Profitable random encounters

I've said before that so much of the adoption process seems totally random.  It's very much like fishing.  We put our dogs on the internet and take them to adoption events, getting them out there, dangling them under the noses of potential adopters in the hopes that one of them will take the bait.  You can do the same thing day in and day out and have wildly different results.  It's a matter of the right person seeing the right dog at the right time, either in person or on the internet.  All we do is try to increase the chances of random encounters. 

Saturday was pretty much a washout around here due to Hurricane Irene.  It didn't amount to that much around here, thankfully, but it was enough to mess up plans.  I stayed home and cooked all day, and ate.  But Karin Straley went out for a few hours with a new batch of little dogs she had with Animal Connections.  Somewhere in the course of the day she ran into or spoke with a mutual acquaintance and mentioned the female black lab, Maddie, and my need for temporary foster homes.  She is a big dog person and knew another big dog person who was currently without a big dog, and thought it might potentially be a match.  After my trip to Gainesville and back on Sunday, Clay and I drove Maddie out to Crozet.  That lab knew heaven when she saw it.  Lots of room to run, dog friends to play with, easily the best gig she has had.  This is just a new foster home, but it may also be the next step in getting her adopted to a permanent home. 

I was late getting home from Gainesville on Sunday because the adoption event went longer than expected due to another random occurrence.  About the time I was thinking of leaving a woman happens by and meets Ryland.  She seemed interested and seemed like a good prospect for him, so I was more than happy to stick around a while longer.  She got on her phone and had her oldest son come by with their dog, and their cat, to meet Ry.  The two dogs had a pissing match on the shrubbery but got along fine and Ryland was indifferent towards the cat. 

I'm not sure yet what will come of it, but I have hope.  Mostly it demonstrates the random nature of this process. 

Schatze, yesterday at Gainesville.
Alert and intent, as always.

Other developments:  Later in the evening I had an email from a former adopter expressing interest in Riddle.  That would be a great placement, I love repeat adopters.

Roman is doing great in his new home and is now known as Reilly.  That dog couldn't be luckier.  Perhaps he shed some of that luck around the kennels and dog yard that the other dogs will pick up.  I hope so.

I moved Schatze back to the dog yard when we got home from Gainesville because her kennel is too muddy.  She and Ryland came inside last night to crates in my office. 

Candy is coughing much less now.  I sure wish I could have taken her out on Sunday but I didn't think it was the responsible thing to do.  I did take Gypsy Jr. and she was great with the crowd and other dogs.  Sparky was glad when she got back home, however.

Two of Thora's five pups at Gainesville yesterday.  The one on the left should be named "Trouble."
I didn't take Thora because I wasn't sure how she would react to seeing the pups again after being separated.