Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

If you are a regular visitor to my blog, you have read for many weeks about Sheila, who came to WHS last May on a S.T.A.R.T. transport after spending five months in a California shelter. She quickly became one of my all-time favorites and when I left her at the end of my shift each week, I would tell her that maybe she’d be found by her forever family before I saw her again. Last week it finally happened! And would you like to guess the name of the woman who adopted her? Yes! It’s Sheila! So our Sheila is now called Shia. I got this wonderful note back after I emailed Sheila (the person) how thrilled I was that our Sheila (the dog) finally had a family of her own.

“Hi Martha, her name is still Sheila but we call her Shia (sounds like Shya) cause she’s shy lol. Another thing that I love about her is her birthday is just 4 days before mine… we absolutely love her already and she is already adapting very well to her surroundings and her new home. I will definitely keep you updated on her progress and maybe even bring her to see you.”

I can’t wait for an update! Here’s one of the last pictures I had Emelynn take of us.

Sheila’s wasn’t the only terrific dog adoption last week. Here are all of the lucky Blog Dogs who are now happily in their new homes.

Yep, that first one is our puppy Sam whom you’ve read about a lot in past posts. Never lost for words, here’s what he had to say about it.

Sam hit a jackpot family with another former WHS alumnus from two years ago, Rico, who is now Kona. I wrote about Rico in my November 28, 2012 post, saying he had a ton of energy. Well, he and Sam have identical play styles and will be the best of friends. Here is the new family, sent to me by staff member Jessi.

The staff also sent me pictures of Buddy and Austin going home. We are all so happy for these wonderful dogs!

One last note about Austin. Because of a genetic condition, Austin’s lower jaw is deformed, causing his tongue to hang out of his mouth all the time. From the moment volunteer Marianne met him, she felt an instant bond and worried that because of his strange look, he might have trouble getting adopted. She spent a great deal of time with him and they became great buds. When he became sick with kennel cough, Marianne spent even more time with him. Last Sunday he was well enough to be adopted, and he was. I took these final pictures of the two friends.

 

 

 

My name is Rockie. I’m looking for an experienced family who is ready for adventures!

Rockie is a four-year-old Labrador Retriever. At 81 pounds, he’s a big boy with a big heart. Rockie came to us with a food-guarding issue, but with lots of volunteer and staff working with him, he has improved dramatically, and is now ready to be adopted. He still will need to go home with an experienced owner who will continue his training. He plays with other dogs in our WHS play groups and loves going for walks. He would benefit greatly from some of the WHS training classes here at the shelter to learn new skills and maintain the ones he has been working on. Rockie wants a home of his own very much and would be a great hiking or jogging partner. He also loves to play fetch. We’re hoping the right person will come and meet this good boy and fall in love.

Here he is with Jeff.

And here he was today with Debbie who has fallen in love with this big guy.

 

 

 

I’m an affectionate, mellow Great Pyrenees/Bernese Mountain Dog mix waiting for you to come and take me home!

This is Max, a four-year-old handsome, gentle boy. He has a great history with kids and other dogs. He’s never been around cats, however. He will need brushing, but other than that, he’ll be an easy guy to have around. He’s a bit timid, but warms up when given attention. He took my treats gently. He is house-trained and sleeps well in a crate. Here he is with Francis on Sunday.

Here he was a week ago with Diane and Andrew. What a beautiful dog!

 

 

 

Looking for a big girl? Maybe I’m the one for you!

Keda is a seven-year-old purebred St. Bernard. She is a newbie at the shelter, and I haven’t yet spent much time with her, but she is a sweetie. She’s quite shy and gets nervous around small children and from over-handling, so needs to go home with older kids or just adults. She’ll need a place where she can go be by herself when she is overwhelmed by activity. Here she was with Jeff and Alexis.

 

 

 

I’ve been gone awhile, but now I’m back. I’m waiting for a new family who will love me.

I first met Tempest two years ago when she came to WHS as a stray. She was adopted at that time, but now she is back at the shelter. Tempest is a big girl at 104 pounds and she hasn’t had a lot of training, but as smart as she is, she will be a quick study. Her adoption even comes with a WHS training class called Check In and Chill Out, which will help her and a new family bond and learn new skills. Tempest is a sweet, beautiful dog, but is strong and will need to be with older, dog-savvy kids. She will fit well with an active family since she is not a couch potato and loves to be on the go. Here she was last week with Emelynn.

And here she is today with Joan.

 

 

 

What do you mean my class is canceled because of thunder?

On Sunday afternoon, I happened to see Linda out with Chevy just before they left to go to his last class at My Dog’s Gym. However, due to the thunder storm in the area, the class was canceled because the OTHER dogs, not Chevy, were too nervous to train. As you can see by the look on his face, Chevy thought the other dogs were whimps. Chevy is a three-year-old Pit Bull Terrier/Boxer mix. He’ll need a very dog-savvy adult-only family. He has come such a long way in his training and has become such a favorite of many staff and volunteers who hope just the right family will come along for this boy.

