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The Animal Welfare Society is fortunate to have an all volunteer Mobile Adoption Team that works with Shelter Dogs on a one to one basis. This includes bringing animals to events, through shelter Obedience Classes and in some cases, providing a foster home until a forever home comes along. The primary focus is Long Term Residents who have been at AWS for 8 weeks or longer. This enrichment program is a way to keep the spirits of the dogs buoyed and most certainly enhances their adoptability. The following are excerpts from notes to AWS known as MAT's Musings! Enjoy!
More Musings...
Your Mobile Adoption Team has been working their fingers to the bone. Seems many of us are doing double duty in the Obedience Department too! This is a great way to fine tune our handling skills and keep our AWS canines mentally sharp.
We visited the Kennel Shop in Scarborough at the end of March. Roberta and Missy, Angela and Angel and Astrid and Forge had a great time. Representatives from Lucky Pup were there too. They brought puppies so in order to compete we had to invoke the Obedience Super Powers!! We also used the Cute Factor when Roberta and Angela took pictures of the dogs in their Easter inspired headgear.
Getting to The Kennel Shop was easier for some than others.  Missy appears not to enjoy lengthy car rides. We used Angel’s treat motivation to get her in Angela’s car and Forge, he went along for the ride and enjoyed himself.
Missy enjoyed herself once she understood that everyone at the store thought she had a beautiful coat and congratulated her on her retirement.
Angel showed off the confident swagger she’d developed since she lost half her body weight after being brushed out a few days before. Double coated dogs.
 Forge used his big head and chest to invite people to ask about him and then he’d cuddle up with them. What a great job he did showing the public that his breed is calm, kind and cuddly. MAT believes that Forge is only legally blind, not completely blind. In any event, he’s a good companion and a great dog for events.
April 2 brought MAT to The Tractor Store in Sanford. Again, the AWS dogs blew their competition out of the water. There was a group of dogs doing some sort of a demonstration. The AWS dogs demonstrated the outstanding addition to any home a shelter dog makes!!
Forge rode with Roberta. He wore an Adopt me bandanna. No need to try to cover up his good looks!! He certainly got several! LOTS of interest in our one of our LTR’s. Forge will continue to forge ahead!! He and Roberta got called back to the shelter to meet with a prospective family.
Beth and MAT newcomer Blaze set the visit on fire!! Blaze made friends during the entire visit! What a great dog. He had some reservations about riding in the car, but Beth handled it like a champ. Nerves, we all get them. 
Blaze also wanted to show off his physique and opted for an Adopt Me bandanna.
Missy hit her stride. She wore the tan camo vest which proved to bring out her true colors, so to speak. Missy sniffed her way through the whole store, literally! every hinge, every tire, power tool. She’s fooled all of us all this time. She’s not prima donna we thought she was. She also did much better riding from the shelter to Sanford. Good girl Missy!
No one can figure out why Missy and Forge are still at the shelter!! Sure, they’ve gone up a few groups of puppies, but they’ve been at the shelter longer than any of the current residents. As a newly retired Greyhound Missy will need a family who understands that she’s never lived in a place with stairs and will need some patience from her family as she adjusts to household noises. Life on the track is not life in the fast lane by any stretch.
Forge is a very affectionate dog. He loves to be with people. His vision impairment does not affect his ability to love or to live in a home. His family will simply need to show him the ropes navigating his surroundings.
MAT hopes these two dogs go home very soon!! Make sure to check out Missy with her Easter Bunny headband and Forge sporting a daily allowance of Vitamin A and Beta Carotene on the top of his head! Join MAT at The Kennel Shop in Sanford Saturday, April 9 from 11-1.
Saturday was a perfect day to go to visit our friends at The Kennel Shop in Sanford. Lady Bug, Roberta, Trevor, Angela, Beth and Buddy did just that!
Roberta filed this report: Lady Bug is so cute in the car. First she rolled around and got comfy and then she sat calmly staring out the back window. It was really funny.
At the store she minded me well and barely pulled on the leash. She was very treat motivated and really liked sniffing around and meeting new people. One woman even thought I was in the middle of some sort of service training! Lady Bug did well when one child raced to see Lady Bug. Lady Bug did very well and the little girl learned about boundaries around animals.
