It’s that time of the month again – time to tell the story of the newest member of the Humane Society of West Michigan’s Pup of the Month Club! April’s recipient is Coco Ayotte – a 4-year-old Golden Retriever mix that is originally from Mississippi. Coco was adopted through the HSWM by Melissa Ayotte and her son, Cam. We met Coco and Melissa the beginning of March at Ruehs Park in Alaska, MI – a small, but rather scenic Kent County Park nestled along the Thornapple River. 

Coco’s rescue story began February of 2017 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, when Coco caught the attention of a woman who drove by her every day on her way to work. No matter the time of day or the weather, the woman saw Coco tied to a tree in front of a house, that was on a busy highway. She had no shelter. The woman became concerned and decided to take matters into her own hands and knocked on the door of the house. She offered $20 for Coco and 7 puppies. Her offer was accepted and she took all 8 pups to the CARES Clarksdale Animal Rescue Effort and Shelter in Clarksdale, MS. 

Coco was evaluated when she arrived and it was discovered the thin rope that she had been tied to the tree with, had become completely embedded around her neck – with the deepest part at her throat. The shelter’s Veterinarian sedated Coco and took to the painstaking and tedious task of removing all the rope particles. She was then stapled and stitched up for recovery. It was also discovered she had a dislocated elbow, the tips of her ears were frostbitten and that she was heartworm positive. Coco spent a couple of months recovering at CARES where she became a staff favorite because of her quiet, gentle and friendly ways toward everyone – people, dogs and cats alike. In April, after Coco’s neck healed and she had rested up, she was put on a CARE’s transport to the Humane Society of West Michigan. 

Melissa and her son, Cam, were looking for a pup – after all, says Melissa, every 12-year-old boy needs a dog, right? Melissa knew she wanted to adopt a dog from the HSWM, as she fosters kittens through them and knows that their primary concern is meeting the needs and best interests of the animals in their care. One of the reasons she choose to adopt, as opposed to buying, was she saw it as a life lesson for her son. She believed it was important to show Cam that it is essential when making choices in life that they have a positive impact beyond yourself – not only would they be giving a homeless dog a new start at life, but they would be making room at the shelter for another dog that needed her chance at a new home and life as well.  

Melissa had a good idea of what she wanted in a pup: a medium-sized, gentle dog that would get along well with the kittens she fosters from time to time. As they slowly walked through the HSWM’s kennel, they made note of some of the pups they were interested in meeting. Then they spent a little time with each of the pups in one of the meeting rooms – having meet and greets to see if they could possibly discover the ‘one’ that would become the newest member of the Ayotte family. 

Coco was the last dog they met that day. Their adoption counselor told them that Coco was very shy and timid. So, Melissa and Cam decided to sit on the floor in order to present themselves as approachable and as least threatening as possible to Coco. Coco was shy, quiet and very hesitant to enter the meeting room. Remembering back, Melissa recalls her first impression of Coco: “She was adorable, but a little roughed up.” The fur on the tips of her ears were missing fur due to frostbite and she had a permanent limp because of her dislocated elbow.  Also, because of her elbow injury, Coco’s front left leg was not fully functional. They were also told she was heartworm positive and that would require continued home treatment, if they adopted her. None of that really mattered to Melissa and Cam…Coco’s sweet, gentle and loving character immediately won them over. 

We often ask Pup of the Month owners why they adopted their dog and also how they would convince non-believers of dog adoption that adopting a rescue is not as scary as they think. The biggest argument we hear against adoption is that you never know what you are getting or that if you adopt a pup you are merely getting someone else’s problem. Melissa had an interesting take on this and she thinks that almost the opposite is true. She pointed out that shelters typically do an awesome job of letting potential adopters know the dog’s personality and requirements. For example, if someone is looking for a gentle, laid back, lower energy dog that does well with cats and other dogs, the adoption counselor will point that person toward the dogs that fit best into that lifestyle. And because of this pre-adoption insight into a dog’s personality, character and requirements there won’t be as many, if any, surprises. After all, that is one of the reasons pups end up in the shelter in the first place – owners not understanding a breed’s typical characteristics and behavioral traits and how the dog will or will not fit into their lifestyle. 

Melissa and Cam left the HSWM that day with Coco and haven’t looked back. Her heartworm was successfully treated with the continued home medication and she was soon settled quite well into her new digs. She loves to go for walks and if Melissa so much as puts her coat on or grabs her boots, Coco is at the door hoping she gets to go along too. Coco still has the limp due to the dislocated elbow, but it hasn’t done anything to slow this girl down. She loves to go wherever her people go and loves to meet new people. She likes to take naps with the foster kittens and is totally fine when they crawl all over her and settle in for warm snuggles. She loves everyone – human and animals alike – well, except for the occasional mole she sniffs out, digs up and rips from the ground. But that doesn’t really count, does it? 

