ADOPTED: The Buster Effect

This post is long overdue considering that we fostered Buster almost a month ago. With each foster dog, I continue to be amazed with what I learn about animal rescue.

Buster was found as a stray in a local city--emaciated and clearly not cared for. The family who found him tried unsuccessfully to find him a home because they couldn't keep him. They contacted our rescue group to see if we could take him.

One afternoon, another volunteer helped me load Buster into my car. When she closed the door, I looked at him in my back seat at him—ears up, head tiled—and said, "Buster, you are one funky dude." I thought he would probably be with us for awhile because of just how funky I thought he looked, but it turns out that the more unique a dog looks, the more people want to adopt him.

"The Buster Effect," as I've termed it, is the exact opposite of the "I Need a Specific Breed Effect." There are plenty of people out there who only want a Lab that looks like every other Lab and acts like every other Lab on planet Earth. But it turns out that there's another contingency of people who want a dog that looks like no other dog out there.

Well, with those big bunny ears and quizzical look, Buster was that one-of-a-kind dog. It didn't hurt that he had a Prince-Charming type personality. I think he was Missy's best foster friend yet, and he just loved every person he met.

Buster was only with us for a week or two before being adopted by a couple who was instantly won over after one look at those ears. Buster, you're gonna break some hearts, you funky dude, you!

ADOPTED: Somebody's Somebody

An unwanted dog dumped in a city shelter. He's a nobody. He's got no name—only a number, 107425. He barks and whines for attention. He jumps on his cage hoping someone will want to play. But nobody wants him. He's a nobody.

I'd imagine this is what life was like for 107425 prior to the day volunteers with our organization visited the shelter. That day, the volunteers left with 107425, a 10-year-old beagle, and a mama pit and her 4-week-old puppies to take into our rescue.

Jonathan and I picked up 107425 and assessed his immediate needs—a bath, some food, a few handsome Petfinder photos, and a name. Oreo, we decided. Definitely Oreo.

Despite the fact that he was a nobody, the truth is that Oreo would be the easiest of all the dogs to adopt out because of his age, size, and breed. So it's not surprising that after a bath, some food, a few handsome Petfinder photos, and a name, several families were interested in adopting him. "We just fell in love with his pictures," one family said. "Look at that beautiful coat," said another. "And we just love his name," they all said. It's amazing what a mini-makeover can do for a dog.

This past weekend we adopted him to a family who had been looking for a dog for some time. We did our home visit and said our goodbyes. As we walked toward the door, he tried to follow us. I thought I had become immune to these goodbyes. After a certain number of them, you know the drill. And having our own Missy at home waiting for us certainly makes it easier. But this one stung a little bit more than the rest.

"Be good, my sweet cookie," I whispered to him.

I couldn't stop thinking about him this week, so I emailed the family to see how he's doing. He's been a dream—crate trained, housebroken, playful, the works. The family couldn't be happier. They directed me to their Facebook page to see pictures of Oreo playing in the backyard, snuggling on the couch, and rolling on the floor.

That's when it hit me. This dog is somebody's somebody.

ADOPTED: More Than a Number

A series of numbers are tattooed inside Scout’s long, droopy ears. This was primarily how she was identified at the lab. But then she stepped paw inside our home and was given her forever name—Scout.

My colleague had always wanted to get a female dog and name her after the inquisitive young tomboy from To Kill a Mockingbird. When she took in a male dog, she named him Scout anyway. I hope her Scout Sr. doesn’t mind, but I borrowed his name. It turns out that the name helped find my Scout a home.

A potential adopter was browsing Petfinder looking for a beagle. She told me that as soon as she saw the name Scout, she knew it was meant to be. She had always wanted a dog named Scout. In fact, she wanted a Scout and an Atticus to go along with her current beagle who, although named Gracie, also responds to the nickname Boo. 

Scout (front) and her beagle sister, Gracie

This potential adopter—we’ll call them the Finch family—was quite heartbroken when I told them that our little Scout already had a home visit set up, but I promised to call if things didn’t work out. Well, things didn’t work out. The other potential adopter decided after our home visit and conversation that it wouldn’t be feasible with their schedule to housebreak a research beagle. (Another good example of why home visits are important.)

