Swisher

Swisher

We recently had to say goodbye to our sweet old girl, Swisher. We adopted her Labor Day 2010, she was estimated to be 5 or 6 years old and had been rescued (as Kali) from a puppy mill operation in Montana. We are forever grateful to WAMAL and all the fabulous volunteers who brought her to us.

Swisher was such a good girl; we also knew her as our hilarious goofball, a great trail runner in her prime, and we are so lucky to have been members of her pack.

Kaeto

Kaeto

Kaeto was such a special pup, who loved everyone in his life and was loved just as much in return.

Rest in peace Kaeto, no longer by our side but forever in our hearts.

Chico

Chico

I woke up this morning with a Malamute-sized hole in my heart….we had to have Chico put to sleep yesterday. He has had degenerative myelopathy (similar to Lou Gehrig’s disease in humans) which progressively worsened over the past few months. While he had a warrior spirit and a heart of gold, his poor rear legs got to the point where it became painful to walk and he spent most of his days sleeping. I was blessed to be this boy’s Mom for five years after falling in love and adopting him from WAMAL. He was the sweetest dog in the world and, while selective with friends, he loved his people pack to the moon and back, just like we loved him.

Earlier this month my mom and I noticed the rainbow image on his paw, and she suggested it might be a sign. I know he is no longer in pain and is enjoying adventures with a lot of great people and pets over the Rainbow Bridge but he left this Mom and also his grandparents broken hearted here on earth.

Asher

Asher

Asher came to us as an emergency foster. We took him in and thought, what in the hell did we get ourselves into?? He had some strong and aggressive ways…not to mention his stubbornness. He spent 2 weeks on a 25-foot lead attached to my bed just so he would not bite anyone. Every day I would give him tons of attention and pets, then take him for walks around the yard. Oh, he would snap at me, but I would just stay calm and keep trying with him. Asher would try to bully you any chance he got up to the day he left us. After about two weeks I told Wamal I was going to just keep him. He was ornery and a handful but I could see beyond that to his possibilities. As time went on Asher became my best bud. Asher was on thyroid medication but due to some of his aggressive ways it was suggested we reduce the amount. It did make a difference once his levels were re-adjusted.

Asher loved to go for car rides and occasionally cussed out other drivers if we sat in traffic too long. At home Asher would always lay looking away from me in a doorway as if he were protecting me. He was fearless except for a running vacuum cleaner. But if you turned it off and walked away, he would head butt it. One of my favorite memories, and I do have a lot of them, was when I was raking up leaves. I had put them into six piles. Asher laid on the deck the whole time watching me. I finished and was taking a break and all the sudden he got up and ran through every single pile of them then looked at me with this smirk. I got them all raked back into piles again and Asher then went from pile to pile and peed on them. Hence his nickname “little pisser”.

Asher was always by my side. He would always greet me with a smile and woo. He had to give my wife kisses every night before bed and if she went to bed before he got them, he would wake her up. If you let him, he would bully until the day he passed. He loved his stuffed hedgehog and his treats that Aunt Rickie would send. For a pup that started out so aggressive he sure loved to give his kisses. He was not a cuddle dog but he always wanted to be by my side or “protecting” me. I would go outside with him at times and just sit with him. That was all he wanted.

One thing Asher taught me was that you can take a dog that people have given up on and if you show them they are wanted and loved they will show the same in return. And there is no better reward than watching a dog that was unwanted or even abused settle in and feel safe. That is a feeling I cannot describe. But I’m ready for the next pup that will need me…and that I will need in return.

Tucker – December 2020

Tucker – December 2020

We are sad to announce the passing of Tucker, one of our long-fostered Mals. Tucker had a very sad early life and came into rescue in mid-2015 presenting quite the challenge. He reportedly had been abused by 2 previous owners and tied up outside.  Kids had thrown rocks at him and he bit one.  Tucker was a big dog, one of the ‘giant’ Mals.  Long time volunteers Stephanie and Jeremy had experience with giants and difficult behavior, “so I guess that's how we got assigned to him”, shared Stephanie.

