Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

Let’s hear it for spring shelter dog adoptions! There were TWENTY dog adoptions during the last week! Of those, these were Blog Dogs.

I was especially excited about Cece because she has some arthritis issues, and Otis and Sadie because they are seniors. I’m so thankful that there are adopters who aren’t looking for the cutest, the youngest or the easiest dog to adopt, but who look for the dog that needs them.

 

We’re not youngsters, but we’re a bonded pair of love bugs who will be such fun if you adopt us!

Two current favorites at the shelter are these senior Chihuahua mixes named Chloe and Buggy. Chloe is twelve and Buggy is fourteen. These girls are just about the perfect pair. They are house-trained (of course, they have been for years they want me to tell you) have lived happily with older kids, cats, big and small dogs and, of course, they are BFFs. Because they are older ladies, they are a little sensitive to handling, so older kids are best. They are shy at first, but after they warm up, they will crawl into your lap for snuggles. They are quiet, have never been destructive in their home, and their favorite thing to do is hang out on the couch with their peeps. They enjoy short walks together and are eager for treats. Jessica and Gracie enjoyed time with them on Sunday. We’re hoping they won’t have to wait much longer for their loving retirement home. Volunteer Marianne has taken them home for a few days’ respite from the shelter.

And here is Marianne’s report tonight:

“Buggy and Chloe are an absolute delight to have around. They love each other and like to sleep together in their crate at night. They are fairly well house-trained but considering the fact that they are older, they need to go out more frequently than perhaps a younger dog would. Their ideal home would be low key and quiet, and they would like to be with someone who’s home a good part of the day because of their potty needs. They are extremely low maintenance, and they get along with other polite animals including large dogs, small dogs, and cats. They will integrate easily into a home as they adjust very quickly to new things. Buggy is quite timid, but does like to be held as does Chloe who is more outgoing. They love to wander around the backyard and sniff and just seem to be happy little dogs who enjoy their life.  They don’t really require walks which is fantastic because Buggy has some arthritis in her back legs.  They deserve a forever home where they will be pampered in their retirement years. Just a wonderful pair of dogs. And as a bonus, they are very quiet.”

For long-time readers of my blog, you’ll recognize sweet Patience, Marianne’s WHS rescued girl.

 

 

 

Looking for a dog who plays fetch? Come and take me home!

When I first met Tank, I couldn’t get over his adorable face! I mean look at this face!

Tank is a one-year-old Rottweiler mix. At 89 pounds, he is a big boy and his favorite thing to do is play fetch. Here he was last week.

  

Tank has been stressed in the kennels and although he enjoys playing with other dogs, he is selective about the dogs he likes. He seems to be sensitive about some handling, so an adult home is best for this boy. He is house-trained and although can be slow to warm up, is hoping for a home where he can relax, away from the hubbub of the shelter, and play fetch with his new person. Here he is with Diane.

Here is Tank hoping for a bit of cheese in exchange for a picture. 

 

 

 

I was very shy when I arrived at the shelter, but I’m getting braver every day!

Little Mae is a one-year-old Lab mix. She arrived at the shelter extremely nervous and shy, not wanting to be touched. But what progress she has made in just a few days! And because of the progress, we have learned a lot about this sweetheart. First, she LOVES tennis balls and will play fetch as long as you are willing to throw the ball. Second, she is one smart cookie! She knows lots of tricks and commands. She not only sits and lies down when asked, she will also spin, shake, roll over, and play dead. Mae is house-trained and likes some other dogs, but not all. She is both treat- and ball-motivated. Because of her shyness in handling, her adoption includes a private training session with our Behavior Training department. Linda and I spent some time with her on Sunday afternoon and both of us were smitten. Mae is looking for a patient person to continue to show her that the world is not a scary place. She’ll need to go home with children who are 13+. We’re hoping she won’t have to wait long.

I couldn’t wait to take Mae out this afternoon. We had a wonderful game of fetch along with her showing me her spin, down, playing dead, and shake. She is one very special dog.

 

 

 

Are you looking for an older, wiser dog? And maybe a diet partner?

Meet Chubby, a seven-year-old Shepherd mix who really wants (and needs) to lose some weight. At the moment he weighs in at fifty-three pounds, but hopes to gradually lose with diet and exercise until he’s about thirty pounds. So if you, too, are hoping to lose a few pesky pounds, you and Chubby could do it together! This boy is gentle and will be happy with a daily walk and relaxing with his peeps, as he doesn’t really care for great adventures anymore. He prefers being a homebody. He has lived with other dogs and is fine when left alone, since he likes to sleep. If you’re looking for an uncomplicated and sweet older boy, Chubby may be your new best friend. Here he was on Sunday with Diane.

 

 

 

I’m quite a favorite here at the shelter!

Manches continues to make people smile with his constant grin. He is an eight-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier mix. He, like Chubby, needs to lose some pounds, but he doesn’t worry about it, life is too much fun to worry! Since he came to us from another shelter, we only know what we’ve seen, and he seems to be an affectionate, pretty low-maintenance kind of boy. Here he was on Sunday with Caitlin, one of his many shelter buddies.

