Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

First the BIG news! I don’t want to steal his thunder, so here he is himself!

Yep, a favorite of so many of the staff and volunteers, Rockstar, a START dog who had been at WHS since September 14, finally was found by his new family. He joins a brother whom he adores and we, his fans, are thrilled that this happy dog has a bright future. Have a great life, sweet boy!

And here are the other wonderful adoptions of Blog Dogs from the last week!

Though it was a dismal day outside, the Sunday play group was an especially exciting one. There were sixteen dogs spread out in two yards. On the quiet side were the older/shy dogs. On the active side were…well, you can imagine! It is such fun to watch big, athletic, happy dogs racing, playing chase, and jumping on and off the platform. In play group dogs get to socialize, learn about interacting with other dogs, and expend the pent-up energy from being in a kennel. I feel so lucky to be volunteering at a shelter that supports play groups for the emotional and mental health of our dogs. Here is what I overheard this week!

Simon is fairly new and didn’t have the rules quite down yet!

It was Paul Newman’s (yes, really) first play group and he was very polite.

Since Charlie got adopted, Victor seems to be taking on the role of leader of play group!

Simon decided to take a break and hang out with people for awhile.

And finally, I want to post two last pictures from play group. Little Beja had just arrived the day before. She had been at WHS as a puppy and now was back. She was scared and shy around the other dogs at first. Volunteer Tayanita sat with her in the quiet yard and watched the big dogs play. Before play group was over, Beja was running, too. But I caught these sweet pictures early on. Later in the afternoon, Beja was adopted! Some family is very lucky!

 One more note about adoptions. Tiny was anything but tiny, we thought. He is a 75-pound Shepherd mix. He was adopted Sunday afternoon and I happened to catch his family as they were heading home. I thought maybe they would change his name until I saw his new brother waiting in the truck!

This is Tiny’s new brother, Bodie. 🙂 Tiny and Bodie have three acres to romp in!

As usual, after play group, it was time to take pictures of the new arrivals for the WHS website. Little did I know that I was about to fall in love with several of them!

Are you looking for a best friend? It could be me!

The minute I looked into these eyes, I was smitten. This is Rocky, an eight-year-old Border Collie/Lab mix. He is one of the most gentle, calm souls I’ve ever met. He is hoping for a quiet home where he can hang out with his person. He knows several commands and simply wants to be a friend. I hope someone looking for an uncomplicated, loving companion will take him home very soon. The shelter is stressful for this boy.

Here he was with Sarah.

When I arrived at WHS this afternoon, I was looking forward to seeing Rocky again. Here he is with Kathy. What a good boy!

Three siblings arrived at the shelter Sunday afternoon. After the staff processed their paperwork, volunteers gave them baths, and then it was time for their photo shoots. Again, I found myself falling in love! One of the three was adopted on Monday! But the other two are still at WHS.

I’m the brother.

Roscoe is a two-year-old Mastiff/Shepherd mix. He and his sisters have lived on seven acres their whole lives. Roscoe is extremely gentle, and will make a terrific family dog. What a great face!

Here he is with Diane and Andrew who were equally smitten with him! In order to really get a feel for his personality, I needed to include all of these pictures!

  I’m the sister.

Next was Lila, also two years old, but a Lab/Weimaraner mix. Lila was by far the shyest one of the three when they arrived. She was so nervous, she was shaking when first put in her kennel. But Sarah and I coaxed her outside and once she realized we were friends, she relaxed some.

Lila is just as gentle as her brother. Here are her pictures. Like her brother, she will make some lucky family a wonderful new best friend.

And here Lila was today with Debbie. Lila is still very uneasy being at the shelter, but as on Sunday, she did relax some after being out awhile. I’m hoping she’ll be adopted into a loving home very soon.

And for you “little dog people”…

Another newbie on Sunday was Teeny Tiny, and boy is she! Teeny is a four-month-old Shih Tzu mix. Here she is with Sarah. You can’t help but smile when you look at her. Teeny is all puppy. She comes with the usual Puppy Package, including the “Surviving Puppyhood” class.

I’m hoping for a new home soon!

When I first got to WHS today, I saw Larry walking with Jessie. You may remember her from last week’s post. Jessie is a seven-year-old Lab mix. She and her sister, Indie, are a bonded pair and are hoping to go to a home together.

I’m a little shy, but get to know me and you’ll like me a lot!