“He was with us 3 weeks and we took our time as you could see he wasn't very trusting. We had a couple potential adopters early on but the intros didn't go well. He was a very sweet dog that just needed love and a stable home.  We only had him a year before our first son came along and we weren't sure how that would go. But Tucker grew to understand the baby and they had a sweet relationship.  He had his play time every night at 7:30 of soccer...he loved when we'd kick the ball and he'd try to catch it and roll it back to us. He loved walks and hikes. No interest in squirrels but he loved bunnies-not to eat, he wanted to be friends…..haha!

He'd go to the bedroom at his bedtime nightly and sleep in the same room as us as he always wanted to be near his humans. We went on many adventures to Orcas Island, Maple Pass, multiple camping trips, Oregon, Long Beach and more with him. He was in his element then and especially loved to splash in the water.

As he got older the hips started to give out on him and walks became harder to do. And he couldn't control his bladder anymore. He became an outdoor doggie as he couldn't make it up the stairs to get inside. But he still got walks and love and attention. We miss him lots!”

Tucker was also blessed with a having ‘godmother’, Tamra, active in his life. “Tucker was always very alert, calm, intuitive and empathetic.  I knew not to stare at dogs, but he seemed to seek out your gaze like he was trying to see what was going on with you.  And genuinely cared.

When my job made it really difficult to think about adopting another dog, I was thankful to have WAMAL and to be able to work with so many dogs, but Tucker was always special to me so when he was fortunate to go live with Stephanie and Jeremy, I had the opportunity to take him on trips to Methow Valley for hiking and Whidbey Island. We also went on a number of snow-shoeing day trips.  And I dog sat for him during summer and winter holidays. 

With his size, presence, and good looks, he was always getting attention on walks and he was always a good walker and hiker.  When he traveled with me and met up with my friends, he always liked to be a part of the action, and he would play bow with my friends' dog who we think was intimidated by Tucker's size and good looks as he'd shy away whenever he saw Big Tuck coming.  Lol.

For a malamute, Tucker was very responsive and listened well. I found him very easy going and cooperative.   He liked attention but also liked his downtime too.  He was a gentle giant and very soulful.  He is missed in big ways!!”

Stephanie and Jeremy and family, THANK YOU so much for giving Tucker such an amazing home and so much love. And thank you to volunteers Danya, Tamra and Julie who took Tucker on adventures and were there to help when the going got tough.  Tucker leaves a very ‘giant’ hole in our hearts.

Shasta – December 2020

Shasta – December 2020

We are so grateful to have her for her last three years and grateful for WALMAL for bringing her into our life.

I've attached a few photos :) Marissa and I are so grateful to have spent Shasta's last three years together! Shasta loved long walks and wading in the ocean. We had some great outdoor adventures before she preferred to sleep on her fluffy bed in front of the fire. We are so grateful for WALMAL and Old Dog Haven for connecting us to Shasta. We'd encourage others to think about adopting older adult dogs!

Snowy – 11/17/2020

Snowy – 11/17/2020

We absolutely love Snowy!! She is so affectionate which has helped us heal from having to say goodbye to our previous rescue dogs (a Mal who crossed the rainbow bridge a year ago in August and then the following month our Akita-GSD cross--cancer sucks). Snowy loves to cuddle in the evenings and sleeps in our room at night. She's most playful in the mornings (before 10am) and then sometimes again mid-evening, having several squeaky toys that we toss around the house for her to fetch or play chase (you can do a circle through our entry-kitchen-dining-living rooms--at least until you or her get dizzy). We are still working on anxiety during car rides and acknowledge that she might not fully get over that (Sato, our Akita-GSD never did) and that's okay. We put seats down so she can get close to the front and I just found the natural calming treats we tried with Sato so we'll try that next time.

