Balto | Northwest Samoyed Rescue

September 2023 Rescue Report

NW Sams on September 11, 2023

It’s been another busy month, beginning with Mia’s adoption August 19. She came from the Humane Society of Skagit County, where she was living with four puppies about six months old. The people who found her tried calling the owner, but with no response, so they went to the shelter. The shelter tried again, and the owner came and reclaimed the two male pups, leaving Mia and two female pups there. The puppies were adopted quickly, leaving only Mia, and they transferred her to us. They thought she was about two years old, but beyond that we know almost nothing. She preferred to be with people, but got along with dogs and cats, and loved to go on walks. We found the right home, and Mia lives now with Angela and Nathaniel in Hillsboro, where she is the center of attention and happy as can be.

Balto has been waiting for a home with people who are prepared to have a jumper. We were told he could jump a six foot fence, but during the time since he came, he didn’t tried to jump over a fence once, and never even tested a baby gate in the house. We have to assume he needed more attention, and he is definitely a people oriented dog. Even when there wasn’t food involved, he stayed at the feet of one or the other of us, wanting attention. He loves to be scratched, and he even enjoys grooming. We contacted his breeder, but did not get an answer.

We said many times that if Balto was our last foster we’d be going out on top. We had a call a week and a half ago from Jen and Rick, past adopters who have come to us for Sammies in the past. It’s been a year since they lost Jinju, and they wanted to talk about dogs. We told them about his history of jumping, and they weren’t concerned. On September 10 they came to meet him, bringing along their dog Logan. Balto immediately went to them, and that’s what we always look for. He thought they were great people, and after a couple hours with him, Balto hopped in their car to begin his new life in Troutdale.

Quinn came from Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho, one of two Samoyeds who needed new homes. The female was placed by the owner. Darlene picked up Quinn and met Melissa in Hermiston, and she drove him home to foster with her. He is an exceptionally nice boy with one problem. He absolutely doesn’t like other boy dogs, and Melissa has to keep him separate from her male, Boomer. He is great with females, but he wants to be alpha male. In a home with no other dogs, or with just a female, he would be a perfect addition to a family. He came to Melissa looking like a dog who liked to roll in dirt, so Quinn went to a groomer and is clean and handsome again. He will soon be neutered and then he can move to his forever home.

In July we heard of a “young Samoyed” in the Index area. Kathleen corresponded with Jessie, the woman who found him, and was told he had a chip. The owner was contacted but didn’t answer after multiple attempts, so Jessie took care of him. His name is Chalkie. At the end of August, she wrote that she isn’t able to keep him because her landlord said no, and he is actually 12 years old. She sent photos that show a senior dog with serious skin problems. We haven’t taken him into rescue yet; for now we’re talking about where he would go.

For a while, at the beginning of the pandemic, we heard from a lot of people trying to find a Samoyed. Things have changed. We have lots of people who want us to help, and apps aren’t arriving as fast. I heard elsewhere that groups aren’t getting applications as fast as before, so apparently rescue work has shifted again. As long as we can find homes, we will be okay, but it points out our need for good foster homes. If you have room for an extra dog for a few weeks at a time, we would love to hear from you. It’s one of the most rewarding things you can ever do.

August 2023 Rescue Report

NW Sams on August 11, 2023

When we tell people we almost never have puppies, that’s true. But every once in a while, out of the blue, we get one dropped in our lap. That happened at the end of July when we were contacted about an 8-week old puppy who was advertised as a giveaway. The woman who told us went immediately to pick him up, not knowing what to expect, and found a family that got him from a friend and simply didn’t want a puppy. When she got home she contacted us again to let us know she was turning him over to rescue. We have been posting recently that we needed more applications, and one of those we received was a great match. Only three days later, Yeti went to his fur-ever home. We are grateful to Alysha, the friend of rescue who jumped in to get him for us.

Balto has been on our radar for four or five months. His family told us he can jump a six foot fence, so they had to keep him on a long rope all the time. They have a toddler and a baby on the way in the next couple weeks, and they were worried the rope would eventually snag and injure a child. Balto visited us a month ago so we could meet him, and early this month he came to be fostered. We spent some time refreshing the electric fence line around the top of our dog yard, so if he jumps up he will be discouraged from doing it again. What we found was that Balto isn’t all that interested in jumping when he has people who want him indoors. We have been either walking him on a leash or monitoring him closely when out in the yard. The day of this report, he went through a gate that wasn’t chained tightly, and ran for our chickens. Fortunately for them, we have enough experience with Samoyeds that the chicken yard has three fences. They kept him busy while Kathy got a leash. I followed with another, and the two of us got him into the house again. He is a very strong boy with no training. We will be looking for a home that has a VERY strong fence. Balto is mellow with people and other dogs, and as loving as can be. We are trying to get time to bathe him because he is still brown with dirt. Someone is going to be lucky to get him.