On the ride home Lady Bug decided to roll around some more and then sit and stare quietly out the side window this time instead of the back.
All in all, Lady Bug was a true lady Saturday.
Angela and Trevor filed this report: Trevor was an excellent partner in the car - preferring sitting in the small space of the back window so the wind from the open windows could hit him in the face - he was so happy! He was well behaved on the leash. He seemed to enjoy other dogs that were the same size. Trevor enjoyed being a greeter on the bench outside the store greeting shoppers that were walking by. He was a perfect gentleman and was really enjoying giving kisses to little kiddos walking by with their families. Such a good boy!
Beth and Buddy took a more low key approach . . . Buddy enjoyed visiting and showed off his superior relaxation skills, particularly power snoozing. Buddy enjoyed visiting and then taking a quick few minutes to refresh himself for the next group of people visiting with him. An exceptional companion dog for anyone!! Don’t miss the next appearance by the AWS canines and MAT, Saturday, April 16 from 11-1 at Ogunquit Beach for the Patriot’s Day Craft Fair.
March may have come in like a lamb, but the AWS dogs and their MAT partners blew the doors off at The Kennel Shop at Mill Creek.
 Roberta was reacquainting herself with the Hound Group for this event. Tracker, a frisky, active and true to breed Beagle reported for duty at The Kennel Shop. Astrid and Mijah were right behind them. Beth and Gary were wrapping up some longstanding business with Teddy Pom Pom before they left the shelter so they were slightly tardy.
Not only did we get a warm welcome from the staff at the store Gary was speechless when he arrived because a Greyhound rescue was already there. Gary thought it was Greyhound day!
The nice folks at The Kennel Shop gave us a table to use and we hadn’t finished putting the AWS banner on the table when the Natural Balance representative came over to look at each of the adoptable dogs. She was especially taken with Mijah.
Roberta and Tracker were busy, well, tracking. Tracker is better than any treadmill or stair climbing machine. He and Roberta were on the move the whole time we were at the store. Roberta double checked on Tracker’s age. Ten, yes, that was confirmed. Tracker is an active senior!! He’d be a great candidate for Nose Works. His olfactory senses are as keen as ever and age notwithstanding he’s more than up for this type of activity.
 Before they left the shelter Roberta discovered that Tracker knew how to sit. Not only that he takes sit to a whole new level, sit, then sit pretty (he’s so cute when he does that) then when he’s in the sit pretty position he barks and waits for everyone to laugh. That trick didn’t get old for the staff or the customers all afternoon long! We think that Tracker has been hanging out with Teddy Pom Pom because he did his sit pretty move with his front paws flailing a few times when Kennel Shop staff approached. He got even more points for cuteness! When you visit the shelter or look Tracker up on the website don’t let his age factor in with what we humans think his lifestyle will be, he’s certainly full of life and loves to ham it up every chance he gets.
While Tracker was having his fun Gary shopped with Beth. This was a match made in heaven for this event. Beth was looking at some items for her cats. There was a toy with a toy mouse that went around and around a track which was covered. Gary had a flashback. Something furry going around and around; he loved that toy. He could have watched that mouse go around all day long.
Beth found something softer, filled with catnip. Who knew. Gary appears to have a soft spot for catnip! The toy was a soft stump shaped toy with a mouse sewn to the top of the stump and a catnip stuffed ‘rock’. Unfortunately for Beth there were two of these toys on the shelf. She and Gary had a contest of wills. He picked one of the toys up and put it on the floor and Beth picked it up and put it back on the shelf as Gary got the other one. It was fun to watch. They finally compromised. Beth distracted Gary with a different catnip toy and they moved to another section of the store.
Gary was also a huge hit with the staff and the customers at the store, plus he reconnected with some other Greyhounds.