We love how Melissa described Coco on her Pup of the Month nomination form – it just says it all: “She is exceedingly gentle, quiet, affectionate and beautiful. When I take her out in public, I often receive a compliment in regard to her loving demeanor. She is the best and we are so lucky to have her!” It is not just about the impact you can have on a homeless dog, it is also about the companionship, love and joy that pup also brings into your life as well. As Melissa told us while we were photographing Coco, “Adopting is so rewarding. Regardless of a dog’s background, somewhere along the line the dog was let down by humans. If you come into the dog’s life as someone committed to loving her, then she will never leave your side.” 

Congratulations again to Melissa, Cam and Coco and thank you for participating in Pup of the Month Club. Pup of the Month Club is a partnership of Tailwagger Dog Photography and the Humane Society of West Michigan. It is a celebration of dogs, dog adoptions and the bond between humans and their pups. If you have a HSWM dog and would like to nominate him or her for Pup of the Month Club, you can find more information and an entry form on Tailwagger Dog Photography’s website.  

Pup of the Month Club’s newest member is Princess Peach Stouten! Peach is a medium-sized, 4-year-old black and tan mixed breed with the most beautiful, expressive eyes. Peach is originally from Mississippi and arrived at the Humane Society of West Michigan on an ASPCA transport July 5, 2017.

Peach was adopted almost immediately after her arrival, but unfortunately Peach’s transition to a new home and life in Michigan got off to a bit of a rough start. Peach was attacked by two large dogs while on a walk with her new owner. The attack was so bad that Peach needed surgery. The new owner returned Peach to the HSWM and they performed the surgery and oversaw her recovery to help get her ready for adoption again.

At the same time – summer of 2017 – Jaclyn and Jason Stouten had been debating adopting a pup. Jaclyn and Jason had been going through hard and disappointing times, after going through multiple miscarriages. They had decided to adopt a dog after their fourth miscarriage, but wanted to wait till after Jaclyn completed one of her graduate classes at the end of August. But before her class ended, Jason heard on the radio that the HSWM was having a Dog Days of Summer special, so off they went that Saturday, July 29, 2017…just to look, of course.

Jaclyn excitedly checked out the adoptable dogs on the HSWM’s website as they drove there and she found one dog they definitely wanted to meet on their visit, a pup named Spotty. As they walked through the kennels that morning, they also noticed another dog they were interested in – her name was Little Girl. Spotty was just a total sweetheart – happy and well adjusted – both Jaclyn and Jason thought she would be a great fit for their family’s new addition. But then Little Girl walked in the meeting room – a pup with a lot of scabbing around her sides and throat and 10 inches of sutures down her side. It didn’t take long for Little Girl to warm up to them, cuddling in to them while Jaclyn and Jason listened to her history, as told by the adoption counselor. They learned of her recent mauling by two dogs, as well as that she was heartworm positive and would require a daily home medication, a strict limited exercise program and two additional visits to the humane society for treatment if they adopted her.

Jaclyn and Jason were torn, as they really liked both pups. They inquired about adopting both, but were told that Little Girl needed to be a solo adoption. They eventually decided on Little Girl, because she was the one who needed them the most. Spotty would be fine without them – she would be adopted with no problem. But Little Girl? Some people might be put off by the scabs and sutures, not to mention being heartworm positive, as well as dealing with her fear of other dogs since the attack. They also really felt in their hearts that they were the ones who were meant to help her on her journey and give her a safe and loving home. She needed THEM.

What they didn’t know at the time was how much they needed her as well.

Jaclyn and Jason welcomed Little Girl into their home that afternoon and she became Princess Peach – Peach for short. The Stoutens affectionately call Peach their Wallflower, as she was so very shy and timid when they first got her. They made a conscious effort to limit her contact with other dogs until she was more familiar and secure with her new family and new neighborhood. Because she was heartworm positive, she was on a strict exercise limit (10 minute walks or less), so this made it much easier to get her familiar with her new neighborhood gradually.

By providing a safe, quiet and stable home and showering Peach with love and attention she has blossomed during the year and a half she has been a member of the Stouten family. She is a people oriented pup and would rather spend time with people than other dogs. Although she does love to play with familiar dogs that are her own size or smaller. She is still a little timid when it comes to meeting dogs that are bigger than she is, especially if they run up to her – but she has even recently made progress with meeting and greeting big dogs.

