"Getting to Know You"

Have you ever been happy to see a dog in a shelter?  Do you find any irony at all in Lily, Pitbull Ambassador & Therapy dog winning an online contest run by The Denver Dog?  (Not intended to be mean-spirited...I'm happy she won this.)

The shelter I volunteer at sits in a neighborhood where the kennels could really be filled with one certain type of dog but they are not.  There are no breed restrictions but it is a limited intake shelter and I can honestly say the variety there has been vast.  One of the questions I asked before volunteering was about the policies and stance on  Pit bull types there.  There wasn't a breed ban and I liked the answers well enough to lend any time or talent I could in order to help out.  I've seen small and large I've seen boxers, boxer mixes, lots of  retriever mixes and even a blocky headed "terrier mix" with a medium thick coat. 

But times, they are a-changing, folks.  Our new director's focus is to save lives.  She is open, caring and tireless in her quest to not just turn animals out to homes for the numbers but to get the right animal into the right home for life.  Last week as we were messaging about another issue, she mentioned to me that since I was such a "bully -girl" that I "should hustle over to the shelter" because there were dogs sure to win my love.  I figured she meant Bullwinkle the boxer but she said no it isn't him.  How long do you think the next morning was while I waited to take my lunch break?  How fast do you think I got to the shelter? 

He wasn't available yet, he wasn't even neutered so I couldn't talk about him but the Volunteer Manager snuck me back to the staff only area to see him and I saw his big happy face.

I heard the high pitched whine, the cry for companionship and I knew.  I saw the big block head and I knew.  I saw the deep chest and I knew.  There was no disguising this guy as a " terrier mix" because he was pretty much undisguisable. 

So now that this handsome guy is officially without his jingles and on the adoption page, I am proud and excited to share with you King.

King is pretty good on a leash.  We took a nearly one hour walk today and not once did he bark or try to chase any squirrels or other dogs.  He did show interest but not too much  in other dogs, and so far he doesn't seem to be too treat motivated but he caught on pretty quickly that if he pulled on the leash, I stopped walking until we got some slack. 

Yes, it's a new day and in this case, I'm happy to see a dog like King in the shelter.  He'll be loved and well taken care of while awaiting his perfect forever home and if you are in our area and are interested in making this boy the King of your home, contact the Allen County SPCA for details.

*extra credit if you know why this post is titled this way.
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