Team Bonnie

Bonnie and I have had a quiet week.

I was tempted not to write at all, but didn’t want to miss the opportunity to put out more Bonnie propaganda. Not that it’s propaganda, but any/all exposure is good because you just never know when the right person will catch of glimpse of her and think – ‘Yes! That looks like a great dog for me!”

I looked up propaganda to be sure I was correct in my assumed definition…

Propaganda is the dissemination of information—facts, arguments, rumors, half-truths, or lies—to influence public opinion. Deliberateness and a relatively heavy emphasis on manipulation distinguish propaganda from casual conversation or the free and easy exchange of ideas.

And, well, yes, blogging about Bonnie is propaganda in that I’m trying to influence public opinion. And I am sharing plenty of facts and maybe a few half-truths: ‘She is great on a leash’. This in actuality means she is happy to be on a leash and doesn’t pull, but she does occasionally swerve in front of me without warning, so I have to stay vigilant.

The rest of the definition, well, that’s not accurate, so I’m going to back it up and say, I’m blogging about Bonnie today, even though I don’t have a lot to say, because I want the opportunity to share this sweet dog with more people in the hopes of finding ‘her’ people.

She’s just too sweet and cute and SMALL and happy and gentle to dwell in foster care. A few years ago, this is a dog who would be gone from my foster home in a day, despite the leash liability.

For many people (I’m not one of them), the fact that she does not in any way resemble a pit bull is a draw. It’s not always their personal preference, it’s often their insurance or landlord, or for some, their county, that prohibits them from adopting a ‘pit bull type’ dog. So the adopter pool for this pup is vast.

Bonnie has long, fluffy hair like a golden retriever, although it’s more the color of an Irish Setter. But she’s about half the size of a golden, weighing somewhere between 35-40 pounds (I do not have an animal scale, so that’s my ‘professional’ opinion).

She has zero prey drive, as evidenced by her nearly nose-to-nose meeting with a cat (who hissed at Bonnie, who then bolted away) and that squirrels can run right alongside us on our walks and she doesn’t bat an eye. She is a little leary of cows but doesn’t say a word about them.

In fact, Bonnie says very few words. I rarely hear her bark. She (and her little stuffed squirrel) don’t make much of a racket. I think this may have been the quietest week in my foster cottage in the entire year I’ve been using it for an office/foster space.

What else can I tell you to sway you to team-Bonnie?

She is silly and happy and loves stuffed toys, other dogs, snuggling, CHEESE, and making a nest of her bedding.

Bonnie is somewhere close to a year old, spayed, microchipped, utd on shots, crate-trained, and great on a leash (as long as you pay attention!). She travels well, is not the least bit destructive, and is happiest in the company of a person or other dogs. I’d guess that a friendly cat might also suffice.

If you, or anyone you know, would like to adopt this darling dog, click here for the application. Or message me with questions.

This weekend, Nick and I plan to take her out and about again. We’re still working on her itinerary. I’m sure she’ll go to the Farmer’s Market again, possibly to a winery, and likely a visit to Lowe’s (what’s a weekend without Lowe’s?). Hopefully, this time next week I’ll be telling you about how Bonnie is in her forever home. (paws crossed).

Speaking of forever homes, Clyde is settling in well in his new home and I couldn’t be happier for that sweet boy. When I dropped him off, he saw his handsome self in the mirror for the first time and was smitten. I do miss him. If Bonnie’s adopters are local, Clyde’s adopters are hoping they can set up regular playdates for them.

If you’ve ever considered fostering a dog and have questions, please hit me up. Right now just about every shelter in the country needs more foster homes. The shelter crisis is only getting worse.

Until Each One Has a Home,

Cara

For information on me, my writing, and books, visit CaraWrites.com.

If you’d like regular updates of all our foster dogs past and present, plus occasional dog care/training tips, and occasional foster cat updates (!) be sure to join the Facebook group, Another Good Dog. If you’d like to see dogs I’m connected to who are available for adoption in Shenandoah County, visit Shenandoah County Adoptable Dogs on Facebook.

And if you’d like to know where all these dogs come from and how you can help solve the crisis of too many unwanted dogs in our shelters, visit WhoWillLetTheDogsOut.org and subscribe to our blog where we share stories of our travels to shelters, rescues, and dog pounds.

If you can’t get enough foster dog stories, check out my book: Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs. Or its follow up that takes you to the shelters in the south One Hundred Dogs & Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey Into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues.