Orphans of the Storm® Dogs Who Are Big and Fluffy

Today I spent time with three older dogs who still have plenty of potential to make you and your family incredibly happy. There are many benefits to adopting an older dog, and Orphans of the Storm® has a variety of breeds and sizes to choose from. Today I focused on a few of the bigger and fluffier ones.

Princess, a ten-year-old Chow Chow mix, certainly looks like royalty. She has that unique Chow coat and adorable Chow face. If you watched the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this past week, like I did, you’ll know that Martha Stewart is a Chow fan. Since Princess is a mix, she probably wouldn’t get too far in the show ring–but she can certainly be your best in show!

Princess looking regal

Princess is smaller than the average Chow and has a pink tongue, rather than the usual blue-black one. That’s perfectly all right, though. She walks very well on the leash and was happy to stand next to me and get a nice pat. She is a calm dog who took her time walking around the run, rather than scampering about.

Princess watching the spitz and people in the other run

There was a little spitz in the run next to us, and Princess was acting very friendly towards it. The spitz, however, seemed a little intimidated by Princess’ size and wasn’t as interested in being friends. But it’s a good sign that Princess can get along with dogs big and small.

Princess' sweet face

Rizzo is a beautiful eight-year-old Shepherd mix. My guess is that he’s mixed with an Alaskan Malamute: he has a cute shepherd face and a white, fluffy body with a curled tail. We had a nice jog over to the run (Rizzo was eager to stretch his legs) and then Rizzo enjoyed exploring behind and under the bushes.

Rizzo sniffing

After his initial burst of energy, he too was calm. On the info card outside his kennel, it says that he is a favorite of the staff and volunteers at the shelter. It’s very obvious why! He is a sweet dog who kept leaning against me as I pet him. I ended up with white fur all over me, but that’s what lint rollers are for. This guy is well worth it.

Rizzo enjoying the outdoors

On our way back inside, Rizzo walked much better on the leash. We didn’t stop by the windows to the cat room, but it also said on his info card that he gets along with cats. So, you can stop by CATMANIA! to adopt a new cat and then come visit Rizzo and take him home. He’s a great dog with lots of love to give. And he comes when you call him!

Rizzo being camera shy

Sampson is an eight-year-old black Labrador Retriever mix. I’ve been visiting Orphans of the Storm® for over four months now, and there is something that I find puzzling–I have seen many black Labs (like Chewy and Rosemary), but almost no yellow or chocolate ones. I know there’s a stigma with black cats, but a Lab is a Lab is a Lab. It certainly doesn’t matter what color they are. You’re still going to get a great personality.

Sampson coming to say hello

Sampson, for example, seems like a dog who just wants to please. He is a happy dog whose tail never stopped wagging the entire time I was out with him. He also never went too far from me; he would sniff around the perimeter of the run, and then come back for a reassuring scratch on the back.

Sampson waiting for me to continue scratching his back

Be aware that he is a big boy, and therefore a strong boy, especially when you first take him outside. I took him for a walk around the property after we spent some time together in the run, though, and was able to get him to walk next to me without much persuading. Like I said, Sampson wants to please. This good boy is ready for his new family to take him home.

Sampson interested in the tennis ball

Orphans of the Storm® Dogs Who Found Their Forever Homes, Part IV

Happy Valentine’s Day! To celebrate, here is another wonderful love story, about Mark and his adopted poodle, Alex. Thank you for sharing your story with us, Mark!

Background: My daughter was asking me for a dog for a long time and I finally decided to start looking around. I told her my requirements are that it be from a shelter and there were some allergy issues I had to get over. I investigated what breeds would be good as far as allergies and a poodle was one of them.

Q: Why Orphans of the Storm®?
A: I love dogs too much. There is no reason to go to a pet shop. There are plenty of good dogs looking for homes in shelters. We heard about Orphans of the Storm® from some friends and decided to check it out. We liked the fact that we could take the dog outside and play with it.

Q: How did you hear about Orphans of the Storm®?
A: From friends and I did an internet search.

Q: What made you want to adopt from a shelter?
A: Like I mentioned, I love dogs and it’s sad that so many of them are in shelters. I see no reason of buying a dog from a pet shop.

Q: Was this your first pet dog?
A: Yes.

Q: Did you have a specific breed/age/size/other trait in mind when you first came to the shelter?
A: I had allergy issues to think about and a poodle was a good breed. We also wanted a smaller-sized dog since we don’t have a huge house. I am also very busy so a dog like a collie, that needs lots of attention and outdoor time, was out of the question.

Q: How many dogs did you visit with in one of the off-leash runs before you decided on your dog?
A: Just one. The one we adopted.

Q: What about Alex sealed your decision to adopt him?
A: I was able to pick it up and hold it without it complaining too much. My daughter really liked it and I did not seem to have any allergy issues.

Q: How did your dog respond to transitioning from shelter life to home life?
A: The whole transition worked great. The dog was already housebroken. We knew that Alex had some ear infection problems when we picked him up so I have been treating him for that, but otherwise everything worked out great.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: I am glad that I had the opportunity to adopt a dog from a shelter. Alex has become a part of the family and we love him.

Orphans of the Storm® Announcements

I am absolutely thrilled! Thirty (yes, THIRTY!!!) dogs from Orphans of the Storm® have found their forever homes in the last couple weeks! Congratulations and a giant thank-you to all the new pet owners! But remember, there are still lots of adorable adoptables still waiting for their second chance. Visit the shelter and meet your new best friend!

A few upcoming events:

• Orphans of the Storm® is bringing more of their dogs to Petsmart (291 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook) from 11am-2pm on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend.
• CATMANIA! I know I usually focus on dogs, but there are plenty of you out there who are both dog people AND cat people, and there are plenty of wonderful cats looking for their forever home. Catmania is on Sunday, February 26 from 10am-2pm at the Animal Medical Center of Skokie (8343 Skokie Blvd., Skokie). There will be refreshments, a bake sale, and goodie bags for all new adopters!
• The Orphans of the Storm® Annual Benefit Dinner is on Monday, April 23 from 5:30-9:00pm at Marriott’s Lincolnshire Resort. For more information, check out the save-the-date notice.

One more announcement that I am extremely excited about: My family adopted Bobo!!! I knew that as soon as he rolled over for a belly rub, it was all over. He was ours.

Bobo loves his new bed

We brought him home last Monday, and he has transitioned wonderfully. We learned that he already knows how to sit and lay down, and he is in the process of learning a few more commands. He’s a smarty!

Bobo with his green squeaky bone

Bobo is extremely calm and he hasn’t barked, whined, or cried once. You never would have guessed that from how he was inside his kennel at the shelter; all he did was bark. This is a perfect example of why it is so important to take a dog out to one of the off-leash runs and get to know them away from all the other dogs. You will probably be pleasantly surprised!

Bobo thinks he's a lapdog, even though he's a little big

Although I knew Bobo was going to be ours after his first (of many) belly rubs, there were a close second and third: Wizard and Mona. Wizard (who I spent time with a couple months ago) may take a while to warm up to you when you first bring him out to the run, but once he does, he is a real sweetheart. He’s a volunteer favorite also! He walks well on the leash and already knows some basic commands. Mona, who I haven’t profiled here yet, is a seven-year-old Hound/Lab mix. By that description, you might think she’s a big dog–but she’s not! She is an extremely manageable size, very friendly, and still has plenty of energy for a seven-year-old.

There are so many deserving dogs still waiting for their chance at a forever home. Find the perfect pooch for you at Orphans of the Storm®!

Orphans of the Storm® Dogs Love to Get Close

Although it’s warmer than usual for early February, Marty the one-year-old Chihuahua mix didn’t seem too enthused about coming outside with me. Even so, he was a good sport. I would recommend that you get this adorable pooch a nice sweater so he doesn’t shiver too much in the winter, though.

Marty exploring

Marty has a ticklish spot on his back, towards the base of his tail. He’ll do a little dance with his back legs while you scratch it, which is too cute. He also enjoys being scratched on the right side of his neck, which I learned once we went back inside the front office of the shelter. He kept leaning into my hand until he was on his side on the floor.