You can imagine how happy the Finch family was when I called to share this news and ask if they were still interested. We visited their home last night so Scout could meet Gracie (Boo.) It went marvelously, and Scout was adopted as a permanent member of the Finch family.

The dog previously known by the numbers forever marked in her ears will now forever be known as Scout. She’ll be surrounded by love and given everything a dog deserves—Scout’s honor. 

Wordless Wednesday: ADOPTED: Maggie's Journey

Magnolia the golden doodle-ish dog showed up on the Web site of a shelter we partner with in VA. I may or may not have had her forever family in mind when I asked to foster her.

Shaggy Maggie made her way up to NJ with the volunteer transport system. By the time she reached us, she was pooped.

The next morning, we took her for a walk...

and then got her a bath.

Afterward, she went home to her forever family—which just so happens to be my parents! It's the second best thing to foster failing!

And now Missy has a new best friend!

ADOPTED: So long, Sophie!

Missy and Sophie

Sophie wasn't an easy post-foster-failure dog. She was well-behaved, friendly, cute, and the perfect dog. She made it hard not to fail again. Truth be told, if she had come along first, we probably would have adopted her. (Don't tell Missy this!) But there's no room in this inn and thankfully a super nice couple adopted Sophie on Saturday.

Missy and Sophie and all the other dogs that came before them are testaments to the absolutely wonderful dogs that crowd shelters in the U.S. My blood boils when someone tells me they have chosen to buy a dog instead of adopt one because they "don't want to deal with a shelter dog's issues." Many dogs—like Missy and Sophie—end up in shelters not because they have issues but because their people have issues. Both Missy and Sophie's original families moved away and decided not to take the dogs with them. Look into those brown eyes and tell me these girls don't deserve a second chance. I dare you!

DogTime

Here's a way to search for an adoptable pet in your neck of the woods!

Honey's Five Days

Five days. That’s how long animals have to find a home when they enter one shelter in South Carolina. If you know about the overpopulation of pets that fill these shelters, you know the odds are not in the their favor.

Things were not looking good for this sweet Lab, Honey. We’re not sure how this lovable girl found herself in such a horrible circumstance. All we know is that she was an “owner surrender,” a mama who recently had a litter of puppies.

Volunteers with our rescue saw Honey on the shelter’s Facebook page. Lab lovers, they immediately knew they had to save the dog.  When a rescue pulls from a shelter, the rescue pays a fee to have the dog vetted (spayed/neutered, up to date on vaccines, etc.) Then, transport is arranged to get the dog from the shelter to the rescue.

Honey arrived in New Jersey last weekend into the loving home of the volunteers. We ended up taking Honey mid-week because they had their hands full when a nasty groundhog bit one of their personal dogs.

As soon as I posted Honey’s Petfinder profile, interest started to come in. I contacted one family in particular who was interested in Karina back in the spring, but they weren't able to take her because the timing wasn't right. (And it just seemed to fit because Honey is a blond Karina.)

Can you guess how long it was between the time Honey stepped paw in New Jersey until the time her new family’s application was approved? You got it—five days.  

Don't get me wrong; they're all not that quick and easy to adopt out as a sweet yellow Lab. Had she been a bully breed or a BBD with the same disposition, it would have taken longer. But they all deserve more than five days—they deserve a lifetime. 

ADOPTED: Zazu the Gymnast

Zazu turned our home into the floor of a gymnastics competition—vaulting off the sofa, flipping over chairs, making the coffee table into a balance beam. While she was lovable and affectionate and sweet, it was apparent that this dog needed exercise. She needed a yard and another dog to tire her out. She did not need to be cooped up in our condo all day long.

Because we can usually make good estimates of how long it will take for a dog to get adopted based on its age and breed, we figured Zazu would be doing back flips through our home for several weeks.

