Meet Joser!

Do you like to play games? Go for hikes? Chase balls? Hey! Me too! You can come meet me at the main shelter if you're looking for some life for your party! I'm a 1 year old female pitbull mix who is already spayed, microchipped, and current on all my shots. My owners said I was partially housebroken too. You can't find a better deal than me! My $170 adoption fee also includes the basic cost of my next year's rabies (due in 2011) and mandatory training classes. Even better, I'm a GEM dog- you can see my blog at http://shelterdogtails.blogspot.com/ if you want to keep tabs on my training progress. I am learning to behave better in my kennel and control myself (apparently it doesn't look good when I jump several feet in the air or try to do flips). I really, really like other dogs, but I'm so excited to play with them that I can be kind of rude sometimes. However, if they bark at me, I will bark back- I have to prove I have the bigger voice. Because I'm so bouncy and on the go, the staff is recommending I go to a home with kids 12 years and up.



Joser is a wonderful dog, but she makes a bad first impression. She gets easily overstimulated in her kennel and will bark and leap into the air when people (sometimes) and dogs (especially) walk past her kennel. She gives the appearance of being aggressive when really she is just so overstimulated she has trouble controlling her excitement.

Joser's been working on keeping eye contact with her trainer, and she's now able to stare into her eyes for a full ten seconds when no one is walking about the kennel. Hopefully this will transfer to potential adopters, and maybe her soulful gaze will cause someone to want to give her a chance. We've also been working with having people walk and run past the kennel and take dogs past. Here's her view of today:



Today I've been a very good girl. My trainer took out another dog and he ran past my kennel and I kind of lost it. But then I remembered and I stopped doing flips. My trainer gave me a handful of treats and I got to sniff the other dog through the fence. He was pretty big! I just need a reminder to keep my feet grounded, and I'll be okay!

Hi, it’s Chase again. I had soooooooo much fun this weekend. I went to the Grand Pet Excursion (pledged dog walk for the Dubuque Regional Humane Society at Murphy Park on Saturday, May 15) with my foster person and her two labs. We did the walk and I was very good. When we got back to the park I got to spend a few hours with the volunteers hanging out in the adoptable dogs tent. I was very friendly to all the people I met. I was also good with the dogs that were there. Everyone said how pretty and sweet I am. So come on….someone should adopt me cause I really want a home of my own and I’m so sweet.

When we got back to the foster person’s house we all spent the rest of the day sleeping. Boy, being petted all day really wears a girl out.

If you are interested in adopting Chase, please contact the Dubuque Regional Humane Society at 563-582-6766 or email info@dbqhumane.org.

Chasing Her Dreams in Fostercare!

Hi, my name is Chase. I am a very cute Coonhound mix. I’m a nice size dog, not too big and not too small. I’ve been staying with my foster people for the last 3 weeks and they’ve found out a lot of things about me.

My foster family has 3 dogs of their own, 2 big Labradors and a feisty little terrier mix. I really like the other dogs and I play nicely with them. I haven’t growled at them even once. The labs like to play fetch and I try to play along. I don’t completely get the game though and when I get the ball I like to just run around with it and show off. I haven’t had a single housebreaking accident in the house. The people say that is really good. They have a dog door so I can just go outside when I need to. I really like to go outside and sit in the yard when it’s warm but I sure like to come back in and lay on my bed when it’s cold. I really think I want to be an inside dog since I get cold kind of easily.

I learned not to put my paws on the counter or the table to take things. The people say that’s bad manners. Right now I stay in a kennel in the living room when the people are gone which helps keep me out of trouble. I’m a very smart dog and I get a little more freedom in the house each day as I prove I can be trusted not to get in too much trouble. I’m very sweet and I really like to have my belly rubbed. But I’m not pushy. Once I get my petting then I’m happy to lay down on my bed and rest. I like to go for walks and I’ve learned to walk politely and not pull on the leash. I’m also learning the commands “here”, “wait”, and “sit”. I’m doing really well.

If you are looking for a sweet, intelligent, and loving dog you should meet me. We just might be perfect for each other.

Tater, Day 2

I only worked with Tater once today, but he is learning heel very nicely. He is a quick dog, and is hardly pulling at all, although he's not neccessarily in the heel position all the time. He can sit, and he'll wait while I go out to the end of the leash or do a circle around him, most of the time. We're working on waiting at doors, but I think he'll have that soon. As I work with him, I realize that he gets nervous pretty easily. That I think is what triggers his issues, so I definately want to work with him on boosting his confidence.

Meet Tater!

Hi! I'm Tater, and I'm a Jack Russel Terrier mix, and I sure am excited to meet you!!! I was found all alone in Worthington and some kind gentleman brought me in from his farm because when cats run I like to chase them! After all, I think it's fun to chase things! Can you blame me? I'm a fun-loving guy who needs a fun-lovign home. I'm cute, too! Just look at my mugshot! I'm only two years old, and I'm neutered, microchipped, and current on all of my shots. I've been at the shelter since October.

So here's the deal with me. You see, I'm a little uncertain in new situations and around new people. When I get scared, I sometimes nip at clothing, but I'm careful not to bite. I just don't know how else to express my nervousness. I get stressed out at the Mall center with everyone looking at me all day, and I get stressed in the kennel too. That's where training comes in.