Marty with a ball that is far too big for him

When I sat down on the bench in the front office, he put his little front paws up on the bench next to me so I could continue to pet him. When it was time for him to go back to his kennel, he was perfectly fine with me picking him up and carrying him. He’s very calm inside the kennel, preferring to curl up on his doggy bed while his kennelmate Dumbo draws attention to himself.

Marty wondering when we're going back inside

Next up was Precious, a two-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix. She is very capable of being as precious as her name implies, but you have to give her a little time to settle down. This pretty girl has some hops! She will need an owner capable of teaching her that it is generally impolite to jump up on people.

Precious on the move

After she calmed down, Precious was very sweet. She leaned against my legs and enjoyed getting her back, side, and ears rubbed. While I was sitting on the bench, she jumped up next to me and stood still while I pet her. She was Stewie‘s kennelmate before he was adopted, so we know that she can do well with other dogs.

Precious looking precious

Lastly was Tino, the seven-year-old Jack Russell Terrier mix (not to be confused with Tino the Chihuahua, who I visited last week). This little guy hasn’t been at the shelter for very long, and I suspect that he will get adopted very soon! He is an affectionate little bundle of energy.

Tino's cute face

Tino was thrilled to be able to stretch his legs and ran around happily once he was off-leash. I sat down on the bench while he worked off his energy, and he eventually came over and hopped up onto the bench next to me. He put his front paws in my lap and gave my nose a few loving doggy kisses.

Tino romping

I ran around with him a little bit more and then we both returned to the bench, where Tino again crawled into my lap. He is such a lovable and loving dog! If you’re looking for an older dog who still wants to play, but is also the perfect lapdog, Tino is definitely one to visit.

Tino in my lap

Orphans of the Storm® Dogs Who Found Their Forever Homes, Part III

Here is another happy story about THREE lucky dogs who found their home with Joanna and her family. Thank you for sharing your story and pictures, Joanna!

Q: Why Orphans of the Storm®?
A: Although I was only five when we adopted our first dog from Orphans of the Storm®, I believe that my dad just drove past it, and decided we would rescue from there. It was pure luck!

Q: How did you hear about Orphans of the Storm®?
A: Again, we drove past it. We had previously decided (and by we, I mean my dad; five-year-old kids don’t get much say in anything) that our family would rescue. Part of the reason I think he so desperately wanted to rescue was because he didn’t  want to have to deal with puppies. That, however, has never been confirmed.

Q: What made you want to adopt from a shelter?
A: We continued adopting from Orphans because of many reasons. Firstly, we liked that it was a no-kill shelter. Everyone at Orphans gets a chance, even if they are sometimes rough around the edges. Secondly, our first dog, Dino, was a gem. That being said, my family has a motto, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This applies to everything be it a haircut, a sink, or a dog. The first dog we had was wonderful, so we came to the conclusion that Orphans was the epicenter of great dogs.

Q: Was your first adopted dog your first pet dog?
A: Yes, that was Dino. Although he passed when I was in 7th grade. He was our genius dog. At our home we had a big backyard with a latch gate to get to the front yard and, in Dino’s eyes, to freedom. I guess Dino had seen us open the latch enough times that he was able to learn how to open it himself. One day, he opened it and then opened the gate to our next door neighbor’s yard who had a poodle that was fresh from the groomers. Dino and his friend went for a joy ride around the neighborhood, and when the police finally caught them, Dino’s poor friend was drenched in slobber and dirt. Needless to say, after that we knew we had a special dog.

Dino

Q: Did you have a specific age/breed/size/other trait in mind when you first came to the shelter?
A: With our first dog my mom told my dad, my sister, and me to get a small dog. Of course, she did not realize my sister, my dad, and I love big dogs, so we purchased a 1-year-old black lab, who was not fully grown, but had massive paws. When Dino passed we wanted another big dog, which led us to Max (formally known as Borchek); we call him our house cat. He is a big snuggle bug. Then my mom finally got fed up with all the big dogs, went with us to Orphans, and got Bella (formally known as Tulip), who is a little Papillon mix. Max and Bella ended up being like peanut butter and jelly. When they go to the off-leash park, Max runs around and Bella is right behind him.