 Mijah enjoyed another outing with her MAT friends. On the ride up she again was the co-pilot for Astrid in between the front seats. Mijah loved to watch all the cars either going by or being passed on the Turnpike. When Mijah and Astrid arrived at the store Mijah enjoyed meeting everyone who stopped to spend some time with her. Astrid mentioned how much fun it was to make a Mohawk out of the hair on Mijah’s head. A few people put Mijah’s hair up and some of the very small children who visited squealed with excitement at the dog’s hair.
Mijah had a great time visiting with the representative from Natural Balance. The lady even took a picture of Mijah. MAT is hoping that this dog finds her forever home soon. She needs a family with some patience but will reward her family with kisses. She kissed Astrid in the car on the way up and back.
Mijah did great showing herself. She seemed to be very amused by Tracker and all his showmanship.
True to form Roberta, Tracker, Astrid and Mijah beat Beth and Gary back to the shelter. Beth said something about making a stop on the way home. It’s safe to say that they stopped at Bull Moose Music and Goodwill. No telling what those two shopaholics came home with!
Look for MAT and AWS canines at The Kennel Shop Scarborough March 19, 2011 for our next scheduled visit.
The Mobile Adoption Team doubled as the Mental Attention Team at The Kennel Shop in Sanford.  No one can attest to the long winter better than the AWS shelter dogs. With all the snow it’s been tough to get out and play, go for walks with volunteers or even go on field trips with volunteers. Lady Luck was smiling on everyone at our visit to The Kennel Shop! Reiki Master Michele Lowry was also visiting with her dog Dash. Angela and Phoebe were the first to discover her which led to all the AWS dogs getting a special Reiki treatment and being able to provide some information on some of our favorite shelter dogs.
 Phoebe and Angela came back with Phoebe feeling like a million bucks and able to let all of us know that she misses being with children! Phoebe is a happy dog so it was not too much of a surprise that she’d get along with kids, but missing them, well, the good news is that there was a family waiting to visit with her when she got back to the shelter. All of us at MAT have a very good feeling. Good luck old friend.
This was Mijah’s first event and she loved the ride up. Car rides are in her top ten, top five, things to do. She makes a great co-pilot! On the way to The Kennel Shop Mijah stood up on the arm rest on the back seat and let the wind blow through the top of her hair. She has Terrier hair so the wind styled it into a Mohawk. Very cute. Very 1980’s!!
After walking around the store and hearing about Phoebe’s adventure, it didn’t take long for the tenacious Terrier spirit to surface. Mijah sat with Michele. Mijah is a transfer dog from the south so no one really knows her past. With Michele’s help some gaps were filled in and many secrets came out including the secret to why Mijah wasn’t eating treats. Beth bought the good stuff, dried beef liver and dried chicken breast. Astrid thought a more traditional treat might work and offered some soft beef treats with extra red food coloring, but, came to light; Mijah had and has had a chronic stomach ache. Astrid would find out on the ride home with Mijah that like the cure for so many ailments, pizza – vegetarian of course – can cure the blues and a stomach ache. It was a special treat for a special dog and for a few minutes Mijah was smiling!!
 Samuel didn’t want to be left out. Beth had him wearing the infamous MAT Jerry Garcia tie dye vest. Those bright colors set off his thick black coat beautifully. Samuel is a knock out! He has life experience on his side and he’s confident that his new family is coming for him soon and will provide him with a perfect retirement home. He’d like to sit on the couch with his new owner and watch tv. He likes all kinds of programs sports, movies, soap opearas, animal programs just as long as you are near him he can enjoy your company. A large screen tv is ok.
Mijah and Astrid were the first dog and handler team to return to the shelter. They promised to report to Kim in obedience when they got back to the shelter.
 Amy and Buddy were on their way to The Kennel Shop and planning on visiting Michele too.
When Buddy and Amy came back the report was that Buddy is very sensitive and private but he did indicate that he’d like an owner with Border Collie experience. He’s ready, willing and eager to please, and Border Collie people know getting the love and respect of this breed takes some time so we’ll all be patient with this extraordinary dog.
A big thank you to Michele for helping us better understand the AWS residents we love so much. What an unexpected surprise for all of us!!
Look for the Mobile Adoption Team at The Kennel Shop at Mill Creek Saturday, March 5, 2011 from 11-1!! We can’t wait to visit!!
