Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month

Jen at Shiba Inu Spirit blogged about October being Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog month. She's fostered and otherwise helped a number of shelter dogs so that they could find forever homes with families that were right for them. Her new pup, Maisy, is even an adopted shelter dog like me!

I wanted to help spread the word about Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog month. There are so many animals in shelters and with animal rescue services that need homes. If you have the resources (this is important because we do require money, space, and YOUR TIME!) consider adopting an awesome dog to be your companion. If you don't have the resources to adopt, consider donating just your time or some money or even requested items to a local shelter or breed rescue that you want to support.

Dogs like me wouldn't have had much of a chance without shelters and rescue efforts to place us in good homes. We also wouldn't have a chance without responsible humans who are willing to make a commitment to us for the rest of our lives.

Shelter dogs dream of "happily ever after", too!
sleepy Ki
  • Want to learn more about Adopt-a-Dog month? Check out the ASPCA or American Humane pages dedicated to this special month.
  • Want to see dogs available in your area? A search on Petfinder can show you dog in shelters and breed rescues near you.
Spread the word! Help give shelter dogs a chance at finding their perfect human during Adopt-a-Dog month and every month.

~Kitsune

Scary-Looking Dog

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. It's a very diverse place and that allows for a lot of fun (and food!) but it has also allowed me to experience something that is a problem for other dogs I know.

People are afraid of me because of the way I look.

I'm a spitzy-boy...
fat Ki look

Some people think I look like a dingo:

[photo by Ogwen on Flickr]

There are so many cultures here that I even get mistaken for a dhole (not everyone would know what those are!):

[photo by Guwashi999 on Flickr]

Whether they realize it or not, this 'wildness' in my look often makes them afraid. People have even gone so far as to bring their children inside when I walk by. They don't know that I love children and that attention is good for me. Rainy says good interactions reinforce good reactions. There are so many people that don't even give me a chance. Smaller dogs are seen as 'cute' but larger or 'primitive' looking dogs are often considered 'aggressive'...just like that! There are even laws passed that ban breeds completely! Even if a dog is a certified Canine Good Citizen they could be forced to leave their home or even euthanized if they are found to be a banned breed in an area where they aren't allowed. This kind of thinking really hurts us dogs and doesn't resolve the issues that can lead to a dog behaving aggressively.

I'd like to invite everyone to consider the dogs they might see as they are out and about. If you've ever avoided saying hello to their owner just because of they way they looked, maybe you should re-think it. I'm not saying that you should run up and hug every dog you see (I think I'll teach you about how to say hello properly in the next entry), but talk to a dog's humans and learn about them as individuals. You may be surprised at what you learn, and you could make a friend out of a dog and their human who are so often avoided.

Remember that the breed doesn't make the problem! Bad situations, bad handling, fear and stress can make a dog react aggressively. These aren't reactions that occur because of our skeletal structure, fur color, or size. Small dogs and big dogs of any breed can react aggressively without proper care, handling, and training. Small and big dogs of any breed can also make great pets, good friends, and happy members of your community.

Make understanding dogs as individuals a habit! Support owners in their quest to foster balance and happiness in their dog and report those who abuse them.

Maybe I'll give you a high-five on my next walk.

~Kitsune

An Early Intro to the blogDog and Typing with Paws

Hi, I'm Rainy and I'm one of the few humans you will see on this blog. Although most of the posts here will come directly from the dog's paws, I wanted to give an introduction to the blogDog, Kitsune. We want you to have a better idea of who the blogDog is before he starts posting about what he's up to.

Kitsune has a rather mysterious background. From his genetics to his history before he wound up in an animal shelter...all we can do is guess. He's likely a mix that includes Shiba Inu. The rescue thought he might also be a Jindo mix. He's definitely got a lot of asian spitz influence in his look (and behavior). Oh, you want to see him?

Here is Kitsune, the blogDog.
(It's an old picture so don't tease him. He's lost weight since then.)
fat Ki standing

Ki was not properly socialized with dogs or people before he ended up in a shelter. This made his chances of adoption rather slim. Luckily, a Shiba Inu-specific breed rescue picked him up to give him visibility with those interested in the breed and prevent him from possibly facing euthanasia as an 'unadoptable' shelter dog.

When I adopted Kitsune he was already 1.5 years old (as estimated by the vet) and it was obvious he would need a lot of help to work in and enjoy a world so full of people, animals, and things to explore. What I didn't know, is that he could teach us so much of the same.

Learning with Kitsune (and really, pets and animals in general) is really the inspiration for and focus of Typing with Paws. Most of the updates here will be posted from Kitsune's perspective and detail his adventures in training and life. We'll share how we have and are continuing to work with difficult behaviors, cover topics central to living with a dog in the wider world (finding a vet, where can you take your dog, etc), give ideas for activities and hobbies you can share with your pets, talk about our favorite toys and gear, and generally provide a perspective on what it takes to grow and work in the world. As well as being a record of our adventures as a pack, we hope that our experiences might help other dogs (and people!).

Although we'll have a few entries up over the next few weeks, the official start of Typing with Paws will come as we prepare to move Ki from his old home in California to his new home in Colorado. We'll post photos and videos whenever possible, and once the adventure starts we'll also add Ki's twitter and other social/contact information so that you can follow him on all of his favorite online communities.

Thanks for reading and welcome to Typing with Paws!

~Rainy