adopt

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Instant Pick-Me-Up

This week has been long and a bit more stressful than usual.  When things get busy like this it is hard to get away at lunchtime and by Thursday I start feeling really…lacking.  I believe I would work much better in an environment where I could have my dog or at least A dog near me throughout the day.  I had to get away today to get some puppy lovin’ and recharge my batteries.

There’s absolutely nothing in the world like happy little puppy kisses to make all of your troubles recede for a short while, except for maybe double the puppies and kisses.

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The Luck of the Irish

I spent a rewarding and sober St. Patrick’s Day with some wonderful people who were willing to forego the green beer to showcase some great adoptable pooches from the SPCA.  I was escorting the available and handsome Valentino to the festivities at Deer Park Irish Pub.  Do you remember his Sweetheart of a sister?  Well she along with the other littermate, Cupid, have been adopted so only the debonair Valentino is left to find a love match.  We spent some quality time with Gunner as well.  Mr. Gunner was returned to the shelter because his original adopters were moving.  Apparently …well, don’t get me started on that.

Valentino and Gunner
 

That cutie above was dressed to the nines and howling for treats, so I had to snap a picture.  She was just too stinking cute.  (Not adoptable and obviously well loved and cared for by her doting Mama.)

There was a parade as well, but as we were lined up to start, I could tell that Mr. V was getting a little freaked out by the crowds and noise, so he and I sat out the parade and headed back to the SPCA tent.  The little guy is only 14 weeks old and has spent nearly half his life in the shetler and is probably the last man standing from his litter because he is just a little more reserved than the others. 

By the  end of the day, he was more than ready to chill a bit on the ride back to the shelter and dream of the life he and his wonderful ears may have in store someday. 

What fun things did you do for St. Patrick’s Day?  Did you or your pooch dress up?

If Valentino or Gunner is the dog of your dreams, head to the Allen County SPCA and fill out an application today!


 

 
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The Heart of the Matter

“I got the call today
That I didn’t wanna hear
But I knew that it would come
An old, true friend of ours was talkin’ on the phone
She said you’d found someone…”  ~Don Henley

My Dearest King, My Darling Boy,

I never expected to fall so deeply in love with your big headed, tender-spirited Royal Highness.

But I did.  And now I have to let you go.

Maybe it was destined, after all I’m “the bully girl” around here, so it just stands to reason that I would take a liking to you.  But it was more than that.  You came to the shelter and you were confused.  You were without you family and without your little chihuahuas and in a kennel all by yourself;  next to others in kennels all by themselves.  Your first week was hard but so many of us…and yes I was a part of that…tried to make your stay more bearable.  You needed your people and I was determined to be a reasonable substitute until you were united with your new family.  A family that will love you and be devoted to you.  The family you deserve.

As our outings together became more and more meaningful, I found it hard to leave but when I was able to pull myself away, I obsessed thought about you and how we could make you ours, at least in the short term.

On our walks you were a good listener and darned near the best leash walker I’d seen in the kennels.  You pulled a little but were easy to correct with a stop and a sound.  You sat for treats and offered your sit as a “please” when you thought you might score some tasty tibits.  I’m surprised that you are so treat motivated and yet so immune to the call of a bully stick.  And stuffies?  Stuffies lasted simply ages in your kennel.  You’re a sweet soul.

You kept your Royal name, King, but I joked with “Daddy” that I have another one picked out for you.  For a brief amount of time you were Herman…until the day when your true name revealed itself.  King.  For so long, Ray has been known as the Little Prince and you?  You are the King.  The King of Hearts.  The King of my heart.

As more than a fortnight passed and your family didn’t come back for you, you grew sad. 

You kept to your bed and didn’t come so eagerly to the front of the kennel so I took you out for a few field trips.  “Checking you out of the library” is how we jokingly refered to it.  Again, you were the best.  Ride in a truck?  Check.  Sit nicely?  Check.  Work in an office?  Check.  Ride in an elevator?  Check.  Share a lunch?  Yep…with the softest mouth ever, even though I know you were excited about the fries.

I went from smitten to in love.  Nobody was fooled.  Except maybe me a little.  Fooling myself.

You big headed lug.  You passed all the tempement tests.  And then you did it again, and again.  You were cat tested with the Big Meanie, just for us.  Mama heard someone say that you were their favorite at the shelter…and such a good boy “especially for a pit bull.”  Only you aren’t  good for a Pit Bull.  You’re a good dog.  Period. 

My darling boy, my King of Hearts, continue to be a good pup and a great ambassador for all block heads everywhere.  Show your new family every day how awesome The King is. If you think of me, remember how much I love you and how proud I am of you.  Remember me fondly as a friend who tried to help make your stay a little more comfortable as you wait to embark on your new life.  I hope you get lots of the Colonel’s potato wedges that you love so much.

