Dogs in Seattle

Every girl needs her own Dire Wolf!

I have always loved German Shepherds and today I got Happy all to myself for a whole hour! Such a (strong) handsome gentleman. And, p.s., zero people mess with you when you are walking a 75-pound German Shepherd. 🐕❤️

I have started doing Rover so be prepared to see all my clients! This is Elway and Rook, two very good boys. 🐶🐕

Apparently there is a dog called a 'Bernedoodle' that is half poodle and half Bernese Mountain Dog. Benji is one of those and it is a good thing this dude was holding him tight or he would totally be my new dog.

Dogs in Seattle went on a vacation so, this week, it is Dogs in Sonoma County, CA!

Otis is a 2.5-year-old hound dog that lives in Petaluma, CA. His new family has had him for a year after he was found as a stray in a field.

His mom, Julie, says, "He is the sweetest boy! How could someone just leave him? I will never get it but we feel so lucky he is now part of our family".

Technically, this is a page about dogs, but if I see a cat acting completely like a dog, they get to make a special guest appearance.

I met Kayla at Green Lake in Seattle on a Sunday and, if you are a local, you know how crazy that park can get on the weekends. There were people, dogs, and kids everywhere and Kayla was completely unfazed.

From her owner, "I got her a year ago from the shelter where I volunteer. She has a special harness made for cats and I just left it on for longer and longer periods of time. The leash is really for getting her out of tight spots - I don't walk her at all, she walks me! And dogs don't mess with her. She is very good at hissing at them if they get too close".

Lucy is a four-year-old terrier that lives with Rick in Bellevue. Rick has COPD and has to be hooked up to oxygen most of the time so he is pretty much homebound.

"My partner, Dennis, who has passed, got her for me two years ago. We got her at the shelter and she had a big red X on her cage meaning that she was going to be put down the next day if she didn't get adopted. I think she knows that we saved her and that she was pretty close to not making it. The little rascal never leaves my side."

Lucy is a 5.5-year-old Golden Doodle that has lived with Kirsten for the last year and a half in Kenmore.

"She was kind of a handful when I met her - she tore the crotch out of about $500 worth of my pants, shorts, underwear! - but she got some training and now she is a good, good girl. We love her."

"His name? Are you ready? It is Apolo Ohno. Yes! His mom in Wichita named him that after watching him on 'Dancing with the Stars'. She has cancer so he came out four months ago to stay with us. He is such a good boy!".

Even though it made me late for class, I had to meet (and pet) Apolo. He is a Shiloh Shepherd and I had never seen one. Beautiful dog.

"Her name is Foster because that is how we got her 7 years ago. Everywhere we go no one wants to talk to me. She has had her picture taken 1000 times and she loves it."

"Her name? Risky Business! When I got her six years ago, that is what someone told me I was taking on by adopting her. But she is the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Risky had a really unusual coat, more like soft fur and less like wiry hair. Very different for a dachshund. She let me make sure I knew what it felt like through lots and lots of pets.

My friend, Maureen, is a saint. She takes in dogs that are between owners and gives them love and a non-shelter place to stay before they head on to their forever home. It isn't an easy thing to take on! Her cat, Leroy, also willingly puts up with a bunch of strange dogs in his space.

Her latest dog was a chihuahua from California. Betty Joy was on 'death row' at a shelter there and didn't have long to live. Emerald City Pet Rescue saved her and brought her up to Seattle and Maureen took her in for almost 3 months. All of her people, including her niece and me, got to meet her. Betty Joy, tongue and all, was the sweetest girl!

And it is a happy day! Betty Joy got adopted today and is headed to her new home. A lovely couple that just arrived in Seattle from Sydney (in the lower right of the picture above) is giving Betty Joy the life and love she deserves. Yay!