She loves people but we watch her with young children because she makes a low rumbling sound (we call it purring) when she is happy, but then it can make it hard to tell when she has had enough and wants you to stop. Our eldest (who was studying abroad in South Korea when we got Snowy) established a new procedure when we aren't sure if Snowy's still okay with the petting--we stop petting her, pull back a little bit, and ask her for her paw. Petting resumes after she gives you her paw. We've also been working on her "using her words" (a bark rather than rumbles). She wasn't very talkative when we first got her (unlike Rainey, our last Mal). I can guess why, her voice is more ear splitting than our prior Mal, but we think it's important for a Mal to feel free to Woo.

She still has a pretty high prey drive, but we are used to that from our previous dogs (I grew up with GSDs). We back up to a green space with squirrels who are pretty wiley so that gives her some entertainment but mostly she prefers to be indoors which is just fine with us. Our back yard is on a hill and she loves racing around--even after a morning walk. She is not a fan of the rain but she's really good inside the house. We had to have child locks on the cabinet with the garbage with our last Mal. She is very content being the only dog and we are more than happy with that arrangement, too. When people tell me we spoil her I say, "absolutely!" We still set boundaries that we enforce, but there's a reason she knows the sound of the cheese drawer opening.

Malick – 10/11/2020

Malick – 10/11/2020

Does anyone else ever get so moved by the progress their rescue malamute shows?

Been thinking about this a lot lately. Before we found Malick's heart issue and having to deal with his previous home's issues - it was a struggle. He was an undernourished, resource guarding, fear aggressive, people wary, house eating monster with several bites on his record.

But we put in the time. We left no stone unturned to find and correct his physical ailments. We worked with trainers on his behavioral issues. We patiently showed him we were forever and we wouldn't give up.

We now have a happy, people loving, outing confident, well behaved beautiful boy.

Just want to remind everyone that it's not always easy having a rescue. But if you put in the work you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.

Fonzi – 10/02/2020

Fonzi – 10/02/2020

Fonzi was "love in the rough" As in--yes, some triggering that came from some random, seemingly innocuous response to a Fonzi behavior, but we (adopters) paid attention and learned what not to do (I have an example). And yes, adopters gave him a routine and LOTS of exercise, and he embellished on the routine and now has lady friends that he insists on visiting/flirting with during his walks. He's come a long way, and it was in large part because his adopters are willing to take the time and have the insight/patience to get "learn" who He is, what HE needs/wants, and work with that. They never looked back, only worked for the Fonz.

From his Adopters: 
One year ago today Fonz bounded into our lives, and we, into his. 
He's happy and hilarious and spooky smart and we love him.....
He's learned to swim in the ocean.......chasing low-flying seagulls.  He has a girlfriend.  She's much older than he is, and they play together.  She lives a mile or so away, and her owners say they haven't seen her like this for years......like a puppy.  If she's not outside when Michael and Fonzi walk by........Fonz stops, and plants himself till she's let outside.  He has another girlfriend just up the hill from us.  Sometimes she just wants to sit and be nuzzled.  (she's much smaller than he is).  But her owner comes out to put Fonzi whenever she sees him...........and as his walks are kinda predictable, that's most days.  
Most folk out here have dogs, some of which are ill-mannered yappers.  Even when the big ones bellow out barks, all he does is glance at them. In his mind I suspect he's saying, "Dumb dog".  Their barking doesn't rattle him in the least. 
His girlfriend's owner says if Michael and I drop dead, he wants the Fonz.  
In other words, he's a goof, and a social butterfly, adorable and sweet.  You can't have him back.....

Arrow – 09/17/2020

Arrow – 09/17/2020

She had a life before us. Somehow she was a stray and left to her own devices ... she still looks for food in any crumpled paper she finds. On a very bad day in her young little life she was in an accident that crushed the back stifle joint of her leg. She was found and taken to a shelter but there were no funds for surgery or treatment. She waited week after week becoming ill with infection from the untreated break. By some amazing grace WAMAL found her and rescued her. She has gone from being hurt on the street to being the three-legged furry love of our family. Thank you so much WAMAL!

