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Have you given modern dog adoption processes much thought lately? I wonder what has changed since we adopted Lilly in October 2004. I am truly curious about one thing in particular.
A few weeks ago, a 3-month-old puppy appeared in my Facebook newsfeed. Cue instant yearning — even though I’m nowhere near ready and she was about 900 miles away. I squealed. I shared her pix. My friends encouraged me. Adopt. Adopt. ADOPT, they told me. Something about her face called to me. Something in her eyes beckoned. I convinced myself it meant something.
Huge thanks to Melanie @ Frugal Kiwi for alerting me to this online tool (by the Pedigree Adoption Drive in New Zealand). Doggelganger takes a photo of your face and matches you to an adoptable dog based on looks. Considering yesterday’s lament about breeds I hope to love some day, my results are pretty funny.
I fell in love with Bazi’s face, long before I knew he had some fear issues. Intel from a friend who has read his adoption file and from reading between the lines of his promo paragraph, it seems sweet Bazi has some separation anxiety issues. That means he would do best in a home with other dogs — ideally several of them. Dogs with this particular fear do MUCH better in a group so that they feel less alone. So, if you know anyone with a big group of dogs at home (hint … to some canyon friends … you know who you are), please tell them about this great dog.
Bazi
Siberian Husky + Shepherd Mix
** Really good with all dogs he has met **
They say he is a mild-mannered, gentleman.
This weekend’s Fantasy Dog Adoption picks got my attention based on both breed-mixes and the looks on their faces. Plus, I cannot help but read into the likely story behind their arrival at the shelter. Meet Callie a young lab mix and Al Dente, a border collie mix.
Callie
2 months old
Lab mix
This is either a kind of tired or a little worried girl. I’m sure the brown above her eyes makes it seem more pronounced. She reminds me of a former dog training classmate, who was terrified of people. I used to hold treats low and behind my back for her. She eventually got brave enough to come get them. I tried really hard not to turn into her or to look at her … or even to talk to her since it took so much effort for her to even approach.
Al Dente
1 year old
border collie + cattledog mix
Personally, I would change this name pronto. Do you really want a dog with a name that means “to the tooth” or “to the bite”? I don’t. :o)
I am guessing that this sweetie is the mom to the litter of pups featured at the bottom of the main adoptable dog page. I suspect that her babies will get adopted before she does, which is super sad. She looks a little intense and worried here, with this ears tucked back, but I’m sure she has been through a lot … getting either lost or dumped for being pregnant … like that’s her fault.
The pups all have names for different kinds of pasta. For me, the look on Ravioli’s face is priceless.
In the debut of our new Saturday blog series called Fantasy Dog Adoption, I highlighted Poga (a 4-year-old, female, German Shepherd mix) up for adoption at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, in Boulder, Colorado. With the help of our friend and shelter volunteer Hilary Lane (who was our adoption counselor with Lilly), the girls at Champion of My Heart can now offer even more details about Poga, including this video. Our goal is to get her adopted into a forever home before the holidays.
UPDATE, Friday, Nov 19 — Yesterday, Poga’s status was listed as “on hold,” then last night her photo was taken down from the humane society site. So, that means she was adopted. We are so happy. I haven’t heard anything, so I have no idea whether this social media blitz helped or not. BUT, since she sat around for many weeks with no action, I’m going to assume that our efforts helped. It is such a happy day, knowing she has a new family.
On the off chance those people ever read this, PLEASE let me know who you are and how Poga is doing. Everyone wants to know.
{I’m sorry. The photos got lost in a massive blog photo glitch.}
Poga is classified as a Go Getter (meaning she needs plenty of exercise). There are also notes about her being an “escape artist” after getting loose when she found a hole in the fence.
Personally, I’m not sure that qualifies as anything more than an adventure of opportunity.
Trust me, I’ve lived with real escape artists, including Lilly who learned as a youngster to get into the creek, hold her breath and swim under the fence to get out. And our late Cody, who got returned to the shelter several times for chronic fence jumping before we adopted him. Both times we solved the trouble and avoided a lifetime of worry and risk.