The AWS dogs and the Mobile Adoption Team are recovering from a jam packed weekend of activity!!
 Saturday Angela and Reese led the pack up 95 to the Cumberland County Civic Center to attend the Home Show. Beth and Edgar and Astrid and Teddy Pom Pom finally caught up with Angela at the AWS booth at the Civic Center just after ten a.m. After dogs and handlers got settled in at the booth and put on their vests and bandanas it was Show Time! Angela and Reese kept Stan and Cindy company at the booth while Beth and Edgar and Astrid and Teddy P.P. started visiting some of the booths inside the paying section of the Home Show.
Somehow the foursome got separated. Beth and Edgar were visiting at some booths and Astrid and Teddy P.P. had a visual, but also were talking to various passers by who couldn’t resist touching the top of Teddy’s head. He does have a cute face and very, very soft fur.
Edgar’s soft spot for dairy and keen ability to sniff it out was the break Astrid and Teddy P.P. needed to finally catch up. The Cabot cheese booth turned out to be Edgar’s Achilles heel. The good people giving out samples at the booth couldn’t help but give Edgar a sample of all the cheeses, including the horseradish variety! Despite being full everyone pressed on. There were more booths and people to visit with and Edgar’s new friends told him to come back anytime.
 The AWS representatives continued. Beth and Edgar stopped at several other booths while Astrid and Teddy P.P. were stopped by attendees. Teddy was at eye level with all the humans because he was being carried, safety first.
Astrid and Teddy lost Beth and Edgar on the way back to the AWS booth. Not really, Edgar stopped for more cheese.
Time flew by, an hour and fifteen minutes, before everyone got back to the AWS booth. Reese and Angela were surrounded by people. Reese was on his back getting free stomach rubs. With all the dogs back at the AWS post people stopped by to visit with the dogs and find out more about the shelter and its other residents. Reese, Teddy P.P. and Edgar were ON. Reese was the designated Donation Dog and he collected a cool fifty dollars. Nice work!
The afternoon shift arrived around noontime. That turned out to mean that there were five dogs at the AWS booth for almost an hour because visitors couldn’t get enough. We all know the AWS dogs are always willing to please.
The afternoon shift included Marilyn and Reba and Roberta and Gary. Cindy and Doug, who came with Marilyn and Reba, were there to help and answer questions all afternoon. The first shift of AWS dogs extended a challenge. “We dare you to match our donations!”
 Gary has been at the shelter longer than any other AWS resident dog. The visit was overwhelming so he wanted to go back to the shelter if possible. That changed the afternoon lineup and meant Teddy P.P. stayed with Roberta.
Marilyn and Reba educated everyone about the true joy hounds bring to our lives. Reba is a prime example of a laid back hound. Sure she likes to play with toys and other dogs but sitting on the couch or in front of the woodstove, well, that’s what being a hound, and living with a family who loves hounds, is all about. Reba was the Donation Dog and ended up taking the donation challenge to a whole new level! Eighty seven dollars!!!
Roberta and Teddy P.P. kept the toy breed magic going. Teddy visited and then visited some more. He and Roberta had a great time meeting lots and lots of new people and talking about adoptions.
 Buddy and Amy came to visit around two. Buddy is a quiet, gentle and understated dog who gets overlooked in his kennel at the shelter. He was in his element with Amy at the Home Show. He enjoyed himself as much as any dog could getting all the attention he could handle all afternoon. He heard about the donation challenge and in his own unassuming way collected seventeen dollars!! Way to go Buddy! Check out his pictures on the AWS Facebook Page.
Amy was happy to showcase Buddy who it turns out has a soft spot for cheese too. He made LOTS of friends at the Cabot booth.
The volunteers and the next group of shelter dogs got ready for Sunday’s appearance at the Home Show.
 Pat brought Ingrid for a visit in the morning. Their assistant Dave was there not only to provide an extra set of hands but as the official AWS photographer! Ingrid is on Facebook too. She has several comments. Don’t forget to check them out.
Susan brought Samuel for a mid morning visit.
