Doak

When little Doak arrived at the shelter, I honestly didn't give him much thought. I figured, He's young, friendly, smart, extremely cute... He'll be adopted right away.

That was about a week ago, and I can't understand why he's still here. Maybe he comes across as too stand-offish; perhaps it's because his multi-colored eyes give him an unusual gaze. Or maybe his intense culinary fascination with all things green and grassy seems a little obsessive-compulsive in a puppy so young.

Doak knows a good vintage clover when he sees one...

I get the impression that Doak isn't unaffectionate or aloof; he's just a bit bored. For a four or five month-old puppy, he's got a lot of cleverness in that cute, fluffy head of his. Even if he'd received all of the social interaction that a growing pup needs, the odds are good that "fetch" or "chew on the squeaky toy" won't hold his attention forever. Although I might be wrong, Doak certainly gives the impression that his "working dog" bloodlines run deep and strong, and he'd be happiest with some invigorating challenges to keep his mind and body sharp.

That said, little Doak has plenty of aptitude in the fine arts of snuggles and affection as well.

UPDATE 1/22: Doak was rescued! We're so glad he's safe and on the way to being a great pet.

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Pookey

Pookey is a dog that I wanted to feature a week ago. He's likely a mix of German Shepherd and Australian Shepherd, although he might have some Kelpie in him as well. Regardless of his bloodline, Pookey is bright, friendly, confident and just an all-around fun dog to be with.

The reason for his being at the shelter is the reason I didn't post him earlier. Apparently, he was used as leverage in a "domestic dispute." His previous owner dumped him at the shelter to "teach a lesson" to a family member they were fighting with.

I'm no guidance counselor, but I'm pretty sure it's a stupid idea to try and extort loyalty by getting rid of the only thing someone "truly loves" - doubly so when that happens to be a living being. Triply so when that living being is a dog that still loves you, no matter how callously you treat him. And if there's anything that young Pookey has learned flawlessly, it's how to love.

Of course, he's pretty good at fetch, too. And keep-away. Often at the same time. He's got confidence, intelligence, a sense of humor and energy to spare. Working with him, I get the impression that he is truly a "gifted" dog, and would probably love learning new things and facing new challenges. In fact, the one thing Pookey doesn't have going for him is time: I waited far too long to give his previous owners time to work things out, and now the shelter is full.

It isn't fair that he's stuck in this jam. It isn't fair that he was betrayed by a pack mate for the sake of pride. But it is what it is, and all that's left to do is go from this point into wherever tomorrow takes him. That's one major difference between dogs, and most people.
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UPDATE (1/15): Well, Pookey's former family never worked out their differences, it seems. After waiting and waiting in the shelter (with very few people even considering such an energetic and eclectic-looking fellow), he was pulled by a rescue group today. He'll be heading to a foster home quite a distance from here, and hopefully will be finding a permanent - and more stable - pack to live out his whirlwind-happy days with.

Incidentally, had he not been pulled today (with several other dogs), it's likely he would have been euthanized for space at the end of the day.

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Horton

Just to get it out of the way; no, we didn't name Horton. That said, I'm not 100% certain just exactly what he is. He's got a lot of Husky and German Shepherd bouncing around in there, and probably something Australian. Whatever is in him, every bit of it is young, enthusiastic, affectionate and energetic.

Horton is about 5 months old or so (like our dog, he's just lost his "puppy teeth"), and the best way I can describe his personality would be with the phrase, "latchkey puppy." He's eager to please, and wants to be someone's number one pal - it's just that no one has taught him what to do yet, so his social skills are still on a young puppy level. After a brief bit of discussion, he is finally learning to sit down when he's told to, and that it's a far superior way of getting affection than jumping up. Likewise, Horton is working on calming down and focusing his attention more (one of the many benefits of good exercise). Much as with Engel, life is exciting and fun; it's just that someone threw away the instruction manual.

Horton isn't the dog for anyone interested in a full-time couch potato. He's got the combined energy and cleverness of three breeds of working dog rolled into one, and he's not afraid to use them. He's not really ideal for someone who takes themselves far too seriously, either; he's a bit of a clown, and not in the least ashamed of it. For the right owner, however, he could be a playful, uncannily smart, devoted and fun-loving companion who is well-worth the effort to bring "up to speed" on being a dog.

NOTE: I probably have made Horton sound like some kind of Marley and Me nightmare-dog; trust me, he isn't at all. But he does have some "making up for lost time" to do in the social arena, specifically in the categories of jumping, nipping, and not focusing. The sooner he can knock out those "puppy vices," the happier he'll be (not to mention being more relaxed and confident). After that, I'm pretty sure he's got what it takes to be the star pupil in whatever he tries his paw at.

NOTE #2: I took Horton out with Sam today for a little while, and was quite impressed with how hard the little guy was trying to be good. He paid a lot more attention to me, and even sat down quicker than Sam a couple of times when I told them to do so (which may have just been lucky timing, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt). Apparently, he didn't want to look like too much of an idiot while standing next to the brainy, go-getter dog. Of course, when we all went out later in the afternoon, both Sam and Horton had worked up a first-class case of the ol' kennel stir-crazies and all bets were off. Regardless, a fun time was had by all.

UPDATE: Horton was rescued on June 29th and we hope to hear he's found a forever home soon. He's an awesome dog!

Shakota

I'm not sure that these photos can do justice to Shakota - it's difficult to capture in images or words the warmth and affectionate personality of this gal. She's about three years old, having worked most of the "puppy frenzy" out of her system, and is just starting to reach that point where many dogs learn to appreciate the finer things in life; things such as the good friends around them.

We took Shakota and her kennel-mate Sam to an adoption event this weekend. It was inside a bustling shopping mall, and she handled herself beautifully. Most of the time, she just sat around with Sophie and enjoyed getting mugged on by happy children and their parents (and a dog or two as well). As long as you discount that one time when Carlisle, a 6-month old bundle of reckless happy enthusiasm, stepped on her face. She complained about that kind of mugging a little bit, obviously.

Shakota isn't the most demanding or assertive of dogs by any stretch. In fact, most of the time she took her cues from Sam, or from us. Not one to pull on her leash or cause a fuss in the car, she's easily one of the most gentle dogs we've run across. Likewise, she's not really interested in status, or bossing others around. For Shakota, food, comfort and affection are the wellsprings of happiness in life, and take second place only to the company of her friends.

UPDATE: I found out today that sweet ol' Shakota tested positive for heartworms (meaning she'll need a rescue group to foster her while she's healing up). Although I'm worried about her, there's no reason she can't pull through just fine with a little help. Here's hoping she'll be back at 100% soon, sharing the joy of living with everyone she knows.

UPDATE: Shakota was picked up by a foster family today who will work with her through (I believe they said) about 6 weeks of treatment to make sure she's heartworm-free once again. I'll try to keep things updated as she gets closer to looking for her permanent home.