Max and Bella

Q: How many dogs did you visit with in one of the off-leash runs before you decided on each of your dogs?
A: I don’t remember what happened with Dino, but with Max we took out a Boxer mix before him. The boxer, although a lovable dog, almost ripped my dad’s arm out. Max was much calmer and I fell in love with him. Bella was a different story. My mom immediately fell in love with her. My dad and I were skeptical. When she was in her cage, she was loud and had that high-pitched yap that small dogs have. However, my mom saw a diamond in the rough, and she was right. Bella is a gem to behold.

Bella

Q: What about your dogs sealed your decision to adopt them?
A: Finding the right dog is like finding the right college. All the colleges you visit seem nice and look like a great place to learn, but when you find the right college you just know. Although you can’t put your finger on it, your eyes lock with the dog’s eyes and somehow you are able to just gain an understanding of each other. The fat lady sings and it’s over. Love at first sight.

Q: How did your dogs respond to transitioning from shelter life to home life?
A: Max had the roughest transition. He was a bit crazy. For a long time we thought that he couldn’t sit because he would always trot around the house. He would only stop to eat and sleep. Bella transitioned seamlessly. She is a little a diva. When we tried to feed her regular dog food she scoffed at us and trotted off. From then on, my mom was forced to cook her meals. Consequently, Max is enjoying his home-cooked meals as well. Their favorite meal is chicken and barley.

Orphans of the Storm® Dogs Enjoy the Snow

Hurray for finally being able to return to the shelter! There’s still some snow on the ground, but it was a warm enough day that I didn’t even need gloves to play with the pooches outside.

Before I introduce you to this week’s dogs, I wanted to let you know that the pooches will be out and about again this Saturday, January 28th. You can find adorable adoptables at both Petsmart (291 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook) and Wags on Willow (840 Willow Rd., Northbrook) from 11am-2pm. Stop by and say hi to some wonderful dogs looking for a wonderful home!

Up first today was Tino, a 6-year-old Chihuahua mix. Tino ran up to me and put his little front paws on my legs (they didn’t even reach my knees) to say hello with his tail wagging. We took a walk around the property and Tino liked walking in the snow, even when it was deeper than he is tall.

Tino being curious

He is an affectionate little guy. When I got down on his level, Tino put his paws in my lap and licked my nose happily. He’s also very curious–he likes to sniff everything. Even so, he walked well on the leash.

Tino in the snow

I brought him into the front office so we could both warm up a little bit, and when I sat down on the bench he put his front paws on the bench next to me and buried his cute little face against my leg. I scratched his neck and back for a little bit, and he seemed to love the attention.

Tino enjoying his walk

After meeting Dumbo at Petsmart last week, I knew I had to take him out to one of the runs and get to know him on my next shelter visit. So, today was that day. He is a 6-year-old Terrier mix and much too cute to not find a home. Dumbo has lots of energy and loved playing with the dog in the next run, chasing her along the fence and barking playfully.

Dumbo being adorable

After running off his energy, Dumbo hopped up onto the bench next to me for a while as I scratched his ears and back. He put his cute nose in my face a couple times so we could get better acquainted.

Dumbo, who got a little muddy

Dumbo would do well with a family that can give him the exercise he needs, and the love and attention he deserves. He’ll be happy to settle down and be a lap dog after going for a nice walk or playing in the yard. And how can you say no to that precious face?

Dumbo's precious face

Speaking of precious faces, the last dog I met today was Cappy, a 7-year-old Labrador Retriever/Chow Chow mix. One look at that face, and you’re in love. Cappy is one of the dogs who will push his body against the side of his kennel so you can give him a nice scratch as you walk by. In fact, he wanted me to pet him so badly that he wouldn’t even go outside when I opened his doggy door. I had to tell him repeatedly that I would meet him out there, and that he would enjoy being scratched much more once we didn’t have a fence between us.