Poga’s notes also mention her being anxious/nervous when left alone — panting, whining. I’m not sure I’d call that true “separation anxiety,” but I would suggest that she needs a home where she can feel bonded and safe and have plenty of company. In other words, people who are gone all day at work or who travel a lot might not be the best match for her.
Much of this is covered in the video, but she is good with people — including kids — as well as with dogs and cats. I’m not sure how much you’ve looked around at adoptable dogs lately, but that’s a magic combination.
Hilary guesses that Poga weighs about 65 pounds, which at our house qualifies as not too big, not too small.
Please help us spread the word on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and whatever else you use to connect with dog-loving friends. We’ll be Tweeting from our accounts @roxannehawn and @champofmyheart. And Hilary will be doing her part from @hlane and @fangshuicanines.
Humane Society of Boulder Valley
303-442-4030
***
Thanks to Hilary Lane of Fang Shui Canines for shooting the video, helping me figure out how to transfer the big video files, and for all she means in our lives … since she helped bring me and Lilly together.
Thanks to Kim Sporer, director of communications at the humane society, for giving us the green light to shoot this video and share this information.
Thanks to Martha Myers, a production specialist on staff at the humane society, for taking Poga outside where we could show her full beauty and for giving us an on-camera interview.
While I sometimes browse adoptable dog listings for myself, I also look for dogs for Tom’s mom. She has been without a dog for many years now. Her last, a sheltie named Daisy, stood out as the ONLY dog I ever vicariously saved from the shelter where I volunteered. All those years seeing dogs pulled, euthanized, and cremated, and I only caved in once … by convincing my mother-in-law to adopt her. Daisy was an older dog, full of infection from a bad uterus and terrible teeth. She’d also been “debarked” by some @$$#()!3. She was super sweet, and we bonded because she would NOT potty in her cage. So, she needed to be walked often.
Daisy helped immensely when my mother-in-law was first widowed, but Tom’s mom has enjoyed the freedom of not having a dog. Still, she does sometimes say that when she can no longer drive that it might be nice to have a dog around. The reason this decision is important to us is because we would help take care of the critter and he or she would likely live with us, if anything happened.
So, here are a couple I would recommend she consider, if she were looking to adopt this weekend. Size and age are clearly considerations. We need someone small enough for her to handle, and she definitely does NOT need to go through puppyhood.
Mildred
Terrier, Border / Mix
AGE: 2 years
SEX: Female (Spayed)
Mickey
Chihuahua, Long Coat
AGE: 1 year 1 months
SEX: Male (Neutered)
** Mickey is already on hold, which means someone will snatch him up today, but he is very cute and about the right size.
***
And, I’m sad to report that Poga, from last week’s picks, is still up for adoption. I’d really like her to get a new home by Thanksgiving. So, if you know anyone, please have them check her out.
***
UPDATE AROUND 1 pm SUNDAY
It looks like Mildred got adopted already, but Mickey is still “on hold.”
I’m starting a new feature on ye olde blog, I think. Blame it on nutty midlife thinking, but I’m realizing that I’ll likely get the chance to play Mom to only a handful of dogs (2-3) in the rest of my life. And, since browsing adoptable dogs has already become a little escapist thing I do when I feel stressed, I figure I might as well play fantasy dog adoption. I’ve never really understood fantasy football, but I’ll assume it’s kind of like that. So, if I was adopting a new dog this weekend, here are two girls I would strongly consider.
Poga
German Shepherd / Mix
AGE: 4 years 1 months
SEX: Female (Spayed)
The description labels her as a Go-Getter, which I’m guessing means she is an active dog. I’m also partial to her because she has been at the shelter since Oct 21, which is kind of a long time for a dog at Humane Society of Boulder Valley. They usually have a really good adoption rate and turnover.
Wendy
Retriever, Labrador / Border Collie
AGE: 0 years 2 months
SEX: Female (Spayed)
Well, you just have to look at the breed combo and THAT FACE to know why I would be loving on this baby girl TONIGHT … if I could.