Luna – 09/10/2020

Luna – 09/10/2020

Just wanted to share these pictures of Luna, our mal-shepherd furbaby, who we adopted about two months ago from WAMAL. She is doing really well. She just did a 3.6 mile hike and enjoyed the view of the vibrant Diablo Lake.

Tana – 08/24/2020

Tana – 08/24/2020

Thanks to hubby Stan for this lovely capture, two days ago. Tana turns 4 years old, today the 24th of August. A huge thanks to Wamal's work, that joined us with this special, sweet girl 1 1/2 yrs ago..

Kai – 08/23/2020

Kai – 08/23/2020

Kevin and I are still smitten with him!  Kai has now met all three of our grandchildren.  Our 13 year old grandson grew up with Kaiya and still misses her so.  He was a bit unsure at first, but Kai would have none of that!  Cameron warmed up to him after a few.  Jade, our almost four year old granddaughter, immediately started to cry tears of joy as soon as she met Kai.  Kai loved her up and Jade thoroughly enjoyed it!  Our ten month old granddaughter didn't care much because, you know, she's only ten months old.  Kai follows the girls all over the house. Kai had his first nail trim with us.  He did great until the dremel was turned on.  He immediately, in one smooth movement, backed up on to the outdoor couch and wrapped himself around Kevin.  After we stopped laughing, we decided that the nail buffing will have to wait until next time. 
We have gone on many walks and Kai hasn't pulled much at all. Kai and Moto play all the time!  So much so that sometimes we have to take them outside before they break something in the house!  Kai has fit right in with our family and we are loving him to pieces!! Our lives and hearts are full!

Chewy – 08/17/2020

Chewy – 08/17/2020

Chewy has been a great addition to the family and adjusted very well.

Chewy visits the lake: We wanted to see how Chewy does in outdoor parks and near water bodies. We thought he would not like water and lunge at other dogs in the park but to our surprise he was not afraid to go in water and have a little splash and cool himself.

Chewy and Bruce: We were told that Chewy would be aggressive to other dogs especially of his size but we introduced him to our neighbors dog (Bruce) and he did quite well. They now call each other across the fence and have become best buddies:).

Chewy loves kids: Chewy loves kids and is very friendly with them. Every morning my 8 year old daughter loves to get slobbered by his licking and kissing and some times Chewy will give a nice hug or nap on you:)

Neeko & Koko – 08/05/2020

Neeko & Koko – 08/05/2020

The dogs have more than just "settled in," they've become totally integral parts of our family. At first their reactions were somewhat tentative, and that may have been slightly exacerbated when our old lab-mix, Raven, passed about a week after they came home with us. But I think that they very quickly came to understand that they were in a safe place, how loved they were, and that this was absolutely going to be their Fur-ever home.

They've settled into their daily routine here quite nicely - to the extent that they're now coming to us to remind us that it's time to go for evening walkies. It's also been fascinating to watch their individual personalities gradually emerge as they became increasingly comfortable with their new home: Neeko's a big goofy cuddle monster (who's surprisingly far more interested in getting pats and brushed than he is in getting treats), while Koko's a bit of a diva who seems to delight in ignoring you until she demands your full attention. Generally speaking, they're about as wonderful a pair of pups as we could ever have hoped for!

Neeko & Koko – 06/09/2020

Neeko & Koko – 06/09/2020

The pair are rapidly becoming accustomed to the house, learning boundaries, and generally fitting in nicely. Turns out that Koko is a bit of a howler (not a problem, but unexpected as none of the reports mentioned that), while Neeko just can't seem get enough cuddles and spends most of the day going from one human to the next demanding attention. Great additions to our family!