Ingrid is a bit of a diva. Pat said she was playing hard to get around Samuel, but Ingrid is easy to get if you’re a human. The pictures say it all.
Ingrid and Samuel collected donations, but put them in the donation jar on the AWS table. Points for modesty!
Thank you to ALL the MAT volunteers who made it possible to bring eight dogs out for the public to visit with. That’s what was going on at the Home Show, however Sunday Beth couldn’t leave well enough alone. . .
 Our friend Sara Moore, the pet communicator was at the shelter Sunday. Beth couldn’t resist finding out what was on Teddy Pom Pom’s mind. Turns out there’s more than meets the eye with Teddy and Beth found herself riding the Soul Train during and after his reading, along with Obedience Trainer Kim.
Teddy does have a health issue. He came to the shelter for bladder stones and has had surgery, which he’s recovered from, to remove them. He’s on a special diet, which he’ll need to be on the rest of his life, and he will require regular veterinary care for this condition, but here’s what he had to say. When asked how he was feeling he said great. He does try to hold it, meaning having to go pee, it’s just he has to go often. Teddy does let people know when he does need to go outside. Teddy added that he likes men, older men. He likes being around older people. He said, much to the chagrin of Camille, that he’d like a pink sweatshirt, please.
Teddy would make an excellent therapy dog and he’s fast enough and spunky enough to excel at agility.
MAT is resting up, but look for us at The Kennel Shop, Sanford, February 26, 11-1.
Roberta and Reba and Astrid and Titan enjoyed visiting with our friends at Pet Smart Saturday, January 29th. Yes, many of you may remember everyone’s favorite hound, Reba. She’s looking for a retirement home. Right now she’s living with her favorite staff person and her nine dogs! Reba comes to work everyday, well, she has Thursday and Friday off, and she’s up for anything, especially going for rides! When Reba knew she was going out for a MAT event, well, she grabbed her coat and jumped in Roberta’s car. Titan, a young Mastiff mix, was curious when Astrid knocked on his kennel door in Big House. He wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but once he had on his Gentle Leader and was in the car, the Happy Drool was flowing! For anyone curious, despite Titan’s size, he fit comfortably in the back seat of the Subaru Forester.
 When we arrived at Pet Smart the staff recognized Reba and gave her a warm welcome. Everyone knew Titan arrived because they felt him leaning against them to get a pat on the head. Pants doubled for drool cloths, but no one seemed to mind. People were stopping by to say hello to Reba and Titan. Lots of information on hounds and Mastiffs was provided to people who asked. Jill provided snacks for the dogs, blueberry treats for Reba – we all thought antioxidants would be a healthy choice and Titan helped pick out the peanut butter treats he ended up with. No one was going to second guess this young man’s choice. Shoppers fed the dogs who were working very hard! Reba enjoyed looking around, especially at the birds! What a surprise.
Walking around the store. Visiting with so many people and having snack was exhausting! By one o’clock it was time to leave. Reba’s eyes kept closing while she was standing up. Titan laid down in the middle of one of the main aisles and refused to get up. We thought we were going to have to get a forklift from Lowes to move him! As he was getting up Reba tried to explain that one must pace themselves at these events.
We thanked our friends at Pet Smart for everything they did for us during our visit. We’ll be back for Pet Smart National Adoption Weekend the weekend of February 11th! Reba slept all the way home and Roberta barely got Reba back on her bed in her special place at the shelter and she was asleep again. Titan put his head on the arm rest in between the seats on the way home and gave it a high gloss shine. The young whipper snapper walked back to his kennel under his own power, but was sound asleep with the door to his kennel shut. A good day for both these great dogs. Don’t overlook these two dogs, special in their own ways, next time you visit the shelter.
MAT will be out in force at the Portland Home and Garden Show at the Civic Center Saturday and Sunday, February 19 and 20. Meet some great Shelter Dogs between 10-3 on Saturday and 10 -1 on Sunday!
Antiques Road Show with a MAT twist, Beth, Edgar, Astrid and Teddy Pom Pom, four priceless AWS treasures, went out to finalize the 2011 MAT regular store visit schedule.
