Dear Fellow Dog Loves,

There were three special dog adoptions last week in the midst of these challenging times. Since I’ve written about all three of the dogs in my posts, I thought I’d let readers know they are now happily in their forever homes.

 

 

Rosie

Here she was with Megan when she was still at the shelter.

 

Blue

This youngster was one of Marianne’s favorites while at the shelter.

 

Nestle

Our sweet nine-year-old senior, Nestle, was adopted by his foster family! We all loved him so much at the shelter! He arrived as a stray in January and he waited and waited for his new family. Then COVID-19 happened and as many dogs as possible were moved into foster homes. As sometimes happens, a family takes in a shelter dog fully intending that it will be for only a short time…then it happens…love. Such is the case with Nestle! Here is what the foster family wrote the day they made it official.

“It’s official! The adoption paperwork is signed and he is all ours!! There wasn’t a dry eye in the car yesterday when we got the call we could come in and complete the adoption process. It’s hard to put into words how much every member of our family wholeheartedly LOVES Nestle. We cannot imagine our home without him and we’re so grateful that we get to be his forever family. He has brought such a great amount of joy to our family and he fits into the rhythm of our lifestyle and family dynamics just perfectly. He is glued to my daughter’s side and the two of them are inseparable throughout the day (and night, as he sleeps in her room). Every day since he’s been with us, he has just soaked up all the constant attention and loving scratches and pats and walks….so much love! We are all on cloud nine in our house today knowing Nestle is now a permanent member of our family. A huge and heartfelt thank you to everyone at the Willamette Humane Society who helped us with this process. ❤️❤️❤️”

And here Nestle is with his forever family. Could he BE any happier? I think not!

 

The Adoption Process 

WHS is keeping people safe while continuing to match dogs and cats with their perfect fits of families. WHS is open for adoption appointments 10:00 – 3:00 every day.

To find out exactly how the adoption process works, click on the link below:

Adoptions Continue! But Your Patience Is Crucial

 

 

 

 

In this post I am writing about only one dog who is currently available. The other three, I have featured in the last two weeks.

Lucky

I have written about Lucky many times in my blog posts. These are some of my all-time favorite pictures of him, here with Megan and Marianne. Lucky is now with a wonderful foster family.

 

“Lucky has so much love to give. He just needs someone to love him back!” That is how Lucky’s foster dad sums up this wonderful dog. 

Lucky is a one-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier mix. He had a difficult start in life, as he didn’t get crucial socialization and training during his most opportune time.

Lucky was surrendered to WHS on November 24, 2019. He was overwhelmed at the shelter. Staff and volunteers immediately started working to help him realize that the world doesn’t have to be a scary place. He loved spending time with volunteers, and when he was able to relax he was a happy, affectionate, playful adolescent. We quickly realized that Lucky is very smart, treat-motivated, and loves to learn. He enjoys romping with some dogs, but not all, and will need to meet any dog he will be living with. He would no doubt enjoy having a trusted dog sibling to help build his courage around new things.

As the weeks went by and Lucky was not adopted, his shelter stress increased. Finally in February, Lucky did have some actual luck when volunteer Chris agreed to foster him. Since that time, in Chris’ home, Lucky has done amazingly well. While he still has some things he is working on, Lucky has made remarkable progress with Chris’ rewards-based training.

Here is what Chris wrote in his most recent update: 

“Lucky is a great dog! Since he had little training or socialization as a puppy, he had a lot to catch up on when he came to us. He is doing fantastically well! Lucky is now totally house-trained and well-behaved. He is doing very well when walking on a leash and being polite when meeting new people. He loves toys and is doing great with learning to share his toys and treats. Lucky is extremely affectionate and loves to lie in laps to cuddle on the couch, or curl up next to his family on the bed. He has a lot of energy, and needs a home with a big yard and where he will have lots of opportunities to play. He learns fast but he still has a lot to learn. Fortunately, he is very strongly food-motivated, and will do just about anything for a treat.”

Lucky’s ideal home is a quiet, feline-free adult one with a dog-experienced person who will give him the attention he craves and the time he needs to adjust to new surroundings. While Lucky is still learning about the world, he will be such a loyal and devoted best friend.

If Lucky sounds like your perfect new companion, go to http://www.whs4pet.org and then to the adoptable dog page. You can fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on the link “Ask about Lucky.”

 

 

 

 

We have two happy updates this week!

Thor

Thor arrived at WHS in September of 2019. This is what I wrote about him in my September 18th post:

Thor is a delightful six-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier mix with some paralysis on the right side of his face. We have no idea what caused it, but it doesn’t bother him at all. However, it makes his right eye look smaller than his left and he has a little trouble holding onto a treat on the right side of his mouth. That also doesn’t bother him a bit as long as he gets the treat! Marianne says his face matches his goofy personality.

 

Thor quickly became one of our favorites and we were thrilled when a family came to meet him with one of our long-ago favorites, WHS alumnus Gunner, whom they had adopted in 2014.

 

The two dogs were instant best friends. Last week I got this great update.

“I’ve been meaning to write to you to give you an update on Thor for a while! He is doing great!! He still gets a little skittish sometimes, mostly when he’s inside. Outside in our backyard, he’s a total tough guy!! He and Gunner are fabulous together. The picture I included is how he lies on the couch every night. He will not lie on the floor. He always thinks he needs to be on the couch, which we don’t mind. He loves his morning walk!! He actually sits in front of my husband and does this low grumble until it’s time for his walk. We are so very happy we adopted Thor!!!”

 

 

Montegro/Monty

If you are a regular reader of my posts, you will remember Montegro (Monty) very well. He was a transfer from our sister shelter in Maui, Hawaii. He was not a handsome dog. The Maui shelter thought he had probably been attacked by a wild boar at some point and he was missing part of his mouth. He immediately became a volunteer favorite because of his gentle, affectionate nature. We were worried about him finding a home. We didn’t need to be. Here he is meeting his forever family for the first time.

 

Monty’s family has been wonderful about sending updates, and yesterday I got this one!

“Monty is a continuous breath of fresh air. It’s been a little over a year ago since we adopted him, and we can’t remember life without him. He has a way of spreading love and joy everywhere we take him.”

 

On those happy notes, 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