Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

After being gone for a week, I had a lot of new dogs to meet and photograph! But first, here are the Blog dogs who were adopted while I was away.

I am especially happy to report that the two bonded pairs each went together to their new homes. Here are Peanut and Rosco.

And here is what staff said about these lucky two. “Peanut and Cosmo went home today. Cosmo is now Tuck and Peanut is now Watson. Their brother is a WHS alum. They purchased more food puzzles and a bed and collars and leashes and chew toys for them. They are super excited. The dog meet went perfectly and they instantly started play bowing, boxing and running hot laps in the yard.” For two dogs who were abandoned by their owner and left to fend for themselves until a kind neighbor took them to a California shelter and the S.T.A.R.T. team brought them to WHS, they have won the lottery!

Molly and Malachai also hit the jackpot when WHS interim executive director Lynn adopted the pair! I’m sure I’ll have an update soon, right Lynn? 🙂

One of last week’s adopted dogs I didn’t get a chance to meet was Maxwell. He was a S.T.A.R.T. dog who was hand picked by Dogs for the Deaf and will be trained to assist those hard of hearing. He will learn to alert his owners to ringing phones or knocks at the door or the smoke alarm. So glad that such organizations realize the potential of shelter dogs!

It was great to see my dedicated dog-walking team again this afternoon and to start to get to know the newbies. My descriptions will be shorter than usual, since I haven’t had time to get to know these terrific new “adoptables.”

I’m from California! I’m looking for an active Oregon family! Yours?

This is Thelma, a three-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix who was found at an overcrowded California shelter and brought up to WHS by the S.T.A.R.T. team. Today Emelynn took her out, and as you can see they became instant pals. Thelma will need a family who will help her with some additional training to improve her impulse control. She has done well with other dogs at WHS. I love her coloring and her very happy disposition!

Could I BE any more of a Lab?

No, Charlie couldn’t be, as he is a purebred Labrador Retriever. He is six years old and ready for PLAY! This afternoon Joan took Charlie out for some fun. He knows several commands, comes when called and LOVES people. He gets along with other dogs, but is really a people dog through and through. He could use some leash-walking work, as he can pull, but otherwise is well behaved. He is VERY active and will need a family who will keep him busy! Oh, and in case you haven’t noticed, Charlie is ALWAYS smiling! Life is good!

We’re a team. Yep, that’s all there is to it!

I can’t remember when I’ve been more suddenly smitten with a duo than I was today with these two characters. Meet Walter and Fritz spending time today with Joan and Linda. They are best buds and will need to go home together. Walter is a seven-year-old Basset Hound/Pug mix with a face that is priceless! Fritz is a nine-year-old Bichon Frise/Miniature Schnauzer mix. These boys have obviously been best friends for a long, long time. They were found as strays. They ran up to a house together looking for a forever family. Both are gentle, cooperative souls. Some family will be very lucky to adopt them!

Could I BE any cuter? No, I think not!

Kathy had a big grin on her face when she brought Chance out to meet me. Kathy falls in love with each and every Cocker that comes through WHS’ doors, so I wasn’t surprised! Chance is a three-year-old Purebred American Cocker Spaniel. He can be a bit shy at first, but warmed up to us quickly. He will need to be in an adult home, as he is not comfortable around kids.

Yep, I’m still here…waiting…waiting…I’m a good dog!

I had hoped that Dixon would be adopted while I was gone, but he wasn’t, so I was happy to spend some time with him today. The poor boy still has to wear a “donut” but as I told him, it’s far better than the cone he had on when I left. It’ll just be a couple of more days until he can race around the yard after tennis balls again. He is getting more stressed, as he has been at the shelter since February 24th, and hasn’t gotten to romp since having to wear a cone after being neutered. His kennel presentation is poor due to his stress, and that may be why potential adopters pass him by. But if they will take him out, he would show them what a wonderful dog with a great personality he is. He walks perfectly on leash, takes treats gently, knows several commands and will play fetch for as long as you throw the ball, dropping it at your feet. Dixon is a three-year-old Australian Cattle Dog/Retriever mix. Here he was today on our walk around the grounds. He even smiles on command! I am so hoping a family searching for a great new best friend will overlook his kennel stress behavior and see what a gem he is!

 I’m an eight-month-old bundle of fun! Want to adopt me?

Oh my goodness, what a cute little girl Nina is! She is still a pup, so will need training and what better place than WHS to get it? She would love to attend some classes with her new family and learn how to be the best adult dog ever! Joan had a great time with her today and as you can see, this Pit Bull Terrier mix is a glass-is-half-full kind of gal!

I’m quite shy and a little afraid of new things, but you could build up my confidence if I were your best friend!

I was very happy to meet a new Wednesday walker today, Amber. You will be seeing a lot of her in the coming weeks. She’s going to be a great addition to our afternoon team. Today she posed with Jane, a two-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix. Jane is very shy and uneasy about walking on a leash, but is getting better every day I was told. She was willing to pose for me and enjoyed my hot dog bits, taking them gently out of my hand. When it was time to go back, we had to do a bit of coaxing to get her up the stairs, but once inside she did fine. She will need a patient and understanding new family so that she gains self-confidence. She is a sweetheart!

The name’s Edison. I’m looking for a special person to love me.

Edison is a three-year-old purebred Golden Retriever. He has some issues that mean he’ll need a certain kind of home. Edison is house trained and loves to play Frisbee. However, he is nervous around people he doesn’t know, so he will need to meet anyone he will be living with. He also should not go to a home with children. He would do best as the only dog in the home. Edison will need to be supervised around people he doesn’t know, as they can make him uneasy. He enjoyed his time with Emelynn today and loved my hot dog treats, which he took politely.

I need a little work on my dog meets, but otherwise, I’m GREAT!

Meet Cocoa, a one-year-old Bichon Frise mix. Cocoa is a people-lover and a very happy little character. However, he gets very excited and barks when he sees other dogs outside. Some training could help him conquer this habit. He is great with kids and doesn’t bark indoors. Cocoa smiles all the time and loved his time with Emelynn this afternoon. I think he’ll be adopted quickly!

Just before I left today, I stopped in to say goodbye to the puppies. This is what I saw. They all had one thing on their minds!

Update!

This is an unusual update, but one I think you will enjoy. A couple of weeks ago a stray dog was brought to the shelter. Debbie and I took him out for pictures in case his owner was not found and he was put up for adoption. We both instantly liked him, he was well behaved and obviously well cared for. Debbie was sure his owner was looking for him.

She was right. The next day this was the reunion when his owner found Jim (yep, that’s his name). No words needed.

On that happy note, 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