Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,
Summer may be winding down, but it didn’t slow dog adoptions last week! Eighteen of our pups are happily settling into their new families and nine of them were Blog Dogs. Here they are:
We were thrilled that Opie, who has been waiting for his forever person since June 28th, finally found her. Here they were about to head home, a very happy ever after.
Volunteer Jolene, our Swim Dog Coach, took her new swim dog, Tubby, to Bailey’s Journey last Friday for his first swim therapy session. She reported that Tubby LOVED the water and was a very fast swimmer. Here are some pictures.
As usually happens when Jolene takes a dog swimming, Tubby was adopted very soon afterward. Here is Tubby, now Geno, going home with his new peeps. When I told them how much Geno loves to swim, they said they would get him a pool!
There is one last adoption story I want to tell you about. Colt was surrendered to the shelter on July 19th with an injured back leg. As we waited to learn what medical assistance he would need, he won the hearts of everyone. This gentle, happy boy loved people and would crawl into any waiting lap, as Caroline found out the first time they met.
It was determined that Colt needed an operation and a recovery time in a foster home. The operation was successful and the foster family very quickly became what we call a “foster failure”; they adopted Colt! What a lucky dog and lucky family. Here are some pictures his new family sent to me.
I love my foster family, but I’m really wanting a family of my very own!
I want to start out my adoptable dog section with a little bundle of energy named Gordo, Gordy to his friends. He is a two-year-old Chihuahua mix who arrived at WHS on June 30, very fearful and nervous. Here he was when I met him; he was unsure of what I was doing.
He soon went to a foster home where he could feel secure and blossom. He decided to let me know how things were going and dropped me this note yesterday.
“Hi, Martha, I thought I’d let you know how things have gone here at Jolene’s house. They fostered me because I was so scared, as you know. It was a little hard at first meeting them, but the dogs have made it easier to adjust. I sleep in my crate until my dog friends and I all go potty together in the morning. We come in, give kisses and eat breakfast. Gilbert is my best friend. We play, nap, take walks and eat together. I love my dog friends but I am not really sure if I like cats or younger kids. I also love going for car rides, snuggling and enjoy a calmer house. A couple who likes short, little walks, who has a dog or two to play with, would be fun! A couple who may want another little buddy to keep their other dog(s) company may be a good fit for me. Anyway, I’m waiting here at Jolene’s until my forever family comes to get me.”
Here are a couple of pictures and clips to show how far this little guy has come. The first one is of Gordy and his BFF Gilbert. Gilbert is a former WHS dog and has been such a wonderful big brother to all thirty of Jolene’s fosters!
I’m back. I really need a retirement home with another retiree. Are you retired?
One of my current favorites is Ryder, a nine-year-old Dachshund who was surrendered because his person moved into a retirement home that didn’t allow pets. Ryder is a shy, sweet, gentle soul who is looking for another retiree to share a relaxed life with. He was adopted once, but the new person was gone many hours a day and Ryder did not do well being alone so much. He needs a person who is home most of the time, as he becomes bonded very quickly. He also does not like to be around children or cats. He wouldn’t mind living with another gentle dog, however. Ryder is a cuddler but also has a spring in his step for walks around the neighborhood. He needs to lose a few pounds, so those walks will help him with this goal. And because of those excess pounds, he’s Jolene’s new Swim Dog! We’re hoping Ryder won’t have to be at the shelter for long, he really wants to go to a loving home. Here are some pictures of him with two of his volunteer fans, Diane and Andrew.
I took Ryder out for his afternoon walk today and what a happy little guy he was! To show you that he isn’t about to slow down at nine years old, here he is.
And going upstairs? No problem!
I’m new and I’m taking it all in. Quite a place you’ve got here!
King Pumbaa (I just call him King) arrived from one of our partner shelters in central Oregon last week. He is a six-year-old Chinese Shar-Pei mix. King is looking for a catless retirement home, as he’s not interested in running races or practicing agility. He’d much rather take a leisurely walk around the block and then settle in for the evening by your side. King is house-trained and a quiet, calm gentleman. When I met him on Sunday, he seemed to be silently taking in his new surroundings. Here he was with Natalie who liked him very much.
I had a wonderful adventure with my friend, Laslo!
In last week’s post, you saw Daisy-Head Mayzie about to leave for a respite with Laslo and Katie.
Well, she came back tired but happy and with pictures. Daisy is a two-year-old Australian Cattle Dog mix and Laslo’s most favorite shelter dog EVER. They had a wonderful time walking along the river and hanging out at Laslo’s house for a while, as you’ll see from these shots. Here’s what Katie wrote about their afternoon: “We had an amazing day! Daisy was absolutely fantastic! She was very good on leash and we were very pleased with her. She is an excellent jogging partner, not pulling on the leash, it was really easy to go with her. We loved (love) her!!!!!”
