Adoptable Dogs

Name:

Otis

Breed:

Pit Bull Terrier

Color:

White/Brown

Gender:

Male

Age:

9 years

 

MYM Canine-ality:
Goofball

I’m a fun-loving, happy-all-the-time, glass-is-half-full kind of dog looking for someone who loves to laugh and play around. Must have a great sense of humor and some time to spend with me. I’m a dog on a mission to please you. (Socially motivated)  

Learn more about Meet Your Match Canine-alities

Big fan of: You! A stranger is just a BFF Otis hasn’t met yet. Extra-social Otis loves attention from people and can’t get enough snuggles. He also enjoys retrieving tennis balls and taking long walks.
Not a fan of: The sound of skateboards or other rolling objects—Otis thinks they’re scary—and enduring rough play at the hands of kids. (Otis should live with teens and adults only.)
Special features: Otis knows Sit, Down, Shake and more, and he would love to spend time with you learning more cool stuff in exchange for a tasty treat. A perennial staff favorite, Otis has been described as “everything a person could want in a dog.” Though he’ll need a refresher in his new home, Otis is housebroken. He also has an irresistibly goofy and sweet face that will melt your heart each time he looks at you!
Other reasons he’s special: Otis was rescued by our Humane Law Enforcement Agents in 2002 as a puppy. He found his way into a loving home soon after, but eight years later his heartbroken family was forced to give him up. He sees his role in life as being a beloved family member, and he can’t wait to be someone’s loyal best friend again.
Dream home: A teens-and-up family with lots of love for a gentleman of a certain age would suit Otis just fine. Otis has lived with cats and is interested in other dogs. If you’re interested: Please call our Animal Placement department in New York City at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4900.

 

 

Do you have a smarty-pants canine? Does your favorite pup need a little extra stimulation or a boost in confidence? Or maybe you’re just interested in finding something fun you can do to deepen your bond with your canine buddy?
Welcome to dog sports, a great way to have tons of fun with your friendly dog while giving him the enrichment every companion animal needs! Agility and other sports can be enjoyed competitively or noncompetitively and will help your dog build confidence and form an uncommonly deep bond with you.
If you're like most pet parents, when you hear "dog sports," you probably think of Fetch and Tug-of-War. But the world of dog sports goes well beyond those activities. If you've ever seen a video of a dog jumping over hurdles, barreling through a tunnel or dancing in sync with a human, chances are you were watching dog sports in action. If you think dog sports might be for you and your dog, here's a quick guide to some of your options.

Agility

What is it? Racing against the clock, your dog completes a challenging obstacle course with you as his guide. Agility can be done competitively or just for fun! Check out the ASPCA's own Beverly Pietrucha's account of what Agility is really like.
Who's it for? Any breed or mixed-breed dog can be an agility champion! Your dog should have lots of energy and focus, and you should be ready to spend lots of quality time working with your pup.
For more info: Visit the North American Dog Agility Council, Canine Performance Events, or the U.S. Dog Agility Association.

Rally Obedience (Rally-O)

What is it? Kind of like a driver's test for you and your dog—except a whole lot more enjoyable for everyone involved. With your dog in a heel position, you navigate a course, stopping at signs that ask you to perform various commands.
Who's it for? Open to dogs of all breeds and mixes, Rally-O is great for dogs and pet parents who are new to dog sports, and for those looking for a way to have more fun with obedience training.
For more info: Visit the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

Disc Dog

What is it? Some next-level Frisbee fun. As the "thrower" of your team, you work together with your dog to compete in distance catching (what it sounds like) and freestyle catching (throwing with a few "tricks" tossed in).
Who's it for? Dogs of any breed with a flair for catching a Frisbee, and pet parents looking for a sport that requires minimal equipment—you just need a disc, a level area and, of course, man's best friend.
For more info: Visit the International Disc Dog Handlers Association.

Flyball

What is it? A relay race for pups—and lots of fun for both of you! As part of a team of four other dogs, your dog must race over a series of jumps on a 51-foot course, trigger the release of a ball, retrieve the ball and then race back to the start/finish line so the next dog can do the same.
Who's it for? Any energetic dog can compete! Handlers (that's you) who seek a sport that's as social as it is challenging should look no further than the fun-loving Flyball community.
For more info: Visit the North American Flyball Association.

