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adoptable dogs, adoption dogs, deserving dogs, dogs, fellow dog lovers, humane society, shelter dogs, WHS, willamette humane society
Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,
The days of Christmas week are always a bit slow for dog adoptions, but we did have two sweethearts who found their forever homes. They were both small dogs and absolutely adorable!
Oliver
Charlie
I’ve been here for a while learning some skills and finding out that the world is not such a scary place after all! Now I’m ready for a German Shepherd-savvy family of my own.
Roxy is a beautiful one-year-old German Shepherd mix who came to us from another shelter after having been found as a stray. She was overwhelmed and somewhat fearful when she arrived in early November. Since that time, Roxy has been working with the Behavior and Training Team and showing significant progress.
Roxy thrives on rewards-based training sessions. She has been practicing loose-leash walking and impulse control, to name two skills she has been focused on lately. “She did well and was engaged with training throughout duration of session,” reported a staff member after a recent exercise.
Roxy loves playgroups and enjoys race and chase games with other large-breed dogs. WHS Trainer Jessi writes, “Roxy does need monitoring during play sessions because she can get a little ‘herding like’ when she doesn’t gets breaks. She is selective in her dog friends and should meet any she will be living with. She is a young shepherd with a lot of energy. Previous experience with her breed would be good in a potential adopter.”
Here Roxy is playing with her friend, Maxamillion, who is also available for adoption!
She also enjoys hanging out with Jessi in the play yard…
…on top of the materials trunk.
Roxy is very treat-motivated, which makes her training sessions both fun and rewarding for both her and her trainer. She is smart, attentive, and eager to learn new things.
Roxy is looking for a home with active teens or adults due to her youthful enthusiasm. She is a bit shy when meeting new people, but warms up quickly. She will need a family who will keep her active both with physical exercise and mental challenges and who will continue with her training.
She thoroughly enjoyed posing for Trainers Nichole and Jessi’s winter photo shoot last week.
If you are a German Shepherd-savvy family and are looking for a young, intelligent, and loyal new best friend, you may be Roxy’s perfect fit. Fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on Roxy’s picture and then on the link Inquire Online found on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/
Are you a hospice-kind of adopter—a person who wants to give dogs the best EVER home for as long as they have?
Buffy and Dan are eight-year-old Chihuahua mixes. Their owner died and there was no one who could take over their care, and so they arrived at WHS. Volunteer Marianne was immediately smitten. That’s Dan on the left and Buffy on the right.
While they are friends, they are not bonded and would be perfectly happy to be adopted into different homes. I asked Marianne to tell me about them. She wrote, “Dan wants nothing more than to be in his person’s lap. He is extremely sweet but also can be quite vocal about what he wants from you. He is learning to walk on a leash, but he would be happy to have a yard to wander around in and then come back inside and cuddle with his person.”
And this is what she wrote about Buffy: “Buffy is very loving—wants to be near her person all the time. She is very quiet and would be the ultimate lap dog. She is learning to walk on a leash and is making progress. She is amazingly sweet and would make an excellent companion for someone who wants a dog to cuddle with.”
Dan and Buffy are hospice adoptions. They both have significant heart murmurs and Dan has possible renal problems in the early stages. Both have the usual older-dog issues, as well. They are hoping for homes where they will be cuddled and safe for however long they have.
Their former family reported that they have been around children of all ages and done well. They get along with other Chihuahuas AND cats! They have been indoor dogs and get a little stressed when in a car. They are curious in new situations, but adapt quickly and, while shy at first meeting new people, they soon want to hop in their laps. “They are low-energy, they just want to be with their person.”
It takes a special person to adopt a hospice dog. But thankfully, there are people who, even though they don’t know how long they will have them, open their hearts and homes to dogs who need a forever family. Dan and Buffy hope that such people will read this post.
If that person is you, fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on Dan’s or Buffy’s picture and then on the link Inquire Online found on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/
I’m waiting for a loving retirement home. I’ve never been an indoor dog but give me a little time and I promise, I’ll love living inside with you!
If you are a regular reader of my posts, you know all about the Huskies who were rescued last September during Oregon’s wildfires. April, a senior eleven-year-old Siberian Husky mix, was one of them.
It didn’t take long for April to become a volunteer and staff favorite. However, she needed time to adjust to a new way of life. Like the other “wildfire huskies,” she has never lived inside or had much contact with people. This meant that she was fearful and hesitant to approach people. But with patience and time, April has begun to blossom working with the staff and volunteers. Behavior/Training Manager Marilyn writes, “April is shy and fearful of new people and new environments. Once she knows her handlers, she sometimes asks for neck rubs and body rubs. April quietly avoids interactions and environments that frighten her. We have been careful to let her make choices, giving her time to acclimate to new situations. She has gradually gained some confidence and walks well on a leash if given time to process her surroundings before moving forward with us. She mingles in our shelter yards with other dogs. She seems to enjoy other dogs’ company if they do not push her to play or interact. She is tolerant of other dogs if they will allow her space.”
She took part in a photo shoot at Halloween, and although timid, seemed to enjoy sniffing around all the props.
Because April has had such limited human interaction, she will need a Husky-savvy family who will patiently guide her into becoming a family dog. She will need a fenced yard so that she can gradually acclimate to the indoors, and older children who will not push her, but give her the space she needs. She also will need a cat-free home.
April has the usual senior-dog issues. She has some arthritis and a cataract on her right eye, resulting in limited vision, which causes her to startle easily. She has had some dental work at WHS, resulting in two teeth being extracted, though she may need more later.
Trainers Jessi and Nichole asked her to take part in a winter photo shoot last week and she agreed.
April is going to need a family who will continue to help her adjustment to a new way of life with patience, understanding, positive rewards—and much love. In return, they will receive devotion and gratitude from a very special girl.
If you think you are that family, fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on April’s picture and then on the link Inquire Online found on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/
Danika
I first wrote about Danika in my December 9th post. We were hoping she would have found her new family by now, but she hasn’t.
Danika is a bright, affectionate, and active dog. She would love a home with older children who could give her the exercise she needs playing fetch (which she loves). She would like going hiking, swimming, or camping. She will do her best to please people, especially if treats are involved.
She had such a blast out in the play yard on Sunday, I had to add these pictures.
Did I mention she LOVES to play fetch?
To read all about Danika and the kind of home she needs, read my post linked here: https://adopt-an-oregon-dog.com/2020/12/09/this-weeks-featured-adoptable-dogs-willamette-humane-society-by-martha-russell-377/
And if you decide you think she might be your perfect fit, fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on Danika’s picture and then on the link Inquire Online found on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/
We’re hoping that by next post all of this week’s featured dogs will have found their forever families. And as always, a huge thank you to my support team without whom I could not produce this blog: WHS Trainers Jessi and Nichole and volunteer Marianne.
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:
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