She loves her many toys, but isn’t very good at sharing. If you start to play with one of her squeaky toys she will come take it away from you, put it down somewhere else and go back to what she was doing before you started playing with her toy. She is without a doubt a city pup and loves to go on long leashed walks – especially to her favorite park nearby. She loves to sing when she hears police or ambulance sirens and word has it that her Dad can get her to sing even when there is no siren simply by howling himself. She will soon join him in a combined joyous sing-song of howling!

She loves the attention and pets she gets from strangers she meets on walks, but her favorites are the cuddles she gets from Mom and Dad – especially curling up with Jason while he is reading. Jason has been her comfort and her initial ‘safe spot’ from the start, as well as fellow siren howler, of course.

Peach needed Jaclyn and Jason at a really frightening and vulnerable time in her life. She needed their protection, love and patience to help facilitate her healing. But with dogs it is usually a two-way street – they give often as much as they get. Give them a little love and attention and they give it right back and next thing you know you have a best friend and constant companion for life. Peach has been such a comfort for the Stoutens every day by simply being a warm, furry and loving presence in their home: the happy tail wag they are greeted with whenever they come home, the gentle way she curls up and snuggles next to one of them or the laughs and smiles that are the result of her goofy antics.

Companionship is one of the greatest gifts we get from our pups. They are with us through the good and bad, the triumphs and celebrations, as well as life’s disappointments. Dogs just love – it’s what they do. Humans and dogs are similar in that they are both social animals that have a deep-seated need for connection – to be loved and to love and this is what matters most in life. There is no doubt that this is at the core of the bond between humans and dogs. The bond that Jaclyn and Jason have with Peach exemplifies this well.

Peach has especially been a comfort to Jaclyn: “Peach simply being present in our home has been a comfort to me. It feels good to know she is around. I needed to take care of something that wasn’t green and leafy. Having her to care for and I’ll admit spoil has been a big help. The final miscarriage was the worst and would have been worse without our Peach snuggled with me on the couch for a week. I agree that our connection with Peach, while simple, is powerful. I just love her. She is a joy in our lives.” 

There is much to say about giving to another – helping to heal another when life presents challenges or disappointments. Quite often the way to healing your own heart and spirit is through giving to others, or in this case a black and tan broken pup named Little Girl. Dogs are wonderful at living in the moment and reminding us to love and live each moment, regardless of what life gives us. Quite often we can’t choose what life presents us, but we can choose how we react.

It is always so inspiring to hear people’s adoption stories – some are entertaining and funny, while others are insightful and touching such as the Stouten’s experiences. Congratulations again to Peach and the entire Stouten family! Pup of the Month Club is a partnership of Tailwagger Dog Photography and the Humane Society of West Michigan. It is a celebration of dogs, dog adoptions and the bond between humans and their pups. If you have a HSWM dog and would like to nominate him or her for Pup of the Month Club, you can find more information and an entry form on Tailwagger Dog Photography’s website. 

This month’s Pup of the Month is Big Ben Frankland! While we want to celebrate Ben’s adoption and newly found family, his story isn’t quite complete without mentioning another pup – a pup named Koga, who was also adopted through the Humane Society of West Michigan in 2006.

Koga was first spotted by Amanda Frankland and her Mother while running errands at Cedarpoint Mall in Grand Rapids. The HSWM had a group of adoptable dogs at the mall for public meet and greets. Koga was amongst those dogs. She caught their attention because she was all alone. People were petting and greeting the other dogs, but not the skinny, weak and timid 10-month-old shepherd mix. Koga had been rescued by a Good Samaritan from a backyard in the dead of winter. She was chained up with no food, water or shelter – she was emaciated and malnourished. When Amanda went up to Koga, she shyly reached up and softly licked her hand.  Amanda and her Mom completed their errands and went home, but not without Amanda stopping by one more time to see Koga before she left the mall.

When Amanda got home she couldn’t get Koga off her mind – the pup’s total vulnerability and a desire to help her totally occupied her thoughts until she called her boss. She told him the story of meeting Koga and asked if she adopted her, would it be okay to bring her to work with her everyday? He immediately said yes and she was quickly on her way back to the mall in hopes of catching the humane society personnel before they left to take the dogs back to the shelter. She caught them in the parking lot loading up the dogs and told them she wanted to adopt Koga right then and there. That was the first day of 12 wonderful years of joy, love, trust and loyalty together – best friends and companions. During those 12 years together their little family of two grew into a family of five, as Amanda married Marc and eventually little Sienna (4 years old) and Jax (2 years old) came along.