Lollapalooza, a four-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix, had a cone today, as she just got spayed. Though she wasn’t happy about it, she was a good sport. Lolla is a gentle girl who takes treats nicely, and would do best in a quiet home with older kids or just adults. She had a great time in play group on Sunday (pre-cone!) and got along with everybody. She loved the chase games and although she can be rambunctious, she was also respectful of the other dogs. She’ll make a great family companion!

I’m new and I’ve got energy to burn!

Looking for an active partner for adventures? Hiking? Running? Jogging? If so, then Taylor may be the perfect dog for you! He is a one-year-old Akbash/Lab mix. I met Taylor for the first time today when I took him out to the big yard for a romp. Although very excited in the kennel, once outside, he walked extremely well on leash. He has a great sense of humor and seems to be laughing all the time! Bethany joined us in the yard, so I took these shots of the two of them. He is one very happy, eager boy!

My best friend got adopted, now I’m waiting for MY turn!

Remember Madison and Simon, a bonded pair from last week? Well, Madison was adopted and is doing very well in her new home. Now we hope that it will soon be Simon’s turn. Debbie had a great time with him this afternoon. He is a very mellow boy (unless there is a lot of barking around him, then he feels he needs to do his part). He walks well on leash and takes treats gently and eagerly. He is a very caring boy, as Debbie discovered when she slipped on some wet leaves and fell while she was walking him. Simon rushed to her and nuzzled her face to make sure she was OK. What a guy! Simon is a six-year-old Lab mix.

I’ve been here at WHS a long time. I’m hoping I’ll have a home of my own soon!

Diamond is one of our START dogs who has been at WHS since arriving from California last August. She is a seven-year-old Rottweiler mix. When she arrived at WHS, her hips were causing her a great deal of pain. So in September, she had surgery. She has recovered very well and you would never believe she is seven years old when you see her in action. Diamond is an active, spunky dog who loves her treats and learns quickly. Our Certified Pet Dog Trainer, Annie, has been working with her to help her improve her manners around other dogs, and improve she has. Because of her reactivity to other dogs, however, Diamond needs to be an only pet. She will love to be part of a family in the house and back yard. Diamond enjoys being around people and will make a great companion for the right person or family. Here she is today with Annie. We all hope that the right person will come along to finally give this deserving girl a home of her own.

I’m still here, too.

I was about ready to head home when I saw Bethany with her current favorite and one of mine, Mary. Mary is a four-year-old American Bull Dog mix who takes a great picture! This girl is all muscle! She CAN walk nicely on leash, but when excited, she can be a freight train! She’ll need a family without small children, as she doesn’t realize her own size. Mary had a great time in Sunday’s play group on the rough-and-tumble side. But while Mary loves to play, she can also be a calm and affectionate friend and would enjoy sitting on the couch with her person. Mary has been waiting for her perfect home since December 14. She’s hoping she will be found soon!

Rosie here, and wait until you hear how well I did!

You’ll recall that last week I wrote about Rosie, one of my all-time favorite dogs who is in foster care with Karla, a friend of mine.

Well, last week Rosie went on an overnight with another foster to see if she could transfer the good habits she has been working on to a new situation. She did! She passed the “test” with flying colors! Not a single accident. The next evening after Karla had picked her up again, here is what Karla wrote to me.

Rosie just drifted off to sleep beside my chair and I, her foster, think Rosie is just now dreaming of her home-sweet-home wishes.  She wishes . . .  

I wish, I wish with a swish of my sturdy wand tail for:

 Food,  glorious, nutritious food.  I love food!

    Sleep in a deep, soft bed for my hair is short and I get cold — even indoors — when I am still and fast asleep.

    Someone who loves me true; who is smarter than I am for I am clever, industrious and an opportunist.

    A yard so I can express my zest for life and impress onlookers with my exuberant, speeding hairpin turns.  (And, of course, I want a yard to pee and poop in!)

    Someone who will keep me safe and secure for safety and security are not my departments.

    Walks for adventure and because, darn it, I actually have and could walk by someone’s side better than most youthful dogs.

    A teacher who believes in life-long learning and that my efforts, especially new efforts deserve gold stars — I mean food.  I am an eager learner.

    Belly rubs, back scratches and a place by my someone’s side.

    A chance to give YOU my gratitude forever.

All of those of us who love her hope for all of these things with the perfect person for Rosie.

That’s it for this week!

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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.