I'm now in training, learning heel, sit, and down. I'm going to learn confidence and other ways to manage myself when I get stressed. I could go to a home with older kids, and with cats that are dog-savvy (if they run, I'll chase them!). I'm a little picky about who I hang out with as far as dogs go, so if you have a dog already, bring them out to meet me. Maybe we can be buds!

I'm really looking hard for a home. All this stress is just not good for me, and I will do better in a home environment. My foster family, who took care of me when I was sick, said I'm a great family dog. I loved all the kids and picked one especially to shadow and be a little protector for him. I didn't bark much, and I behaved myself very well. I need help finishing my housebreaking, but I'm a smart dog and willing to learn. I'd even be a good jogging partner, if only given the chance! Take a look at me if you think we could be BFF's, or otherwise keep an eye here on my blog to watch my progress!!

Ready for a Home

Two-eyes is doing wonderfully! In the morning, he did 30 minutes in his kennel with no problems, and then in the afternoon he did an hour! He was so comfortable that he just laid down and napped. He is getting the hang of his Kong, and having blankets and the Kong in his kennel I think is a big part of his success.

He's ready for a home, now- I can't really do much more here at the shelter. It's hard to work with seperation anxiety in a shelter environment. After all, while I am the one Two-eyes has bonded with the most, I am still seperated from him a majority of the time- we're only interacting part of the time I'm working with him. In a home environment, it'll be much different and he'll have a chance to bond much more tightly to his owner. However, getting him used to the kennel, getting him to like the kennel, and getting him used to the idea that it's no big deal to be left alone in a kennel, is a huge step in the right direction for Two-eyes.

What I would recommend for an adopter for Two-eyes would be to take him home and hang out with him for 15 minutes or so. Then, put him in a kennel with a bunch of comfy blankets and a Kong full of food or treats (loosely stuffed). Leave him there for 30 minutes, and then when you take him out, ignore him for 10 minutes or so until he settles down. After a little while, if he did well, put him in the kennel as before for 1 hour. If he was nervous, go for 15 minutes. Give him lots of praise in the kennel and toys and food to reinforce the idea in his head that the kennel is fun. If you can trick him into thinking that the kennel is fun and out of the kennel is more boring, you are on the right track!

In this way, I think an adoptive family should be able to work up to a couple hours seperation the first day, and then successively I'd think he could do 8 hours easily by the end of the week. The key is to never let him out or give him any reinforcement if he whines in his kennel, and never leave him confined for longer than he's able to stand. It often helps for many seperation anxiety ridden dogs to have their family ignore them for a little while when returning from a seperation- that way the seperation isn't so much of a big deal.

The ideal family for Two-eyes would likely be a family willing to deal with seperation anxiety (of course) with either a stay-at-home parent or someone with a flexible schedule who won't have to work an 8 hour day right away without a chance to come home in the middle and let Two-eyes out to relax.

If you're interested in Two-eyes, please call the shelter at 563-582-6766 and talk to Mel or Pete if you have questions about seperation anxiety. We'd love to help you out! In the meantime, Two-eyes will be beginning to learn new commands to help his adoptability. He's smart, and already knows "Kennel" and he won't come out of the kennel until he hears "Let's Go!" to invite him out. He learns quickly and is eager to please, especially if it means playtime or rubs!!

Hot Diggity Dog!

I love my kennel! It's so nice and comfy, much better than the kennel out with the other dogs. It has blankets, and I get food in there, and lately the nice person who takes me out has been putting a red rubber toy in the kennel too. I don't know what it's for, but it has food stuffed in it. It seems strange to stuff food inside rubber rather than just putting it on the ground where I can eat it easier, but people are strange.

I'm much more confident being left alone. We played the alone game again today. I went into my kennel and laid down right away, but kept a close eye on the person. There was no free food today- it was all stuffed in the red rubber toy with peanut butter. Yummy sticky peanut butter! I made sure the person was sticking around for a little while, and when she did, I licked the peanut butter off a little. I haven't quite gotten the hang of the toy- I think the person wants me to eat more from the toy than I do. After a couple minutes, the person went away for a little while- about 4 minutes. There were other people around, milling in and out of the room. I was quiet and just hung out, eating the hotdogs that rain from the sky just before my person leaves. She came back in, and then left me alone for another 3 minutes, with people still in and out of the room. I was okay with that. I know that nothing will hurt me, and I'm getting less anxious. It helps that I like my kennel so much.

The next seperation was a whopping 9 minutes. I think my person was afraid I'd be scared, but I was okay with it. I whined once or twice while she was gone, but nothing happened. I curled up and moved my blankets around so I was extra comfy. Then she was in and out, in and out of the room for 10 minutes. I got the hang of this pretty well! Maybe I will find a home of my own soon. She was playing with me, and she left for just 2 minutes before returning. Big deal- I can handle that!

The next bit really made her excited, I think. I was left alone for 17 minutes with the door closed and everything! I was fine- I just relaxed, enjoying being away from the noise of the kennel. It was nice- calm and quiet. That means in about 53 minutes in the crate, I was left alone for a total of 45 minutes! And that also means that my new record alone time is 17 minutes! My person says that means 30 minutes isn't too far away. I know the longer I can go all by myself without being nervous, the better chances I have of going home for good. I really really want a home for good!