Orphans of the Storm® Dogs in the First Snow of the Season

Chicago got its first (big!) snow of the season. Some of the furrier dogs at Orphans of the Storm® were ready to play in it, while others took it as a perfect opportunity to spend more time snuggling.

Tobi the nine-month-old Border Collie mix was definitely interested in playing in the snow. I’m sure Tobi would be interested in playing in any type of weather, actually, and he does a great job of entertaining himself if he doesn’t have someone to play with him. Tobi is an expert at one-dog fetch and spent most of our time in the run chasing after a tennis ball.

Tobi’s snow-covered face

Still pictures didn’t do the best job of capturing his exuberance, so check out the video!

Tobi‘s little quirk is that he loves to chase cars. Whenever a car would drive past the road near the off-leash run, Tobi would go speeding along the fence. Then one would come from the other direction, and Tobi would come sprinting back. He didn’t seem particularly interested in cars when we were walking on the leash, though, which is probably a good thing! Tobi would do best in an active home that can keep him busy, both because he’s still a puppy and because his breed is known for wanting to have a job to do. If you think Tobi would be a good fit in your home, stop by soon to meet him!

Tobi is always on the move

Trickey the one-year-old Mountain Cur mix is a sweetie. He walks very nicely on the leash, which is important in the icy conditions you can encounter during Chicago winters. Trickey didn’t seem interested in playing with a tennis ball; he was more interested in following his nose, even if it got covered in snow in the process!

Trickey doesn’t mind the cold

Trickey was happy to stand by my side and get a good scratch on the back. He is a super cute pooch, with a short tail and ears that can perk straight up. Trickey is currently sharing a kennel with Zola, and seemed pretty nice when saying hello to the dog on the other side of the fence in the run, so he could go to a home with or without another pooch. On your next visit to the shelter, say hi to Trickey!

Trickey is good at giving side-eye

Elvis the two-year-old Miniature Poodle mix wasn’t too sure about coming out in the cold at first. Once I let him off the leash in the run, though, he jumped right into the snow and romped around happily. Elvis is currently sharing his kennel with another small dog, and he was also very friendly through the fence with two big dogs in the run next to us, so Elvis could go to a home with or without another pooch.

Elvis is a little snowball himself

Elvis is definitely a cuddler. Whenever I knelt down to take his picture, he would hurry over, put his front paws in my lap, and give me some doggy kisses. He was also fine with being picked up and carried. This is a happy-go-lucky guy who seems to get along with pretty much everybody. If you’re looking to add a lapdog to your family, be sure to come in and meet Elvis!

Elvis says, “Here comes a kiss!”

Lucy Ricardo the one-year-old Heeler mix is so precious. When I went to her kennel to take her out, she was sort of cowering in the corner, but when I got down to her level she crawled over with her tail wagging and put her head in my lap. I was immediately in love! Lucy Ricardo is very submissive and will roll over when she encounters anyone new, including other dogs, but as she gets more comfortable she stays upright and wags her tail.

Lucy Ricardo about to roll over for the other dog

Lucy Ricardo is big on snuggling. She will melt in your arms, or your lap, or wherever is available. She also enjoys belly rubs and wriggled around in the snow for a bit. And Lucy Ricardo will give you plenty of doggy kisses if you give her the chance! She may not be as outgoing as her namesake at the moment, but once she gets into a stable and loving home, that will help her come out of her shell even more and become a wonderful companion. Come in soon to meet Lucy Ricardo!

Lucy Ricardo is just too sweet

Wilson the seven-year-old Australian Shepherd mix is such a handsome boy. He arrived at the shelter with his brother, who has already been adopted, and now Wilson is hoping that it will be his turn soon! Wilson was a little high-strung when he first arrived, but he has mellowed out considerably and gets along with people and other dogs alike.

Wilson has such soft and pretty fur

Wilson walks nicely on the leash but was happy to spend some time freely exploring the off-leash run. He would disappear behind the bushes and then reappear with his fur all snowy. Wilson was a little shy at first but warmed up after a few minutes. He may be middle-aged, but he has plenty of love and companionship to offer his new family. Visit the shelter soon to spend time with Wilson!

Wilson in the snow

I also saw Blush (who loves the snow and had a great time walking through the winter wonderland that is the woodland preserve trail), Donna, John Boy, Showtime, Skippy, and Zoey.

