Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

I have a lot to tell you about this week, so let’s get started! First, here are this week’s Blog Dogs who are now happily in their new forever homes.

Sunday’s play group was active and busy with chatter. First there were some general comments that I overheard. Joker and Rockstar have become best friends over the past several weeks. They played chase all over the yard. Poor Rockstar is self-conscious about his terrible ear cropping job, but Joker tried to make him feel better.

Will, the foster dog that volunteer Linda is taking care of, didn’t get the memo about the meeting.

Charlie’s Fitness Plan!

But the big topic of conversation was about Charlie and his new fitness program. As you can see, Charlie needs to lose some weight and get into shape so he’ll live a long and healthy life. Charlie is a five-year-old Pit Bull Terrier/Lab mix.

Everyone was eager to help Charlie in his quest for a healthier life style, as you’ll see from the comments below. First order of business was exercise.

We all encouraged him to try, and he did his best!

By the end of play group, Charlie had managed to jump up on the platform all by himself and wanted to pose for a picture.

Of course, the other part of Charlie’s fitness plan is diet. He is on light food and his treats are limited to carrots and green beans. I had taken him a bag of baby carrots on Sunday and he eagerly chomped some down. However, today was a different story. When I saw Debbie walking Charlie, I ran and got some carrots for her to give him for a treat…

This was the response.

I was really nervous when I arrived, but I’m doing better.

On Sunday I met new-arrival Pancho, a seven-year-old Collie/Pointer mix. Poncho has lived outside most of his life and has not met a lot of different people. He was friendly, but nervous around people and very uneasy in his kennel. He is improving every day, but will need an understanding owner who will continue to work with him to make him comfortable both with new people and inside. Here he was with Diane and Andrew. He is anxious to begin a new life with a forever person.

I am a shy girl looking for a new family to love.

I happened to be at the shelter on Tuesday afternoon and saw volunteer Erica walking a new arrival, Vena, a six-year-old Dachshund mix. Vena is a gentle lady who looks quite stylish in her green coat. She walks pretty nicely on leash and takes treats well, but is hesitant at first meeting. She will make someone a wonderful companion.

And here she was today with Bethany, who fell in love with her at first sight.

Are you a Beagle Person?

Here is Kathy today with another new arrival named Kallie, a ten-year-old Beagle mix. Kallie is a gentle, very spry girl who has a typical Beagle-follow-your-nose attitude. She has lived with other dogs and children and is affectionate and happy. She brought her bed and favorite toys to the shelter with her and is hoping for a new family to spend the rest of her life loving.

I may not have ears, but I make up for it in personality!

Rockstar spent some quality time with Richard this afternoon. This youngster is a ten-month-old Lab/American Staffordshire Terrier mix from the START program. He has been at the shelter quite awhile learning good dog manners from volunteer Linda. He has improved so much from when he started as an impulsive puppy. As you saw above, he gets along well with other dogs (especially his best friend, Joker) and loves people.

Here are some shots from Sunday’s play group when I caught Rockstar and Linda having a quiet moment.

Are you up for a PUPPY?! Choose me! Choose ME!

I snapped this shot of Chelsea playing with six-month-old Musetta, a Pit Bull Terrier mix from START. Both were having a great time. Musetta is a typical puppy, so will need patience and training, like the classes offered at WHS. But what a wonderful dog she will become! She is a bit shy at first, but when she warms up, she is a bundle of joy.

Love this face!

Meet Blackie, a one-year-old Lab mix who’s about as cute as a button! She is a delightful young lady with good manners and a playful personality. Simply put, she’s adorable and will make a wonderful family addition. She’s another one of our START dogs waiting for an Oregon home.

Here she is today with Kathy, who fell for her immediately, as did I!

Speaking of faces…check this one out!

We have so many wonderful dogs at the shelter at the moment! Here’s another special START girl hoping to find her forever Oregon family very soon. Her name is Kiwi Fruit (I call her Kiwi) and she is a gem. She’s a Lab/Pit Bull Terrier mix. Kiwi is quite timid at first meeting but it doesn’t take her long to warm up and want to sit by your side. She loved my hot dog bits and was wonderfully cooperative in her photo session. Some family will be very lucky to take her home!

Here she is with Bethany today.

Yep, my favorites…

Of course I couldn’t leave today without spending time with Gia and Tido. I took Gia first, stopping along the trail to take this picture. Gia has been at the shelter since early September. She is getting depressed and can’t understand why she hasn’t gotten her forever home yet. Neither can I.

Later in the afternoon, Debbie took her out again for some quiet time. Gia is a two-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix.

While I was at the shelter on Tuesday, about to take Tido out for a ball game, I saw one of my favorite people, Lauren, a former WHS Jr. Trainer’s Camp participant, coming for her volunteer shift with her mother. I asked them to come out to play with Tido and me. He loved it!

Knowing young people like Lauren gives me great confidence and comfort that shelter dogs will continue to be well loved by the next generation.

Updates

I was thrilled this week to get an update about another former WHS dog. When she was at the shelter her name was Angel and here is a picture I took of her then.

Now her name is Penelope and here is what her family has to say about this sweet girl.

“We adopted Penelope from WHS about five months ago. She is my angel. She is a very loving pup. She loves snuggling at home by my side, she loves long walks, dog bones and treats. Her most favorite thing is going to the Keizer Rapids Off-Leash Dog Park. She loves to run like the wind and hand out telling secrets to all the other dogs! It is wonderful to watch her mature and grow into a wonderful happy, healthy girl! Thanks bunches for our girl! We love her dearly!”

Toki was adopted by our very own Foster Care Coordinator, Alix. Last week was Toki’s first birthday. He invited several friends to celebrate at Minto Brown Park. I was unable to go, but Alix sent pictures. Even though it rained, everyone had a great time!

It’s been quite a week at WHS. Hoping for lots of happy adoptions to report to you next week!

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.