Dear Fellow Dog Lovers!

Welcome to the 4th of July issue of my blog! Cindy Lou was so happy to dress up on her last day at the shelter. She was adopted by our very own staff member, Jean, and is enjoying a wonderful new beginning.

All of the dogs and volunteers were extremely excited when I showed up with celebration props on Sunday. (Well, that may be an ever-so-slight exaggeration, but moving on…) First, there were ten dog adoptions in the last week, five of them were the Blog Dogs below.

Before beginning to celebrate the 4th, I have a wonderful update about one of our current dogs in foster and a report about a respite for Mya and Jade.

 

WOW! Am I ever having a blast learning stuff with Karla!

You may remember Artemis from previous posts. This young, high-energy girl was having a difficult time containing her enthusiasm in the shelter environment. She was so full of exuberance that persuading her to return to her kennel was quite the challenge. Here are a few pictures I took of her a few weeks ago.

This happy eleven-month-old Retriever/Lab mix is now spending some time with volunteer Karla in her home and showing tremendous improvement with Karla’s amazing dog-training skills. Here’s what Karla reported yesterday:

“Artemis is a great dog.  She’s high energy, but that means she’s eager for interaction and training.  Yet she can settle, too.  She’s boldly fearless, loves to play with other dogs, is affectionate with people, is house-trained, doesn’t beg at the dinner table, respects household items and can walk nicely on leash.  She’s young and the latter attributes aren’t an ingrained habit yet.  In other words, you’ll have to be her guide.  She’s food motivated and loves learning through positive methods.  She was a major door crasher at the shelter, but now waits happily, on and off leash, for her release cue before going through doors. If her future adopter is careful, she’ll be great with cats – my guess.  She’s been good with mine on leash – no barking or lunging or obsessing.  While outside in the yard, Artemis saw my cat on the other side of the fence. She ran toward the cat playfully and when I called her, Artemis immediately came flying back!  Two more times she ran toward the cat and instantly ran back when recalled!  Wow, you have to love that!

Artemis’ biggest problem with me has been frustration barking when tethered in the house or otherwise unable to be with her person.  In one week she has become much more accepting of being separated from me.  We’ve practiced separation by Artemis sometimes being tethered or gated – with me nearby or in the next room.  I’ve ignored her vocalizations and she’s understanding that barking doesn’t pay.  Also, positively teaching a down/stay helps her understand that a separation of distance can be very rewarding and even fun!

She’s a lovely dog.  I’d love to see her find a home with an equally lovely, caring person.”

I knew Artemis would blossom under Karla’s care. We all love her and want to find the perfect people who will continue her training after adopting her.

 

 

 

We got to go on an afternoon adventure with three of our favorite peeps!

Okay, I have to again put this picture of “the girls,” as we call them, on this post. It’s my favorite one and shows how fun-loving and happy they are. Now, on to their Wednesday adventure!

When I arrived at WHS last Wednesday, I was thrilled to see Sunday dog walkers Katie and her sons, Laslo and Daniel, coming to take Mya and Jade for an afternoon of fun away from the shelter. These girls are bonded siblings and need to go home together. They are five-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mixes.

Here’s what Katie wrote after their grand adventure and her pictures.

“What a fun day we had!! The girls were absolutely wonderful, full of energy, so they keep us on our toes….The day was totally amazing….
Both girls are super sweet, they are really friendly towards people and dogs. However, Jade does not like squirrels. Mya did not really seem to be bothered by them, though. They love to play with other dogs. Mya is more seeking for human attention than Jade. They had a little bit of a “enough of you” sibling scrap, but it did not last long. We loved the girls to be with us, we really enjoyed it!!!!!!”

    Jade and Mya have caught colds and are in the ISO kennels as they recover. However, they seem not to be feeling at all bad. Today we had them out in the ISO yard and this is what happened. They were so funny to watch. Mya enjoyed just hanging out in the pool, while Jade thought it was great fun to race back and forth across the yard, jumping in and out of the pool as she went, ball in mouth, splashing Mya every time! These girls would be such a delight for a family. Just sit in the backyard with a cool glass of iced tea under the shade and watch these two entertain you in their pool.

 

 

 

I’ve been waiting a long time for my forever person. Maybe you could be the one I’ve been waiting for?

Sweet Pea continues to wait for her new family. She is an eight-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix who is showing her age. She is looking for a quiet home with no small children or other dogs. She has not had an easy life, coming to us from California via our S.T.A.R.T. partner, and is so deserving of a loving family now. Although she doesn’t have the energy or stamina of a young dog, Sweet Pea has the love, affection, and loyalty that only a mature dog has to give. We are hoping that just the right person will realize their life will be complete if Sweet Pea is in it. Here she is with one of her biggest fans, Marianne.

            

 

 

 

Sure, I’ll dress up! Let’s do it!

Ever want a dog who wouldn’t mind wearing anything you asked him to? Well, meet Rosco! This big, active, two-year-old, fifty-nine pound Pit Bull Terrier mix is such a cooperative boy! Rosco has been at the shelter since early March and is more than ready to go to his forever home. He is house-trained, walks well on leash, and knows some commands. He LOVES people, but is picky about his dog friends, and don’t even think about cats! But if you are looking for a goofy, fun, happy, only dog who will want to do whatever you want to do, Rosco is your perfect fit. Here he was on Sunday with good-sport Marianne.

 

 

 

 

We’re celebrating, too!

