Willard the Wonderdog!

Willard is unquestionably the most popular dog at BEBHS these days. And we're hoping he loses that title and finds a loving home very soon. Colleen, a superstar member of our absolutely fantastic kennel team has this to say about our special little dude: 

I think it’s safe to say I speak for all of the staff members at BEBHS when I say we LOVE Willard. With his unique looks and personality, it didn’t take long for him to stand out from the crowd and become a favorite of all of ours.

Willard’s intelligence and curiosity are instantly apparent when you take him for a walk. Most dogs run around and jump when you go into their kennel, but Willard just stands perfectly still while I put his harness on, looking up at me as if to say, “I know the drill. I’ll just wait while you do whatever you’re doing.” Once he gets outside, he likes to take his time to see and smell the things that catch his interest.

That’s not to say, however, that he wouldn’t make a good exercise buddy. I’ve discovered that although Willard can be a bit of a slow walker, it’s because he prefers to go for a jog! When I start running, Willard will trot along happily at my side, tail wagging, keeping perfect pace. And he always grabs his own leash when we run – I think he thinks he’s taking me for a walk!

But even more than jogging, Willard likes to get his exercise through play. He gets along with every other dog he meets, and adjusts the intensity of his play to match any size. His best friends here have included a Great Dane and a Pit Bull, and he even played gently with a little Chihuahua/Dachshund puppy. If there are no other dogs around, he loves to play Tug of War with his human friends (he also enjoys running after toys when you throw them, but he hasn’t quite figured out the “pick it up and bring it back” part of Fetch yet).

Willard is a quick study, and he has already begun learning some basic obedience skills. He knows 'sit' like the back of his paw, and he's starting to work on 'stay,' ‘take,’ and ‘drop.’ He has also undergone some elementary crate training; he loves his crate, and he will even enter and exit on cue.

It has been a joy and a privilege to be able to get to know Willard and to spend time with him here at the shelter. Every day has been an emotional roller coaster of hoping he gets adopted and hoping he stays a little longer so that I get to spend more time with him. Ultimately, even though I’ll be sad to see him go, I’ll be incredibly happy to see him finally find his forever home.

Check out Willard's video here:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4gXR7aBwKiE#!