Cappy looking at the camera

Cappy‘s initial burst of energy means he can be a bit strong when you first take him out on the leash, but he was much, much better on his walk back at the end of our visit. (Again: why you shouldn’t be turned off from a dog right away just because he pulls on the leash at first.)

Cappy enjoying the winter sun

While we were inside the run, Cappy walked over to where I was kneeling and leaned against me so I could continue that scratch I had started back inside. He especially likes to get his hips scratched. And his fur is so soft! He really is a very handsome dog, with those light brown eyes and a round face.

Cappy, so handsome!

Stop by Orphans of the Storm® to see if one of these pooches is the right fit for you and your family!

Orphans of the Storm® Dogs Out and About

If the snow and cold temperature are keeping you away from the shelter this week too, don’t worry! You can visit some of the amazing adoptable dogs at several indoor locations in different suburbs. Tomorrow (Sunday, January 22) there will be dogs at Wags on Willow (840 Willow Road, on the corner of Waukegan Road and Willow Road in Northbrook) from 12pm-3pm. Check out the shelter’s Facebook page to learn about upcoming events!

Today, dogs were at Pet Supplies Plus in Highland Park and Petsmart in Northbrook. I stopped by Petsmart to say hello to some old four-legged friends and meet a new four-legged friend.

The first pooch I saw when I walked in the door was Cody, a personal favorite because of how friendly he is. I knelt down to say hello and he jumped right into my lap (or, as much of him as could fit in my lap) and gave me some doggy kisses. This poor guy has had some fortunes followed by misfortunes since I first wrote about him. A family came in and adopted him (yay!), but the dog they already had at their house wouldn’t stop picking on Cody (boo!), so they had to return him just a few days later. This is a good time for a reminder: if you have a dog or dogs already, bring them to the shelter to meet their possible new friend. We want to make sure that everyone gets along so it can be a happy home!

Cody greeting customers by the entrance

Bear and Coco were also working the crowd at Petsmart today. They are such pretty dogs, and so well behaved! Bear was happy to sit for a treat, and Coco was cool as a cucumber. Both of them like to stick out a front paw for a shake. Bear was being especially affectionate today; like Cody, he tried to climb into my lap. When that didn’t work, he tucked his head against my stomach and stood still while I scratched his neck. Coco is always a good dog to go to if you’re looking for a kiss on the back of your hand.

Bear walking around the store

Coco being a perfect pooch

Lastly, I introduced myself to Dumbo, a six-year-old Terrier mix. This guy is a real sweetie! He was the dog who could fit into my lap. I haven’t profiled too many small dogs yet, and I can see that I’ve been missing out. Dumbo has an adorable face, topped by those big ears. He loves being pet and will get nice and close to you. And look at that curly tail!

My new friend, Dumbo

You can find all these wonderful dogs, and many more, at the shelter every day of the week. Stop by to say hello, and be sure to ask to take them out into one of the off-leash runs to get to know them better!

Orphans of the Storm® Dogs Who Found Their Forever Homes, Part II

Another Friday, another snowy and frigid day! I hope to make it back to Orphans of the Storm® next week so we can all meet more pooches! Until then, here is another interview with Keith, who adopted Max A Pooch from the shelter. I wrote about Keith and Max A Pooch in an earlier post, but here are more details about the great story of these two best friends!

Q: Why Orphans of the Storm®?
A: One day wife Helen and granddaughter Zoe went to Orphans of the Storm® to adopt a cat for Zoe. Besides dogs, Orphans has many incredible cats. If you can’t find a tabby or two or three or four at Orphans, you will never find a cat anywhere. While Helen and Zoe were looking at all the cats I decided to take a look at the dogs. I saw this poor dejected and scared  black Lab.  Helen and I had been talking about getting a dog. So I walked back to where she and Zoe were with the cats and said, “You should see that dog in kennel 25.” She took one look at him and we had ourselves a new companion.

Q: How did you hear about Orphans of the Storm®?
A: I live in Deerfield. Orphans has such a presence in the area that I don’t remember when I wasn’t aware of them.

