I was reading another newspaper the other day and came across a picture of a dog dressed up for Halloween. If you want me to stare at you like you have done something completely horrible just try and put a costume on me. Most of us don’t even like when you people try to be clever and put sunglasses or the occasional hat on their dog. Have you ever seen a dog actually put on a costume? If you have I assure you that dog is part of a small fringe minority. I do hope all the hounds in Truckee had a happy costume-free Halloween.
I know what treat my friend Riley would like – a new home. Riley is an 8-month old puppy I met at the shelter. Dogs are finding homes pretty fast lately. When I visited the shelter, Riley was the only dog I could find. We got along right away and Riley jumped in my car.
Riley is a pretty likeable guy. I know this because I had some friends over. I have been doing a lot of dog sitting lately. Riley met a big Rottweiler named Ziggy, a border collie mix named Doq, my sister Olive and my roommate Oso. I’ve never seen so many good looking dogs all in one place and I have watched those dog shows on television. I drove everyone to the trailhead and we all got out and hit the ground running. It can be stressful to be in charge of such a large pack but I managed. Riley, like almost every dog I know, loves to run and play outside. He is also a very enthusiastic swimmer. Riley did some wrestling with my sister Olive. She’s also a puppy and they were happier than pigs in, well you know.
Riley spent over an hour on the trail with all my friends and we had a great time. Riley is a pretty big fella. He weighs about 75 pounds now and will probably get a little bigger. He listens well when you call his name and he knows a few commands like how to sit when he is told. Riley doesn’t jump up on people like a lot of puppies which is a good thing. Riley is great with kids and would make a good family dog. With the right training and some love this puppy will become a fine addition to your family.
One dog I didn’t see at the shelter was a black lab mix named Gina. Gina has found a home but she just had puppies that will need foster homes and regular homes soon. I thought I was cool because I have my own newspaper column but Gina and her puppies have their own website. If you want to see updated photos of the kids visit them at http://www.geocities.com/gina_the_awesome/Homepage.html.
If you are interested in Riley or any of the other fine animals at the Humane Society you can always see pictures at hstt.org. If you would like to foster an animal or adopt Riley drop us an email or give us a call at 587-5948. Have a great month and remember, ‘Don’t breed or buy while shelter animals die.’