 

 

 

I’m looking for a new home. I promise to be a great companion!

Maddy is a twelve-year-old Lhasapoo (that would be a Lhasa Apso/Poodle mix) and is as cute as a button. She has lived her whole life with one family, but because of their failing health, they had to surrender Maddy with the hope of her finding a new loving home. She is house-trained and though she has not lived with other dogs, she gets along with them and has done well in our shelter play groups. At a mere twelve pounds, she will fit well in any lap. Gracie really enjoyed taking Maddy for her afternoon walk on Sunday. If you’re looking for a sweet new addition to your family, Maddy might be a perfect fit!

 

  Daniel enjoyed meeting Maddy, too.

 

 

 

Caroline’s Pick of the Week!

Caroline usually prefers big dogs for her weekly pick, however, this week she chose, Gum Ball, a big dog in a little package. Gum Ball is one-year-old Miniature Pinscher mix who is a delightful bundle of energy. He was found as a stray, but has settled right in until he finds just the right family to adopt him. He’s a very active little guy, so will need daily exercise. To help him learn to settle, his adoption includes the WHS training class, Check In and Chill Out. Gum Ball is one happy little fire cracker. He’s going to keep his new family active and laughing.

 

 

 

I’ve been here before. I hope that THIS time I find my forever home!

Felicity is a three-year-old Lab mix. She was originally adopted from WHS in 2014, but is back now and hoping to find another family to love. Felicity is mostly an indoor girl who is house-trained and crate-trained (she loves her crate). While she has never lived with children, she adores them, though can be a little over exuberant for young kids, so she is listed PG10+. She likes to play with other dogs, but sometimes doesn’t listen to their corrections, so should meet any dog she would live with. Felicity knows several commands, took my treats politely, and is a sweetheart. Alysha fell in love with her, as did I (again). She has a great smile.

 

 

 

My name is Moose. Everybody loves me, what can I say?

Moose has become quite the man on campus. He’s an eighty-three pound, two-year-old Lab mix who arrived at WHS from another shelter. This big guy LOVES life and once he learns a few more manners, he’ll be a great dog to take hiking, running, or camping. Moose is looking for someone who is patient and will use reward-based training to teach him some impulse control. Moose has a heart of gold and loves people and can’t wait to have a family of his own. He’ll need older children (PG13+) and will need to meet any canine siblings, as he can be picky about his friends. With mental enrichment and physical exercise, Moose will be a terrific best friend. Here he was on Sunday with three of his biggest fans: Caroline, Caitlin and Marianne.

 

 

Update!

Remember little Matilda? She was so shy at the shelter.

Well, this little girl went to a wonderful home where she joined three other rescued Chihuahuas, two of them WHS alumnae. Here is their heart-warming story.

“So we have 4 sweet and spicy Chihuahuas, 3 from WHS! We call them the “Chihuahua Chicks” 💕 Lillie was adopted first, in September of 2015. We had just lost our sweet 15-year-old Dalmatian/Chocolate lab pup to old age. Our hearts were broken, and the last thing we expected to do was to welcome another dog into our family. Little did we know, Miss Lillie was waiting for us at WHS, and she was just what we needed to start our healing process. Lillie is the sweetest snuggly little pup around. She loves playing ball. We found this out when she found one of Sophie’s (our old dog) balls under a chair and carried it everywhere! We finally got her “Lillie sized” balls after awhile. She plays ball every chance she gets! She is such a good sis to our other pup Zoe, she is also a chihuahua. When Sophie passed, Zoe was really depressed. Lillie came right into our home and picked up Zoe’s little spirit! She also love carrots! And is known to steal carrots from the rabbit food bowl! But don’t move her after 8pm, she gets grumpy because she needs her beauty sleep! She is such a good girl and we love her so much 🙂
Miss Ivy Bleu came into our lives in January of this year. We feel like she has been with us all along. At first she was really timid and not sure about her sissies. It only took about 3 days and she was all for joining in on the party! If Ivy isn’t playing with her sissies, or trying to steal cat food from the cats, she is under a blanket somewhere! So we have learned to check all blankets before we sit down! Ivy also LOVES ball, and just started stealing Lillie’s when she isn’t looking! Silly girl! Also loves carrots 🙂 And she definitely can’t hold her licker…. AT. ALL.
Little Miss Matilda is SO SWEET!!!!! She completes our “Chihuahua Chicks” perfectly! She came right in, checked out the place, and claimed her bed on my bed! She hasn’t strayed too far from me yet, but it’s only been 24 hours. She is our perfect little girl. 💕
We are so beyond blessed to call these three ours! We look forward to many adventures with them, and lots of snuggles to be had.”

And just in case you were wondering, here are Ivy Blue and Lillie when they were at WHS.

Lucky little dogs!

That’s it for this week! I’ll be gone next week, so will see you in two weeks.

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