Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

I happened to be at the shelter on Sunday when volunteer Krystal arrived with her foster dog, Roxie, to meet a potential adopter. The lady and her daughter had driven three hours to meet our sweet senior girl and everyone was very excited. It was love at first sight. I snapped this picture when they arrived.

It wasn’t long before the adoption was underway.

After everything had been discussed and signed and a few happy tears were shed, the new family headed home. Krystal got an update call on Monday and reported: “Everything is going great. She’s adjusting really well and they love her. She said Roxie loves snuggling in her electric blanket and is very content and happy.” Such a happily-ever-after adoption!

 

There were a total of ten dog adoptions during the past week. Here were the Blog Dogs.

 

 

 

I’m much braver now than I was when I arrived here!

The first walking buddies I saw out on Sunday were volunteer Emily and Scruffers, a five-year-old Shih Tzu Terrier mix. Scruffers is a bit shy, but once he gets to know you, he’s an absolute delight. At ten pounds, he’s a cuddly lap dog, but does enjoy going for walks. He has relaxed a lot since his arrival at the shelter and has a spring in his step now when he takes his walks. Scruffers has lived happily with kids, cats, and other dogs. He will need some help in having a regular schedule with house-training, as he occasionally had accidents in his previous home. Emily thoroughly enjoyed her time with this little guy.

 

 

 

I’m new and I’d like to tell you a little about myself.

Meet Copper, a three-year-old purebred Beagle who is looking for a new family. Caitlin and I laughed a lot while taking pictures of Copper, as he had a lot to say. As a Beagle, he has a wonderful “singing” voice and loves to follow his nose. He is treat-motivated, which may explain why he needs to lose a little weight, but that will make him easy to train. Copper is friendly, happy, and has a great sense of humor. He has a good history with children and other dogs. We’re hoping a lover of Beagles will scoop this boy up really quickly!

And here was Copper today with Kathy. Yep, still talking!

 

 

 

Yep, it’s me, Dodger, or Dapper Dodger as some of my peeps call me!

There are so many Dodger faces! Here he is trying a new one out on us. I thought it was pretty effective. If you follow my posts, you know that Dodger is an eight-year-old Boxer mix who has been in shelter life for over six years. He moved to Salem hoping to finally find his forever home. Dodger has earned his Canine Good Citizenship certificate and is house-trained, but needs a home without cats. He enjoys playing with active dogs. We’re all doing our best to help him find his perfect fit of a home. Caroline, Marianne and I hung out with him on Sunday.

Here Dodger was today with Sandra.

 

 

 

I’m a Hound. What do you expect?

Pepper Jack has quickly become a favorite of many at the shelter. He has just landed in a foster home which he is loving. Staff member Sarah mentioned to me that he was her current favorite dog. When I asked her why, she talked about his affectionate and clownish personality, his satin-like coat, and his happy-go-lucky outlook on life. He is definitely not an apartment candidate, due to his talkative nature. Pepper Jack is a four-year-old Whippet mix who gets lonely (and more talkative) when left alone, so a retired or stay-at-home person would be his perfect fit. Here he was on Sunday hanging out with Caitlin.

We all get a hoot out of his singing. Here he was on his way to play group a few days ago. In case you don’t understand Dog Speak, here’s the translation:

“OMG! OMG! I’m going to plaaaaay group! I looooove play group! Did you hear meeeee? I said I loooooove play group!”

 

I was thrilled today when Pepper Jack’s foster mom sent me the following update.

“My husband and I are currently fostering Mr. Pepper Jack and I wanted to give you a quick update on him for the blog along with some new photos of him relaxing at home.
 
He is truly the best of both worlds. He is energetic, lively and extremely playful when we’re outside on walks and at the dog park. He is a big goof with a big heart.  We’re still working through appropriate barking (smaller, fluffy dogs seem to be a trigger for major hound-dog barking) but his leash skills have improved tremendously in a couple of days with the introduction of a harness.  
 
He’s also very relaxed once inside the house.  It took a full day to let his guard down completely, but now, as you can see in the photos, he’s a couch potato in the making. 🙂 He coexists with our beagle, Lady, and they’re perfect housemates as they’re both a little aloof and would prefer to snuggle with people versus another dog.  He sleeps through the night like a champ in his crate and doesn’t make any noise.
 
He does continue to have some separation anxieties, but we’re working through them. We have found him to be trustworthy enough to leave him free roam of the house with the beagle while we’re gone versus crating him.  We’ve also found that a Thunder Shirt helps, too.  
 
He’s going to be the perfect addition to a hound-savvy home that is looking for a dog with so much to offer.  
 
Hope he finds his perfect home soon!”

And now…Mr. Couch Potato himself!

 

 

 

I’m a youngster looking for a a home with adults to love!