The REAL Goodbye

“Mama” will always love you.  Goodbye.

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A Monday Mini Me-ow

Those who give of their time and talent know how rewarding that can be, especially if it is an area that you are passionate about.  I daresay if you are reading this, your passion in some way involves animals, probably dogs, probably pit bull types and probably rescue in some way.

When my daughter was born, I had a grand idea that each year we would go and buy a toy together to donate for Toys for Tots or some similar organization and hopefully set her on a good path of a giving life.  I’m embarrassed to admit that happend exactly zero times.  On the other hand, I’m not embarrassed at all because maybe that was never my passion, but just a popular foundation that does good for a group that I thought I’d like to help.

What I am so proud of is that Asia has decided to lend her time and talents to a group that I am very supportive of, ACSPCA.  We drove together to the shelter on Saturday so she could attend orientation and I could walk some dogs, specifically You-Know-Who.

Though she likes dogs, Asia’s passion is cats.  She is actually very cat-like herself and we joke that when we adopted Miko, the two of them spent his transition period in her room so he probably thinks they were adopted together.   I’ve spent time in the cat rooms as well, and am fascinated by the different ways people interact in there.  Some people walk around the perimeter of the room, greeting and petting each cat before settling in a chair.  I usually walk in and sit on the floor and wait to see who will approach me.  I wondered what Asia’s method would be, although I had an inkling that I already could make a pretty good guess.

She and I are both pretty quiet and reserved, so I wasn’t at all surprised when she told me she sat on the floor and waited for kitties to approach her. 

I think she made quite a few new friends.

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"Love me Tender"

Hello, Furiends!  My name is King and I would like to start off by thanking my brother from another Mother, Ray, for letting me have so much face time on his blog.  I know his friends have been missing his mug and I appreciate all the love and kindness I’ve been shown while I await my forever home.
I’d like to tell you a little bit about myself because there are things I’m just now discovering, too.  Up until about two weeks ago, I thought I was one thing, but it turns out I am another.  I was a part of a pack and there were 8 of us in all.  We were all chi-wow-ahs, I thought, but it turns out I’m something called an AmStaff.  I think that means really big chi-wow-ahs.  I’ve spent my whole first year of life thinking I was one of them, fitting in our nice little world but then my family said we were moving.  I didn’t realize that meant we were not all moving together to the same place.
They took me to a “homeless shelter” where the big hearted people there said they would find me another home, even better than the one I had before, and in the mean-time, they would take care of me and give me the things I need.  They even made sure my jingly bits went away.  I guess that’s ok, because I feel fine.
I found it to be very confusing there for awhile.  Lots of other dogs were telling me about themselves and lots of different people came to see me.  Ray’s mama comes to see me a lot and she said I could call her mama until I get my own.  She takes me for long walks and helps me mind my manners, even though she calls me Mr. Perfect a lot.  When we walk she makes the “uh-uh” sound and I’ve learned that when I hear that sound we stop walking.  I always stop and look at Mama to see why we’ve made the uh-uh stop but I think it’s just because she wants to see my handsome face so as soon as I show her my handsome face we get to walk again.  Sometimes we stop and I sit for a cookie.  The first couple of days, when she showed me the cookie, I wasn’t sure that she would give it to me but she gave it every time and all I had to do was sit!  She says I’m a master at something called “loose leash walking.”
I’d be happy to take that cookie!
I think we are going to learn other ways to get cookies too, if I’m here long enough.  Mama says she hopes we won’t have time but when she says that she seems kind of sad.  She says she loves how I greet her in a polite way.  I don’t jump on her and I don’t ever do sharky mouth, even when I’m looking for cookies that might be in her hand.  I’m just starting to ask her to play with me, but she is kind of a girl, so I take it easy with her and when she says “give Mama a kiss” I know exactly what she means.  I like to give kisses!

Anyhow, I’m ready to go to my home, but just as a little hint, my collar makes me look like I might belong in a peaceabull place, don’tchathink?

A note from Ray-Ray:  “if you are interested in adopting King, please contact the Allen County SPCA.  Now, please, before King becomes my little brother.”

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The Best Laid Plans

I’m not usually a Friday dog walker, in fact I usually try to make Monday my usual day.  The shelter is closed to the public that day and less volunteers come, so I try to make a point of being there.  Because I really didn’t know how much interaction King would get and I still have a soft spot for Banjo, I’ve been ine every weekday this week except for Valentine’s day.

Today my plan was to walk Banjo and King, of course, and also take sweet Max out for a bit as well.  I know there’s  a pretty steady volunteer who comes on Fridays so I was pretty sure a lot of the dogs would have gotten some attention.  As luck would have it she was still there and gave me the low down on who she had already walked and we gushed on together about how great King is on leash.  What else she shared was that the two puppies kenneled together wouldn’t come out for a walk.  The larger one ran to the back of the kennel and huddled in the corner.  Ugh.  I don’t really want to “do” puppies because A) they’re puppies and B) they often have poo in their kennels.  Ok those aren’t good reasons, but I saw King and made some kissy faces at him and then entered the puppy kennel.  Sure enough, the little beagle/puggle was all waggin’ tail and happy while the other ran to her corner and sat wanting attention but not sure.

