Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

I spent a fun and gratifying Sunday afternoon at WHS meeting recent arrivals, getting caught up on new dog pictures, and spending time with some favorites who are still waiting for their forever homes. So let’s get started with Kenzi.

 

I’ve been here since April and I’m so ready for my new family! 

Kenzi is a joyful, energetic four-year-old with one of the best smiles on the planet!

She arrived at WHS as a stray with some fear issues, but with staff and volunteers helping her, she has blossomed into a happy, playful, energetic dog. She LOVES cheese, or really any treat for that matter, and is smart as a whip, so teaching her new skills is easy and fun. She also thoroughly enjoys the pool, playing fetch, and hanging out with her peeps. She likes playgroup and gets along with other rowdy players like herself, and will be happy to meet any dog siblings she might have to make sure their play styles match. Kenzi would love to be in a family with older kids who would throw tennis balls for her and let her splash in a kiddie pool.

On Sunday, after some pictures involving posing for cheese, volunteer Christine, one of Kenzi’s biggest fans, started to take her back inside. We both laughed as Kenzi decided the “pictures for cheese” session was not over yet and plopped herself down in the grass looking at me. So Christine sat down beside her.

 

Later in the afternoon, Marianne and I took Kenzi into Mary’s Place for some relaxing time with a Giant Fluff Ball. She loved it.

Then it was time to make her a movie.

 

 

 

 

I’m in a foster home waiting to meet you!

Sophie, a six-year-old Vizsla and Labrador mix, first arrived at WHS last August. She was adopted, but then returned in February.

She has been happily staying at volunteer/trainer Karla’s house since March, where she has been a star pupil, learning manners and skills she was sadly lacking. Sophie was also afraid of traffic and new places. But oh, what a few weeks under Karla’s positive-based training has done for this uneducated dog! Sophie now knows the following commands: sit, down, stand, touch, place, kennel, wait, okay, and come. She now walks on a loose leash with direction and pace changes. Here’s how Karla describes her:

“My foster Sophie is a mix of two wonderful things:  She can settle and laze in her bed, just happy to be in a home and she can come expressively alive for short periods of time.  I have tried not to laugh at her life-with-flourishes ways, but I just have to laugh.  Silly girl! Sophie loves people, she’s smart and she is house-trained.  Her manners make her easy to be around. But like us, she is not perfect.  While normal household sounds don’t bother her, thunder, gunshots and probably fireworks do.  She may frustration-bark for short periods of time.  And lastly she likes people better than dogs.  In fact, she will need to be the only pet in the home. Want to look after a new best friend?   Sophie may be your match!”

Karla sent along the following clips showing Sophie’s amazing transformation into a new best friend for some lucky adopter! If you are interested in meeting this wonderful dog, contact the WHS foster coordinator: foster@whs4pets.org.

Sophie is currently spending a few days with Susan, another foster volunteer who just sent me this update:

“I am currently fostering Sophie. She has been a perfect house guest with impeccable manners. She waits at the door, goes to her bed when asked, on top of all the regular commands. I have not heard her bark even when the neighbor dog barked at her. She was a very good girl when I left her to do a shift at WHS. She is such a sweet girl and LOVES tummy rubs.”

Someone is going to be very lucky to adopt Sophie!

 

 

 

 

I’m from Hawaii and I need a home. And, by the way, you need a dog!

Hiiaka arrived at WHS in February from our sister shelter in Maui. She is a six-year-old Plott Hound mix and, at 52 pounds, she’s a perfect medium-sized best friend. Here she is with Marianne.

On Sunday we took her into Mary’s Place to make a movie. She was such a delightful, affectionate character.

Hiiaka was adopted once, but it wasn’t the right fit, and she came back to us. She LOVES to play with her friends in our playgroups, but would still need to meet any potential dog siblings to make sure they were good romp matches. Hiiaka can be a little shy at first meeting, especially with men, but she warms up very quickly and is such a cuddler. She is looking for a home with older teenagers, but what a great hiking/jogging friend she could be. She is hoping for a quiet home where there will be lots of snuggle time with her new family.

 

This afternoon Marianne took Hiiaka on an outing and just sent this update with pictures.

“I just cannot say enough good things about sweet Hiiaka, and it was fun to take her on a ‘field trip’ today. We went to Cascade Gateway Park and then to Lowe’s so that she could look at outdoor furniture and washer and dryer combos.

Hiiaka rides wonderfully in the car and is great on leash. She loved being outside, and she sniffed everything. She liked looking at the ducks, but then quickly moved on to the next good smell. We walked by several people and she wanted to meet everyone—such a friendly girl! It was fairly warm today, so we left the park and headed to Lowe’s. Again, she wanted to meet everyone and was very well behaved the entire time. When we got back to the shelter, we immediately went into Mary’s place where she cuddled with me and two other people nonstop. She is so affectionate and just loves attention. Whoever adopts this dog will get an absolute gem.”

 

After such a fun adventure, a girl needs a nap!

 

 

 

 

It’s summer! Perfect time to adopt a dog named Summer! That’s ME!

Summer is a four-year-old bundle of love and fun. I started hearing about her from Marianne the moment Summer arrived at the shelter. On Sunday I finally got to meet her and what a joy she is! This gal is constantly smiling!

Here she was on her afternoon walk with volunteer Gail.

 

Summer enjoys playgroup, but can be picky about her dog friends, so will need to meet any dog she goes home with. She also is nervous around children, so older teenagers would be perfect for her. Oh yes, and no cats! They are just too easy to chase.

After her walk, we took her into Mary’s Place where she thoroughly enjoyed the attention and cuddles. Summer is playful, loves toys, and is so affectionate. She will make a wonderful family addition.

Summer loved hanging out with Jolene.

 

She is good about sitting and waiting for the toy to be tossed.

 

Lap dog? You bet!

 

 

I met some great new arrivals on Sunday!

Here is sweet Bellatrix, a ten-year-old American Staffordshire mix with Angie and Kaylee.

 

 

 

Jenna spent some quality time with newbie Gracie, a two-year-old Retriever mix.

 

 

 

Here is Pixel, a four-year-old Terrier mix, with Francis.

 

 

 

Meet Lucy, a nine-month-old English Shepherd mix youngster, here with Christine.

 

 

 

Elizabeth spent some quiet time with Casey, a nine-year-old mix who was at WHS in 2014. Hope he finds his retirement forever home very soon. He’s a sweetheart still.

 

 

 

 

Rosco/Roscoe

Here’s a terrific update from Roscoe, one of longest-term dogs we’ve ever had who finally got the jackpot of homes with Laura! And he’s coming to the Willamette Strut on Sunday!

“Just wanted to provide a Roscoe update prior to the Willamutt Strut, pictures included!  The first is ‘chilling’ at the Willamette River. Not to worry fans—he did not go swimming in that fast current. He is not really a water dog! Well, but as you can see he enjoys taking a drink from the bird bath. He enjoys lying in the sun and when I am home I can only imagine how much he enjoys being able to just walk right out into his very own yard! So different from living in a shelter no matter how much wonderful attention he got!😃 Oh, and the last picture is Roscoe modeling his “cammo” raincoat that he got for Christmas from “Uncle” Francis,” Sunday walker and regular Roscoe walker extraordinaire!! We WILL be at Willamutt Strut on June 10th so we hope to see everyone there! Please stop and say Hi!!”

 

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