Sadly, our beloved Raven -- passed away quietly on the Thursday after we brought the pair home with us. We are, of course, grieving for her, but to be honest if one had to script the perfect end for a perfect dog, she had it -- a day of happy play with her new friends, lots of pats and cuddles with her family, treats and favorite food for supper... and then she just passed away quietly in her sleep, no pain or discomfort.
Neeko & Koko have been a delight and seem to have already settled in with an implicit understanding that this will be their new forever home. We're so happy to have them in our family now, and their presence has helped ease our pain from losing Raven as well.

Kanoosh – 06/07/2020

Kanoosh – 06/07/2020

Hi my name is Bobby and I wanted to share a story with WAMAL. This big boy is Kanoosh. He was left tied to a trailhead in Snohomish County and he made his way to WAMAL. My Dad and I adopted this 18-month-old crazy dog in 2013. He was so awesome! He howled all the time…..he is a talker. My Dad and him were inseparable. They were best of friends living in Ocean Shores, WA. My Dad passed away in 2016 and my wife actually saw tears in Noosh’s eyes. We were at a loss because Noosh was staying in this family no matter what, but our snag was that I had a male Malamute named Dakota as well and we all knew that was going to be a problem. My Mom said she would take Noosh. We ended up having to fly him to Indiana where he is now getting the love. My oldest brother has been Noosh’s best friend—they go everywhere together. He takes almost better care of him than my Dad if that were even possible!
I just wanted to share an amazing story how 1 dog has changed so many lives. He is very much still alive and he is living the most unbelievable life ever. Thank you for the awesome work WAMAL does…Mals are amazing!!

Chili – 05/20/2020

Chili – 05/20/2020

After recently losing our big fluffy husky, we knew we needed a new fluff ball to fill the house. After hearing what a calm, sweet, goofy boy Chili was, we knew he fit the bill!
In the week prior to meeting Chili, his foster mom and I had about 50 email exchanges—she shared everything she knew about the pup and gave us so many tips to have a successful transition home! When we finally got to meet in person, Chili happily laid in front of us and enjoyed some of his favorite belly rubs. We were in love!
Since arriving home we have encountered challenges we weren't quite familiar with—primarily resource guarding and guarding of areas of the house. These behavioral issues were fairly stressful at first, however we have received so much support from WAMAL and other trainers that we now feel comfortable working through the problems.
Chili's big smile and friendly personality makes him the talk of anywhere we go. I don't know how many times I've heard "I can't believe he's a rescue!" This goober is truly one of the sweetest, cutest, and one of the hungriest boys I've ever met.
Despite giving us a little run for our money at times, we could not be happier with Chili joining our family!

Leia – 05/07/2020

Leia – 05/07/2020

Good morning,
It’s me, Leia, but I get called by my first and middle name mostly, Leia No. I’m really goofy and always trying to get my brothers to play with me. I am fully vaccinated, and I am getting spayed on July 10th. My mom says she can’t wait, whatever that means!
I love digging, jumping onto everything and giving kisses. I love walks, but I get car sick going for a ride. My brothers think going for a ride is so cool, I just get nauseated. But we are working on it.
My humans just started my invisible fence training which I find hysterical. My dumb brothers buy into it, but I am bold and fearless, and I laugh at their attempts to keep me back from the fence line. I did hear my humans say it’s a good thing the trainer is coming back out a few more times.
At puppy class I was more interested in ignoring my humans so I could stare at all the other puppies in class. Now I have to do video chat training by myself and my humans have to give super high value treats for my cooperation.
I throw epic tantrums when I first go into my crate and my favorite place to lay is the coffee table. It’s a throne fit for a princess. You will see a picture of me laying there! I also am showing you a picture of the baby gate the humans use to keep us in the living room....jokes on them, I jump over that and laugh at my brothers just standing there waiting for the gate to magically open!!!
My mom is a WAMAL volunteer and I have been doing a good job reminding her of important skills necessary for training strong willed, confident, goofy dogs. She loves WAMAL and I am keeping her on her toes, and she understands the need for good volunteers, fosters, and adopters. She says “oh Lord, give me more patience than Leia has”!
I hope all my litter mates and their families are healthy and happy. We love updates and wish you the best during these crazy times!
Stay Safe,
Leia and Family