 Edgar rode in the back and settled quickly. Teddy sat in Astrid’s lap. He was wrapped in a blanket because he was shivering. Beth turned up the heat in the car and they left for South Portland, the Kennel Shop at Mill Creek. On the way up Beth and Astrid discussed many things while Edgar and Teddy took naps. On arrival our friends at The Kennel Shop Mill Creek welcomed Edgar and Teddy with open arms. Many customers had questions about the dogs which Beth answered as Astrid took care of the scheduling. Beth handed several AWS cards out to people interested in Edgar. Apologies were made for the brevity of the visit, but there were more stops to be made in a short amount of time. Almost like Santa.
Next stop was Pet Quarters in Scarborough. We visited with the friendly staff and talked to a few customers and moved on to The Kennel Shop in Scarborough. The Pointer Rescue was there and the Pointer, her name was Sally, was very interested in Teddy. Teddy made himself scarse. Beth and Edgar visited with several people and they loaded a donation of several bags of food. Thank You!! Teddy had is picture taken by a Blue Buffalo representative who thought she might know a family interested in a dog just like Teddy.
 No rest for the weary meant getting back on 95 South and getting off at the Biddeford exit. Beth, a magnate for bargains, wanted to stop at Lowe’s to see if there was any paint on sale. Lowe’s is located next to Pet Smart, so it was decided that visits to both places was required.
Camille from AWS was at the cat adoption center at Pet Smart. Buddy the Pointer mix was visiting at Pet Smart for the afternoon and then going home with Camille for a slumber party at her house. Teddy made friends with the staff who thought he was the cutest dog going. Edgar is blind not deaf and heard that so everyone had to tell Edgar he was the cutest Pit. Beth and Astrid promised to be back next week for National Adoption Weekend at Pet Smart with more great adoptable dogs!
Lowe’s. Astrid had heard the stories about Lowe’s and Beth’s infamous visits there. Turns out Roberta sneaks over there too. Beth thought it was funny Astrid never thought about the long bathroom breaks Roberta and her shelter dog take when they’re at Pet Smart. The secret is out!! Beth led the way into the store. At the entrance a group of people instantly formed to see Edgar and Teddy. Teddy did a dance when new customers walked into the store. It was cute and he knew it, so did everyone watching him. Edgar got his share of looks too. Beth had to tell him who was looking of course. More AWS business cards were handed out so people could call the shelter or visit the website to get more information on Edgar and Teddy, as well as many other shelter residents!
As Beth was driving down Route 111 everyone was getting tired. Edgar was snoring. Then there was another noise. No, not Beth or Astrid, it was Teddy snoring! The next stops were in Sanford, The Kennel Shop and Tractor Supply Store.
 Beth bought some treats at The Kennel Shop while Astrid worked on the scheduling. Edgar and Teddy then went to work visiting with some customers that came in and couldn’t resist petting these two guys.
As everyone got into Beth’s car there was some relief that there was only one stop left, but then, Beth’s gas light went off. Two stops. Edgar took the lead at The Tractor Supply Store where he greeted people in the parking lot. Teddy and Astrid went inside to take care of business. When they came out Beth and Edgar were talking about adoption fees, hours, etc.
Next stop the gas station at the airport. Edgar was sleeping and Teddy was wrapped up in his blankie. Beth popped her head in the car and said there was a problem. The gas pump broke. Everyone went back to sleep waiting for the pump to be fixed when finally Beth came back and said it was all systems go and away they went back to the shelter.
Edgar was beat. Beth brought him back to his kennel. Bobbi flagged Astrid and Teddy down. Teddy had had several telephone inquiries. Bobbi was acting as Teddy’s personal assistant. Thank You Bobbi!! Teddy went back to his kennel ready for a power snooze.
It was a pleasure to take out two dogs who have been overlooked in large part because of their age. When they’re visiting with people their real personalities, which are very young, come out. We encourage everyone to take a second, or even third look at our priceless senior shelter dogs.
MAT will be visiting at Pet Smart in Biddeford Saturday, February 12 from 11-1, you’ll never know which shelter dogs will be coming, but you don’t want to miss them!
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