Pet of the Week: Meet Nemo and Dori

Pet of the Week

Good news (or good pets) seem to come in pairs. Again this week, we meet up with these two adorable dogs owned by Upper Dublin’s Ward 5 Commissioner Rebecca Gushue. Rebecca sent us the following story:

I’m not only a fan of our local ASPCA, but I’ve also had the joy of adopting as well.  You see, like most people, my family was looking for companionship, not a critter with paperwork dictating “worth.”  Frankly, my two adopted dogs are invaluable!

We adopted Nemo in 2012 and brought him home just in time for Mother’s Day. I found him on the Lost Dog section of the Montgomery County ASPCA and tracked him until he was available for adoption. The moment that I saw his saucer ears and kind disposition, I knew that he would be a great fit for our family. He had a few quirks as many shelter dogs do:

  • He didn’t like people wearing black coats
  • He obviously didn’t use stairs in the past
  • The poor thing was afraid of loud noises and various things gave him anxiety
  • He was missing half of his right paw – how that happened is still a mystery 

Within a month, socialization, good food, routine and love turned our timid adoptee into the Nemo we love to this day. He is a well adjusted, verbal and silent command trained dog who loves everyone. We named him Nemo because he is missing half of his paw, and just like the fish in the Disney movie, it is his lucky paw.

Our “Puggle” is our newest adoptee. For over two years we talked about adopting a friend for Nemo as he’s a very social dog. That is why I immediately jumped on a post from Glenside Local! A 9 year old pug/beagle (puggle) was turned into the Montgomery County ASPCA as her owner passed away without making arrangements for her care. I immediately fell in love with her puggle face and shared the listing with my husband and kids. We all agreed, she needed to meet us!

We met her, first in a cage, and then in the meet & greet room at the Conshohocken shelter. She was so loving and good with my children that I was hopeful that I could adopt her. I placed my paperwork on file and was thrilled to find out that we were chosen to adopt our “water melon” on legs.

Unlike Nemo, our new lady didn’t have a lot of phobias or hang ups. She did, however, need a diet, regular exercise and training. She didn’t seem to know her name, so we gave her a matching name to Nemo: Dori!

Three months after adoption, Dori knows her name and is following our training. She’s dropped about three pounds and is an absolute delight!

Nemo and Dori enjoy sunning themselves in my front window, exploring our back yard and going places like the beach and the mountains with us. Dori especially likes my teenage son and follows him around the house.

For those of you who are like my family; you want a companion and you don’t plan on breeding or showing your pet at shows, please consider adopting from the ASPCA!  Major benefits include temperament assessments, spade & neutering, updated vaccinations, micro-chipping and registration with the county. That’s a heck of a package AND you save a life.