Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

This week I want to start out telling you about a very special and a happily-ever-after adoption update. Wes arrived at WHS last August as a stray. He was emaciated and weighed a mere 48 pounds. Just looking at him broke our hearts.

We couldn’t imagine what Wes’ story had been, but we were determined to give him the absolute best future life imaginable. He was immediately put on a five-small-meals-a-day plan with unlimited love and attention from volunteers and staff. We decided that whatever had happened in his short two-year life, he must have been loved at some point because he was incredibly affectionate and playful. Of course he became a favorite of Marianne and she spent hours with him in Mary’s Place and outside. Finally, at the end of September, Wes was ready to find a forever home. He was now 64.2 pounds and thriving. On October 5th, he found his jackpot of a person, Sandra. It was love at first sight and last week we received this wonderful update on Wes, who is now Jake.

“Hi Marianne & all who were a part of loving Jake (Wes) and a big thank you for helping to stabilize him for adoption. I’d like to give an update and share a bit of the journey we’ve had since the day we brought him to his forever & ever home. My husband, Mel, & I rescued a very loving little black Pit Bull named Missy from a shelter in McMinnville two years ago. We felt so lucky to have her, but after a year we knew she needed a brother or sister to share her toys & blankies with. So I popped into WHS on the spur of the moment one day. I saw Wes and the minute I looked at him, he sat up straight and I knew. I asked to visit him in Mary’s Place and he came in & showed me all his toys, jumped up on the couch next to me, laid his head on my leg and looked at me with those big eyes. I sent a pic to my husband & he gave a two thumbs up! I brought Missy in the next day to meet him. He stole my heart again when he started running & playing with Missy. We brought him home a few days later. We re-named him Jacob Wesley but he goes by Jakey. After a few months and lots of patience he learned that he would always be fed. He trusts us and burrows his head into our chests and hugs us to show us how much he loves us. He also learned that we could love him & Missy at the same time so he can rest and settle in & feel secure. He’s gained almost 50 pounds since we brought him home. His favorite thing to do is climb into bed with Missy, my husband & me to cuddle for hours. Jake has brought so much joy to our family and loves our grandkids when they come to visit. He wants to please us & make us proud & happy every minute of the day. Jake has come a long way. He was full of love the day we got him. Thank you all at WHS for giving him such an important head start & for all you do to love & care for the other babies who come into your wonderful care. Jakey will be in to visit soon.”

Look at our big boy now!

 

 

I’ve been waiting for you for quite a while. Will you be coming soon?

Looking for a dog to go on hikes with? A jogging partner? Someone who will eagerly go on adventures with you? Mari is an energetic two-year-old English Pointer mix who has been waiting for her perfect family fit since February 10th.

She was adopted once, but was too exuberant for the adopters, though they loved her and wrote: “She is energetic, sweet, cuddly, friendly, loves people. She loves to run and explore in the pasture. She’s a working dog, not a couch potato.” What is Mari’s favorite thing to do? Well, she actually has two favorite activities. She LOVES to play fetch and will return a ball to you, dropping it at your feet, for as long as you will throw the ball. She also ADORES stuffed toys. (Full disclosure: She will tear them apart if left unattended with them.) And get this—she challenges herself to see how MANY stuffed toys she can stuff into her mouth at ONE TIME! She asked me to report she is proud that her current record is THREE! And she doesn’t just stuff them in and drop them. Oh no, she prances around to show everyone her success!

There are a few other things that Mari would like you to know about her. She is house-trained and knows several commands including “sit,” “down” and “leave it.” She likes to play with other dogs who have her same very active play styles, so she would need to meet any dog she will be living with. She loves kids and kids about eight or above would be great for her. She even has lived with a dog-savvy cat, but would need the proper slow and careful introductions. Oh, yes, and she loves to work for cheese bits. When I reminded Mari that she needed to give potential adopters the whole story, she admitted that she’s not a fan of loud noises and can be a bit handling sensitive, so isn’t a big vet fan. But if you are an active family who is looking for a fun, energetic, smart, devoted gal, Mari is your pick! We’re hoping her forever family will find this wonderful dog very soon.

Mari wanted to show you her personality in person, so here is her movie.

 

 

 

 

What?! You say I’m a LITTLE dog? Nope! Not me!

I met Tito for the first time on Sunday and so enjoyed his outside photoshoot, we decided to take him into Mary’s Place for some fun after the rest of the new dog pictures were done.

Tito is a two-year-old Terrier mix who is a delightful little guy who is convinced he’s a big dog. He is active, loves to romp, and his favorite place is in someone’s lap. He is not shy about letting you know when he wants some lap time. Tito is house-trained as well as crate-trained. He can be anxious about new situations and strangers until he gets comfortable with them. Because of this, he will do best in a home with older teenagers or just adults. Since Tito loves treats (especially cheese), he is a quick and eager learner. Tito is such a happy little dog. He’s done fine in our playgroups and gives appropriate corrections to other dogs who are too forward for his taste. He has also lived with a dog-savvy cat in the past. We had a wonderful time with Tito in Mary’s Place and he relished all the attention, running from person to person. He will be a wonderful companion for the right family!

