Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

Often in my posts I report about a Dog’s Day Out with an OHS volunteer. But volunteers aren’t the only people who give our dogs wonderful respites from the stress of staying at the shelter. This week two staff members sent me pictures and a write-ups about their adventures with two of our adoptable dogs.

Shadow

Sasha is the shelter’s Customer Care Lead and a fan of Shadow, an almost one-year-old delightful youngster, who was found as a stray. Shadow has become a favorite of both volunteers and staff, and Sasha decided to take him on a little outing Monday.

“I took Shadow out for a fun little ride to Bentley’s today. He was somewhat nervous in the car but eventually lay down. I ordered us both a treat. As soon as we got to the serving window, he popped his head out as if trying to get to the driver-side window. Then he knocked his ‘pup shake’ cup in his eagerness to eat it. It dripped all over my hand. When he was done with the cup, he licked the last of it from my hand.

He lay back down once the cup was void of all taste. We went to a fast-food restaurant next. Again, when we got to the window his ears perked up. I ordered him a plain burger. He tasted the bread and spit it out in disgust. When I gave him the meat, he was delighted. When we got to the shelter he jumped out of the car, happy to have had an adventure.“

Shadow was adopted once, but returned when he and the resident cats did not work. Here’s what that adopter wrote about him: “He is a very good boy, he’s the sweetest, loving dog ever. He loves to cuddle, and go for car rides. He loves to go on walks to the park. He would do better in a home with no cats.” We’re hoping a feline-free family will find Shadow soon and give him the caring home that he deserves.

Hudson

Kyra, an Animal Care Technician staff member, took Hudson, one of her favorite current shelter dogs, on a fun respite. Here is her report.

“Hudson has definitely become a shelter favorite. When I met him he was very shy and didn’t seem very interested in anything. But over time with volunteers, we found how much he loves to play. This led to my team questioning how he would do in things like agility or on a hike! The very next day I dedicated to Hudson. I didn’t even know how he would do in a vehicle. He was a bit nervous at first getting up into a big truck and needed a little help making the climb but after he was seat-belted in, I could tell how much fun he was about to have. He spent the drive with his nose at the window or lying down in my passenger seat. When we got to the park, Hudson had a brand-new sense of confidence. He was all about the creek and used a tree root as a bridge. Hudson loved to jump through the trees and off of stumps! Hudson would be my first choice as a hiking or road-trip pal any day!”

 Hudson is a Boxer/Retriever mix and is still a youngster at about a year old. As with all strays, we don’t know his history, but he has won many friends. I featured him in my May 17th post which you can view here. He’s been waiting a long time for his new family. We hope they come soon.

There were thirteen dog adoptions during the past week! Some were found by their new families so quickly that I didn’t get a chance to meet them. They were Oslo, Taquito, and Buddy.

Three others were two-month-old puppies I didn’t actually meet, but snapped this picture of them as I walked by their kennel. They are Pooh, Roo, and Piglet. (I know the one awake is Roo.)

Polly

This was Polly’s second time at the shelter, so we were very happy she was adopted again so quickly after her return.

Kiona

Our goofy and hilarious Kiona will keep her family laughing. Hope they have a lot of squeaky toys! We love this girl so much!

Seahorse

This big puppy already knows some cues and will be a great addition to his new family.

Rockstar

This boy is a gem. His new family will have so much fun with him.

Danica

I was going to feature this sweetheart this week, but she got adopted. So happy for both her and her new family.

Shadow

Shadow, a shelter dog favorite, was adopted (again) today! So happy for this wonderful dog!

Starfish

The second puppy, Starfish, was adopted today! Happy they both are with their new families!

Please Note: The dogs I feature in this section are available for adoption as of today, June 21, 2023. 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.

“The shelter is open for walk-through viewing and meet-and-greets 10 AM – 7 PM seven days per week. Meet-and-greets are done on a first-come/first-served basis. The shelter address is 4246 Turner Rd. SE, Salem.