Yeah, the view from my lap.

I decided to just sit and play with the two of them so they could get some socialization and the bigger one, Sweetheart, could get more comfortable. 

I should say that even the coldest heart that doesn’t want to sit on a kennel floor with puppies can get sucked in pretty. darn. fast.  Go on, try to resist, I dare you.  Ireland the beagle-y pup played for awhile on my lap and eventually fell asleep. I seriously wanted to sit there all day with this soft little pudge bucket snuggled in my arms.

Sweetheart was so sweet and eager to be loved yet juuuust a little hesitant.  She was pretty happy to lie near me and play with my fingers, her leash, my coat, my boots, etc.

She was such a darling girl and very open to being snuggled with (when Ireland vacated my lap for a whole 10 seconds) and loved to be near me.


After the better part of an hour had passed and I really had no inclination to  move from the floor, I finally tore myself away for a brief spin about the neighborhood with King before heading back to work 

Puppies.  I tell ya, they’re sneaky little things that just steal your heart.

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Walking Wednesday

(Since I knew this wouldn’t be wordless.)

I thought I’d share with you a few pictures from my walks today and to let you know that Miss Delilah has left the building.  Good luck in your forever home, sweetie.

Since I didn’t have enough time to walk Banjo yesterday, he was my first date for today, though he nearly missed his chance again.  Banjo is 10 months old, while not too puppy-ish, he still gets wound up some.  He is kenneled with Max whom I haven’t really interacted with to date.  A secret, here, is that usually since I am walking dogs on my lunch break from work, I don’t often walk any dogs that are double kenneled.  I just think there is too much of a possibility for a wardrobe malfunction.  But today since I had mentally promised some time to Banjo, I entered the kennel he shares with Max…and was very impressed with Max.  While Banjo was running around with his leash and collar, Max cuddled right up against my legs and wagged his sweet little tail enough to make sure I’d be back to walk him too right after I brought the Banj-miester back. 

Outside, Banjo again delighted me with is great leash skills and his solid “sit.”  He was just such a pleasure to walk that I just don’t know if I can gush about him any more.  When we returned, Max was already out with another volunteer, so you know who I turned my attention to.

Not thrilled with the little picture taking box in my face, lady.

King does really, really well on the leash and takes correction easily with an “uh-uh” and a stop.  Now that he’s more settled in, he was much more interested in being treated, though was not at all interesed in learning “sit” for a treat.

Hey lady, you got any more of those nom noms in your pocket?

King is so sweet and thankful for the little treats I gave him but when I tried to lure him to a sit, he gave up pretty fast as if he didn’t really expect me to give them.  It was kind of sad and I’m a big push over so I just gave up the treats in exchange for a couple of hugs.

Both of these young gentlemen are still available to be your forever Valentine, just contact the ACSPCA for details.

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"Getting to Know You"

Have you ever been happy to see a dog in a shelter?  Do you find any irony at all in Lily, Pitbull Ambassador & Therapy dog winning an online contest run by The Denver Dog?  (Not intended to be mean-spirited…I’m happy she won this.)

The shelter I volunteer at sits in a neighborhood where the kennels could really be filled with one certain type of dog but they are not.  There are no breed restrictions but it is a limited intake shelter and I can honestly say the variety there has been vast.  One of the questions I asked before volunteering was about the policies and stance on  Pit bull types there.  There wasn’t a breed ban and I liked the answers well enough to lend any time or talent I could in order to help out.  I’ve seen small and large I’ve seen boxers, boxer mixes, lots of  retriever mixes and even a blocky headed “terrier mix” with a medium thick coat. 

But times, they are a-changing, folks.  Our new director’s focus is to save lives.  She is open, caring and tireless in her quest to not just turn animals out to homes for the numbers but to get the right animal into the right home for life.  Last week as we were messaging about another issue, she mentioned to me that since I was such a “bully -girl” that I “should hustle over to the shelter” because there were dogs sure to win my love.  I figured she meant Bullwinkle the boxer but she said no it isn’t him.  How long do you think the next morning was while I waited to take my lunch break?  How fast do you think I got to the shelter? 

He wasn’t available yet, he wasn’t even neutered so I couldn’t talk about him but the Volunteer Manager snuck me back to the staff only area to see him and I saw his big happy face.

I heard the high pitched whine, the cry for companionship and I knew.  I saw the big block head and I knew.  I saw the deep chest and I knew.  There was no disguising this guy as a ” terrier mix” because he was pretty much undisguisable. 

