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Last week was PetSmart National Adoption Week. Since WHS has a satellite cat adoption center at PetSmart, all of the Adoption Specialists were on deck at PetSmart to help. Amazingly, there were over 50 cats and kittens adopted during the week! Our dogs understood, and hung out with the rest of the staff and volunteers at the shelter, and there are no dog adoptions to report in this week’s post.

So let’s start right off with a dog who has been waiting for a while to find his special family.

Please Note: The dogs I feature in this section are available for adoption as of today, July 28, 2021. But things change fast and our goal is always to find wonderful homes for our dogs as quickly as possible. To see if today’s dogs are still available and to see other available dogs, visit https://whs4pets.org/dogs/ .

I’ll be a great family dog, I just have a few issues I’m working on. I need a little patience and understanding. Being in the shelter is stressful and I can’t wait for my new home! Is it yours?

Zero arrived at WHS from our sister shelter, Maui Humane Society, in 2017. He was quickly adopted, has lived happily with his family for four years, and was much loved. However, because of his prey drive, he cannot live around ducks or chickens, so his family had to surrender him. He is now hoping to find a new family who will love him just as much.

Zero is very anxious in new places, so being in a kennel at WHS is proving to be quite stressful for this boy. His family, wanting everyone to know what a good dog Zero is, gave us lots of encouraging information about his behavior at home.

A four-year-old Catahoula Leopard mix, Zero is wiggly, playful, and a snuggler in a home. He is house- and crate-trained and slept in his crate at night. He will stand by the door when he needs to go out. He knows the cues for “sit,” “shake,” and “lie down.” He does need to be leashed when riding in a car, as he gets very excited. One of Zero’s favorite treats is peanut butter and his favorite toys are balls. He loved to jump and run in his fenced yard. In the evening, he liked to lie down with his family. 

We took Zero out to the big yard a couple of Sundays ago, and he loved racing around. Oh, yes, and he’s a water dog. He jumped right into the kiddy pool.

When asked what five words best describe Zero, his family said, “excited, playful, cuddly, kind, and loving.” He does like to howl at times. He is frightened of loud noises and dining room chairs. He does fine with nail trims, but doesn’t care for baths. When left alone in the house, Zero relaxed and slept. He is jumpy when excited and when he meets strangers, wanting to lick them. 

Zero is anxious when in new surroundings. Last summer when the family was displaced due to the fires, he was very stressed. And he is stressed here at the shelter which results in his being jumpy, mouthy, and a strong leash-puller. But Zero also wants to please his people. He tried very hard to wait for treats and to pose for pictures with Marianne.

Zero is dog-selective, meaning he likes some dogs and does not care for others. He will need to meet any dog he will be living with to make sure their play styles are compatible. 

One of Zero’s favorite treats is pig ears. He has shown some resource-guarding when he has one, so his family will have to be aware of body language and give him space if he has a high-value treat. 

Because of his prey drive, Zero should not go home with cats or other small animals or young children. He will need a securely fenced yard.

Since arriving at the shelter, Zero has been improving in being willing to return to his kennel. The secret was cream cheese! He also has become calmer when outside on his walks. One of the WHS trainers recently wrote, “Zero walked calmly on the back property on a six-foot leash. He loved sniffing and exploring. No jumping, mouthing, and only slight pulling at times. He is an affectionate dog who loves spending time with people.” Here he was with volunteer Francis.

Last Sunday WHS Behavior and Training Staff member Nichole brought Zero outside so that I could take more pictures of him. One thing important for his new family to know is that Zero can get sunburned on bright days, so will need sunscreen when outside.

Zero is a dog who needs the love and security of a family and home. Changes in surroundings are very difficult for him. He is not a dog for a first-time dog owner. But for an experienced, dog-savvy family, he will be a loyal, affectionate, and eager companion.

If you think you might be the right family for Zero, fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on his picture and then on the link Adopt Me found on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/.

Here I am, again. I haven’t found my farm yet. I’m still waiting. Maybe my new family will come NEXT week!

I have written about Willow several times since she arrived at the shelter in May. I wrote a feature about her, hoping she would be found by a farm family. She liked to visit the goats in her last home. Every Sunday we spend extra time with this sweet, five-year-old Great Pyrenees beauty. Last Sunday was no exception. Even though she has been waiting a long time, Willow remains an affectionate, happy girl who is ever the optimist about finding her forever home.

To read Willow’s feature and apply to adopt her, click on this link.

Megan, Marianne, and I had a wonderful time hanging out with Willow, as usual, on Sunday afternoon.

Willow has been waiting for her farm family for a long time. We hope they find her soon.

Knuckles McGee/Buddy

Knuckles McGee arrived at WHS in May 2016. He was a big, goofy, five-year-old American Staffordshire mix. I first wrote about him in my June 29, 2016 post:

“This handsome boy is a ball dog through and through. He is also getting quite stressed in the shelter environment and so we’re hoping he’ll soon be found by an active person who enjoys a rough-and-rowdy kind of player. Knuckles’ favorite thing in the world is playing fetch with multiple tennis balls. He often carries two in his mouth at once and has been known to try for three!”

We all absolutely adored this bull-in-a-china-shop character, especially volunteer Daniel.

We were thrilled when Knuckles went home on July 21, 2016. His name became Buddy. I got a couple of updates soon after he settled in with his new family. This week I got another one!

“It was five years ago we adopted Buddy (July 21). He is my bestest friend!  Goofy and smart!  Our lives are all enriched because of this very special boy!  You would never know he turned 10 in May!“

This update is such a treat for all of us volunteers who loved Knuckles McGee while he waited for his perfect forever home.

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

Thanks to WHS Trainer Nichole, and volunteers Megan and Marianne for their help with this post.

Remember, if you see a dog on my blog whom you are interested in meeting, fill out the Adoption form at whs4pets.org, and wait to be contacted by the staff. And please remember that sometimes dogs are adopted quickly, so might have already found a great home by the time you ask about them.

You can reach me at adoptanoregondog14@yahoo.com