Category: hard to adopt

adopters, foster dogs, fostering dogs, hard to adopt, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, Long Term Dog, owner surrender

Why Would You Want a Puppy, When You Could Have This Great Dog?

Cara Achterberg

On our recent shelter tour, a director asked me, “Who would want to adopt a puppy?” (it was a rhetorical question so it wasn’t necessary, but I said, “Not me!”)

She went on to explain why she hustles puppies out the door to rescues, and only adopts out adult dogs.

Our little foster cottage is mostly quiet these days. That is unless Marley spots a squirrel daring to cross our property. Krimpet went home with an adopter after her spay surgery on Monday.

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adopters, dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, hard to adopt, puppies, returned dogs

Looking for that Adoption Magic

Cara Achterberg

From Marley’s point of view, people just don’t understand. What she’d like is a person (preferably a man) to be devoted to her in the same way that she is devoted to him. She’d like someone she could stick close to when he’s home and a safe, comfy crate to hang out in when he’s gone. Maybe a few long walks to sniff stuff, a few treats after she sits when asked, and a couch to snuggle on during movie marathons.

She’s a pretty simple girl.

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adopters, dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, hard to adopt, heartworms, hound dogs, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, multiple dogs, puppies

The House of Bark

Cara Achterberg

I’m currently working in the house of bark.

It’s rarely like this, but for the next nine hours, until our temporary foster takes off for his new life, there doesn’t seem to be a way around it. I’m trying to breathe calmly and exude still energy, but nothing really helps with this particular combination of dog.

I’m fairly sure he’s a Husky mix because of his need to ‘talk’ all the time, his crazy smarts, and his style of play (chasing anything and everything but not bringing it back). At nine months, Steele is a bundle of energy and curiosity.

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adopters, dog rescue, euthanasia, former foster dogs, hard to adopt, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, pregnant dog, puppies

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Cara Achterberg

Someone famous wrote–the waiting is the hardest part.

But actually, for some it is and for others, it isn’t.

With Krimpet, it’s not hard at all. I’m hoping to wait at least another week. The longer those puppies stay in Krimpet’s belly, the healthier she and they will be.

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adopters, Breeds, foster dogs, foster-to-adopt, fostering, hard to adopt, Pit bull

Looking for Your Next Best Friend?

Cara Achterberg

Abby is still here. And it’s just not fair.

She’s no longer living on a chain (yay), but she is confined to one room much of her day. She can see the other dogs, hang out with our foster cat, and watch the activity out her window, but she’d much prefer to be with a person.

Abby is a people-dog. She loves people – all kinds, all sizes, all attitudes. She isn’t discouraged by her predicament, but I am.

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Amstaff, dog rescue, foster dogs, hard to adopt, Long Term Dog, Pit bull, shelters

What ‘Shelter Shortages?’

Cara Achterberg

Melissa Chan wrote in an article for Time magazine last week, “a surge in pandemic pet adoptions offers opportunities for criminals to seize on nationwide demand and shelter shortages…”

People are so desperate for French bulldogs, one small private investigator in Nebraska who specializes in missing pets says calls have increased 60-70% in the past 18 months, averaging 3-5 requests a week.

Reading the article, I could only shake my head. It seemed to me Chan was writing about another world altogether. It wasn’t the news that so many pets are being stolen—that is individually tragic—but it was how she so breezily tossed off the phrase, shelter shortages, as if it were fact.

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adopters, dog rescue, fosterdogs, fostering, hard to adopt, Long Term Dog, returned dogs, training

When a Bite Was Just a Bite

Cara Achterberg

Someone told me I jinxed Mia by writing about her last week in such a celebratory way.

Sad to say, she is back and not because I jinxed her but because she was set up to fail. I’ve agonized over how to explain what happened. I don’t want to throw Mia, the adopter, or the rescue under the bus, but I’d say that we all deserve to be runover on this one.

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adopters, foster dogs, fostering, hard to adopt, training

The Best Trainer for Your Dog

Cara Achterberg

It finally happened.

Mama Mia left for her forever home after 11 months in foster care. I still find it so hard to believe it took so long to get this amazing dog adopted.

Her adopter is a determined and patient woman, who was certain all along that Mia was her girl. It took three meet and greets, this last one happening with the help of trainer, Geraldine Peace, who you’ll recall was such a huge help with Billie Jean.

Every time I spend time with Geraldine I learn more about managing and training dogs. She was able to do in minutes what I was not able to do through two other meet and greets—introduce Mia safely to her new 9-pound senior fur-sister. At each of my attempts, Mia was just too over-the-top excited and could not settle enough that I felt safe introducing them. I never, for a moment worried that Mia would hurt the little dog. What I worried about was her unintentionally hurting her because of the size difference.

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foster dogs, foster fail, fostering, hard to adopt, kittens, parvo, puppies

A New Year of Fostering

Cara Achterberg

What will fostering look like for us in 2021?

I honestly don’t know. Maybe one thing 2020 has taught me is that I can’t assume anything about the coming year.

I have many hopes for my ‘dog life’:

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cats, dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, hard to adopt, kittens, training

Seeing Them To Safety

Cara Achterberg

What’s a girl to do when her puppy room is empty, the same foster dog has been here for months, her foster cats finally left (after more than a year with us!) and she’s itching to save animals?

Why take in a few foster kittens, of course!

Fostering kittens is a new venture. I know nothing about kittens this tiny. Lucky for me OPH has supplied me with everything I need, and their rescuer gave me lots of excellent advice. Ian is doing the bulk of the work—putting drops in their eyes, giving them their daily meds, feeding them, hanging out with them.

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