Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

There were two especially heartwarming dog adoptions last week. Both involved terrific senior girls who will be much loved for the rest of their lives. Both Katie and Roxanne had won the hearts of many of us at WHS and we were so happy to see them off to with their new families!

And then there was Titan. This handsome boy was surrendered on Sunday while I was taking pictures of new arrivals. I liked him immediately and hoped he wouldn’t have to be at the shelter for long. I didn’t have to worry. He was there less than 24 hours!

Staff sent me his going-home picture.

There were eleven other WHS dog adoptions last week, but because I’d been gone, they weren’t “Blog Dogs.” Very happy for all of them!

 

 

I don’t understand why I’m overlooked in my kennel.

You know how lots of dogs aren’t the right fit for everyone but ARE perfect for someone? Well, Wiley is such a dog. He’s been sitting quietly in his kennel patiently waiting for his perfect fit of a person since July 5th. He is such a fun, happy boy and yet keeps getting overlooked by potential adopters. Here’s the deal…Wiley is a five-year-old Australian Cattle Dog/Boxer mix. He is house-trained as well as crate-trained. He knows several commands and takes my hot dog bits very gently. Wiley does need a home without children, as he has some resource-guarding tendencies and can be frightened by loud noises. He cannot go home with cats. He might prefer to be an only pet. So Wiley has some quirks, but he has won many friends at the shelter, like volunteers Katalin and Laslo, two huge fans of Wiley. They say this about him, “He is a real sweet dog! He loves to play fetch. He brings the ball back and drops it at your feet.” I spent some time with Wiley, Laslo and Katalin on Sunday. Wiley is such a wonderful boy!

 

I’m a little shy, but I’m a favorite of lots of the folks at the shelter!

Shelby is an eight-year-old American Bulldog mix. She is a recent arrival and is a little worried about why she is at the shelter, but everyone she meets falls in love with this quiet, calm girl. She has a good history with kids and many other animals including cats, dogs, birds and farm animals. Here’s what volunteer Marianne says about her: “Shelby is very mellow and extremely well-behaved. At the present time, her color is white, pink, and blue because she somehow got into some sort of dye. The color will come off eventually and she will be gorgeous, although right now she looks kind of snazzy. This is one affectionate low-key dog. I absolutely adore her and have since the moment she came through the door.” Daniel is another one of Shelby’s peeps and enjoyed hanging out with her on Sunday. We’re all hoping that Shelby won’t have to stay at the shelter long before a new family recognizes what a gem she is. Oh, and one more thing, Shelby is a “camp dog” this week, working with Junior Trainers and having a blast. She’ll be available to take home on Thursday.

  Today her greatest fan, Marianne, walked Shelby, so I shot a couple of pictures of them.

I’m looking for a fire engine! Know where I can find one?

When I arrived at the shelter on Sunday afternoon, I did my usual walk down the kennel rows saying hi to everyone. When I got to newly-arrived Roomba, he was grinning and sitting politely at the front of his kennel. I knew instantly that this boy wouldn’t be around long, he’s simply a perfect boy! Roomba is a five-year-old Dalmatian/Great Dane mix. He is wonderful with other dogs and children of all ages. He walks well on leash, is house-trained, and can be left alone with no problem (as long as there is no garbage needing to be sorted). Roomba is enjoying being a camp dog this week. Here he is with Kylie. What a guy!

I’m still waiting for my right fit of a family! Is it yours?

Opie is an almost two-year-old Plothound mix whose behavior has improved dramatically since he arrived at WHS on June 28th. He now sits when you go in his kennel and waits at doors to go outside. He still needs some work on loose-leash walking manners. He is the perfect dog for an active family or a jogger. He learns quickly and is treat-motivated. He loves to play fetch and will bring the ball back, drop it, and wait for it to be thrown again. Opie will need to have his training continued and happily his adoption package includes a WHS training class called Check In and Chill Out, just what this boys needs. If you’re looking for a high-energy, fun, and eager partner, Opie may be just whom you’ve been waiting for! Here he is with his friend, Francis.

I’ve been here for quite awhile, too. I need someone who knows my breed.

Percy Shelley is a four-year-old purebred German Shepherd. He came to us from a shelter in California. He needs a family with older kids, or just adults who are eager for the joys and challenges of training an intelligent and active dog. Percy is strong and needs to work on not jumping on people in his eagerness to greet them. He knows a few commands and seems anxious to learn. He’d be great in WHS training classes. He cannot go home with cats, other male dogs, or small children. Percy would love to have a job. This boy has a lot of potential and is right for someone experienced with German Shepherds who is willing to put in training and play time. Given this time and training, Percy will make a terrific and loyal companion. He spent some quality time with Daniel on Sunday.

I’m little, I’m shy, I’m loving. Why don’t you come and meet me?

Are you looking for a small (18 pounds) package of love to have on your lap? Well, Suzy might be just the ticket. She is an eight-year-old Lhasa-Apso mix who is looking for someone who wants a new best friend. Suzy is house-trained, has a good history with older kids, and lived happily with another dog about her size. This week she’s  having fun being a camp dog. And soon she’ll have an appointment with a groomer to get all spiffed up so she’ll look her best when she meets a new family. Here she is on Sunday enjoying being outside with Kylie.

Volunteer Marianne, who has spent quite a bit of time with Suzy, says this about her: “She is sweet, gentle, and loves to cuddle. Perfect for a low-key quiet home where she will be pampered.” Just like Marianne is pampering her in this picture!

NEWS FLASH!

During our walking shift this afternoon, Marianne got a message from her groomer that they could fit Suzy in for a “makeover” right then. So off they went. And I was still at the shelter when they returned. It was such a joy to see. Suzy, who had looked so sad, came bouncing out of the car and pranced over to me, feeling so much better! Can you tell? And the groomers said that Suzy was the best behaved dog EVER!

Suzy couldn’t wait to show staff member Jean, one of her biggest fans, her new look!

And since we’re talking about Lhasa-Apsos…don’t forget about ME!

I happened to see Cosmo out with Laslo and asked to take some pictures. Cosmo is a Lhasa-Apso mix and is six years old. He is house-trained and has lived happily with a cat and another dog. While he’s never lived with children, he would probably do fine with them. He wants nothing more than to take walks around the neighborhood, have some playtime, and then relax with you in the evening. This week he’s having fun being a camp dog. What a cutie he is!

Yep, it’s me, Waffles. Can we have breakfast together soon?

Sweet Waffles is still waiting patiently in her kennel for her next family, sure that it will be her forever one at last. Waffles is a seven-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix. She had a difficult time in the shelter environment when she first arrived, but she’s doing better now. However, she would very much like to be adopted soon by an understanding and quiet adult family. She is house-trained, knows some commands, and likes treats. She warms up quickly to people who give her calm attention. She will need to go to a cat-free home and one without small dogs. In fact, she would probably enjoy being an only dog. Waffles loves the wading pools and enjoys hanging out with her friends like Daniel.

Emelynn’s Pick of the Week!

Today Emelynn picked a new arrival, Max, a three-year-old Chihuahua mix. We had heard that Max was very shy, but he warmed right up to Emelynn and happily sat in her lap while politely munching some of my hot dog bits. Max is house-trained and has lived happily with cats! He is a happy little guy. I have a feeling he won’t be around long!

Martha thinks I am a very smart and cute snuggler. What do YOU think?

We have several new small dogs just transferred to us from ASPCA, so I had lots of new dog pictures to take this afternoon. But because we had 41 dogs to walk, I decided to walk some before I asked my team for help in picture taking. The first one I took out was Princess Di, a two-year-old Chihuahua mix. Although Di was absolutely over the moon when I went into her kennel, crawling into my lap immediately, once leashed up, she didn’t want any part of leaving the safety of her bed. When coaxing with hot dog bits didn’t work, I picked her up and she happily went out the door with me. Once outside, she liked to sniff the grass, but as soon as I sat down under a tree, she jumped into my lap. I was able to get a couple of selfies of us. What a little sweetheart. Because of her timidity, older children would be best for this little girl. But she’ll make some lucky family very happy as long as they love a snuggler!

Updates!

Pailey/Lucy

Pailey came to us from another shelter, hoping to find a new home. Here she was with Jolene while she was recovering from a cold in the ISO kennels. But she didn’t have to wait long before she had a forever family.

I just got this wonderful update today!

“Our family adopted Pailey (we re-named her Lucy) from the shelter on May 29th. She has settled in really well, and we can’t imagine life without her! The biggest concern we had was how she would do with our cats, but she doesn’t bother them at all. She is very gentle and loving with the kids and gets along well with our other dog, Henry. Belly rubs, lounging on the couch, and ear scratches are her favorite things in the world! We’re still working on leash manners (she’s very strong!) and basic obedience, but she seems to be catching on. Overall, she’s a very laid-back dog which nicely compliments our high energy, always on-the-go border collie. :)”

Emma!

If you are a long-time reader of my blog posts, you will remember Emma, or as she came to be known around the shelter, Sweet Emma.

Emma was found on the streets of Los Angeles by Terri, who was driving to work. Emma was frantic. She had obviously recently had puppies and was searching for them. She was in very sad shape with skin and ear infections and horribly cropped ears. It seemed certain that she had been abandoned. Terri would have kept Emma if her own dog had accepted her, but he didn’t. Terri contacted rescue after rescue but no one could take a Pit Bull Terrier with her skin and ear conditions. Finally Terri asked the S.T.A.R.T. organization for help. They put her in a shelter where her health issues were addressed and after several months when she had mostly recovered, transported her to the Northwest for a better chance at a new life. Emma arrived at WHS and that’s when I met her and fell in love. Again she sat in a kennel waiting for weeks for someone to realize what a wonderful dog she was. Finally a young family adopted her. The little boy called her “My Sweet Emma.” Although the family loved Emma and said she was the best dog ever, they struggled with her chronic skin and ear conditions, and finally, tearfully decided that it was not fair to Emma to keep her. Emma came back to WHS. Again, she sat for weeks waiting. Then one day another family met her and it was love at first sight. They adopted her and it’s been a perfect match. Last week I got the following update. And to make it even better, Emma’s first family also contacted me last week saying they still missed her and hoped she was doing well. This black Pit Bull with a constantly worried look, who was thrown away in Los Angeles is loved by so many people!

“Emma is a spoiled princess and I love her very much….I’m hoping to set up a day I can come and everyone can see Emma and meet our family.”

Emma will always hold a very special place in my heart.

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