We were very busy caring for dogs this month; ours, borders, trainees and rehomers. Rehomers (dogs to be rehomed) stay and train with us while we search for the best human match for them.
Helping People and Dogs Find Their Perfect Match
Dogs know what kind of person they want. In general, they want a human who is kind, calm, and predictable in their actions and reactions. They also asked me to tell you that they like to eat at the same time each morning and evening. To find the right human for a dog, first I make sure that I understand dog’s personality, his temperament and his response to training. I often place dogs with people I already know. When I get asked to help a person whom I don’t know, I ask lots of questions and I contact references.
Our Ministry of Rehoming Dogs
Matching humans with dogs is a ministry for me. I would match one human and dog per day if I could. I love it that much! If only it would pay our bills… but this matching process takes time. Charley and I scour our contacts for each individual dog who comes to Wynley Park needing a home.
When we find you, someone who’s looking for a dog, we ask you questions about your home, your schedule, family, travel plans, hopes and expectations for the dog, training knowledge, breed knowledge, your veterinarian of choice and your preventative care plans for the dog. I visit your home. I will ask you to write a short letter or note introducing yourself and describing why you believe you are the perfect person for the particular dog you want, and we may share that note with the dog’s first owner.
Be the Human Who Speaks Dog
In short, I need to know if you speak and understand dog, including dog’s hierarchy of needs and the ways he communicates with humans. If you do not speak dog but are willing to learn, I can teach you. Finding such awesome humans takes time. While we search for awesome humans, the rehomer (dog needing home) is busy too! He is on Route 10: Wynley Park’s Road Trip to Becoming the Goodest Dog (for a quick review of what rehome dogs are learning)
Meet the Rehomers
In May, Charley and I made two such perfect rehomer matches that we want to share them with you!
Stray Dog on the Porch
One early March morning, our neighbor opened her front door to find a very skinny dog sitting on her porch. She quickly shut the door, thinking he would move on soon. She has a small 10-year-old beagle mix and it was time for their morning walk, but the neighbor was worried about the possibility of the stray biting her or her dog.
“Well?”, her dog, B.J., asked with a look. “We’ll wait awhile ’til it moves on”, she replied.
Awhile later, she checked the porch, where the dog was still sitting. Looking skinnier already, if that was possible. He seemed to be waiting on something or someone. She gave him a cup of food. She knew she shouldn’t if she wanted him to leave, but she had to. He was so thin. He devoured it. Two hours later, she called, asking if we could help. We grabbed a slip lead and walked over.
Helping Our Neighbor with a Stray
When we arrived, the stray was sitting in front of the front door, but he faced the driveway. It looked to us like he was protecting that house. We called to him, knelt down, made kissy noises, opened our treat bag. He did not budge on that porch, except to barely wag the tip of his tail. Charley walked to him and gently placed the lead around his neck. He did not know what to think about having a rope on him, but he allowed us to walk him to our home. One of his legs was cut and he limped. We put him in the quarantine pen, cleaned his wound, and took a photo to post to try to find his people.
In addition to our five dogs, Charley and I had had Marley for about six weeks by this time. Oh, how I love Marley. More on him in a minute though. We agreed that this stray could stay at Wynley Park for just one night.
The next day, we took him to the vet to have him scanned. No chip.
Three Days Later, We Still Have the Stray
Three days and several social media posts later, we still had the stray, whom we were now calling Stetson. We believe he was probably just another dog dumped in the country. We went back to the vet for his rabies and first round of puppy shots (DHPP – for distemper, adenovirus [hepatitis], parainfluenza, and parvovirus). The vet estimated Stetson to be about 9 months old. At this point, we had learned that he is an excellent car passenger, submissive to other dogs and does not have heartworms or other parasites, all very exciting news now that we were officially on a mission to find him his person. Since Stetson seemed to be more comfortable with men, specifically men who spoke and moved calmly, we decided to find him this kind of person.
Boy Meets Dog
Twenty-three days later, Stetson met his forever person. This man had heard about Stetson, so he came over to meet him. They played fetch (with a ball he had brought for Stetson).
Both man and dog are athletic and full of energy. They are both kind and a bit shy when meeting new people. And they’re both loyal, the ride-or-die type. They are compatible!
After their get-to-know-you meeting, we agreed that he could take Stetson for a one-week trial period. The man pulled out a leash (yep, he had also brought a leash). We had already told man everything we knew about dog, and vice versa, so we all signed Stetson’s adoption contract. I opened the door to the back seat, which already held his new bowl, dog food, and a bed – I do like a human who come’s prepared. I told Stetson to load up.
In addition to “load up”, Stetson had learned to sit, fetch, wait, high five and walk on a leash without pulling during the 23 days he was with us. He had also mastered crate-training, and his leg had healed. Charley and I wished safe travels to the dog we already loved and the man that Stetson would soon make his own.
About Marley
Doodles are not right for everyone. Or even most people. I started training Marley when he was three months old. He was a hot mess when we met. But we soon fell madly in love, Marley and me. A post from May 15th talks more about Marley and his first person. Here, I just want to say that she did right by Marley by rehoming him. It was a tough, gut-wrenching decision, but it was best for Marley, best for her elderly long-haired chihuahua and best for the woman who cried for days after sending Marley to Wynley Park.
Girl Meets Dog
My sister-in-law came to visit us for a week in April. Her family’s dog had died from old age almost a year ago, and she had started talking about wanting another dog. Because she and her husband like to go RV camping, she was looking for a dog around 35 pounds to travel with them. Until she met Marley. Then she realized that size and looks are far less important than temperament and soul compatibility.
Marley is the goodest boy! He is crate-trained and he knows how to sit, wait, fetch, high five and heel on-leash. However, he is not perfect. He has a tendency to get nervous and misbehave when exposed to melodrama. Plus, he has poor recall when he is off-leash. This one is fixable! If you have a dog who is not trained to “come” when called, please do not say “Come!” when your dog is not on-leash. Ever.
The Problem with Telling an Untrained Dog to “Come”
Yelling “Come!” to a dog who is running away from you does not work. Actually, telling any dog whom you have not taught to recall to “come” is bad. The dog will not come, you will get scared, frustrated or angry. You will again yell “Come!”, probably more than once. The dog now knows something is wrong. He hears it in your voice and therefore, he will continue to move away from you. In effect, you have just taught your dog to NOT COME when you yell “come”.
Need to know how to get your dog to come to you if he gets loose? Visit our dog training tips page for 3 Suggestions to Get Your Dog to Come to You
Marley’s Best Fit
Marley’s best fit is a woman who practices yoga and meditation most mornings, tries to eat healthy, and she checks in with her therapist every other week. She understands that balancing physical and mental wellbeing is necessary to be truly healthy. She has a calm, easy-going personality and (I love this) she is actively learning as much as she can about training and communicating with Marley.
After much thought and talking with her family she decided she was ready to adopt Marley. She was already feeding him, taking him for walks, playing fetch and snuggling with him for the past week. So Marley was all in! Since she had flown to Texas, she couldn’t take Marley home with her. So Charley and I made plans to drive him to Florida. Three days of being in a car, visiting dog-friendly venues, meeting lots of new people and staying in a different place every night turned out to be one of the best things we ever did with Marley. We all had fun. I came to terms with letting Marley go. And Marley – his self-confidence blossomed.
Want Help Finding Your Next Dog?
We love helping humans find the best dog for them. Connect with us if you think you might be interested in this service.
The beginning and the end of all Christian leadership is to give your life for others.”
Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society