We were at our first adoption day for only about half an hour when a dog-loving couple came looking to add a third dog to their pack. They knew right away that Zazu was the one. They had a yard, a wealth of dog experience, and plenty of canine friends to tire her out. Zazu, who sat in a Virginia shelter for three months, was adopted within a week. Sometimes things just work out that way. 

And what’s better than that? Zazu (now Talula) lives right around the corner from us and her people have granted us full visiting rights to see our Olympic-champion foster dog. 

ADOPTED: Jack's 8 Months of Yeses and Nos

Jack's first day with us

No, said Jack's former owners in West Virginia. We don't want him.

Yes, said the shelter. We will take him.

No, said the shelter. We don't have room for him anymore. We must euthanize him.

Yes, said the rescue. We have a foster home who will take Jack.

Yes, said Jack's first adopters. We'd like to take him home.

No, said Jack's first adopters. We can't keep him.

Yes, said his fosters. We will take him back.

No, said his fosters. We can't keep him any more. He needs more exercise and is acting out.

Yes, said his new foster. I will take him.

Yes, said his new adopters. We know he has issues, but we've trained Border Collies before. We will work with him and even do agility training. We will take him home.

SEMI-ADOPTED: What a Difference a Week Makes

If Karina made the case that people should adopt dogs based on their sweetness alone, then Jagger makes the case that dogs are flexible and adaptable. More humans should be like dogs.

Last Saturday, Jagger barricaded himself under the dining room table.

This Saturday, Jagger let strangers approach and pet him.

Despite his progress, I still thought Jagger might be a middle to long termer with the rescue because of his age and size. So imagine my surprise when Jagger's Petfinder listing caught the eye of a couple this week. They came to meet him at adoption day this weekend.

When they first approached, Jagger did his "I'm a five year old boy hiding behind my mom on the first day of kindergarten" routine. Once he showed his face, he warmed up to the woman, but was a bit leery of the man. They went to look at other dogs available for adoption, but really had their hearts set on Jagger. You can tell when people really want a dog. They keep looking back over their shoulders to make sure no one else might be interested in the pooch.

We explained Jagger's situation with being returned to the rescue and what he needs some work on. With a fenced-in yard, dog experience, and the willingness to work with him, the couple had a strong application. Because of our experience with him early on this week, we decided to do a trial period or a "foster to adopt" set-up. We want the couple to have a really good idea of what life will be like with Mr. Mick Jagger in their presence. They'll keep him for two weeks, and then decide for sure if they think he's a good fit for their lives.

I know some rescues do two-week trial periods as standard operating procedure before adoptions. I see the utility of these test runs; it helps people make informed decisions before making lifelong commitments. However,  it's not a usual practice for other rescues like ours. I would imagine many dogs could get returned because people might treat the trial period just as they do a rental from Netflix.

I'm curious to know your experience with trial periods. Do they work? Do they not work? In the mean time, cross your paws that it works out for Jagger!*

* But I will miss him like a mom sending her 5-year-old boy off to school on the first day of kindergarten.

ADOPTED: Ciao, Bella!

Within three hours of posting Bella on Petfinder, I received emails from prospective adopters. The first turned out to be a less-than-serious inquiry. The second had a Lab that Bella did not care for when they met. But the third one was the charm. An animal-loving couple from a neighboring town fell in love with Bella. (How could you not?) And to think, she sat in a shelter for three months, and now she's on her to way to her forever home.

This adoption process was another one that made a strong case for home visits. You see, Bella chases squirrels and birds on walks like it's her full-time job. This made us skeptical of how she might be with the couple's three cats. Would she...

A) chase them and drive them crazy?
B) play too rough with them?
C) eat them for dinner?

D) None of the above, it turns out. When we did the home visit, she got nose to nose with one of the kitties. When the cat jumped, she had no interest in chasing it. She just whined a little bit. If anything, she seemed a bit afraid of the cat! But we're confident they can co-exist (or even become BFFs?) in the house together. Here's Bella's future sister, Button, warming up her crate for her arrival tomorrow evening.

