Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

It’s been a much better week for dog adoptions. There were seventeen adoptions since last Wednesday! But as always, there are still a number of wonderful shelter dogs waiting for their forever families. In this post I’m going to tell you about three of them, all who have waited quite a while for their perfect family fit. Plus, Terry had another Excellent Adventure last week!

But before I start talking about our featured dogs of this week, I want to write a personal note of appreciation. I have the most amazing “team” of volunteers who help me each week. I could never produce this blog without them. They put up with my “barking” instructions like “Look at me and SMILE!” They are simply the BEST. Here they were on Sunday with a dog who is just about perfect, Winston. Top row: Caroline and Megan, bottom row: Marianne, Winston, Ayla.

 

 

I’m trying to learn to be brave. It’s hard sometimes, but my friends here are helping me.

I first wrote about Hawk in my May 8 post. But he is still waiting for just the right person to find him. Maybe that person will read today’s message. Hawk came to us all the way from Alabama. Because of the terrible storms in early spring, shelters there were in desperate need of space for displaced pets, so dogs already in the shelter were sent to other places. WHS took in nine of these dogs, and Hawk is one. He is a four-year-old mixed-breed boy. We know that Hawk did not have a very happy or social life in Alabama, as he arrived extremely apprehensive about almost everything. But gradually, over the past couple of months, Hawk has begun to trust those who have spent time with him and is slowly beginning to show his true happy personality.

Volunteer Linda wrote this about him: “Hawk is great Helper Dog. He and volunteer Jolene have assisted with leash-reactive dogs, Hawk being the easy-going, calm, let’s-just-go-for-a-walk guy. We have also paired him with the shy ones, where Hawk shares with them all the confidence he has learned. He’s been wonderful to work with.” Hawk will need a very special family with older children to continue to build his trust and confidence.

We decided that you needed more than pictures to see how far Hawk has come. He is learning that the world does not have to be a scary place, has relaxed enough to play, and has wonderful times romping with other shelter dogs. On Sunday we took him out to a play yard where we presented him with his very own GFB (Giant Fluff Ball). Here are the results. The ball didn’t stay clean for long!

 

 

 

But pictures were not enough. So here is Hawk in action.

 

Hawk is being shown by our training department. Please submit your adoption questionnaire and allow them to contact you for an appointment to meet him. You can fill out an application here: whs4pets.org/adopt-a-pet/adoption-process/adoption-application/

We are hoping that Hawk will find his happily-ever-after home very soon.

 

 

 

I’ve been waiting for a new family since April 14. I sure hope they find me soon.

Bruno is a five-year-old Dutch Shepherd mix. This is his second time at WHS, he was found as a stray in the summer of 2014 and transferred to us from another shelter. Here is what I wrote about him then.

Bruno is a one-year-old Dutch Shepherd mix who is extremely active and would love to take some training classes to polish his manners, which do need some polish! His youthful enthusiasm can be a tad overwhelming, but he has a good heart, an eager mind and will grow into a wonderful boy. He loves to learn, loves to play and loves everyone he meets. He’s a goofy, fun character.

Bruno was adopted quickly and we thought we’d never see him again. But circumstances change, and he came back to the shelter on April 14. He is still the same stunningly handsome boy.

Bruno will need to be the only pet in his home. He also will need a secure yard, as he has been known to try to go on adventures. He can be somewhat handling-sensitive, so is strongly suggested for kids thirteen and older. But oh, what a delightful dog Bruno is. He LOVES stuffed toys. In fact, he loves them so much, he likes to carry one on his walks. On Sunday I happened to see Francis taking Bruno out for his afternoon walk. Notice the stuffed dog?

 

Later in the afternoon, we decided to take him to a yard, wondering if he would play. So Marianne went to bring him outside and he didn’t come alone.

 

 

We didn’t have to wonder long.

 

After several spirited games, Bruno started to get tired.

 

Then it was time for some relaxation.

We’re really hoping that Bruno’s new family will find him soon.

 

 

 

I’ve been here before, too. I’m waiting for a family with kids. I LOVE kids!

Meet Boosha, a four-year-old mixed-breed gal who is an absolutely delightful compact character. This is Boosha’s second time at the shelter. She first came in 2017. I fell for her then, as did volunteer Caitlin.

 

Here she was learning “leave it” and doing VERY well!

 

Boosha is back due to her chronic allergies. She arrived with otitis externa (ear infections) because of her allergies, as well as some hair loss and rashes. The allergies may be due to food, grass, and other things in the outdoors. Because Boosha was mostly an outdoor dog in her last home, the allergic reactions were greater. She really needs to be more of an indoor dog. She is now on special food and is doing great. Her new family will need to monitor her allergies and treat them early if they crop up. But Boosha will pay you back in love. This girl has a great history with children of all ages. She loves being with her people. She did show some food-guarding behavior from other dogs in her last home. She does very well in our shelter playgroups. Although she doesn’t like to talk about it, she does need to lose a few pounds. Fewer treats and more exercise will do the trick. Boosha is both house- and crate-trained, and is used to spending nights in her crate. Her previous family wrote “she is sweet and wonderful with the family and all people. She does not bark at strangers.” Boosha is a cuddler, but also loves to play outdoors. On Sunday we took her out to a yard and she had a blast.

 

Then, because it was a warm, beautiful day, we decided to sit in the grass and relax.

 

 

Ayla made her a daisy crown.

 

Boosha wanted a group shot with her fan club.

 

Some family is going to be mighty lucky to adopt this sweetheart.

 

 

 

 

Terry’s Second Excellent Adventure!

Terry got to go to another park last week with Marianne and Ayla. Here is the report:

“Terry had another excellent adventure today at Cascade Gateway Park. Once again, he was very well behaved although we did find out that he will chase a squirrel—new information on him. We saw lots of people walking, jogging, and riding bikes. We also saw ducks and geese up close and heard dogs barking in the distance. He made it through everything with flying colors. And,Terry absolutely loves the water. Ayla put a long leash on him and he waded right in and splashed around. He had so much fun! He rides so well in the car and loves being away from the shelter even if only for a short time. These outings really help him! What a special dog he is. We love him so much and are eagerly waiting for his perfect family to come and find him.”

 

I’ve written about Terry in my blog posts several times, but he is still waiting to be found by just the right people. Because he has been at the shelter since April 5th, he is getting stressed and worried. These outings help lower his anxiety. Terry is a three-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier mix. Terry LOVES people. He is dog-selective, meaning he likes to play with some dogs and not others, and would be happy to be an only pet. Terry needs to go home with older kids. We can’t wait for him to be found by his perfect family! They will be so lucky!

 

 

 

The time when everyone but the photographer is done with the photoshoot

 

Bench posing isn’t as easy as it looks.

 

On that note, that’s it for this week!

All of the dogs I have featured today, along with other terrific dogs waiting to be adopted, can be found at Willamette Humane Society. Here is the link to the adoptable-dog page:

https://whs4pets.org/adopt-a-pet/dogs-2/

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