So now that this handsome guy is officially without his jingles and on the adoption page, I am proud and excited to share with you King.

King is pretty good on a leash.  We took a nearly one hour walk today and not once did he bark or try to chase any squirrels or other dogs.  He did show interest but not too much  in other dogs, and so far he doesn’t seem to be too treat motivated but he caught on pretty quickly that if he pulled on the leash, I stopped walking until we got some slack. 

Yes, it’s a new day and in this case, I’m happy to see a dog like King in the shelter.  He’ll be loved and well taken care of while awaiting his perfect forever home and if you are in our area and are interested in making this boy the King of your home, contact the Allen County SPCA for details.

*extra credit if you know why this post is titled this way.
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Caring, Sharing (Every Little Thing That We Are Wearing)

As we mentioned on Friday, LL Cool Ray and I were pretty excited for him to don his new superhero bow tie from Little Bow Pup and go on some more weekend adventures.  However as fate would have it,  an adoption even came up rather suddenly which left Mr. Ray-Ray at home and bow tie-less.  Always willing to help, Ray loaned out his Mama and his new bow tie in order to help a fellow out. 

I saw Banjo both on the SPCA website and also when I went to volunteer earlier in the week and I can honestly say, he was (to me) overlookable.  Just going on looks alone, he was not my type (German wirehaired pointer and “rolling stone”) and since  he had already been walked when I arrived I didn’t spend any time with him.  But when I went to pick him up on Saturday?  Oh. Em. Gee, people.  I mean it.  Soulful eyes, easy disposition and very mellow for a seven month old puppy.  I was in lurrrrve and could have kissed his wiry little schnoz all day long.

Banjo was great.  He has a solid “sit” and is attracted to children.  He liked other dogs, but honestly, not all other dogs and while he was extremely approachable by humans while he was chomping on his bully stick, he was a little annoyed if another dog came near it.  All in all a sa-weetie pie.
The other dog at the event with us was the darling Delilah.  I had seen  Delilah at the kennels as well earlier in the week and although she is a Basset hound which would make her not one of my top favorite breeds, I saw her personality shine through in about a half a milisecond.  This girl is divine!  Delilah has the za-za-zoo in spades and I’d be shocked if she isn’t adopted within the next 24 hours.  I think we ended up handing out 2 applications for her and received a filled out app right away. 
So bye, bye, bye, Delilah.  Under these circumstances, I have to say, I’m glad I only knew you for a short time.
Don’t feel too badly for Cool Ray, though.  Even though he had to model the neck tutu that Delilah is wearing, he still got to go out on the town Sunday and get his fair share of lovin’.


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Time Passages

How do you mark the passage of time?  I tend to use actual markers and then calculate rather than just knowing.  “What the heck is this chick babbling about?” is probably going through your mind right now, but bear with me. 

In 2011 we put our house on the market and had to fill out the usual disclosure forms.  How long have we owned this home?  How old is the roof? The doors? The windows, etc.  I usually have to count the years in relation to what grade my daughter was in at the time and then count up from there.  There is usually a specific time marker for that I can use for counting, depending on the situation.

How old are my cats?  I “met” Boo Kitty in 1998 and Kevin had seen her in the fields around his house for nearly a year before that.  He doesn’t ever remember seeing her as a kitten, ergo she must be at least 15, going on 16 this year.  She is Jae’s mom and I have a picture of him from 1999 when he was a kitten.  For Miko, I had adoption papers.

Boo Kitty enjoying her retirement.

As I was reading a post about some past fosters, I realized that I was able to mark a passage of time by who a certain foster was when I began following a blog.  I found that I’ve been reading some longer than I imagined, but others were harder to put a time reference on.  I believe most of my reading/following/lurking began in 2011.  I remember when Ginger Rogers made her debut in  Blogville but I also know that I once spent the better part of a weekend pouring over archives.  Time flies.

One of the longest stretches of time for me in recent history would be the six or seven weeks while we waited for Ray.  Born on December 1, 2011, I don’t think it was any more than a week later that we committed to adopting a “Sparkle puppy.”  Taken into an already full foster situation with Smiling K9’s, this little family was slated to go to another foster/rescue once they were able to be transported, so we needed to make our intentions known early and stick to them.  We couldn’t commit to a puppy, have it stay and then reverse our commitment.  Not to worry, though, because as the littles were growing, their foster mama/rescuer was becoming  less able to send them and she ended up adopting them out of her own rescue.  Good news for us, as we were still doing the male/female debate.  The moment I laid eyes on Ray, I knew I wanted “the little green guy” but the hubby wasn’t sure about gender. 

Once we had committed, the longest seven-ish weeks of my life began…

Come back tomorrow to read about Ray’s Gotcha Day and celebrat with us by sharing your Gotcha day story and joining our Blog Hop!

See you then!