Freestyle

What is it? Dancing with your dog! Sounds goofy, but it's lots of fun…and hard work.
Who's it for? Creative folks, and dogs of any breed.
For more info: Visit the Canine Freestyle Federation or the World Canine Freestyle Organization. 
There are still many more dog sports to be enjoyed! Here are just a few more dog sports groups to check out:

• For Tracking, visit the American Kennel Club.
• For Herding, visit the American Herding Breed Association.
• For go-to-ground Earthdog trials for Dachshunds and small terriers, visit the American Kennel Club.
• For Weight Pulling, visit the International Weight Pulling Association.
• For Lure Coursing, visit the American Sighthound Field Association.

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Rescued by ASPCA and Undercover ATF Agents, Ex-Fighting Dog Finds Loving Family
During a year-long investigation into a guns and narcotics network in Virginia, agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discovered that their targets were also involved in dog fighting.
To gain access to the criminals, the agents went undercover as fellow dog fighters, visiting the Halifax County property of the suspects on the pretense of purchasing a dog. The agents were offered Dragon, whom they feared would be killed that night, either in a fight or at the hands of his owners. They bought him…and then they fell in love with him.
The agents called the ASPCA for help. Our top experts arrived as soon as they could, and in April 2011 we assisted the ATF with a large-scale drugs, weapons and dog fighting raid where 41 dogs were seized.
It’s been two years since that bust, which resulted in two prison terms for the convicted dog fighters, including 15 years for Jonathan Kennard Williams.
But that wasn’t the only happy ending to this story.
Like most fighting dogs, Dragon was as sweet as could be with humans. “He rolled over and showed me his belly, even when I was ‘being mean to him’ as part of his behavioral assessment,” says the ASPCA’s Dr. Randall Lockwood. But Dr. Lockwood and ASPCA behaviorist Dr. Pamela Reid found that he was also aggressive toward other male canines.
Still, the ASPCA didn’t give up on Dragon. And Dr. Reid had an idea: entering Dragon into a special rehabilitative program at the Longmont Humane Society in Colorado—approximately 1,700 miles from Halifax.
Says ASPCA Blood Sports Director Terry Mills, “We had a chance to save his life through a nontraditional approach, and we took it.”
So ASPCA Transport and Equipment Assistant Richard Danner drove Dragon from Virginia to Joplin, Missouri, where the Field Investigations and Response Team was responding to the tornado that devastated that town in May. From there, Dr. Reid and Mills drove Dragon to the Longmont Humane Society.
“We stayed for five days and worked with him every day, twice a day, and we were all quite impressed,” says Dr. Reid. “By Day 3, Dragon was making some dog friends and by Day 4, he was playing with other dogs!”
Soon, Dragon was ready for the adoptions floor. And finally, this year, he got the happy ending he so deserved: A wonderful family decided to take him home. Dragon is now living the good life with software developer Eric Reeves and his two kids! Read more about Dragon’s new life in the Denver Post!

Days after Jack White claimed his third No. 1 album in the U.K., he's now climbed atop the Billboard 200 chart for the first U.S. No. 1 album of his career.
White's debut solo album, Blunderbuss (buy on iTunes), moved 138,000 copies in its first week on sale, more than enough to surpass Adele's 84,000 copies sold. The album also debuted in the No. 1 slots in Canada and Switzerland.
Prior to Blunderbuss, which came close to a No. 1 with 2007's Icky Thump, which debuted with 223,000 first-week sales, enough to place it at No. 2 behind Bon Jovi's Lost Highway.
In other recent Jack White news, producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed in a recent interview that White had signed on to write, produce and perform the soundtrack to Disney's upcoming adaptation of The Lone Ranger.
"Jack's an amazing songwriter with a unique style," Bruckheimer recently told Variety. "We're thrilled to hear his fresh take on the 'William Tell Overture.'"

 

Jack White Scores First U.S. Number One

Posted 05/02/2012 at 11:28am | by Josh Hart