This past summer the Frankland family had to say goodbye to Koga. It was devastating for the entire family*, but it was especially hard on Amanda, as the two of them had been together for so long. As Amanda so aptly put it, “We grew up together – I got Koga when I was in my mid-20s. I felt a part of my world and my comfort died.  I grieved and I actually still grieve her to this day. I think of certain memories and still tear up.“ But even in Amanda’s pain and grief she was able to recognize how much Koga brought to her life in their time together. She could still feel the love and presence of her beloved pup in her heart. Through her tears she understood how a chance meeting in a mall changed her life forever, as well as Koga’s life. Koga wasn’t with her anymore, but the love and the cherished memories of their time together live on. Love never dies – that is part of the reason it is so hard to not be with the people and animals we love so much. In her grief, she knew eventually that she would want to give love and a safe haven to another soul. She knew that welcoming another dog into their home and hearts was just as important now as it was when she welcomed Koga into her home and family 12 years ago.

This is something all dog lovers have to contemplate – the loss of a dog and thoughts of getting another. Some feel guilty – that they are betraying the memory of their furry family member if they get another pup. But that is looking at it as if we are trying to replace the dog we just lost. You can never replace a beloved human family member with another person, so I am not sure why people think of welcoming another dog into their lives as replacing. It’s not about replacement. It is about welcoming a new love and joy to your life. Getting another dog won’t help you get over the loss of a pup. Grief has to play out – that’s just the way it works. But why not work through that grief while a new joy and love is next to you wagging his tail? All dogs are special in their own unique, individual ways. 

I have also heard many people say that they will never get another dog because they couldn’t possible go through that kind of grief again. I’ve been lucky enough to have lost three dogs in my life. I say lucky not because of the grief I went through when I had to say goodbye to them. I say lucky because of all the years of companionship, love and joy that enriched my life because of the many years I had with them. Life just wouldn’t be the same with a tailwagger (or two) in my life. I wouldn’t trade those years for anything. It’s about trying to live and love completely – about sharing your love with the world around you and that most certainly includes your pup. We get as much from our pups, as we give them – perhaps even more.

Roughly a month after the Frankland family said goodbye to Koga, Amanda decided it was time to find their new family member. They headed to the Humane Society of West Michigan, as Amanda had read that the HSWM had an influx of dogs. Amanda and Marc thought they were interested in a younger dog, because their children were so young and they wanted the three of them to bond and grow up together. Ben was the third dog they met that day and he was a bit more timid and quieter than the other dogs they had met. He acknowledged them all giving them a good sniff over and then lay down and rested his head on Amanda’s leg. The family went out to the waiting room to make a decision, but Amanda felt she needed a little more time and walked back into the kennels by herself to observe each pup. All the pups they looked at were lying down – including Ben. But when Ben saw her come back – he sat up and made eye contact with her. That was the sign Amanda was looking for and went straight out into the waiting room and told her family, “Let’s get our boy home.”

Big Ben is a nine-month-old Shepherd mix with all the natural curiosity and energy that healthy puppies have. Ben also has the coolest ears that I have seen in a while. They seem to have a mind of their own – they flip this way and that – without much apparent control from Ben, but that is part of what makes Mr. Ben so adorable. He loves to go for walks with his family, especially his two favorite toddlers.

He loves to play ‘tag’ with Sienna and Jax, play fetch with his squeaky toys and he even learned how to swim this past fall. He walks and runs sideways when he is excited and has the most adorable head tilt when he hears a new, intriguing sound. He can’t get enough cuddles or kisses from his family and sleeps with the tip of his tongue peaking out, while bringing down the house with his snoring. I’ve been told he can revive the dead when the little man starts snoring. He is even friends with Chuck, the neighborhood squirrel, who visits every day.  Ben has brought a new joy and love to the Frankland family that is just as unique and special as Koga’s and for that they are exceedingly grateful. “Ben is finding love again after a great loss”, reflects Amanda.

Congratulations again to the Frankland family! Pup of the Month Club is a partnership of Tailwagger Dog Photography and the Humane Society of West Michigan. It is a celebration of dogs, dog adoptions and the human/dog bond. If you have an adopted HSWM pup and would like to nominate him or her for the Pup of the Month Club, you can find more information and the entry form on Tailwagger Dog Photography’s website.

* Amanda and Marc bought the book The Heaven of Animals by Nancy Tillman to help Sienna and Jax understand and cope with the loss of Koga.