OPH – Page 2 – Another Good Dog™

dog rescue, former foster dogs, fostering, fostering dogs, Momma Bear

Newest Foster Dog (from Kosovo!)

September 14, 2024 Cara Achterberg

We have a new foster dog keeping Diamond company these days. Berry traveled a long way to join us here. He’s from Kosovo!

OPH has an international dog program, pulling dogs from countries where they are often treated as ‘pests’ rather than sentient beings. They pull a small number of street dogs from India, Kosovo, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Dogs living in the streets in these countries live in terrible conditions, dying in large numbers from disease, malnutrition, and car accidents.

While there are many who question why a rescue would pull dogs from another country when so many are dying here, OPH’s stance is, “In our eyes, rescue has no borders or boundaries.”

More important than that powerful value, their explanation of ‘the ripple effect’ is compelling:

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Ehrlichia, foster cats, foster dogs, fostering, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, mama dogs, oph, puppies

A Puppy Just for You

July 25, 2024 Cara Achterberg

It’s been a week with these little ~~mice~~ puppies, and while they have gotten bigger, they’re still tiny.

At seven weeks, the smallest (Chrystanthemum) is 2 pounds, four ounces and the largest (Gus Gus and Norman) are 3 pounds, 13 ounces. Which, if you trust a puppy growth calculator means they will grow to be 16 pounds and 27 pounds.

So, they’ll be small dogs when they grow up, which is why I’m kind of surprised, and not, that they don’t have adopters yet. This is typically a slow time of year for adoptions. But because these puppies will grow to be small dogs, I did think they’d have a better chance than most of finding a family quickly.

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Humane Society of Shenandoah County, litters, mama dogs, oph, puppies

Summer Puppies: The Literary Mice

July 19, 2024 Cara Achterberg

I hadn’t planned on taking any puppies this summer. I wanted to be able to do some camping, kayaking, traveling…but then the heat/drought arrived and my youngest got a promotion that has him moving back to the east coast in August (2.5 hours from us).

I don’t think the temperatures will come down anytime soon if the Weather Channel is to be trusted, and Ian will need us (or at least our truck) for his big move. The water levels are so low that kayaking is out of the question, and frankly, I couldn’t justify staying on the sidelines while shelters are completely overwhelmed and the ‘euthanasia’ numbers continue to climb.

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adopters, dog rescue, foster dogs, foster fail, fostering, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, oph, puppies

Adoption magic

April 13, 2024 Cara Achterberg

I was really counting on that adoption magic to prevail this week, but I’m an overly optimistic person.

I was able to see four of my puppies into the arms of their new families.

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fosterdogs, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, Long Term Dog, mama dogs, puppies

Small Dog Puppies and Big Dog Puppies

April 5, 2024 Cara Achterberg

Oh my gosh, small dog puppies are SO much easier than big dog puppies. At least in large quantities.

Clean up takes a fraction of the time and the correlating stink is also much lighter!

Maybe the best part is that I can hold three of four of them on my lap at a time (which still leaves two yelling for my attentions).

And talk about cuteness – why are small things so much cuter than large things?

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dog rescue, foster dogs, mama dogs

Mama Dogs Get to Me

September 23, 2023September 23, 2023 Cara Achterberg

The mama dogs are always the ones that get to me. They’ve been through so much and it’s clear not just in the condition of their bodies, but in their eyes.

Grateful. That’s the word that emanates from them.

And Cherry is no different. She’s had a particularly hard journey. Her owners surrendered her to the shelter and said she didn’t belong to them —she was just a stray who had been tied in their yard for the last four years.

So much about that statement chills my soul.

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adopters, foster dogs, fostering, mama dogs

And the Fun Goes On and On

September 16, 2023 Cara Achterberg

So here’s the fun part…..

All of the puppies went home to wonderful adopters. And what lucky adopters they are, as these are some wonderful puppies!

Meanwhile, Argus left on a trial adoption.

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adopters, Destruction, dog books, fostering, litters, mama dogs, puppies

Adoption Swaparoo

September 9, 2023 Cara Achterberg

It really came down to the wire on this one. Rainer’s adopter had vanished and adoption day was imminent. Would I be left with one puppy after everyone else went home?

I warned the family that we would all be taking turns carrying Ranier everywhere with us in the puppy sling, and mentally prepared myself for the crying.

Meanwhile, adoption coordinator extraordinaire, Chelsea, got to work hustling and shaking down all the potential adoption applications to see if there was someone out there who deserved this darling pup.

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adopters, Breeds, dog rescue, fosterdogs, fostering, puppies

One Special Dog.

August 18, 2023 Cara Achterberg

Today is the first day of Stela’s real life. The life in which she will never have puppies again. She will never be thrown away again. Now we can find her a real family—one that will value this special dog.