Fozzy Bear is a six-month-old American Cocker Spaniel who can’t wait to be adopted. He’s active, as cute as a button, and well-behaved. He is getting some medical care for his eyes. Marianne gave him a bath on Sunday and reported he was a perfectly behaved little guy. He had fun with Caitlin on Sunday. I have a feeling he won’t be hanging around the shelter for long.

Here Fozzy was today, hanging out with Sandra. His eyes are looking much, much better already.

Sometimes you just need to flop on the grass.

 

 

 

I’m not going to look at you, Martha. I’m just NOT!

Juno is a three-year-old Chihuahua mix who absolutely will not look at me when I am holding my camera. It must look like a giant eye to him, and he’ll have no part of it. Juno is a seven-pound lap dog who is quite shy at first, but soon is hopping into your arms. He is a bit overwhelmed when he sees other dogs and can be vocal, but quickly settles when the “threat” is gone. Loud noises can startle him, so a quiet and calm home would be best for this little guy. He is one of our ASPCA transfers from California, so we don’t know his history, but he’s been waiting for a new family since January 10th. Emily and Natilia both enjoyed time with him during the last week.

 

 

 

Caroline’s Pick of the Week!

Today Caroline chose a newbie for her pick. Meet Mia, a VERY active nine-month-old Hound mix youngster. Mia needs a job or activity to keep her out of trouble. To help with this, her adoption package includes a class called “Check In and Chill Out.” Mia is looking for an active family without cats, chickens, or livestock (she loves to play chase and can jump a four-foot fence). With all that said, she loves older children and being treat-motivated, she’ll be fun to train. She has a great sense of humor and a nose she loves to follow. We’re hoping that Mia will find her perfect fit of a home soon.

 

 

 

I’m a little shy, but give me some time and I’ll be your best lap dog EVER!

I first met Zelda while she was getting over a cold in the ISO kennels. She was one of our ASPCA transfer dogs from California and something about her made me love her instantly. I was very happy when she got adopted quickly. However, she is back at the shelter because she is too nervous around small children and other dogs. So Zelda is looking for a home where she can be the only pet and one with older children or just adults. Zelda is house-trained and loves to cuddle. She will be an easy dog to have around, as all she needs are some walks around the neighborhood and then your lap in the evening. Here she was with Natilia this afternoon. I’m hoping she’ll soon be adopted again, this time into her forever home.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

I’m very happy to report that it’s been another grand week of dog adoptions at Willamette Humane Society! Fourteen shelter dogs are shelter dogs no more! And eight of them were Blog Dogs:

One adoption note: Yogi, one of our long-termers, was going to be Caroline’s Pick of the Week. We took new pictures on Sunday and then found out he went home on Monday! We are thrilled for our sweet boy, but I decided to put in Caroline’s picture with him anyway! Have a great life, Yogi!

 

 

I’m a newbie and it’s taking a little while to settle in, but I’m getting to know people and hope that a new family finds me real soon!

Pepper Jack is a delightful four-year-old Hound/Whippet mix. He can be quite talkative when left alone, so apartment life is not for this boy. Since he loves to be with his people, a retired or work-from-home person would be ideal. Jack scored well on his behavior assessment and had a great time in play group on Monday. He ran right in when he realized it was romping time and was a friendly, active player with other dogs. He loved playing chase with his new friends. Jack would be fine with older children and can settle nicely when given some attention. Marianne spent time with him in his kennel yesterday and wrote this: “He is a lovely dog. After sitting with him for a few minutes, he calms down and then take treats and behaves like a perfect gentleman. I love him.” Since it was pouring rain on Sunday, I took his pictures inside. We’re hoping it will be a short stay as a shelter dog for Pepper Jack.

He wasn’t a fan of the bright flash and let me know.

He may have a slightly exaggerated idea of his own importance.

 

 

 

I may be a bit older than some whippersnappers, but just watch me play!

When Roxie arrived at WHS a few weeks ago, we were worried about her. As a shy, ten-year-old Chihuahua, she didn’t seem to have much interest in life around her. Boy, were we wrong. Volunteer Krystal took her home to foster and to see if she would come out of her shell. Krystal quickly reported that Roxie had fit right in with the family’s dog pack and was feeling more and more relaxed and happy. When she brought Roxie in for a vet check last week, I took these pictures of Roxie with her and Marianne.

  Roxie is the perfect lap dog at eight pounds, is house-trained and gets along with dogs, cats, and older children. The frosting on the cake was this video Krystal took of Roxie playing with one of her foster sisters.

 

 

 

They tell me I’m kind of a celebrity, but I just want a home of my own.

I first wrote about Dodger (or Dapper Dodger as he is known at his previous shelter) last week. I told about how he has been a shelter dog for six-and-a-half years. But I didn’t know at that time that he has earned his Canine Good Citizenship certificate (quite a feat!) or that he had his own Facebook page sponsored by his fans at his old shelter.