Here is Chevy’s happier look.

 

 

 

I have a little cold right now, but I’m still adoptable and I’m getting better every day!

Oh my gosh! Is this little guy cute! Meet Tucker, a seven-month-old Chihuahua mix. I first met him last Sunday. He is in the ISO kennels because he has a cold, but will soon be well and can’t wait to have a family to grow up with. Tucker is a bit on the shy side, but as Marianne and I soon discovered, it doesn’t take him long to warm up. He took my treats easily and enjoyed our attention completely. He is quite the loving little character!

Here he was today with Steve.

 

 

 

Emelynn’s Pick of the Week!

Looking for a lap dog? A dog who is most happy when he is next to your side…or better yet in your arms? Well, go no further because Prince is the boy for you. This little guy had both Emelynn and me in stitches the entire time we had him out with us trying to snap his photo. Prince is a four-year-old Chihuahua mix. He tends to be a little shy at first, but talk about warming up fast! He gobbled my hot dog bits and was thrilled with the attention he was getting from us.

A true lab dog, here he is with me. As I tried to position him in front of me to get a good shot, he insisted in crawling over to me to snuggle. Holding the camera as high as I could, I got this picture. Yep, he captured my heart as well as Emelynn’s.

 

 

 

I may be smaller than the average Lab, but I’m a keeper!

I met Jet for the first time on Sunday. He seemed a little overwhelmed at being in the shelter, having arrived from California a few days before. But Ian did a good job of reassuring this two-year-old beauty that things will be okay. Jet is an eager, lively young boy who is looking for a family who needs a best friend. He is a Jr. Trainers camp dog this week, so is learning new skills and gaining confidence. An added bonus is that he is already house-trained. Ian fell for this delightful boy.

 

 

 

The name’s Dodger. Yep, I’m a Beagle and I’m BACK!

Yes, I first wrote about Dodger last March. He was adopted, but now he’s back with us and looking for a new home. Dodger doesn’t have a good history with young kids, so will need to be in an adult home or one with older kids. He is such a happy dog as you can see in this picture with Alexis on Sunday. He’s a camp dog this week, so is learning new things and loving every minute of his camper’s attention. He’s seven years old and is a typical Beagle who likes to follow his nose. He loved my hot dog bits and took them politely. He’s a good boy!

 

 

 

Are you ready for a new family member? Well, I’m ready to be it!

This is Buffy, a three-year-old, nine-pound Chihuahua mix from California. We don’t know her background, but what we do know is that this little girl is active, eager, and a quick learner. She’s spending this week working with a camper in Jr. Trainers, so is learning all kinds of new skills that will help her get adopted. Here she was Sunday with Bruce.

 

 

 

 

But I don’t want you to take my picture!

Every now and then, there is a dog who absolutely does not like my camera. Even though it is silent when it snaps a picture, even though there are lots of hot dog treats in between shots, some dogs still are not impressed. Such is the case with Blaze.

Take One

Take Two

Take Three

Blaze is an absolutely adorable two-year-old Chihuahua/Beagle mix. She is looking for a calm home with patient people who will give her the time she needs to feel secure. She got quite attached to Caroline during our photo shoot!

 

 

 

Yes, I have rather odd ears. I think they make me look quite intelligent, don’t you?

One of our newbies this week is Sage, a three-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix who has quickly become a volunteer favorite. She is house-trained, walks well on leash, took my treats gently and is an all-around great little girl. On Sunday when I first met her, she didn’t like my camera at all, but by today she was happy to pose with Makaylee.

 

 

 

I’m looking for a family who needs a loyal and fun friend for life!

Kathy spent time today with Peter, a two-year-old, five-pound Chihuahua mix. He is a delightful little character with striking markings. He loved my treats, loved Kathy’s attention, and enjoyed his walk and then cuddling with Kathy. He was found as a stray and was overwhelmed when he first arrived at WHS, but is gaining confidence every day.

 

Updates!

Emma

Guess who stopped in to WHS for a visit last week! Yep, that’s our Emma! I so wish I could have been there, but Marianne was. She reported that Emma is a princess in the home, greatly loved by all three boys and their mom. Her skin and ears look wonderful and she is one happy and, finally, a very lucky girl!

Duke/Willy

Here is the picture I took of Duke when he first arrived at WHS from a California shelter. The poor little guy was badly in need of a haircut!

And here is his update from his new family.

“We are into our second week with Willy aka Duke. We loved him at the start. He was shy but friendly but also very jumpy for a day or so. He is so easy to cuddle and spoil. We had his hair cut as it was so matted. He is still very adorable and happy to please us. He is becoming playful and has definitely won our hearts. Thank you for helping me find him.”

What a difference a haircut makes!

That’s it for this week! Next week a dear friend from my high school days will be visiting us, so I will not be writing my post. See you in two weeks with hope of many new adoptions!

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