Here he is during his couch time with Marianne.

 

Our Volunteer Manager, Janine, stopped in to say hi and got an earful.

 

And I loved it when he hopped into my lap!

 

 

 

 

Just like last time I was featured in this blog, I’m still here waiting and hoping.

I have featured sweet Biscay several times and still he sits in his kennel, hoping his perfect fit of a person will find him. So here goes again. He has so many fans at WHS, we just can’t figure out why he hasn’t found his forever home yet. He’s been waiting since February 3rd. Biscay is a two-year-old mixed breed boy who is a nice medium size, weighing 38 pounds. He came to us as a transfer from a sister shelter in Texas. Biscay is calm, walks well on leash, is very affectionate, and is as smart as a whip. He loves to learn. Volunteers Jolene and Linda have been taking Biscay on outings which he thoroughly enjoys. He settles and is polite in the car, though still a little nervous. They often go for a coffee run and after the latest one Jolene wrote: “Very sweet dog; quiet and polite entering and exiting the building. Really seems to look forward to our visits and the extra attention he is getting. I think he would strongly bond to his person once he warmed up to them.” Biscay is uneasy around small children, so will need a home with kids 15 and older. He would be happy as an only dog, but could live with another canine if they met first and had similar play styles. He should not go home with small animals or cats. We’re hoping he will find his perfect family fit very soon. On Sunday we took Biscay into Mary’s place for some snuggle time. He is such an affectionate guy!

 

 

 

 

My name is Hiiaka! You may know me as an Hawaiian goddess!

Hiiaka came to us as a transfer from our Hawaii shelter partner and is a six-year-old Plott Hound mix.

Hiiaka arrived at WHS in February. She can be shy at first meeting and feels more comfortable with women than men, but can be won over with time and gentle kindness. She was adopted twice, but was not a good fit for either home. We don’t know her history, but because she lacks self-confidence, she needs a family who, through positive training, will show her that the world is not a scary place anymore and that she is safe. She has done well in our shelter playgroups, but would need to meet any dogs she would live with, and she will never be a dog park kind of girl. Because of her unease around new situations and new people, Hiiaka needs a calm, quiet home with adults only or with kids who are 15 and older. She will also need people with the patience to give her settle-in time. But oh, what a wonderful, goofy family member she will become! She is so affectionate and loves to hop up on the couch and roll over for a belly rub. Here she is with Marianne.

And here she is in Mary’s Place.

Linda spent some time with us, too.

Hiiaka is a sweetheart looking for a special family. We sure hope she finds it soon.

 

 

 

This is Pita Bread, a brand-new arrival from Texas and such a happy girl! She is an eight-year-old Retriever mix and rated for kids five and up! Marianne and I don’t know her well yet, but she sure seems like a wonderful dog!

 

 

 

Here is Tucker with Francis. Tucker is a four-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier mix who has won so many hearts at WHS! Because of his size and enthusiasm, he’s rated for older kids. What a gem of a dog he is!

 

 

 

What a cutie Maverick is, here with Jenna. He is a twelve-year-old Shih Tzu mix and is rated for older kids. But oh, is he adorable! He’s looking for his retirement home.

 

 

 

Meet Smallz, another ten-year-old senior, here with Caroline. He’s a Chihuahua mix and is rated for kids five and above. He’s gentle and sweet. We’re not sure how well he can hear. He’s hoping to find a loving retirement home soon.

 

 

 

Caleb, here with Christine, is a recent transfer from Texas. He is a one-year-old Lab mix. He seemed sad when I met him. It takes time to get used to a new shelter. Hope he’s adopted soon!

 

 

 

Meet Hera, a one-year-old American Staffordshire mix who is about as sweet as they come! She is rated for kids five and above. She came from a sister shelter in California, and one of our former WHS staff people fostered her and her new puppies. Hera is now ready for a family of her own. She is a snuggle bug who adores people. Here she is with Gail.

 

 

 

Hoagie has been waiting for his perfect fit of a family for a long time. He arrived at the shelter with some issues, and has been working on his manners with our Behavior and Training team who adore him.

Trainer Ayla has a special bond with this smart, people-loving dog, and has spent many hours working with him.

She sent along these two pictures of a recent training session. Hoagie really will make a wonderful companion for the right experienced person.

 

 

 

This beautiful boy is Auto, a five-year-old Lab mix, here with Francis. He’ll need a family with older teenagers, but what a great addition to an active family!

 

 

 

Ramses is a two-year-old German Shepherd, here with Marilyn, one of our staff trainers. He is quickly and eagerly learning manners from our Behavior and Training team and loves people. His favorite toy is a tennis ball. Such a handsome boy!

 

 

 

Garth is a stunning two-year-old Anatolian Shepherd mix, here with Francis. He will need an adult home, as he isn’t a fan of children. But he is smart, food- and toy-motivated, loves car rides, and walks well on leash. He is house-trained. This boy is a keeper for someone who likes BIG dogs!

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