Yukon – 04/29/2020

Yukon – 04/29/2020

Hi WAMAL,
Thank you for taking such good care of me, nursing me through losing boy parts and helping me grow strong and healthy. I love my new people. They take me on walks in the park where I get to say hi to other dogs out walking their people. I have a big yard to run around in, and the gentle slope makes my ball roll really good and the soft dirt is nice on my bones. I miss you but I like it here a lot and am grateful you found me good people.
Love,
Yukon

Blue – 04/23/2020

Blue – 04/23/2020

1 year ago this past Monday (20 April) I brought Blue home for his adoption trial. I had planned on getting a 2nd dog & naming it Blue because of the velociraptor named Blue in Jurassic World (I grew up on Jurassic park movies & they're probably my favourite movies not to mention their memes comparing puppies to them are very accurate lol). So when I saw Blue on here I figured it was a sign. It took me a while to decide if I could handle 2 Malamute/husky mixes, but he was still available so I guess it was meant to be. There's nothing I've wanted more in life than to have 2  huskies or malamutes, 1 red & 1 black, & possibly 1 with different colored eyes. & it happened! Thank you to his amazing foster parents Mikaila & Mike. I love this boys smooshy fluffy face & his adorable black snoot! Happy adoption birthday Blue! I didn't need 2 weeks to know you were going to be part of my tiny family.

Lucy – 03/15/2020

Lucy – 03/15/2020

She came to live with me 9 weeks ago. In that short time she quickly got use to her new name, has learned new commands and tricks, walks well on a leash (now) and seems to be happy. She still counter surfs (but not as much), is still reactive to squirrels, bunnies, chipmunks and small dogs (but is improving), and has figured out that birds are just too fast for her. Her 'job' is keeping critters out of her backyard. She walks the fence line everyday, chases squirrels and even alerted me to 2 raccoons in a tree. Socializing with other dogs took some time, but within the last week or two, we've turned a corner. She's actually made some (medium or large) doggo friends! She is definitely silly and because of that there's a lot more laughter in my world!! I know I'm happier with her in my life!

Troy – 03/12/2020

Troy – 03/12/2020

Thank you WAMAL for all your support through this long foster! I am SO grateful to be a part of such a wonderful and caring rescue organization.
Troy: "Foot Soldier"
He's our foot soldier now! A great protector and loyal friend and a wonderful buddy to Kuma and Meeko.
Details of his story:
Date of birth 01/15/2015
Abandoned at shelter 01/12/17. Tied to a sign-post, NO WATER and MUZZLED!
WAMAL contacted me (Thank you Jaime Lemke Perez) and asked if I would be able to foster a dog that was scheduled to be euthanized due to aggressiveness and a bite history (due to his intense fear and inexperienced handlers).
So, the day I met Troy: The Shelter Coordinator transported Troy to me and I sat down in the quiet parking lot as Troy lunged at me. No barking. As I sat there quiet and hands on lap, Troy came up to me, licked my ears, crawled into my lap, and the rest is history.
After 19 months of fostering this scared and fearful LOYAL "Foot Soldier" called Troy--many adoption applications turned down because people like how cute he is but learn of his troubled past and don't want to give him a chance--is now forever part of our pack.
Troy: 70lbs of love and loyalty, Meeko: 50lbs and 3 legs, and Kuma: 140lbs of pure 4 paw power who loves to sleep.

Crimson – 02/18/2020

Crimson – 02/18/2020

Crimson came to WAMAL as an Owner Surrender and quickly went into a wonderful Foster home. Her Foster family was concerned because Crimson was panting a lot and had abdominal swelling so they took her to the vet. They—and we—got quite the surprise…she was pregnant! Just a few days later Crimson gave birth to 8 beautiful and healthy puppies.
But wait…these didn’t look like Malamute puppies so what’s a Rescue to do? Wisdom Health DNA to the Rescue (pardon the pun)!! We’re all so grateful to this Wooonderful company for donating two DNA kits. Drumroll… results were 50% Malamute & 50% Akita. Wisdom Health’s multi page detailed report provided breed histories, traits, family tree, and several health screenings.
This story ends quite happily. Crimson got her forever home with her Foster Family and all her puppies are living large in their new forever homes. Please support @wisdomhealth for your DNA testing needs. Support those companies who support WAMAL!!

