It was an incredibly rainy Sunday, so all of our holiday pictures had to be done indoors, but we still had a very fun day with happy dogs. But first, there were three very special adoptions to tell you about this week.

Tiny

Tiny arrived at WHS on November 6th. She was eleven years old and had multiple medical issues. She was “shut down,” not eating, and was severely matted. She needed to have eleven teeth extracted. The most serious problem, however, was a mammary carcinoma (breast cancer). A large tumor was removed by the WHS vet, but it was very likely the cancer had already spread and would result in more tumors. After her surgeries, and having her body shaved to remove the mats, Tiny went to a foster home to recover. Tiny’s foster mom, Penny, quickly reported that Tiny almost immediately became a different dog once in her home and Tiny blossomed. Penny described Tiny as “quiet, polite, and dainty. She will be a wonderful companion dog in a quiet home. She is alert, bright, curious and putters around the house (no zoomies) and naps frequently.” It was decided that because Tiny’s cancer is likely to return, she would be a hospice adoption.

A month after Tiny first arrived at the shelter, Penny contacted me asking if I would take pictures of Tiny as she was about to be made available for adoption. Penny brought Tiny to the shelter, I took pictures and promised to feature her in my blog the following week. In my December 8th post I wrote all about Tiny and what she needed in her new home.

While we hoped Tiny would find a loving home, we did not anticipate the rest of her story. One of my blog readers, Theresa, like Tiny, has metastatic breast cancer. While reading Tiny’s feature, Theresa felt an instant connection with her, not only because they have the same cancer, but also because Theresa’s “curly chemo hair” looked just like Tiny’s curly hair growing back after being shaved.

On December 17th, Penny brought Tiny to the shelter to meet Theresa and her husband and it was love at first sight. Penny emailed me later that afternoon: “Tiny was adopted today to the most wonderful couple! I got to meet them and tell them about Tiny. It was such a privilege to be allowed to do that. Tiny got right on her new mom’s lap and was comfortable.”

That evening, Theresa wrote this to Sasha, Adoption Specialist: “We have named her Lambchop. She is perfect. She ate a big dinner and we walked the street, too. She is sound asleep right now.” And a day later, I got these pictures of a very relaxed and happy Lambchop.

And that is the rest of the story. One of the best adoptions ever.

Cleo

Cleo arrived at the shelter with a bad skin irritation, but it didn’t take long for her coat to look sleek again. She is one of the happiest dogs we’ve ever had, having an almost constant smile and a goofy personality. I featured her in my December 1st post.

On Sunday we were excited that she had a family meet. We were thrilled when they decided to take her home. And they even were good sports about wearing holiday headbands! She’s going to have a wonderful life.

Rocky

Our newbie Rocky was adopted on Tuesday! Such a sweet boy. Here he was during his holiday photo shoot.

Please Note: The dogs I feature in this section are available for adoption as of today, December 22, 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 featured dogs are still available and to see other available dogs, click on the link to the currently available dogs here.

Merry Christmas from Shelter Dogs!

This week I’m featuring three dogs who have been at WHS more than once and are really hoping that their next home with be their forever one. They all are looking for dog-savvy, understanding, and patient families. I’ve featured them before, but still they wait.

I’m back again. I just know there is the right family out there for me. I’ll wait here for them to come.

Sky is a nine-month-old Chihuahua mix puppy who arrived at WHS October 15th because her person had too many dogs. Since she had not been fully vaccinated, she could not go outside or be with other dogs when she was first at the shelter. But she got lots of love and attention from staff and volunteers who came to her kennel and cuddled with her.

Sky has been adopted three times, but none of them have been the right fit for this sweet girl. Her first adopter discovered she couldn’t keep her, but had only good things to say about this youngster, including that she is a “great dog, very loyal, and didn’t have any accidents.” The second adopter had another dog who did not like Sky and they felt it was unfair to keep her. The third adopter returned her saying she was not house-trained and was anxious. Three homes in a short time and then back to the shelter has been hard on Sky. She is hoping to find a patient and understanding person who will help her with her house-training and will enjoy the company of a little dog who longs to be with her people. She would love to be adopted by a retired person who has the time to give to make Sky feel safe and loved. Sky is quite shy at first meeting, but what a devoted friend she is once she gets to know you. One of her favorite people is volunteer Linda who has spent a lot of time with Sky. On Sunday we took her into Mary’s place for our annual holiday dress up. She was a very good sport.

She likes to have a paw on her person and loves to be scratched.

Marianne has also become a trusted peep.

To see more pictures of Sky and read more about her, check out my feature on her here.

If you are looking for a sweet puppy, who, given a little time, will adore you, fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on her picture and then on the link Adopt Me found on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/.

I’ve been here before, too. The folks here like me, but I really need a home of my own.

Macaroni is a one-year-old Australian Cattle Dog mix who is looking for a dog-savvy family with the patience to help him be less fearful of sudden movements and loud noises and to become comfortable being inside with his family. Macaroni has lived most of his young life in an outdoor run, so he will need some help in house-training and getting used to the noises and activities (like tv watching) in a home. His first family had him since he was a puppy, but the other dog in the family picked on Macaroni, and they felt he would be happier in another home. The second family returned him due to his anxiousness inside. Now, back at the shelter, Mac is quite stressed. But we took him into Mary’s Place for some Christmas shots, and he settled down for some poses with Megan and Marianne.

Macaroni’s first family said that while he is shy when first meeting someone or in a new situation, he quickly warms up and is friendly and curious. At the vet, he is calm and well-behaved. He will jump a fence and go on an adventure, so a secure yard will be important. He travels well (just sits) in a car. He knows several cues such as “sit,” “stay,” “let’s go,” and “snack time.” He tolerates baths well, though is quite wiggly. When asked what five words best describe Macaroni, his family wrote, “gentle, calm, patient, lovable, and curious.”