Since then we have corresponded with some of Dodger’s shelter volunteers in Florence and they have wonderful things to say about this much-loved boy:

Kelsi: “Dodger is an absolutely wonderful dog! I’ve known him for a little over 5 years now while I’ve been working with FAHS [Florence Area Humane Society]. Dodger has an amazing personality, he can be a big goofball but he is also very obedient and loves to people-please. He absolutely loved playing with the Jolly Ball while at the Florence Area Humane Society!”

Nancy: “Dodger has been to more places on the central Oregon coast than some locals. The boys from Camp Florence took him for the day. He has his Good Canine Citizen certificate. He marched in the Rhody Day parade. He has been to the beach, forest, dunes and town many times. He likes riding in the car. He likes jumping over puddles. He is a ball of fun.”

Dodger enjoyed play group on Monday, volunteer Karla wrote: “Dodger pranced and mingled a lot and did join in on some of the chasing games.”

When we found out how much Dodger liked his Jolly Ball at his other shelter, Marianne and I promptly went into Davenport’s Den (our WHS pet store) today and bought him one. Then outside we all went. The pictures tell the rest of the story.

We’re hoping this eight-year-young goofy boy will soon finally find his perfect (catless) family. He certainly has a huge fan club who is pulling for him!

 

 

 

Joker and his Angels

While Joker continues to wait for his forever home, his loyal supporters continue to help keep him happy and interested in life. Caroline, Marianne, Diane and I spent quite a bit of time with him on Sunday afternoon. Joker is a four-year-old German Shepherd mix who has been at WHS several times because of skin issues. Our staff has determined that if Joker stays on a prescription food, he’ll be fine! We all love Joker and want him to finally find his forever home. He needs an adult home and would make a terrific hiking or jogging buddy.

 

Yep, it’s Joker’s Angels!

 

 

 

Caroline’s Pick of the Week!

Delilah has been waiting for a home since early December. She is a seven-year-old Australian Cattle Dog mix. At fifty pounds, she is a nice size to take for walks and go for hikes or jogs with. Delilah should probably be an only pet, as she doesn’t like cats and is picky about her dog friends. But she loves people and will play fetch and catch as long as her person will throw the ball. She knows several commands like sit, down, and even, “go potty.” She tries to please, is treat-motivated and very smart. Caroline loves her and so do the rest of us. Today Caroline took her to a yard to play her favorite game in the world, fetch! And play she did!

Caroline waited her out. 🙂

We’re hoping this week will be Delilah’s lucky one.

 

 

 

Daniel’s Pick of the Week!

I wasn’t surprised when Daniel eagerly said that he wanted Lola to be his pick of the week. She came to us on December 21st from another shelter where she had been found as a stray, so we don’t know anything about her history. She is a one-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix with lots of energy. She has gotten stressed from being in the shelter for so long. She will need an experienced family with older kids with the willingness to work on positive training, though Lola does know a few commands already. She is treat-motivated, so training will be fun for both her family and Lola, herself. She is picky about her dog friends, so would have to meet any potential dog siblings. Lola is very anxious to get out of the shelter environment and into the calmness of a loving home where she can be a family dog. We’re hoping her wish will come true very soon. When I asked Daniel why he had picked Lola this week, he said: “She is fun, loving, energetic, and we clicked the first moment I met her. She gives me kisses, and when I was in her kennel today, I gave her a belly rub and she lay in my lap.”

 

 

 

Do you need a lap warmer? Someone to snuggle with at the end of the day? I’m applying!

So this is Hazel, a one-year-old, nine-pound Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix. This little girl is looking for a quiet home with older kids or just adults, as she’s a little shy. Since she’s a transfer from California, we don’t know much about her, but she is smart, knows some commands, is treat-motivated and adorable. What more would you want? Here she was with Esme on Sunday. I have a feeling she won’t be at the shelter for long!

 

 

Update!

Elsa and Ana/Peanut Butter and Jelly!

Elsa and Ana were two favorites of many volunteers during their long stay at WHS. We were thrilled when a volunteer mother/son team adopted them! Here they were at WHS.

“Here are some photos of Peanut Butter & Jelly, formerly known at Willamette Humane Society as Ana & Elsa.

“My mom and I started volunteering at WHS in September and met these two dogs on our first day of dog-walking. We weren’t sure if we were ready for new dogs after recently losing our Jack Russell over the summer. I had assumed that these two dogs would be adopted quickly, because they’re so sweet, affectionate and cute. However, I saw them week after week and after spending a lot of time with them in their kennel I began to bond with them.

“We considered fostering them, but after a mix-up and some confusion as to whether or not they were on hold and by whom, we were both very upset to think that we may have missed our chance to bring them home. When we came in again and spoke to an Adoption staff member, we learned that the dogs were in fact on hold for us to foster-to-adopt. Instead of just fostering, we adopted them outright on the spot.

They’ve been with us now since November 12. They really are fantastic dogs and their unique personalities are even more apparent now that they have a spacious and comfortable home to enjoy. They love to run and play together, or cuddle in their bed or on our laps. I truly believe these are the perfect dogs to complement our family.”

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