In memory of Peri Taub, this week's Petfinder post features Australian Shepherd dogs....
First, a link all dog lovers will enjoy. I'm not sure about this dog's breed--probably a retriever--but it shows the kind of thing Petfinder's sponsors are organizing to help people do. Click here.
Next, a bit of a rant about the fact that, although Aussies can be awesome pets, too many of them are in shelters these days. It's like what happens when four-year-olds have had too many stories read to them about the joys of life with brothers and sisters, and they think, yes, they'd like to explore the world with a posse of siblings like The Melendy Family, or have a sibling as a study buddy as in Little House on the Prairie, or share things with siblings like The All of a Kind Family...and instead of bringing home their best friend, their parents go to the hospital and bring back a little bundle of baby effluvia. In order to have a sibling who can be your friend you have to get through the years when it just sleeps and gushes, gushes and sleeps, and gradually evolves from this mess into something like a human being. In order to have an awesome pet you have to be firm, consistent, and temperate in training a puppy.
Some shelters try to reserve Aussies for people who have some experience with the breed. I'm not even sure how much that matters. Some dogs will stand beside your bed and bark imperiously, then growl, pull off the quilt, even grab your hand, to demand to be taken out when they need to go out. Others aren't that bold so they will quietly do what they need to do, possibly on your shoes. Long story short, all dogs need responsible humans. Aussies are smart and energetic, and need people who can keep up with them. (Oh My Dog, reviewed below, was written when Peri was elderly, and perhaps doesn't say enough about younger Aussies liking a real run. They don't mind walking politely at your heel in town but, if you want someone to keep you running a mile in less than ten minutes, they'd be delighted to help.) Because I thoroughly enjoyed the early years when so much of this blog was created on Sydney's Human's computer, I do recommend spending as much time as possible with a friend's Aussie before adopting one.
Fortunately, most dogs (of all breeds, actually) make the bonding process easy.
It's not easy to pick the cutest picture of these super-photogenic dogs. If you go to Petfinder yourself and search for adoptable Australian Shepherds, you may find one you like better. As always, sharing these pictures is a way to help the dogs find homes.
Zipcode 10101: Sammy from Staten Island
Her web page: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/sammy-66192318/ny/staten-island/louies-legacy-animal-rescue-ny920/
"Ooohhh, what an adorable puppy!" She knows she is, and so do the shelter staff. This three-month-old definition of cuteness has been selected as a Patron Pup, meaning that if you want to adopt her you have to pay the expenses of another dog who's been in the shelter longer, too, so that dog can be adopted by someone who can't afford to pay so much. If that makes you want to pound a cane on the floor and say "Bah, humbug!", consider an alternate selection, like Jett from Woodbridge::
His web page: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/jett-65229144/nj/woodbridge/lonely-paws-adoption-network-nj1024/
Considering that he was an unwanted, accidental puppy, the asking price for Jett is a bad joke too, but might be negotiable. He's described as a lovable little guy who likes to run and play and then snuggle up beside you.
Zipcode 20202: Austin from Highland, Maryland
His web page: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/austin-no-adoption-fee-66224299/md/highland/canine-humane-network-md450/
Arguably not the very handsomest dog on the page, Austin has a compensatory attraction--no adoption fee. What's the problem that could possibly generate a deal like that? He outsmarts humans. He needs to find a place he doesn't want to leave.
Zipcode 30303: Banjo from Cummings
His web page: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/banjo-12890-68663337/ga/cumming/furkids-animal-rescue-and-shelters-ga170/
He weighs 40 pounds, his shoulders are about as high as a man's knees, and he'll be glad to help a man stay trim and fit. The asking price is $500. If they seriously want to save this stray dog from being gassed, they'll let you haggle down. If the price means, as it sometimes does, that the dog's foster family really want to keep him, consider an alternate selection...like Annie from Roswell:
Her web page: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/annie-68759383/ga/roswell/german-shepherd-dog-rescue-group-of-georgia-inc-ga287/
German Shepherd and Australian Shepherd mix means a big strong dog. They warn that she's good at unlocking locks, and that she does not appreciate cats. Apart from that they say she'll be a great pet for a farm family who can appreciate her talents.
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