Another part of the adoption process is the vet check. For those of you who don't know, the rescue will call the adopter's vet to see if their current animals are up to date with their medical needs. I'm curious to know—does your rescue have specific requirements for vet checks? Or, if you're not involved with a rescue, what requirements seem reasonable to you?

Friday Nights

What do most twenty-somethings do on Friday nights? I'm not sure I know...

Last Friday night was Karina's home visit/drop off. This Friday, the rescue attended to a local Pet Parade. We got to show off our foster dogs, answer questions from the public, and collect donations. It was great to reach an audience we might not usually reach at our adoption day events.

Bella really hit it off with another foster, Hazel, a beautiful Shar Pei mix puppy.

We found out that she's not a huge fan of larger dogs, like Quinton the lovable Great Dane foster. It gives us something to work on. (That and her fear of stairs!)

ADOPTED: Karina for the Win!

In late February, a few days after we took Karina in, one of my colleagues popped into my cubicle and stated bluntly, "You need a win." (I think this was around the time that Charlie Sheen was walking around mumbling things about winning.) Nevertheless, she was totally right. I was buried in school work and work work, and I was still feeling badly about Jack and the switcheroo.

I thought that this win would come quickly—a week, a month at most. After all, Karina is a ready-made dog. Crate-trained, housebroken, basic commands. Just open the door, and let her in. Sure, she isn't great with cats or other dogs, but she is just a doll. She makes the case for walking into a shelter/adoption event and saying, "Give me a dog with a heart of gold. I don't care how much she weighs, what color her fur is, how old she is, or how many teeth she is missing. Give me the sweetest dog you have."

Well, 14 weeks later, we got our win. A very nice woman contacted us about Rina this week. She has a unique situation in that she can bring a dog to work with her. (How jealous am I?) As such, she needs a housebroken dog that is friendly with people, but can settle down when it's time to work.


Does she like car rides?, she asked. I have a bit of a drive to work every day.
Without a doubt, I answered. She stands by my car on our morning walks in hopes she can hop in.

Is Karina a good co-worker?, she asked. 

Unequivocally yes, I replied. I work from home on occasion and she's a better co-worker than some humans. 

She came to adoption day today with her boyfriend to meet Karina. She asked all of the right questions and more. She wasn't scared by Karina's medical history with heartworm; she understood it meant being vigilant about preventative for the rest of her life. She loved that Karina is a BBD (she had a 100 pound Rottweiler previously), and she loved Karina's one white toe. She loved everything we have come to love. And this is only the beginning of their love story.

After talking it over with her boyfriend, she came up to me and said, "She's the one." Her eyes filled with tears, and so did mine.

We'll do a home visit and drop Karina off at her forever home on Friday night. Our good-byes will be bittersweet (and I'm sure I'll cry.) Karina will always hold a special place in our hearts because she really could have been a dog we kept. But I'm glad we held out for her upgrade, as Jen at Inu Baka calls it. We simply couldn't imagine a better home for her.

Win for Karina's new family.
Win for us and the rescue.
Win for Karina.

Rina's Friends

We've grown accustomed to spending our Saturdays cleaning up pee and poop at a suburban pet-supply store. We have a running joke at adoption day—what is it that most people do on Saturdays anyway? We've met so many great people with the rescue on these Saturdays. But we're not alone. Karina has made some good friends of her own species too!

I realize I sound like I'm anthropomorphizing, but what I'm trying to say is that Karina has made tremendous progress in her interactions with other dogs. When we first took her in back in February, we weren't even sure if she could come to adoption day with all of the other dogs around. But, unlike some dogs who get antsy attending adoption day week after week, Karina has only improved. Don't get me wrong—she'll never be the type of dog you'd want to set loose at a dog park, but she's shown signs of growth. When we take walks, we've practicted having her sit and ignore other dogs. Overtime, we've realized that she's not only good at ignoring, but can actually interact with smaller, non-yappy (i.e. non-threatening) dogs. Larger dogs will still set her off, but who knows what would happen with careful introductions? (She used to play for hours with an 80-lb. pit bull mix at her old foster home!)