Q: Was Max your first pet dog?
A: No, my first pet dog was a small beagle named Mitsy when I was around seven or eight. Mitsy was an amazing dog. One summer we went on vacation and a friend of my parents watched her. When we came home from vacation we learned Mitsy had slipped out an open door and was lost. I was dejected. She was twenty-five miles from home. Over a month later I looked out my bedroom window one morning, and there was Mitsy on the our front lawn. How she ever found her way home is a miracle. Since then I have had mutts, beagles, bassets, and poodles, and now Max.

And here is Max’s full story, written by Keith:

Hi,

I am Keith, the sidekick of Max A Pooch. Max is a proud alum of Orphans. He turned five the day after Christmas. We adopted Max when he was four months.

Max was relinquished by his owners to Waukegan Animal control and Orphans recycled (rescued) him. He was a high-energy project when we first met. We think he spent most of his first months in a basement. Why? When we brought Max home, he was terrified of going to the basement. He knew absolutely no commands and all he wanted to do was run, run, run, run, run. But he soon showed us what a smart boy he is. That’s him below, don’t you think he looks so wise?

Max A Pooch

Now Max is known far and wide as the recycled Lab who finds and recycles Litter. To see exactly what that means just take a look at this 14 second video . Max proves picking up litter and putting it in its place is so easy even A Pooch can do it.

He says, “You’d be surprised how many humans can’t seem to learn this simple trick.”

Max believes that in addition to not littering you should pick up litter when you have a chance. Litter is unsightly, it pollutes our waterways, and it can kill, maim, or harm wildlife and pets.

Animal Planet’s David Mizejewiski wrote this about Max: “I couldn’t resist one more dog-related story because this is so awesome. Check out the video about a “recycled” black lab that is now on a mission to recycle trash. I think this is such a clever and useful way to channel the lab’s innate retrieving instinct for the greater good.”

He  loves to appear with me in front of audiences and demonstrate not only can he pick up and deposit litter, but he can seek it out. He also can show humans where to deposit litter and trash.

Max A Pooch recycling

Max A Pooch first appeared at the Orphans of the Storm® Pooch Parade last summer. Even though it rained hard, he still put on a demonstration and even got his picture on the front page of the Deerfield Review.

We have appeared on radio and TV. Max A Pooch was featured by Lake County as part of their Lake County Green Initiative, as well as on AOL Patch, the Huff Post website, and many more places.

Max A Pooch is just one example of the incredible dogs and cats that are saved by Orphans of the Storm each year and adopted by people like me.

We think that people who abandon pets and those who litter have much in common. Both types of people leave their messes and problems behind for the rest of us to take care of. The result is American spends $52 billion dollars a year cleaning up litter and euthanizes more than 4,000,000 cats and dogs annually.

Max could have been a pooch that was put down along with millons of other pooches. Thanks to Orphans, he is Max A Pooch, the canine with a mission and a message. Learn all about Max A Pooch at his website, or go to his pressroom page.

Orphans of the Storm® Dogs (and Cat!) Who Found Their Forever Homes, Part I

So much for that beautiful spring-like weather from last week! Due to the new snow and below-freezing temperatures, I wasn’t able to visit the pooches this week. However, thank you!!! to the volunteers who have shared their wonderful adoption stories with me. Below is my interview with Rebecca, who has adopted both a dog and a cat from Orphans of the Storm®.

Q: Why Orphans of the Storm®?
A: My husband and I went to Orphans of the Storm® because they are a no-kill shelter that seems to take very good care of the animals. Also, they are very nice and accommodating to the people who come in to look for a new pet. We have been to other local shelters where the staff was a bit rude, but the people at Orphans are always helpful and friendly. Another factor was the cost. The adoption fee at Orphans is very reasonable.

Q: How did you hear about Orphans of the Storm®?
A: We first found Orphans of the Storm® via an online search when we were looking for our cat, Mr. Cheezle.