Orphans of the Storm® Dogs Enjoy a Nice Fall Day

It was a beautiful fall day at Orphans of the Storm®, and there were plenty of people coming in to meet their future family member! Several happy adoptions took place while I was there, including one of the dogs I was planning on writing about this week. There are still plenty more ready to find their forever homes!

Lexi the six-month-old Treeing Walker Coonhound mix (not to be confused with the other Lexi) is a real sweetheart. She was found as a stray, but she seems to have pretty good manners–especially for a pooch that’s still in puppy phase. She politely waited to have the leash put on before leaving her kennel and didn’t pull too much when we were on our walk.

Lexi has a lovable face

Lexi liked being free to roam around the off-leash run and would sometimes disappear behind the bushes, but I could always hear her snuffling around. She said hello to the dogs on the other side of the fence but wasn’t overly interested. When she finished her exploring, she came back to me and enjoyed a good scratch on the back and behind her floppy ears. She even ended up giving me a few doggy kisses. Say hello to Lexi on your next visit to the shelter!

Lexi following her Hound nose

Oliver the two-year-old Chihuahua mix is so adorably tiny. But inside that small body is a big personality! Oliver was happy to take the lead on our walk and made sure we covered plenty of ground before we went into the off-leash run. For the first few minutes, Oliver kept to himself and scurried around. But once I sat down on the ground, Oliver immediately went into lapdog mode.

Oliver was a little wind-blown

Oliver hopped right into my lap and wiggled around a bit to make himself comfortable. Once he found the perfect spot, he stayed there and didn’t budge. Even when it was time for us to let another dog use the off-leash run, Oliver didn’t want to get off my lap, so I just picked him up and carried him. He’s an affectionate guy who isn’t shy about giving doggy kisses and cuddling. If you’re looking for a lapdog with lots of spirit, come in soon to meet Oliver!

Pictures don’t do Oliver’s cuteness justice

Hunter the two-year-old Treeing Walker Coonhound mix is an outgoing girl. Actually, “boisterous” might be a good way to describe her. Hunter wants to be everywhere at once, always has her tail wagging, and has quite a voice. Hunter is definitely a people-dog in that she wants to say hello to everybody and will gladly offer doggy hugs. She was fine hanging out in the off-leash run, but like Old Red last week, I could tell she wanted to run on the trail.

Hunter giving me a doggy hug

And run we did! Hunter was thrilled to be in the forest and could barely contain her excitement. She made sure to tell everyone how happy she was to be out and about by doing the signature Hound howl all the way around the trail. Her exuberance caused many people to smile as we ran past. Hunter would do best in an active home with people who like to go for walks or runs. If you think that might be you, come in soon to say hi to Hunter!

Hunter and her ears flying

I also saw Bear, Blush, Courage, Donna, Gypsy, Kanne and Osito, Precious, Skippy, and Willow.

Orphans of the Storm® Cats and Dog Looking for a Home

I ended up picking the only rainy day to visit Orphans of the Storm®, so I only have one new pooch to write about this week. But that also means I got to spend some time drying off and warming up with the cats in the cat room! Nothing is quite as cozy as having two (or more) cats in your lap simultaneously.

Old Red has such a sweet face

Old Red the six-year-old Redbone Coonhound mix didn’t mind the rain at all. Old Red’s personality couldn’t be any more Hound-like. He loves being outside and he loves following his nose. When we were in the off-leash run, he kept putting his paws up on the side of the fence and stretching his neck as much as he could so he could smell even more in the air above him and beyond the fence. He started doing a signature Hound howl to let me know that he didn’t want to be confined by the fence anymore, so I listened and we headed to the walking trail.

Old Red says, “I want to see what’s on the other side!”

Old Red is really in his element when he’s in the woods, and it’s clear that his breed is meant to be there. We literally ran the entire trail (which tells you how contagious Old Red’s enthusiasm is, because I don’t run for anything or anybody!), and Old Red would have been happy to run another lap but I needed a break. We only stopped once during our run for Old Red to sniff around the base of the tree before we were off again. Old Red is a sweet boy who gets along with kids and would love to be part of an active household. If you think that might be yours, come in soon to meet Old Red!

Old Red wanted even more water in addition to the rain

And even though it was rainy, I of course had to take my best buddy Blush for our weekly walk around the trail. She didn’t mind the rain either 🙂

Then it was time to head inside and say hello to the cats. My camera also needed a chance to dry off, so apologies for the first few pictures being blurry!

So many cute cats to choose from!