My name is Willow!

Hi all. My name is Willow. I am a beautiful, medium size, 38 lb, 4 year old female mixed breed dog. It is not easy to determine my breeds from my appearance as I am very unique looking. Some people think I look I might have some basenji in me as well as something with a curly tail.
I am a very loving, friendly and gentle girl. Just like the tree I am named after I am beautiful and graceful. My foster mom says that if I were in a beauty contest I would win for Ms. Congeniality. I adore people, am great with other dogs and am truly fascinated by cats. So much so that when I met one recently I gently placed my mouth over her neck. Who knew that wasn't a proper way to greet them? I wasn't trying to hurt her, I was just trying to get her to engage with me (and maybe to see what flavor she was). She however was not impressed and gave me a good swatting. So it is probably best if I go to a cat free home (although not nearly as much fun.)
I was recently rescued from the illegal dog eating industry in Thailand. There isn't much worse that can be done to dogs than the deliberate torture that is inflicted on those who are stolen or bred to be eaten. While I was lucky enough to be spared that nightmare, just being transported to those torture facilities was another one. All of us were jammed into wire crates so tightly that we could not move an inch. It was terribly painful, traumatizing and very difficult to breathe. We were destined to be driven by our abductors to neighboring countries like China and Vietnam where torturing and eating dogs is perfectly legal. Thankfully we were rescued before we crossed the border. Sadly many of the dogs had suffocated by then.
Following our rescue we were taken to a wonderful Soi Dog shelter where many compassionate people tended to our wounds and helped us to get over the trauma. We are also thoroughly checked out by a vet, spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated and microchipped. Then we were temperament assessed and, where necessary, rehabilitated. Those of us who passed the assessment are offered for to responsible rescues around the world for rehoming. I am now in Vancouver and in the care of a wonderful foster home and am adjusting very well to my new life in Canada.
I am very bright and learn super quickly. Not only am I house trained but I prefer to do my business far away from any area I normally play in so I don't walk through my own mess. When I saw another dog getting treats whenever she sat down I tried doing the same thing. And like magic it worked! Now I sit down every time I suspect my foster mom might have a treat in her hand. It doesn't always get me one but I figure it never hurts to try. Interestingly, if I am fairly sure she doesn't have treats and am asked to sit I may or may not do so. I mean where is my motivation!
I am certainly keeping my foster family laughing. I and my dog buddy get hooves to chew on before our last walk of the night. They are taken away and hidden during the walk. Once when we got back I searched the entire house from stem to stern (we live on a houseboat) looking for them. It was very perplexing. When I finally determined that they were truly missing I looked at my foster mom with wide eyes informing her that we had clearly been robbed!

I am a very curious and inquisitive and LOVE to explore. I am forever trying to figure out what things are, like vacuum cleaners and drills and what might live under the stairs. Just like cats my curiosity sometimes gets me into trouble. Once my foster mom heard some noises coming from the bathroom and found me in the tub checking out the shampoo bottles. Another time when we were heading out for a walk I decided I wanted to investigate my foster parent's dingy that was tied to the dock. So I put both my front paws onto it and wasn't even fazed when it started to move away. So I had my two front paws on a boat that was getting further away and my two back paws on the deck. If it wasn't for my foster mom pulling me back, I would have been "overboard dog."
Dried duck treats are my very favorite thing. One night my foster mom put a bag of them away at the back of the counter where she thought I couldn't reach them. Well, when she came back later she found the shredded empty bag in the living room and a very satisfied look on my face. That was my favorite dinner ever.
I made up for that little indiscretion the next day when my foster dad and I were having a snooze of the sofa together. I began to poke and prod at the blanket that is always kept there. My foster dad opened one eye to see me trying to cover him up with the blanket. I had picked it up with my mouth and placed it on top of him. Pretty cute, right.
My playful side is really coming out now - I will race around to greet you when you come home and will run circles around you when I want you to play with me. I am such a cheerful, outgoing and affectionate girl.
It will take me a few days to feel safe in a new home but once I do I bond very strongly. I am also very protective of my family and will bark at people who walk by the house and anyone who visits the home. So it would be best if I got a quiet home where there aren't a lot of visitors who come over. As I adore sunbathing I would love a home with either a large deck or a yard.
I am happy, healthy, house trained and looking forward to finding the home I have been waiting for all of my life. I will return your kindness and commitment to me with more love and laughter than you could ever imagine. My adoption fee of $450 includes medical testing, current vaccinations, spaying, a microchip and my transportation to Canada.