Macaroni loves to romp outside, play fetch, and chew on squeaky toys. Since it was raining outside, we let him explore the toys in Mary’s Place and he was thrilled.

After pulling all the toys out, he happily chose the one he was looking for.

Macaroni is hoping his next family will give him the time and patience to adjust to a new life. If you have experience with the Cattle Dog breed, and think Macaroni would be a good fit for your family, 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/. He can’t wait to meet you.

This is my third time at WHS. All of my people have loved me, but I need a special family who understands Australian Cattle Dogs like me.

Rosie is a three-year-old Australian Cattle Dog/American Staffordshire Terrier mix who is smart, loving, eager to learn, and very active.

Rosie came to the shelter the first time in February of 2020 when her family’s circumstances changed and they could no longer keep her. They described her as “very friendly, loves people, happy, and high energy.” She went to a foster home where she was much loved. Her foster mom wrote, “She needs to go on walks frequently and naps well when her energy burns off. She is extremely loving and sweet, so she needs a person willing to give her lots of attention.” Rosie was adopted a second time, but returned when she had too much energy for the person. Rosie was adopted once again, but was recently surrendered because of her prey drive for small animals.

Australian Cattle Dogs were bred as working dogs—to herd cattle. Here is what Dogtime.com says about this breed: “Australian Cattle Dogs are loyal and protective of their families. Besides herding work, they do well at canine sports, including agility, obedience, rally, flyball, and flying disc competitions. Novice pet parents and apartment dwellers beware; these dogs need a lot — a lot! — of mental and physical activity to stay happy and healthy, and to prevent bored, destructive behavior. If you have a home with plenty of room to run, and you can keep up with such an active pup, this may be the breed for you! The Australian Cattle Dog is extremely intelligent, active, and sturdy. They thrive on having a job to do and on being part of all family activities.”

Rosie knows several commands such as “sit,” “lie down,” “go to bed,” “down,” “go home” and is eager to learn more. She is house-trained and will alert you when she needs to go out. She does have a tendency to guard her food while she is eating, so should be left alone at meal time. Rosie is uncomfortable around small children, so she should go home with kids about 13 and older. Because of her strong prey drive, she needs a secure fenced yard and should not go to a home with cats or “pocket pets.”

All of Rosie’s former peeps stressed how wonderful she is with people and how affectionate and fun she is. She just needs a family who understands her breed and can give her plenty of exercise and love.

We took her into Mary’s Place on Sunday for a few holiday shots. She was so cooperative, though she didn’t smile for the camera.

And then a little later this happened…

She wasn’t quite sure how to wear the Santa hat at first.

Rosie’s last family wrote that she is “adorable, warm, friendly, and loves people.” What is Rosie’s ideal home? Here’s what her foster family wrote: “Rosie’s dream home would have a big yard with room to run and play every day. She LOVES toys and needs lots of them! Her dream human would be very loving and patient, ready to snuggle with her regularly, but also ready to play and keep up with her energy.”

If you think Rosie is a great fit for you, fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on her picture and then on the link Adopt Me found on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/.

Shadow’s Excellent Adventure!

I first featured Shadow in my November 17th post. I was hoping she would be adopted quickly, but that hasn’t happened. Shadow is a one-year-old Terrier mix. She is such an active, fun girl who has won the hearts of everyone at the shelter. Last week volunteer Lori took Shadow on a wonderful respite from the shelter. Here is her report:

“Shadow has been a busy girl! Last Thursday, she and I had an outing to a park where she sniffed, explored, and met a family on their way home after school (see photo where she watched them until they turned the corner). She never jumped on any of them, and the mom said to be sure to tell everyone what a sweet girl she was with her children. Since Shadow was not ready to go home, we headed to Lowe’s. I am pretty sure she met everyone in the store. She used good manners with everyone. Such a sweet girl!”

To read more about Shadow, see my feature about her here.

Shadow is hoping for an active family who wants a happy, playful, cuddly dog as a new member. If she sounds like the right fit for you, fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on her picture and then on the link Adopt Me found on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/.

We spent some holiday time with several other adoptable dogs on Sunday who wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and who hope to be in their new homes by the new year!

Minnie Ann

Minnie Ann is a three-year-old mixed breed girl who is an absolute delight. She didn’t mind dressing up one bit and was totally into the Christmas spirit!

There is something about Megan’s antlers…

To find out more about Minnie Ann, click on her picture on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/.

Stella

Stella is a two-year-old Lab mix who is such a hoot. Her person adored her and taught her many things. For example, when playing fetch, after bringing the ball back to you and dropping it, if you say “closer,” she will nose the ball toward you. She does well with other dogs, cats, and children. In fact her person said he hopes she’ll go home with children, she loves them so much. What a sweetheart she is!

Stella loves to find her tennis ball in her blankets!

To find out more about Stella, click on her picture on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/.

Gunner James

Are you a Basset Hound person? Yes, that really is a thing, just ask Marianne! Gunner James is a seven-year-old Basset Hound who kept us laughing the entire time we were taking his holiday pictures.

Nothing bothers Gunner James, not even slipping antlers!

To find out more about Gunner James, click on his picture on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/.

Merry Christmas from all the shelter dogs!

And on that note, that’s it for this week.

Many thanks to Adoption Specialist Sasha and volunteers Marianne, Megan, and Linda for their help with this post. What wonderful sports they are to agree to pose in silly holiday attire for pictures! I couldn’t do it without them!

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/dogs/.

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