Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

Did you know that November is Adopt A Senior Pet month? Yes, it’s really a thing!

What better way to celebrate it than to tell you about a fantastic senior adoption that happened last week?

Best buds Jersey and Gizmo arrived at WHS in October. They were twelve years old. While a bit shy, they were friendly and spent their kennel time curled up with each other. On November 8th, they were adopted TOGETHER. While we are always grateful to adopters of any of our shelter dogs and cats, we are especially touched when our seniors find their forever families. Giving your heart when you know the time may be short is a gift unlike any other. Jersey and Gizmo are very lucky dogs.

Got a couch?

When potential adopters arrive at the shelter, they usually have an idea of the type of dog they are looking for to match their lifestyle. Some want a young, active dog, ready for camping, hiking and other outdoor adventures. Some want a clown of a dog who will keep the family entertained. Well, we’re hoping there is a family looking for a couch potato kind of dog. A family who spends time—  well—on their couch, binge watching their favorite Netflix shows and wants a dozing dog cuddled next to them. If that family is yours, do we have a perfect fit of a dog for YOU! Meet Grace.

Grace is a five-year-old mixed breed girl. She was transferred to us from our sister shelter in Hawaii where she lived happily in a foster home. Suddenly being in a shelter environment is a little overwhelming for this sweetheart. Grace is embarrassed to admit that her kennel presentation is not the best. She can be barky due to the stress. We worry that potential adopters will think she will be a barker in the home and walk past her kennel. Grace has a great history with children (ages 8 and above) and has lived with other dogs, though she can be a bit picky about her dog friends. She’d need to meet any other canines she’d be living with. If you are looking for a cuddle buddy who will be low-maintenance and a great listener to boot, come and meet our Grace.

We spent some quality time with her on Sunday afternoon. Marianne made her a robe for her couch time. She was happy to pose for pictures in it.

She enjoyed listening to volunteer conversations.

After a while, the conversations got a tad boring, and her eyes started getting heavy.

And then this happened.

To show you what a laid-back gal she is, I made Grace a movie.

My name is Riley and I’m all about adventures!

Riley is a two-year-old Australian Shepherd mix. She was surrendered because her person couldn’t give her the time that he knew she deserved.

Christine is one of Riley’s many fans.

Riley is a hoot. She is looking for an active family who loves the outdoors. Hiking? Camping? Beach trips? Dog sports? You name it, Riley will be eager to give it her all. And evening snuggles after a day of action? You bet! In her last home, Riley did fine with the cat, but would need to meet any canine siblings she might have. She also needs a home with older kids, preferably teens who want a best friend to play fetch with. Did I mention fetch? We took Riley out in a yard on Sunday to play and did she ever play!

After our rousing romp, Marianne, Christine, Riley and I settled into Mary’s Place.

Riley has a sensitive side. She thrives on reward-based training and can be overwhelmed by some over-the-top dogs. We’re hoping Riley’s perfect family will find her very soon.

My forever family MUST be out there SOMEWHERE!

Carly’s fan base continues to grow as she waits and waits for her perfect fit of a home. And as long as she waits, I will continue to try to show readers what a fabulous dog she is. Carly arrived at WHS on May 3. She is wonderful with people and most dogs. She is house-trained, loves cheese, and enjoys the challenge of training sessions. She will need a feline-free home (cats are too much fun to chase) and a fenced yard. She needs a family with older kids, about thirteen and up, as she can be quite exuberant. Since she can become anxious if there is a lot of activity outside the house, a quiet home would be ideal for this sweet girl. She wants nothing more than to be around her peeps. We had high hopes this week when a couple, realizing what a wonderful dog she is, brought their dog to the shelter to meet Carly. Their dog, however, did not care for Carly and so our hopes were dashed again. Carly is getting stressed from being in the kennel environment for so long. On Sunday, Marianne, Julie, and I brought Carly into Mary’s Place to give her some one-on-one play and then some quiet time. She loved it.

Marianne took her back to Mary’s Place after the disappointment of the dog meet on Monday. She fell asleep on the couch.

We don’t know how much longer Cary will have to wait for her new family, but we hope they come soon!

In case you are a new reader to my blog, here, once again, is Carly’s movie.

Colleen/Grace

This is such a wonderful story. Coleen, a two-year-old active young Lab mix, was transferred to WHS from a Texas shelter. A family put her on hold almost immediately upon her arrival. A short time later, a second family met and fell in love with her, especially young Luke. They put a second hold on her, but the first family adopted Colleen and Luke’s family sadly thought they had lost their chance. However, as sometimes happens, Colleen proved to have too much energy for the new adopters. They returned her quickly and Luke’s family was thrilled to get the call to come and take her home. Her new name is Grace. Here is their update:

“Well, it’s been a week at home since we adopted Grace. Grace has grown in our hearts and has already become a part of our family! She is the sweetest dog who loves to cuddle, go on walks and run in the backyard with our boys. She enjoys playing with other dogs and gets very excited when she sees her “friends.” So far in the week that we’ve had her, she has run errands with us each day, along with going on daily walks and trips to the park. Our youngest son enjoys showing her off to our friends and others at the park. Grace has been the perfect fit for our active family. We are so grateful for the helpful staff at the Humane Society, and the joy she has brought to our family!” 

Best friends

On that very happy note, 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