Zoe's “mug shot” at animal shelter (Inland Valley Humane Society, in Pomona) before Mom and I liberated her so we could love her and be loved by her,
and a few months later in our back yard,
{you can make video play full-screen}
finding a good home for Zoe
I want to find a good home for Zoe, my fluffy-and-happy dog.
Facts: She is a spayed female, 14 pounds, estimated (by shelter & vet) as 3-5 years old. She has the “hybrid vigor” of a Yorkie-Pom, combining Yorkshire Terrier with Pomeranian. In Greek, her name (spelled Zoe, pronounced Zoey) means “life”, and she is full of life, enjoys life; she enjoys the simple pleasures of living, like social interactions (with people & dogs), relaxation and sleep, doggie massage, food, walks, car rides, and more.
Reasons: Why do I want to let her go? It isn't for any “bad dog” reason. She is a “good dog” and if I wasn't moving away, I wouldn't be giving her away. {more – why I think “letting her go” will be good for me, and her, and you}
Observations: She is a beautiful dog with a wonderful personality. (photos & videos are below) She is an enthusiastic greeter — when I return to her (after sleeping, or from an errand) and when she meets new people — full of obvious joy. But after a few minutes of excitement, she relaxes, becomes calm and mellow; in fact, if I touch her unexpectedly she doesn't respond with a “jump” and this is because she is deeply relaxed internally, in mind and body. A couple of times each day she plays with a stuffed toy (as in this video) and does “fetch” with me. She enjoys her adventures of exploring the neighborhood in walks, or the special treat of traveling to new places in a car. In her 17 months with us she has been healthy, eating well, having vitality with energy. She is housebroken, usually quiet, and doesn't shed.
What would be a good home for Zoe? Basically, just being with people who love her and will take good care of her. But she loves social stimulation (more than I'm able to give her) so I think an ideal situation might be... three kids (7 to 16, with friends for Zoe to meet) plus father & mother, and probably a dog. But of course other situations also could work well, with more children or fewer (or none) who instead of 7-14 are a little younger or a lot older, with no dog or two dogs; I think she will be happy in any home with people who love her and would help her enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
Why do I want to let her go? It's mainly for me, but I think it also will be good for her and for you. / for me: Our family always had a dog, in Iowa and then Anaheim, but during my 43 years of mostly living in the northwest (Seattle) and midwest (Madison) I never had a dog, and when I move back to the midwest — probably visiting Madison in June-July of 2020 before moving on to Columbus in August — I want the freedom of not having a dog, especially when finding two new places to live. / for her: I think Zoe will have a better life, when all things are considered, if she has more social stimulation. Zoe and I love each other, but she misses “the good old days” when she had two main people (me and Mom) plus many other people during Mom's final 4 months — when she was in a nursing home and assisted living facility, August thru November of 2019 — when Zoe and I would visit Mom almost every day, so Zoe could joyfully interact with a variety of people; she also enjoyed socializing with other dogs when dog parks were still open. (the recent “social distancing” is disappointing for her, and she doesn't understand why) Now it's usually just me, and (although we love each other and I treat her well) I think she would be happier, with more zest in her life, if she had more than "just me." / for you: After reading this paragraph, you know that I'm not letting her go for any “bad dog” reason — instead she is a wonderful “good dog” and if I wasn't moving away, I wouldn't be giving her away — so you can be more confident that she also would be a wonderfully good dog for you. / for us: I think finding a good home for Zoe will be good for all of us, with win-win-win results.