Hunter and Tara weren’t about to be left out of the fun! They happily posed in their red-white-and-blue leis and Tara broke into a patriotic chant, while Laslo, Daniel, and I smiled. This bonded Beagle mix pair are still waiting for just the right person to find them. It will have to be someone who is home most of the time and can supervise the duo when out in the yard. Hunter is an explorer, filled with wanderlust, and Tara follows him everywhere. Digging under a fence? No problem. But while they need to be watched, they are also very affectionate and love people. Tara is ten years old and Hunter is nine. The siblings have lived together their whole lives and need to stay together but would love to share their affection with you!

Volunteer Manager, Kimmi, sent me this picture of the duo in playgroup this morning. They were having a blast!

 

 

 

Are you kidding?

Well, not everyone was as happy to dress up as Rosco. This is Flower, a newbie to the shelter and a cute eight-pound, four-year-old Chihuahua mix. Flower is quite shy and will need a patient person to help her gain confidence. A quiet home would be best, without loud noises or rambunctious kids. By the end of our picture taking, Flower was beginning to take my hot-dog bits more happily. She’ll warm up and become someone’s new best friend.

 

 

 

Looking for a Chow Chow to complete your life? I’m it!

For an experienced dog person with knowledge of Chows, Oso might just be a wonderful addition to your life. He is a three-year-old, seventy-two pound boy who needs to lose some weight. With his love of action, this should be easy with proper exercise and a little less food. Training classes at WHS would be a great way to learn skills and bond with his new person. As you see, Oso was game for wearing a patriotic lei. Volunteer Tyler was a great sport, too!

 

 

 

We’re new here. How do you feel about two Doxies to love?

Ludwina Von Strudel and Libby are eleven-year-old best friends who have lived together their whole lives. They are now looking for a retirement home where they can just hang out together with a family. They are both house-trained and very friendly. They even loved their cat in their old home. The girls would not be good in an apartment, as Ludwina does have a tendency to bark some. We’re hoping that a Doxie lover out there will fall in love with these two senior gals and give them a great home for their golden years. They were so cooperative about the props! Daniel and Laslo were, too!

I took these pictures of the girls last week before they were available for adoption.

 

 

 

I’m twelve pounds of love!

Eva is a three-year-old Pug/Chihuahua mix who is a delightful little character. She is shy when she first meets you, but quickly warms up, especially if you have some treats handy. She is looking for a home that isn’t too noisy, as sudden loud sounds make her nervous. Marianne fell for her and Eva fell for Marianne.

 

 

 

I’d like to be your Pal!

Pal was willing to wear a lei even with a cone! What a guy. Pal has been at WHS since early May. He has come so far from when he arrived as a nervous, aloof boy. He is a two-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix. He is quite independent and, while he enjoys being with his peeps, he is sufficiently emotionally secure to be on his own. He is very treat-motivated and so he’s been fun to train. And as you can see, he’s willing to try anything that might help him get adopted. He really enjoyed hanging out with Tyler.

After a while, Pal had had enough posing.

Volunteer Marianne took Pal on an excellent adventure respite on Tuesday. She sent along these pictures and this report. Pal is a very special and wonderful boy. Some family is going to be so lucky to adopt him!

“I had the pleasure of taking Pal to the beach this week. He is an amazing dog who has come so far in the time he has been at WHS. He is very affectionate and well-behaved and truly loves to be around people.  But he also likes to do things on his own which I think is a great combination. He walks very well on leash, responds to commands and seems to love being outdoors. Since he had been so recently neutered, I was asked not to let him get soaking wet, but I could tell that he loves the water and really wanted to get in there and play.  He also loves to explore with his nose; and while he does notice other dogs and may begin to bark, he is easily redirected and listens very well. From his body language I would say he would love to just meet all the dogs that he sees. He rides wonderfully in the car, and he is very calm when you need him to be. Pal would be an absolutely fantastic addition to anyone’s home. He is really tugging at my heartstrings, and my hope is that he will be adopted very soon. But until he is, I plan on taking him on many adventures. He is that easy and fun to have around.”

  

 

 

 

And how cute am I?

Meet Henry, a nine-year-old Yorkshire Terrier mix. Henry is a new arrival, but don’t expect him to be around long. He weighs a mere four pounds and smiles most of the time. I was a amazed that he didn’t mind dressing up for the 4th along with Laslo.

 

 

 

 

This is my friend, Jeff. He likes me, you will, too!

Rocky Road is an eight-year-old Rat Terrier mix. He’s also new, and having just met him, I don’t know him well, but he was eager to please and a happy little guy. He has lived with another dog and even a cat. Jeff spent some time getting to know him on Sunday.

 

 

 

Emelynn’s Pick of the Week!

In case you are looking for the perfect family dog, you’ve found her. Just ask Emelynn. Katie is a ten-year-old Shepherd mix. She is a sweet girl who has done fine around children and adores them. She is house-trained, knows several commands, is treat-motivated, and wants to please. “She is so gentle, she wants to do whatever you want to do,” said Emelynn about this affectionate girl. Katie can be left alone in the house with no problem. Her only request is that there be no cats in the home. Although she’s never lived with another dog, she gets along with them. She scored so well on her behavior assessment that she is rated PG+5. Katie is a very special dog. Here she was today showing how easy-going she is.

 

The dogs and volunteers at WHS wish you a very happy 4th of July! And please remember to make sure your animals are safe and secure during the fireworks.

I’m going to visit some old friends in Wyoming next week, so will miss two posts. I’ll be back with you again on July 22!

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