Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

Happy New Year from our current shelter dogs. They are hoping that with a new year, they will get a fresh start and be welcomed into their forever homes.

We had lots of terrific adoptions even though it was the holidays! I didn’t get a chance to meet three of the dogs. They were all puppies—Eighty, Jasper, and Sadie.

Sakari

What a beautiful girl! New dog walker Nyah was smitten with her.

Bear

This stunning big boy was such a nice dog. Kate was smitten with him. Lucky family.

Millie

Our sweet, wonderful Millie was adopted (again). We’re hoping THIS will be her forever home. Her new people were so excited. Marianne got her going-home picture.

Lotus

Drum roll, happy dance! Lotus finally found her new person! We were over the moon for this girl. She was beginning to get depressed in her kennel, after having been waiting since November 3rd. It’s so great that she’s starting a new year in a new home! I was glad I was there to take her going-home pictures. She wanted to say goodbye to some of her fans before she left. Then she was off to her new life. And yes, that is Lotus’ happy face.

Dahlia

I first met Dahlia on Saturday, and considered featuring her in this post. But later that afternoon she was adopted. Staff member Becca was there to take her going-home pictures.

Gatsby

We knew this wonderful guy wouldn’t be around the shelter for long, and we were right! Gatsby was adopted on Tuesday and will be heading to Alaska with his new person soon. We had so much fun with him on Saturday.

My name is Bark Mallard, but you can just call me Mallard.

Bark Mallard was found as a stray, so we have no idea of what his life was like before he arrived at the shelter. Mallard is about two years old and is an American Pit Bull Terrier. He was very worried when he came outside for his first pictures, and I felt sorry for him. He kept his mouth closed and had a furrowed brow, but he was cooperative and posed nicely.

What a difference a little time makes. Last Saturday we brought him into the Ed Hall to play. He was relaxed and very happy.

Mallard seems to be nervous around new things and people. He is very treat-motivated and that helps win him over for petting. Soon he is leaning into you. We quickly discovered that Mallard is smart and knows several cues including sit, down, and shake.

He was eager to explain to Linda what he likes for treats.

We decided to see if he’d like to play fetch. He did. However, well…you’ll see that the third time was the charm.

Bark Mallard has lots of energy and can get overly excited and a bit mouthy, so older kids would be better. He loves people once he gets to know them. He would like to meet any dogs he will be living with, as he has been reactive to some in the shelter.

Kate took him for a Dog’s Day Out on Monday. Here is her report:

“Bark Mallard and I went on a walk at Willamette Mission Park. In the car, Mallard was VERY anxious. He liked to have a toy to chew on to calm him down. Once we were at the park, we saw wildlife, kids, other dogs, and adults. He didn’t react to birds and squirrels, but pulled towards other dogs and people. He enjoyed playing fetch, hiking, sniffing and exploring. I occasionally threw a toy for him during our walk which he carried. Mallard is up for an adventure if you are! After a walk he is a cuddlebug. We both enjoyed our nature hike.”

Who would have guessed that Bark Mallard is a student of forestry, which he takes very seriously.

Bark Mallard is a young, energetic, and eager dog who is hoping for a family with whom he can go on adventures. If you think he’s the dog for you, fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on his picture and then on the link Adopt Me found here  oregonhumane.org/adopt/salem-shelter-adopt-dogs/

Are you up for the challenge of a puppy? Pick ME! Pick ME!

We all love puppies, and Carlo is a cutie! He is about six months old and an exuberant youngster. Found as a stray, he has lots to learn, but what fun it will be teaching this bundle of energy. He is a Pit Bull Terrier mix.

Carlo is a typical pup. He can be easily over-stimulated and become mouthy and jumpy. But he is also very treat-motivated and eager to please. He is learning how to walk politely on leash and working on impulse control. He knows the cue to sit as he showed us on Saturday.

We decided before some training exercises that we’d let him play…and play he did! The GFB (Giant Fluff Ball) was a huge hit!

Then it was time for a little instruction with Linda…

…and some calming exercises with food puzzles. The first one was a snap. The second one not so much.

He wanted a group shot to show everyone loves him.

Then Carlo was tired of mental games and photos and wanted action again!

So here’s the deal. If you have the patience and time to train an eager pup with positive reinforcement, you need to meet Carlo. You won’t be sorry. Just fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on his picture and then on the link Adopt Me found here  oregonhumane.org/adopt/salem-shelter-adopt-dogs/

I really thought that with being featured last week my new family would find me. But that hasn’t happened yet. How about YOUR family?

Last week I featured Hugo, one of our current favorites. But still he waits in his kennel for his new family. He is a two-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier mix, and while he generally looks very serious, he is such a nice, affectionate boy. Here he is with Marianne.

When Hugo arrived at the shelter December 12th, he was very worried and it was clear he had had little training. But since the staff and volunteers have been working with him, Hugo is doing much better with walking on leash and being less jumpy. When asked about him, Marianne wrote, “Hugo is a very sweet boy. He’s somewhat nervous at the shelter and seems shy at first. I took him to a yard the other day and he really enjoyed petting and spending time with another volunteer and me. After a few minutes, he began to lean into us and really wanted more attention.”

We decided to take him into the Ed Hall on Saturday so he could relax. Here are some of the pictures from our time together. To read all about this wonderful boy, check out my last week’s post here.

Who would have thought that Hugo is a yoga fan?

We’re hoping a family will recognize what a great dog he is very soon. If you’d like to meet this special boy, fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on his picture and then on the link Adopt Me found here  oregonhumane.org/adopt/salem-shelter-adopt-dogs/

We’re hoping these three dogs will be adopted before my next post! That’s it for this week.

As always, thanks to my photo team volunteers Marianne, Megan, Linda, and Kate.

All of the dogs I have featured today, along with other terrific dogs waiting to be adopted, can be found at Oregon Humane Society Salem Campus. Here is the link to the adoptable-dog page: oregonhumane.org/adopt/salem-shelter-adopt-dogs/

Remember, if you see a dog on my blog whom you are interested in meeting, try to make arrangements to get to the shelter soon. Some dogs are adopted more quickly than you might think.

You can reach me at  adoptanoregondog14@yahoo.com