Zoomer, 7, recently had a very successful 5-day stay with one of our volunteers and her family. She described Zoomer as an easygoing, settled, friendly guest. Having our shelter dogs go out on overnight stays gives us a much better idea of how they might do in their adoptive him. In Zoomer's case, he was a "perfect" guest.
His volunteer host shared thes observations of what he was like in her home:
"It’s hard to put into words how perfect Zoomer is. It was absolutely delightful to have him for 5 days and 4 nights. We gave him a grade of A++ for the outing. He is so sweet and, by far, the most cuddly & affectionate dog we’ve ever had at the house. His transition into the house could not have been easier. Zoomer has very low-key, sweet energy and is content to just be with humans, occasionally roll in the yard, and nap. He is a pup who is not a lot of work with high payback in love and affection."
Once introduced to you, Zoomer wants to be held, cuddled, and snuggled very closely. We continued ‘pet consent’ throughout the visit, but by the end of the 5 days, neither my husband nor I had received ‘no,’ for an answer a single time. We cautiously expanded our scratches to his back and chest – and he loved it. He relaxed, closed his eyes, and grunted little happy grunts for head and chest rubs. On several occasions, he crawled in our laps like a cat. We tried to explain to Zoomer that he was not a cat.
• Zoomer’s introduction to our niece was very easy. We followed all of MarLee’s instructions and he warmly welcomed meeting her. He seemed to be thrilled to have the full attention of 3 humans for 5 days.
• Perhaps because he’s now over 7 years old, Zoomer has very low-key energy. He was the easiest pup in the home and took very little effort. He would come to greet you if you got up or walked in the room – but otherwise, would toddle off to the couch or rest at your feet. He did not need a whole lot of attention or work – at all. He was so easy.
• The first night, Zoomer stayed on his bed in our primary bathroom. He was a bit restless but did fine. One night 2, Zoomer suggested that he would rather be with humans. So, we moved his bed to our room. Zoomer was perfect sleeping through the night in the room with us. He jumped in bed for a snuggle on the first night but was content to be on his own bed most of the three following nights. He was a sweet gentleman in the morning – happy to be up and patiently waited to be taken out.
• Zoomer is 100% house-trained. No accidents of any kind.
• Because I hurt my foot over Christmas, we did not do walks. We practiced putting the muzzle on and off but did not use it outside the house. However, that made us realize that Zoomer was actually perfectly fine just going into the yard – stretching on his belly, rolling in the grass, and having a bit of a sniff. Then, he’d go back inside – easy peasy. Zoomer didn’t need a lot of activity to keep him happy.
• In the yard, Zoomer enjoyed looking out through the fence. He seemed to be engaged looking at cars, people, and other dogs from a distance. He did not bark or react in any way. He is good in a fenced in yard and after day 2, we let him off the long line which he loved and made belly rolls that much better.
• Over the 5 days, Zoomer opened up and relaxed. He became loose and on occasion, silly. He seemed happy. By day 2, he stopped panting. By day 3, he was so comfortable taking naps and snoring loudly. By day 4 and 5, he was relaxed and would occasionally play with a toy or chew a bone. Zoomer had a relatively quick decompression compared to other dogs we’ve had at the house who could take weeks or months to get to that level of relaxation.
• We followed all of the rules for putting down and taking up food and had no issues whatsoever. In fact, Zoomer was not very interested in food and ate much less than other dogs his size that we’ve hosted. He was also not super treat motivated, either. His treats were more human contact in nature. Head rub over snacks, for sure.
• Zoomer did not show a big interest in toys or chew things although we continued to try new things. On the last day, however, he did somehow secretly find and chew the end off of unplugged extension cord. It was out-of-character for the rest of the visit, but perhaps something to be watched.
Overall, Zoomer was a perfect dog who was very easy to take care of in the home and is an incredible and loving companion. "
Zoomer would need to go to an adult home where he can be the only pet in the home. He is a quick learner and is an easy-to-please companion. He is available for foster, foster-to-adopt or for adoption. If you'd like to meet him, please visit pawsatlanta.org and fill out an adoption application.