We’re all hoping that Daisy will be adopted very soon. She needs a catless home and one willing to spend some positive training time with her. This girl is a gem and just needs to find the perfect fit of a home.
I’m a very happy, enthusiastic boy! Can you tell?
Odie is a seven-month-old Beagle/Hound mix and is he eager to romp! Odie is looking for a family who will give him the attention and positive training a youngster needs to grow into a terrific dog. He would be a perfect candidate for our WHS training classes, as he needs to work on walking politely on leash and some impulse control. But this boy is worth every moment of effort. He was adopted once and returned because he exceeded the weight limit the landlord allowed, but the report of his time in the new home was glowing. The person was very sad to have to bring him back. Odie will need a home without cats or small dogs, as he would chase them. He also is too rambunctious for young children right now. We are hoping someone will adopt this fun-loving goofball and give him the guidance he needs. Here he is with Marianne and Daniel on Sunday.
Odie has another fan, too. Caitlin is a volunteer who has practically grown up at the shelter, attending WHS camps until she was old enough to become a dog walker. She sent me the following pictures from her time with Odie last week.
Yes, I’m just as sweet as I look!
This is Mathilda, a Cardigan Welsh Corgi mix who is six years old. Mathilda is house-trained, knows some commands and is a gentle girl. She will be a wonderful companion for someone who is looking for a devoted, slightly shy best friend. Mathilda wants to be an only dog because she has been bullied by some big dogs and is frightened of them. She might do okay with dogs smaller than she is, but would love to have all of your attention focused on her alone. She also should not live with cats, as she is too tempted to chase them. I’m sure this sweetheart won’t be at the shelter for long.
Here she was explaining to Caroline exactly what her dream person is.
I got to spend the day in Mariann’s office and I got lots of visitors!
Wiley continues to wait for his perfect fit of a person and we can’t understand why he hasn’t been found by them. After being at WHS since July 5th, the boy is getting stressed in the shelter environment. To help him relax, Adoptions Supervisor Mariann invited him to hang out in her office for the day on Sunday. Here is her report: “When working at the shelter, you try your hardest not to have favorites, but I have to admit, Wiley is my favorite. Wiley is a handsome five-year-old Cattledog mix. When he wants affection he will tell you; he’s a leaner and a nuzzler. Be ready to feel his whole body pressed against yours (check it out in the picture! He is sitting on me and his tail is blurry from wagging it so much). His perfect home would be a person who doesn’t plan on having cats or children. He is dog selective, but once he starts playing, he loves to wrestle around. He has been very calm and well-mannered while in my office, so I bet he will be this way in a home.”
When we heard that Wiley was spending the day with Mariann, Caroline, Daniel and I had to go visit him. He was happy to see us.
Wiley is so cooperative about posing for me. All I have to do is say, “Wiley, sit and smile, please.” This is what he does. We all love this boy!
I’m a little timid at first, but I bet I’d warm up to you!
Buddy is a six-year-old Miniature Pinscher mix. He is very shy and unsure of strangers. But once he realizes he can trust you, he relaxes. He loved my hot dog bits and took them gently. He will need a quiet adult home with someone who will give him the understanding and love he needs to settle. Here he was with Kylie on Sunday.
When I took Buddy out this afternoon, we sat for a while under a tree. We both enjoyed some quiet time together. He really is a delightful little companion.
Caroline’s Pick of the Week!
With Emelynn in college, Caroline has happily agreed to feature her own current favorite each post. This week it is Koda, a one-year-old Lab/Australian Kelpie mix. Koda is quite the “energizer bunny.” He is looking for a home with teenagers and a family who will put in training time starting with the WHS class that is included in Koda’s adoption package. Caroline laughed when she was telling me what a ball dog Koda is. Even after accidentally biting his own tongue while playing fetch, he didn’t miss a beat. Koda decided after beginning Search and Rescue School, that he’d really rather be a family dog, so here he is, and he can’t wait to meet his new peeps. He will be a breeze to train since he is so toy and food motivated. This happy-go-lucky dog will make some fortunate people a terrific new family member. Can you tell Caroline has fallen for him in this picture?
What a face!
Update!
Walt
Remember little Walt from a few weeks ago? He was adopted as soon as he was available.
What a difference a haircut makes! This is Walt today. The boy looks pretty settled into his new home! Have a great life, little man.
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