Polar was with Melissa until two weeks ago. He has a back story you can read about in last month’s report. Melissa visited a family in Clatskanie, Oregon, and they came to meet Polar. They decided on the spot they didn’t need to visit any other dogs, and after Polar healed from his neuter surgery he went to his new home. He now has his own family and even his own human boy to play with.

Mia came from the Skagit Humane Society. She was there with puppies, who were adopted out by the shelter. She didn’t have a name, and Kathleen decided Mia sounded right for her. She is still at Kathleen’s home being fostered, with a potential home on the horizon. She is a timid girl, but really sweet. Someone is going to get a wonderful dog.

A month ago we heard of a dog in the Index area. This month there are two dogs in Snohomish, and one looks the same. We think they are repeat escapees whose owner isn’t able to contain them. We’ll keep on top of the reports and may eventually need to take them into rescue.

This month Cheri is handling rescue inquiries and dogs who need help. She is being helped by Darlene, who recently visited a pair of Sammies in Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho. It looks at this writing like they have made arrangements for the female, but we will probably get the male. Time will tell. If we get him, he will be sent to Melissa to be fostered. Her husband recently said he misses having seven dogs. We think he had his tongue planted in his cheek when he said that.

More than a year ago the Secretary of State made a mistake and our rescue was officially dissolved. We have been fighting for reinstatement since then, and both Erin and I did battle with them unsuccessfully. Recently Hans took the baton in hand and we are now reinstated. Our team is growing and we are heading in the right direction to help as many Samoyeds as we can find. Last month, new board member Kathleen successfully handled the single busiest month we had in the last 23 years. In addition to our board members, our volunteer community is also robust and helps us find dogs who need us. Most shelters around the northwest know who we are, and that makes it easier to do our job. These are not the parts of rescue we usually write about, but they are real tasks that keep things going. Thanks to everyone!

Balto, after his first session with the blower.

July 2023 Rescue Report

NW Sams on July 11, 2023

Polar was on Craigslist early in June. The owner said he got him from a friend, and was rehoming him because he had too many dogs. Melissa called and wrote, and after a few emails back and forth, he brought Polar to Melissa’s home, where he has been fostered since. Polar was still intact, and will be neutered soon. He was born in 2019, so he is a wonderful age. We had a good app from someone in Clatskanie, Oregon, so Melissa took care of the home visit and reported they were a good home. After meeting him they decided not to visit Balto, the other dog we are trying to place, and as soon as Polar is neutered he will move in with them. He is a very mellow boy who loves people, and this looks like an excellent match.

We have been working with Balto off and on since January. His family seems to want him, but Balto is a jumper who can get over their five and a half foot fence. Because of that they have to keep him on a long line, and they recognize he needs a place to run. They recently brough him to us to meet, and he did well with our whole pack, as well as our fairly low fence. We believe a little judicious use of electric fencing would keep him contained, but so far we haven’t found anyone with an adequate fence. Fortunately, the owners are patient. Balto is a big guy whose ears didn’t come all the way up. He walked in the door and immediately joined our pack without problem, so we know he will make a great addition to the right home. Balto will be three years old in October.

In the past few days we heard of a Samoyed with four pups in Burlington. This month, Kathleen is on call so she is handling the contacts with the shelter. It’s her first month as “first responder,” and there is nothing like learning while under fire. When she reached the shelter, they indicated they would work with us. Melissa offered to foster them, which would be a heroic feat. We will see what happens. There was also a young Samoyed (we think) found in the Index area. We don’t know what his status is yet.

Dogs we heard about or saw online this month.

Sophie and Tessa go through spells where they won’t come inside, and when that happens we limit them to a small cross-fenced area of the back yard, where we can herd them toward the door. After many months of that, they seem to be coming in reliably now, and recently we gave them the whole yard. It helps that we are giving them high-value treats after they are in and the door is shut.