When you come to the shelter and see a pet you are interested in meeting, please take note of the pet’s name and visit the front desk in the lobby. Our Customer Care team will be happy to assist you with the next steps.”

I’m still a youngster at about a year old, I have a lot of energy and love to run. But I also can settle and be calm. I’d like to meet your family and see if I’d be a good fit.

I’m not sure we’ve ever had a happier girl than Ginger is when she’s with people. She was found as a stray and came to us as a transfer from another shelter.

While only a little over a year old, Ginger, a Pit Bull mix, was pregnant when she was found and taken to the shelter where she gave birth to her puppies and continued to wait there to be adopted for 97 days. That shelter stated, “She’s a super sweet girl and I’m surprised she has not been adopted yet.” Hoping her forever family would be found through OHS-Salem, she was transferred to us and arrived on June 9th. The intake staff had this to say about her: “She is jumpy with loose body language, tail wagging, listens well. Allowed processing and handling. She walks well on leash.”

Since she came to us, Ginger has met many volunteers and staff, one of whom wrote, “Not interested in treats to begin with, then warmed up. Pretty good walker, gets distracted, but super sweet!”

While a bit shy and tense when Marianne brought her out for her first pictures, she was cooperative and liked my cheese bits. A little hesitant at first with Marianne, she quickly warmed up.

We were sure Ginger would be adopted soon, but she hasn’t been, so we decided to spend extra time with her on Sunday and get to know her better. We were very glad we did. No longer shy, Ginger was thrilled to get to go outside, picking up a plush toy on her way out to a yard to romp. Later we brought her into Mary’s Place and she had us in stitches. Here’s her movie.

As you can see, Ginger is not picky about her toys as long as they are plush. She also enjoyed posing for pictures in Mary’s Place.

Ginger is a young, energetic girl who is hoping for an active family who will let her romp and provide her with plenty of plush toys. We’re hoping her long wait for her perfect fit of a family will be over soon.

Are you looking for a PUPPY? Are you excited about adopting an eager, happy pup who can’t wait to learn all about living with your family? Pick ME!

We all know that puppies can be a challenge, but oh, what fun they can be, too! Fudge is a perfect example. As a six-month-old Pit Bull Terrier/Lab mix, he is full of energy and is one of the most affectionate pups we’ve seen. He absolutely loves to be with people—the closer, the better.

Fudge arrived on June 6th from another shelter where he was not adopted. Described in his intake notes as “loose/wiggly, running around and pancaking, crawling around.” In case you don’t know what “pancake” means. Fudge will demonstrate.

Fudge is a very eager learner, which is great because he has a lot to learn. As one walker put it, “No leash skills or manners but is a good fella, wanting to learn.” Still very much a puppy, Fudge will need guidance by a patient and understanding family. When he gets excited, he becomes jumpy and mouthy. But he adores attention and pets, is treat-motivated, and will do his best to learn the manners he needs. He would really enjoy a puppy class here at the shelter. He is a cuddler and is always hoping for love. Here he was during his first photo session with Kate.

Fudge enjoys romping in the yards. He gets the zoomies and is a delight to watch.

After romping, we took Fudge into Mary’s Place where he got lots of cuddles and he wanted to send a message to potential adopters.

Clare, part of the OHS volunteer team, stopped in to say hi, and Fudge added them to his favorite people list.

Fudge is not the pup for everyone. He will need reward-based training and lots of patience, time, and structure. But for the right family, Fudge will bring loads of love, joy, and many laughs.

If you are the family that Fudge is longing for, he promises he will learn how to be the best dog ever! Come to the shelter and meet our sweet puppy, Fudge.

Do you love Huskies? Do you have space in your life and home for a big dog? If so, I’d love to spend some time with you and see if you’d like to adopt me!

This beautiful, gentle, three-year-old Siberian Husky mix is Maya and she is a gem!

