Shelter pups

Tonight I had the pleasure of volunteering at the shelter. I really enjoy the time I spend there and as soon as I win the lotto I'll be spending TONS of time there. But for now I have to settle for the opportunities I do have.

Usually I will ask a couple of my friends, Jan (Zorro's new Momma) and Kathy (who was critical to his rescue) who they think could use some TTouch. Tonight I worked from Kathy's suggestions and one dog I wanted to redo his picture.

I started off the night with Argo. Argo's intake picture has a nasty looking prong collar and until a volunteer has a chance to redo pictures the dogs go on to the Available page with their initial intake picture. Not good. Thankfully more and more volunteers are seeing the benefit of a good picture and are helping me out quite a bit!

Argo is a handsome boy. I forgot to bring treats with me and he was rather shy of me at first. It seemed he wanted to stay just outside my reach. But when the opportunity allowed I'd do 1 or 2 touches as he walked by. It wasn't much more than 5 minutes before he came and sat next to me so I could do touches all over. Next thing you knew his head was in my lap and he allowed touches on his head, face, muzzle and gums! TTouch is a powerful tool for building trust.

Next I worked with Zada who has been at the shelter for some time but I've never worked with her. Have I ever been missing out!!! Zada is incredible. I just love the big Pit Bulls and Zada is about 75 pounds of solid muscle. She has a big 'ol head which is perfect for TTouchin' on.


I sat on my sheet and Zada backed her body right up to me and allowed touches everywhere. There was never a question if she would like something. Her body language said she was loving every touch or stroke. A few minutes into our session she turned that extra large head toward me and licked me from my chin to the top of my head, knocking my glasses off. One of the other volunteers commented she looked like she was going to pass out toward the end of our time together.


Now, before you start thinking Zada is a lover girl with no brains let me tell you she is attending classes at the shelter to earn her CGC and rumor has it she will be testing soon.


Someone is going to be extra lucky to get this beautiful girl with brains and manners!

Next came Sophie. I've both worked with and written about this sweetheart. Sophie is very receptive to touches also but is terribly camera shy. As soon as I lift the camera she is outta there!






Sophie is starting to get her waist back after having a litter of puppies and really putting on the pounds. One thing that may never change is her "underside". Poor Sophie's girlish figure may never return. Yet another good reason to spay & neuter your pets.









Lastly I saw Andre. Okay, talk about another love bug! Andre is taking the same CGC classes Zada is in. Andre loved touches all over too. He was good with me working on his feet, head, face and mouth.

Turns out Andre is a little vocal around other dogs. He gets excited and just has to tell them his life story. I saw this first hand when he spotted dogs several hundred feet away. He got all excited and started to bark and cry.

I've been talking with folks about Thundershirts today and I wondered if the shirt would help him settle around other dogs. Well, can't hurt and just might help. I fitted Andre in a size large and no sooner had I got it on him when someone came by with a dog. The dogs greeted each other through the fence and all was quite. Andre was a perfect gentleman! They played with a fence between them for a couple minutes and then the pretty girl puppy went on her way. It was only when she left that Andre let out a cry. This time it was quite easy to get his focus back on me.

Before you knew it my 2 hours were up and it was time for me to go home to my own pups. No matter how long I'm at the shelter it is never long enough. I always leave with a full heart, a smile on my face and a prayer in my heart that one of these lotto tickets pays off.