And so, here are some of Rina's adoption-day friends:

Oh, Romeo! You are going to break some hearts! This adorable, 4-year-old Cavalier mix has been the subject of much attention over the past few weeks, but has yet to find his forever home. Karina and Romeo are still in their courtship phase—they were sniffing butts last Saturday. (Typical dog behavior, I know, but a very good step for Karina!)

 Meet Bo. He was pulled from a high-kill shelter. He's only a few months old and some sort of daschund mix (maybe?). On Saturday, Karina and Bo had a kissy fest! They were swapping some serious saliva! She'll be sad to know Bo won't be at adoption day this upcoming Saturday—he was adopted!

Magnus is one cute fellow, but he's not Rina's type. The feelings are mutual. Magnus isn't a huge fan of other dogs, so he goes nuts at the sight of Karina, and she reciprocates. (Sometimes it's the other way around.) Like Karina, Magnus has been with the rescue for awhile and is still looking for his people.

Sadly, Little Bo Peep hasn't been at adoption days of late because she is quite sick. It's possible she has distemper, but the rescue is currently running tests to get more information. There is a ChipIn to help pay for her vet care. I've pasted it below if you are interested. Please keep this poor girl in your thoughts until she gets back on her paws. SAD UPDATE FROM THE RESCUE: With an aching heart, I have to share that our little Bo Peep did not win her fight. Run free at the rainbow bridge, little girl. While you were only here a short time, you touched many hearts and were loved. 

A New Marketing Plan

Karina at adoption day

I know very little about marketing, but I can tell you that the typical advertising channels aren't cutting it for Karina.

• Petfinder: I've updated Petfinder with photos, videos, and endearing descriptions on a religious basis. We've had some inquiries, but nothing has panned out. (It doesn't help that Karina isn't overly photogenic. She is a thousand times cuter in person.) 

• Adoption Day: These events are held every Saturday at a pet-supply store. People come in  and fall in love with her. But since it's a pet supply store, these people almost always have dogs or cats at home and that won't cut it for Rina. 

• Signs: I've hung up signs at local businesses and other places of work. I even asked a honky tonk local web site if they would post a virtual flyer of her. They told me it would cost $35. Seriously?

And so, after almost three months, I've decided it's time for a new marketing plan. It needs to involve Karina looking cute in real life, a place that's populated with at least some pet-less people, and it can't cost $35.

• Step 1: Order cute adoption bandana. 
• Step 2: Put said bandana on Karina and bring her to places where people gather.
• County park on Sundays
• Outside of ice cream parlor on warm days
• Little League games on Saturday afternoons
• Church on Easter morning (Yes, we went there. We were walking through town on Easter morning. What Would Jesus Do?, I asked myself. Jesus would adopt this dog, I decided before sitting down on a bench outside of the cathedral. So we sat there as one mass let out and another one was about to begin.) 
• Step 3: Talk to people who approach. Why yes, we say. She's very friendly. You can pet her. She loves kids. Karina knows the drill and does her thing—the lab lean, sloppy lab kisses, etc. She wins them over within seconds. Then, we go in for the kill. You know, Karina is up for adoption. She's our foster dog, and she's looking for a good home. The response is invariably the same: Really? This wonderful dog? Then the nice people say they would love to give Karina a good home, but they don't have the time/money/space/[insert other reasons here.] Some proceed to tell you their life stories. Before parting, we pass along Karina's info and ask that they share it with anyone who might be looking for our sweet lab.
• Step 4: Go home and wonder where Karina's future people might be. Mope, then update Petfinder for the millionth time. 

I Rescued a Human Today

Click to enlarge. 

Failed Fosters (or, Are You Going to Keep This One?)

A few weeks ago, the rescue held a meeting for volunteers. We went around the table, introduced ourselves and our capacity within the organization. Many of the volunteers concluded their introductions with "... and I'm a failed foster." This means, of course, that they adopted one (or two, or three, or four, or five) of their foster dogs or cats.

One couple—who did not have a dog of their own—just recently "failed" after fostering dozens of dogs over the course of a year. Another couple "failed" and adopted a special-needs dog they had fostered for some time. The list goes on and on.