Maya has been adopted twice, and while her former families had to return her, they had wonderful things to say about her. Maya gets along well with other dogs who don’t live with her, but in her first home, the daughter was allergic to Maya. In her second home, she guarded her food and toys from the other resident dog, but “she did great with other dogs as playmates.”

Maya has lived happily with children and cats in both of her former homes. Her recent family wrote, “Maya is VERY sensitive to children and babies. She is a family dog and likes to check up on all the family members. When she hears a kid cry, she runs to inspect and make sure they’re okay. Maya is very sensitive to cats. She chases if they run too fast, otherwise she ignores them and knows they are not a toy.”

Maya’s former families describe her as “affectionate, playful, a lap dog, friendly with visitors, independent and talkative. She is house-trained. She has bolted out of the door when given the chance to go on an adventure and she will need a securely fenced yard. She knows many cues including “sit, stay, down, come, wait, and off.” She walks well on leash.

Staff and volunteers also have great things to say about Maya. One dog walker wrote, “Loved running in yard—not interested in fetch at all. Not dog-reactive. Loved the pool. Walked loose leash.” Another reported, “Maya walks great; she is not treat-motivated at all— just wanted to walk! Sweet girl!”

Maya was cooperative for her initial photos with Linda.

We spent time with her in Mary’s Place on Sunday. She was very happy and LOVED the Fluff Ball!

She really enjoyed posing with us and by herself.

If you are a Huskie admirer with a big yard, come to the shelter and meet Maya. You may just fall in love.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know Lori, an OHS dog walker and a professional photographer. She has taken dog photos for me when I’ve been gone and sent me various pictures/videos that she took during her dog-walking shifts.

When one adopts a dog, they have high hopes that the adjustment will go smoothly and that there will be no unexpected issues. And many times, that’s exactly what happens. But what if after you have fallen in love with your new family member, you discover they will be more of a challenge than you expected?

Kahlua

Kahlua arrived at the shelter June 14, 2022 as a surrender. She had been in several different homes. She was energetic and beautiful and she lived to play fetch. Here are a few pictures I took of her at that time with Linda.

Lori had become a volunteer at the shelter walking dogs in 2021, and on June 20, 2022, she adopted Kahlua. Here is her update.

“We are celebrating Kahlua’s one-year “Gotcha Day”! It has been a year full of adventure, many doggie friends, laughter, and I must admit tears of frustration. Even with many years of experience with previous rescued, active working dogs, there were times we thought she might be too much for us. A wise shelter volunteer suggested that I write down her pros and cons. The number of pros helped us start focusing more on her love of adventure, dogs, and people when ‘outside’ of our home. While she can be the friendliest and most emotionally-connected dog I’ve ever had, we continue to work through issues of loud, ferocious barking when guests enter our home, when we are in our car, or watching TV. Thanks to a highly-skilled friend in behavioral training, Kahlua now has a covered crate in the car and goes everywhere with us again, and a short leash hanging from the front door when guests enter. With daily training, she now greets our guests calmly after a minute of settling on her leash—rather than loud barking and jumping on them beyond the top of their heads! 

So, if you find yourself struggling with a shelter dog, don’t give up! Instead, ask for help and resources. I still believe most dogs can become their best selves with our help, love, and patience.

Kahlua’s favorite things are all things water, daily off-leash doggie playdates, any adventure that includes intense energy, nightly games of hide-and-seek with sister Leia, and moments of stillness as my dog photography model. Our whole family loves Kahlua for who she is, and at three, she is heading in the right direction.”

Kahlua parties with her sister Leia.

Kahlua with one of her doggie friends.

Just waiting to go back in…

Kahlua with a few of her playdate friends.

She LOVES the waves at the beach.

My photography model in action.

Having fun running hills at the vineyard

If you wonder how much a dog can love a sprinkler, watch this.

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

As always, thanks to my photo team volunteers Marianne, Megan, Linda, Kate, and staff members Sasha and Kyra.

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 at this link.

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