Mr. Cheezle

Q: What made you want to adopt from a shelter?
A: We have a personal policy of never going to pet stores for our pets. You hear too many horror stories about the puppy mills, etc. Also, we wanted to get adult animals so we know their personality, and because everyone always seems to want the puppies and kittens, but the adults need homes, too! We also believe there are too many great dogs and cats waiting for homes in shelters for us to ever consider buying from a breeder.

Q: Was this your first pet dog and/or cat?
A: Mr. Cheezle is our second cat, and Chloe is our second dog. Our first cat passed away about a year before we adopted Mr. Cheezle. He had congestive heart failure and was 8 years old. Our first dog passed away from Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia very suddenly. He was 9 and passed a few weeks before we got Chloe.

Q: Did you have a specific breed/age/size/other trait in mind when you first came to the shelter?
A: We actually came in looking for a small dog (Chihuahua or similar) who was good with other dogs, kids, and was an adult. We wound up with Chloe, who is a 48-pound Border Collie Mix! We just fell in love with her friendly and snuggly personality. When looking for Mr. Cheezle, we were looking for a large, friendly adult cat, which is exactly what we got.

Q: How many dogs did you visit with in one of the off-leash runs before you decided on Chloe?
A: We walked 2 other dogs before we decided on Chloe.

Chloe

Q: What about Chloe sealed your decision to adopt her? And what about Mr. Cheezle made you decide to adopt him?
A: We actually didn’t notice Chloe in the kennels, but when we asked the Orphans staff for help and described what we were looking for they said we should take her out. We fell in love with her right away. She was very friendly, adorable, walked well on the leash, and my husband just looked at me and we said “this is the one.” When we were looking for our cat, we wandered the cat room for a while and pet the many cats. We felt a bit lost, and there was a great volunteer working that day who guided us to several cats. (I’m so sorry I don’t remember his name.) As soon as I picked up Mr. Cheezle (then known as Big Kitty), he started to purr and knead his paws. I knew right away that he was my new snuggle buddy!

Q: How did your dog and cat transition from shelter life to home life?
A: Chloe made the transition very well. She had a couple of accidents, as she was not potty trained, but after a few days she got it figured out! She was very happy from the start, even rolling over for a tummy rub the first day despite having just been spayed. She has done very well with other dogs who come by to visit and kids that stop by from time to time. She loves them all. We’ve even taken her on vacation! I was a little worried, because she had been in a shelter for a good portion of her 2 years, but she did just fine. You’d never know she came from a shelter in Tennessee and sat at Orphans for 4 months waiting for a home! Mr. Cheezle also adapted very well. He hid for a few hours, as cats typically do, but by that night he was out on the couch getting some love and watching TV with us. He’s been my inseparable companion ever since. Mr. Cheezle had been in a home and was surrendered with 7 other cats, so he adjusted very well.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: We are eternally grateful to Orphans of the Storm® for caring for all of the animals who need homes, and for having such a great and helpful staff. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you go to look for a new friend, but if you ask the staff/volunteers, they seem to always know the perfect one for you. I’m so glad we have our Chloe and Mr. Cheezle. Life just wouldn’t be the same without our furbabies!

Thank you again, Rebecca!

There are more great adoption success stories that will be posted soon! If you would like to share your story, please email meetthepooches@gmail.com.

Call for Interviewees!

It’s clear from the Orphans of the Storm® Facebook page that lucky dogs are being adopted from the shelter every week. If you are one of those adopters (recent, or from years ago) and would like to share your adoption success story, I’d love to hear from you! Please email meetthepooches@gmail.com if you are interested in being interviewed about your adoption experience and your four-legged friend(s).

Sample questions include:

• Why Orphans of the Storm®?
• Did you come to the shelter looking for a specific breed/age/size/other trait?
• What made you pick your specific pooch?

The interview will be conducted via email. Please feel free to write as long of a response as you wish. Bragging about how wonderful your dog is is totally allowed. If you would like to attach a picture of your pooch to be included in the blog post, that would be great too!

And don’t worry–if you don’t want your name on the blog, I’m happy to interview “Spot’s Mommy” or “Pluto’s Dad.”

Thanks so much! I look forward to hearing from you!