So it's not a surprise that I've been asked this question a lot: ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP THIS ONE? My co-workers keep asking. My friends keep asking. My mom keeps saying that she wants a real "grand dog" and not "grand foster dogs." Don't get them wrong; they all love that we foster. But they can't wait to see us fail.

The answer, for now, is no. We are not going to keep "this one" or any one any time soon. Here are a few reasons why:

1) We live in a condo complex where technically you're only supposed to have one dog. If we adopt a dog, then, according to the rules, we can not foster another dog. (However, many people break these rules. As long as the dogs don't cause a problem, no one complains. We could work around it.) With our schedules, it would also be a task for us to keep up with two dogs. I wouldn't count us out, but let's just say it wouldn't be easy. In essence, for every dog we adopt, that's one fewer space for a foster dog.

2) We have a busy summer coming up and will probably need to take a doggie break. We'll be gone most of the month of August, so we can't take responsibility for a dog then. (In my opinion, we need to hold off on "failing" until September; Jonathan thinks we should make it much longer.)

3) We haven't fostered a dog that would really make "failing" logical. All of our foster dogs can (and will) do better than living with us.

Wookiee, although very cute and lovable, was not our kind of dog. You know how dogs look like their owners? He didn't look like us. Plus, he was our first foster. You can't fail on the first one.

Jack, although smart and charming (at times), does not belong in a condo—by any stretch of the imagination.

And Karina, well, this girl could easily be my best friend. But, as a lab, she too deserves room to run. She also isn't great with all other dogs, which means fostering another dog would be a logistical nightmare.









In my heart of hearts, I know that one day, logic won't matter. The timing  might be off, but a dog might just come along and fit right in stride with us and our lives. (Who knows, he or she may even "look" like us.) At that point, we'll fail. We'll fail miserably. And everyone will celebrate.

BBD

If I told you that Karina had a syndrome you could help cure just by changing the way you think, would you? [This is where you say yes.]

You see, I'm beginning to think Karina has a case of Big Black Dog syndrome, or BBD for short. Have you ever heard of it? Large, black dogs are often the last to be adopted out of shelters and rescues. As a result, they have a disproportionately high euthanasia rate. It's especially true of black labs and lab mixes. They are a dime a dozen in most places because litter sizes are usually quite large.

I started to sense this bias at adoption day, specifically with children and their parents. One child came to pet Karina, and the mother shrieked, pulled her away, and directed her toward the puppies. While our dogs at adoption day have great temperaments, I think there's a much greater likelihood of a puppy nipping at the child's fingers than Karina giving anything but kisses. (Did I mention Karina is great with kids?)

So, what is with the human perception of black dogs?
• Black dogs are difficult to photograph. Their pictures appear dark and blurry on Petfinder.
• In dimly-lit shelters, they are often difficult to see.
• Many large, black dog breeds, like Rottweilers and Dobermans, have bad reputations as aggressive dogs.
• They often appear older than they really are because gray hair shows on their muzzles more easily.
• Different forms of media have created a negative bias toward big, black dogs. Think movies, books, and folklore/mythology. (I'm looking at you, Jo Rowling, for portraying the Grim, the omen of death, in the form of a big, black dog.)

I'll admit it. In the past, my heart would skip a beat if I saw a big, black dog approaching. And I've even been thinking about this on the other end of the leash too. I was walking Karina around 3 a.m. a few nights ago and saw a man walking from afar. While I'm sure he was just stumbling back from a bar, my gut reaction was that I would be safer because I had this big, black lovebug of a dog with me.

Take this test, and be honest. Which of these labs would you choose?

I borrowed this test from this website.

Will you do Karina a favor? The next time you see an oversized, black dog, do what you would do with any other dog. Ask the owner if the dog is friendly and if you can pet her/him. Then shower him/her with love. Karina thanks you.

