Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

Spring has arrived in Salem and dogs and people are loving the warmer temperatures! Since Sunday was Easter, the shelter was closed, so I have no play group cartoons this week. However, I have lots of pictures from today’s afternoon shift. But first things first, we have some great adoptions to report from last week!

I was especially excited about Moppy and Banjo’s adoptions. Moppy is now Murphy (great name change) and is living in a quiet home with adults which is perfect for him! Banjo, at nine years old, now has a family again!

I have a great face, don’t you agree?

I have a wonderful team of volunteers on Wednesdays! Not only are they dependable and of course, love dogs, but they put up with all of my picture taking. The first walker and dog I grabbed for photos were Joan and Gertrude. Love that dog face! Gertrude is a two-year-old Lab mix. She is calm and gentle, though she loves to play, too. She is carrying around a few extra pounds that she hopes to get rid of with exercise with a new family. She is a terrific dog with soulful eyes.

I’m back at the shelter, but it’s not my fault.

The next walker I saw was Joan’s husband, Steve, with Romeo. Romeo was adopted but returned this week through no fault of his own. He is a nine-year-old Lab/Boxer mix who is such a good boy. He is a gentle soul who is hoping a quiet family will adopt him. He will be happy with taking walks and then relaxing with his people. He’s an uncomplicated dog, though he does not like cats and some very small dogs. He is anxious to have a family of his own again.

Martha and Kathy can’t believe I’m still here!

Chloe is still waiting for her forever family to find her. She is a seven-year-old Beagle mix. As you can tell, she really needs to get on an exercise/diet program to lose those pesky extra pounds that middle-age has given her. But a little extra weight hasn’t slowed her down one bit. She romps and plays happily. One thing she wants everyone to know, however, is that she simply cannot stand cats. Today she spent some happy time with Kathy, then later as I was about to leave, she let me know that she REALLY wanted another walk before I left, so out we went. I hope her new family finds her soon.

I’m Pinky and I’m waiting for the perfect fit for me in a family!

Pinky is a two-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix with LOTS of energy. Here she is today with Bethany. Pinky would like to have a really active family who will channel her energy with things like playing Frisbee or possibly some agility training. No cats for this girl, either, by the way. After our walking shift today, I stayed at the shelter to attend Annie’s (our WHS Certified Pet Dog Trainer) class for volunteers. I chose Pinky as my training partner and was so glad that I did. She was wonderful! She was attentive, a quick learner, and simply a delight to work with. Yep, I’ve fallen for yet another Pit Bull Terrier!

I’m a Ball Dog!

I wanted to spend some time with Simons today so I went out to a yard when I saw that Steve was playing with him. Simons is a one-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix. He had quickly become one of Steve’s favorites. Steve had discovered that Simons likes to play fetch and they spent a lot of time together. Simons is a great dog. He is polite, takes treats gently, and is attentive. He’s going to make a wonderful addition to some lucky family! Here are some shots that show some of his delightful personality.

I’m new here. I’m waiting for a new family. Could it be yours?

A newbie to the shelter is this beautiful girl, Daisy. Here is Larry with her today. Daisy is a three-year-old Lab mix. She is very treat-motivated and will be fun to train because she is so eager to work for food. She is looking for a family with a secure fence and one that will give her plenty of exercise and love so she won’t want to go exploring. She likes to play fetch and is great with kids of all ages. Daisy would like a home without cats, however.

The many moods of a puppy

The last dog I spent time with today was Lola, a four-month-old Bulldog/Pit Bull Terrier mix. I don’t usually feature puppies since they get adopted quickly, however I’m making an exception. Bethany and I spent time with Lola in Mary’s Place, the new WHS puppy room. If you are ready for the dedication it takes to raise an independent, happy pup, Lola might be right for you. Her adoption includes training classes with Annie, the WHS trainer, which will help Lola and her new family to bond as well as get her education off on the right paw. Because she is such an active pup, she would do best with older kids. Lola will need structure and consistency so that she will grow up into the dog she wants to become. Here are a series of pictures I took of her today just being herself. What a cutie!

Lucy on-the-Road Update

Lucy sent another photo of herself on the road. She is having a fantastic time with her foster dad being a Trucker Buddy!

That’s it for this week!

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