Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

There were three very happy dog adoptions during the last week. Remember Bruno from my previous post? He has left the building and is adjusting to his new life with his new people. We are so happy for this young boy who couldn’t wait to spend time indoors with his new family.

 

 

 

Also adopted last week was eight-month-old River. I had planned to feature him in this week’s post, but he already found his forever family. Yahoo!

 

 

 

WHS Trainer Nichole sent these great pictures on Tuesday when Bear got adopted. She wrote, “This sweet black Lab went home with a teacher and his daughter, who will be starting kindergarten this year. All she asked for was a picture of her and Bear together. Happy trails! Look how nicely Bear is walking on the leash as they leave.”

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Got a tennis ball? A squeaky toy? Anything to throw? Great! Let’s play fetch!

Mandy is a happy, exuberant two-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier mix who is looking for just the right family to adopt her. Mandy was found as a stray in late June, so we don’t know anything about her history. However, we have learned quite a bit about her during her stay at the shelter.

 

 

The first thing you need to know about Mandy is that she is all about playing fetch! Her favorite thing to use is any “squeaky” toy and her goal is to catch it while it’s still in the air, which she often does. WHS Trainer Jessi caught these shots while playing in the big yard. Oh, and Mandy likes to carry a squeaker toy along on walks, too.

Mandy loves people. She greets them with wiggly excitement. During her intake process at the shelter, staff wrote, “She was a bit timid at first, but once she was given treats she really warmed up and we had no issues with her. She took the vaccines really well. She let us touch her and move her around. She was very tolerant and patient.”

It appears that Mandy has had little training in her young life. Staff is working with her and she has been showing improvement. Mandy’s new family will need to continue this rewards-based instruction. In Mandy’s excitement to meet people, she will jump and pull while on leash. She also has shown some guarding of her food and toys. Staff is playing “trading games” with her and she is responding well. Because of these behaviors, she will need to go to a home with teens fifteen and older, or just adults, who will respect her space as they carry on with her positive training.

Here is a movie that WHS Trainer Nichole made for our girl showing off Mandy’s new skills of trading squeaky toys and sitting, waiting for one to be thrown for her.

 

 

 

Mandy will need to be an only pet. She has been too intense with other dogs and seems to have a prey drive, so no cats, either. While Mandy is not the right dog for everyone, she will be such a delightful member of the right family.

 

 

If you enjoy dog training and have the time for an eager and willing student, Mandy might be your perfect fit. She will be a loyal and devoted best friend who will keep you laughing as she races to catch her newest squeaky toy.

 

 

If Mandy sounds like a perfect fit for your family, fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on the link “Ask About Mandy” under her picture on the WHS adoptable dog page found here: https://whs4pets.org/adopt-a-pet/dogs-2/

 

 

 

 

I’m not a youngster anymore, but oh, what a friend I will be!

Do you enjoy relaxing on the couch and wish you had a companion to share it with? (Note: the couch needs to be pretty big!) If so, you need to meet Riley whose favorite thing in the world to do is hang out with his peeps on the couch.

 

Riley is an eleven-year-old mixed-breed boy who, at 117 pounds, could use a little help and encouragement to get rid of some of his excess weight, something he’s a tad embarrassed about.

Sadly, Riley’s family had to surrender him because of landlord breed restrictions. He is hoping for a retirement home where he can spend his days cuddling with his new peeps and getting a little exercise. 

 

 

Riley’s former family reports that he loves people after they are introduced to him. He will bark when someone knocks on the door, but once he’s told to stop, “when the people come in, he will go up and introduce himself, wagging his tail.”

When Riley was six years old, he was attacked by another dog. Since that time, Riley is fearful of some other dogs, and is selective about what dogs he feels comfortable with. In our shelter playgroups, he has mingled with other dogs and there have been no issues. He has even gotten in the kiddie pool a few times to cool off. He will need to meet any dog he will be living with.

 

WHS Trainer Jessi has wonderful things to say about Riley in her shelter play groups. “He is mellow and mingles well in the yard with other dogs. He approaches handlers for attention often. I used him to help a really fearful dog come to play group. Riley was great walking near her on leash, and once in the yard he allowed her to sniff and greet him.”

Here’s a little video of Riley in play group.

 

 

Riley is house-trained and will go to the door and make a “certain noise” to let you know he needs to go out. He is also crate-trained. When left alone in the house he did fine as well as in the fenced back yard. He walks very politely on leash.

At eleven years old, Riley enjoys short play sessions like the one in the video, then he likes to relax. He loves to go for rides in the car and knows basic commands. He has no issues with toys or food being taken away from him. 

 

 

Because he is a senior with the usual older-dog issues, he is recommended for kids about 13 and older who will be gentle with him. He has never lived with cats, so we recommend a feline-free home.

If you have a heart and a couch for a senior dog who will believe you are the best human in the universe and wants more than anything to hang out with you (on the couch), please fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on the link “Ask About Riley” under his picture on the WHS adoptable dog page found here: https://whs4pets.org/adopt-a-pet/dogs-2/

 

 

 

As always, I am deeply thankful for the pictures and videos that WHS Trainers Jessi and Nichole send to me so that I can continue to write this blog during the pandemic.

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 will need to make an appointment.

You can reach me at  adoptanoregondog14@yahoo.com