.

Today Emelynn and I took her out to the big yard and gave her some quality play time. We played the “Come” game and she loved dashing back and forth to us, screeching to a stop and sitting for a hot dog bit.

She also enjoyed running through the pool.

All of Cassie’s fans, of which there are many, are hoping she’ll get the loving home she deserves very soon.

Update!

Sarah had a wonderful surprise at WHS on Sunday afternoon. We were taking pictures of newly arrived dogs, when a car pulled up and Heidi, Echo’s adopter, stepped out of the car and said someone would like to visit Sarah. You’ll remember that Echo was a very shy Pit Bull Terrier who did not do well in the shelter environment, so Sarah took her home to foster. I’ll never forget when Heidi met Echo and decided to adopt her, but was concerned about Sarah’s feelings. “Will you be OK?” she asked. Sarah assured Heidi she’d be fine, gave Echo a long hug and wished her a happy life. You can imagine the joy of their reunion. It was so thoughtful of Heidi to stop by WHS to visit. As always, it’s wonderful to know that “our” dogs are living happy lives with their own people.

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.