The Art and Science of Home Visits

When I told my mom I was going on a home visit with Karina on Sunday, she recalled being on the receiving end of these rites of passage. A rescue came to "check us out" in process of adopting the family golden retriever, Abby. At the time, my mom thought the rescue’s procedures were a bit invasive.

This is my post to convince her (and others) otherwise.

Home visits usually happen after an application has been put in for a dog and we believe it could be a good match. The home visit is not a white-glove inspection. It’s not for the rescue’s volunteers to gossip about the size of your home or your interior decorating or how much money you make. After all, these things are of little value to us. In our own home, our couch has turned into a giant wee-wee pad, our comforter has been chewed to pieces, and our carpet has more vomit stains than I care to think about.

The point of a home visit is to make sure that the dog and the people will both be safe and comfortable in the living environment. We look to see that the dog interacts with all family members—human, canine, feline—in a positive way. We look to see that there are no utterly apparent dangers that could pose harm to the dog. For dogs with special requirements, such as a fenced-in yard, we make sure that their needs will be met.

On Sunday, I drove out to Pennsylvania to do a home visit with Karina and her old foster mom. The family was extremely nice; they were true "dog people." Karina, while a bit jumpy and curious, was a doll with all of the family members. When they let Karina out into the fenced-in back yard, I was so busy thinking about how much she would just love being able to run around for hours. Then her old foster mom, who has years of rescue experience, pointed to the vertical slits in the 4-foot fence. Because we know (and the family knew) that Karina has issues with other dogs, she suggested that the family ask their neighbors to let their dogs out so Karina could meet them through the fence.

Despite a mildly positive initial introduction, Karina went bonkers on one of the dogs. And the slits in the fence were so wide that the dogs could stick their muzzles through and potentially do damage to each other’s faces. And, being that it’s a 4-foot fence, we believe that Karina could also jump it in pursuit.

Before even meeting Karina at adoption day, we told the family she was dog selective. They said it would be fine because they are a one-dog family and don’t frequent the dog run. But at the home visit, the family saw the reality of her behaviors in their own background. With a teenager who would be letting Karina in and out most days, they didn’t feel comfortable putting their child, Karina, or the other dog in that situation. And I don’t blame them. The family decided not to adopt Karina.

And this is what the home visit is for. It’s the most accurate indicator of what life will be like if you adopt the dog.

It’s one thing to buy a cute puppy at the pet store; the employees could probably care less if your home has dangling electrical wires or if you're hoarding dozens of animals. All they likely care about is commission. But when you’ve poured your blood, sweat, and tears into a dog, as Karina’s old foster mom has done with her, you need to find a really good match. So while it may be tempting to jump at “any” home, you have to face the reality that not every home will be perfect for every dog.  

I’m 110% confident that family will find the perfect dog to fit into their home. Karina was just not it. 

Mocha's Happy Tale

Koko (all black) and Mocha (brown and black)

A few weeks ago, another foster with the rescue took in three-month-old Chow Chow mix puppies named Mocha and Koko. Although the sisters were side-lined with kennel cough for a week, they made their appearance at adoption day today.

And thank goodness they did. Their timing couldn't have been better.

About 3 or 4 weeks ago, our next-door neighbors had to put their Chow Chow to sleep. Poor George had a variety of health problems associated with old age. At 110 pounds, he made the case for why rules about dog size limits in condos are pretty silly. (The 20-pound beagle upstairs makes more noise in one hour than George did in his lifetime.)

Mocha, our new puppy neighbor

We didn't know if our neighbors would be ready for a new dog... until they came knocking on our door this week. They said they had been looking online for another Chow. Their house was too lonely without one. They found breed-specific rescues in other regions of the country and a breeder in Canada. Then they checked Petfinder and saw that Mocha and Koko were right in their backyard. Better yet, when they clicked on the rescue's website, they saw that Jack was their proverbial foster brother. They confessed they weren't even sure they were ready, but when they saw Jack's picture's right next to Mocha and Koko's, they knew it was fate.

They came to adoption day today, fell in love with Mocha, and took her home. So while Jack didn't find his forever home this weekend, he helped Mocha find hers. We couldn't be happier!