Ludo – 01/15/2020

Ludo – 01/15/2020

Ludo (formerly Vikas) is an amazing, goofy and incredibly loving soul. He is everywhere you go, just to be in the presence of his humans is pure joy for him (and us). After bringing him home, there were a few kinks (house training, jumping, and counter surfing) but we've got those things all worked out, with the occasional jump/hug every now and then to show love or excitement, but they are far more gentle. He loves exercise, and we were finding that even walking 5 miles a day sometimes wasn't doing the trick, so we found a dog camp he runs 2 days a week with his "pack" there, and it seems to do the trick.
As for the news, after watching the movie Togo (Ludo was paying rapt attention) we were shocked at his resemblance to both the dog in the film and the historical photos of the Seppula Huskies, we decided to do a DNA test. The results came in this morning, and are really interesting.
LUDO IS:
50% Alaskan Husky
25% Alaskan Malamute
12.5% German Shepherd
12.5% Rottweiler!!!
His 25% Mal definitely comes out in his personality, and we thank you for posting the story about the dog DNA test, who would have known you could do such a thing??
We appreciate every thing you have done to bring Ludo into our lives, and to help so many others like him.

Yogi – 12/26/2019

Yogi – 12/26/2019

I received your holiday newsletter, and after recovering from the guilt of not having written my own, I thought I’d at least take a few minutes to send you a thank you note.
Yogi came to live with us almost 2 years ago, through your amazing efforts. I contacted you in an attempt to locate my next Mal, as my best buddy Kenai was approaching his last days.
WAMAL first impressed me with your thorough screening process which demonstrated a level of diligence and love for these dogs. I was also impressed with your patience and willingness to work with me to find the right dog for our home. It took several months to find Yogi, but he’s turned out to be the perfect addition to our family.
Thank you so much for all you do. I wish could offer more than thanks, including contributions, time, and taking in additional dogs either as a foster or an adoptive home. Unfortunately, my budget and schedule doesn’t allow for that, so I can only offer my gratitude and appreciation, and these two pics of the footwarmer that resides under my desk as I type this.
Merry Christmas from our house!

Yeti – 12/12/2019

Yeti – 12/12/2019

Everything is going well with Yeti. We had the family of 10 people over on Thanksgiving and it was their first time meeting Yeti. When he was in the house we took turns standing guard at the entrance of the kitchen. During my guard duty he quietly snuck up beside me and took a big bite out of the cheesecake! The counter surfing is something I am not use to because our last 2 mals never did it. I am not sure how to break Yeti of it other than saying No every time he tries.
Yeti is also not very good at coming when he’s called. He doesn't seem to know his name. Or he is very good at tuning you out. Today I had him walking around with me while I took out the trash and scooped up his poop. There is a lot of snow here right now so we have the gate to our driveway open (it cannot operate in the snow). Yeti walked into the driveway, I called him, he ignored me. I called again as he edged further away. He looked over at me then put his head down and ran fast down the driveway out the gate and down the road! When I finally go to the road I saw him about 300 yards up the road sniffing bushes. I was calling him the whole time. Finally he turned and looked at me and he ran fast back to me and right on by me attempting to make a break the opposite direction. I caught him and he then walked all casual back through the gate and to the house. He is definitely a typical mal with what I call cat like attitude.
He is sleeping in the house more at night which we are trying to encourage with the very cold nights. He is getting better about relaxing in the house during the day too. Before he would never lay down and just pace. Now he will lay down for about 30 minutes before wanting back out.