Glorious gal pals
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 7:35PM 
Lovely LorettaAs a volunteer at the Oregon Humane Society, I mainly work as a "Pet Pal." All of us pals commit to one or more dogs for the duration of their stay at OHS - usually dogs who arrive with behavioral issues that compromise their ability to find new homes (in many cases, these are the issues that prompted their former owners to give them up). Our focus is on training, with an eye toward adoptability, but that training can take many forms depending on the specific needs of the dog. (Or cat - OHS has cat pals as well!)
My two current pals, Loretta and Selkye, could hardly have been more different when I first met them in January. Loretta is a typically exuberant American Staffordshire Terrier mix, a sweet-natured girl with all kinds of good intentions but a few deficits in self-control. She's lived outside on a chain for most of her life, so her appetite for companionship hasn't been tempered by many social graces, though she already had a nice sit on cue when she came to the shelter. She loves food, touch, and play enough that they easily overexcite her; most of our work together has been oriented toward increasing her tolerance for frustration, rewarding patience and self-control with the treats, rubs, and games she craves. I love to see her hold her sit as I unlatch and open the kennel door that she would have tried to barrel through just a few weeks ago, or to see her make the choice not to bounce toward my face when I lean down to give her chest a scratch.
Silly SelkyeSelkye was at the opposite end of the exuberance spectrum when we first became acquainted: hiding much of the time at the back of her kennel with her tail tucked as far underneath her as it would go. I counted it a major victory at my first session with her when she let me rub her shoulders and chest after I'd spent about a half hour making myself small on the floor of her kennel and encouraging every voluntary approach with Hansel & Gretel trails of treats (which I guess made me the witch in the gingerbread house). She's made quite a turnaround in the weeks since, though I can only take a small fraction of the credit, as she's become a favorite among volunteers and staff alike. I'm sure her popularity is boosted by her eerie beauty - her name suits her perfectly, as she strongly resembles the shape shifting selkies of Scottish and Irish mythology. But it turns out that when this Selkye sheds her shyness, she becomes an enchantingly silly and affectionate pup. She'll toss her own tennis ball and bound goofily after it, then nuzzle my knees while I scratch beneath her ears. Men still make her nervous, but she gets braver by the day.
The fact that these two have grown so much closer (toward a happy middle ground) in their attitude and behavior is testament to the power of the canine mind to develop positive new habits when presented with positive new consequences. It's also testament to their (and our) good fortune in our local shelter. As chaotic and stressful as any shelter environment inevitably is for the resident animals, everyone at OHS goes to remarkable lengths to try to ensure that the long-timers become more rather than less comfortable during their stay there. That said, the sooner these sweet girls find homes, the sooner they'll be a daily joy to some lucky human(s)!
Tuesday, March 20 update: Loretta was adopted Saturday and Selkye yesterday! I don't doubt that they'll plant themselves as firmly in their new families' hearts as they have in all of ours. You go, girls!
Reader Comments (2)
I really enjoyed this blog, I will definitely come back here to read. I like to hear about these dogs and the things they get up to. You are obviously a very experienced trainer, and that is fantastic for the dogs in your care. I would like to volunteer at my local animal sanctury but a) I am not entirely sure I could cope if I saw too much animal cruelty cases coming in and b) I don't have much free time. Your blog is making me rethink this though. Thanks very much. Ruth.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Ruth - I'm really glad that you've enjoyed what you've read so far. I absolutely understand your misgivings about volunteering - it can be very difficult to see the evidence of neglect and abuse that some shelter and sanctuary animals have suffered. By the same token, however, it's intensely rewarding to help them recover from maltreatment and to find new, loving homes! I'd encourage you to talk with your local sanctuary and be quite open about your fears - you should get a good idea from that conversation whether it could be a good fit for you as a volunteer. Like people, dogs can be remarkably resilient, and there's nothing like seeing a new spark of hopeful interest light the eyes of a dog who's been starved for nurturing attention.
All best,
Gretchen