GoodDogz.org - choose wisely. choose for life

Last month, Obama has announced that the First Family has decided to adopt a dog that would live with them at the White House. The family wants a dog from a shelter, but they need one that will not trigger 10-year-old Malia’s allergies. But here are some updates on their search of the future First Family Pet.

During an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, President Barack Obama said that the family is still undecided on what kind of dog they want to get, and that the decision would not be made until spring of this year. That means the girls are almost getting that puppy their dad promised them.

Last month, Obama revealed that his daughters, Malia and Sasha, had narrowed down their list of dog choices into two breeds: a Portuguese Water Hound or a Labradoodle. Labradoodles were originally a cross between the Labrador Retriever and the Standard Poodle, now they are a breed of their own! Labradoodle-Dogs.Net is currently the largest breeder directory in the Internet dedicated to the Labradoodle breed! They are committed to helping breeders and owners connect in a safe and secure environment.

Is it just pure coincidence, or is there really such a thing as dog discrimination?

Melissa Dahl, a health writer for msnbc.com, recently wrote an article about the so-called “black dog syndrome” – a phenomenon in pet rescue circles where “big, black dogs are often the last to be adopted from animal shelters.”

Gregg, 49, from Xenia, Ohio talks about a banner he’d seen on an Ohio animal shelter’s website containing words similar to “We know that you people prefer colors, but we’ve got wonderful black dogs here, won’t you please consider them?” Evidently, this suggests how difficult it is for big dogs with black coats to be adopted or find new homes.

Madeline Bernstein, the president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal, has plenty of theories about why adopters tend to rule out black dogs in most animal shelters. “It’s mostly an unconscious thing” she says, which is also true for black cats who have the same problems being adopted. People who are aware of superstitions about black cats being associated with “bad luck” may also be unconsciously passing this existing superstition about black dogs.

Reading this news about black dog discrimination made me sad and made my stomach churn a little. If there is indeed an absolute truth to this matter, then there has to be some sort of psychological explanation behind it. I have always thought black dogs are adorable, and I actually like how shinier their coats tend to appear compared to white or brown dogs.

For obvious reasons, the kinds of dogs that are less likely to be adopted in animal shelters are the older or the abused ones, or the sick and the injured ones. Apparently, little did we know that it has something to do with color as well. Whether or not this ongoing syndrome is associated with coincidence, superstition, or the color black, for some reason, just don’t appeal to potential adopters is still a big question.

Black is beautiful, but beauty is only skin deep. Give the black one a chance. It might just be the best thing that could ever happen to you.

GoodDogz.org rocked the Reston Town Center last Saturday at our Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption event. The weather was gorgeous and we had a steady flow of foot traffic. The event hosted about 20 dog and cat rescue organizations as well as 10 pet retailers selling their holiday wares.

We’ll be compiling the number of animals that were adopted over the next few weeks, but we do know that a new group, K9 Lifesavers, have adopted 20 of the 30 dogs that they brought to the event. A success unto itself.

Subscribe to our RSS feed to get more information about the results of Home 4 the Holidays as well as all the latest information on GoodDogz.org!

Pet retailers and rescue groups! Our online registration for Home 4 the Holidays is up and running! Our Home 4 the Holidays super pet adoption event will be held on November 1 from 11AM-4PM at the Reston Town Center. Registration is now open and all spots are first come, first served. So sign-up now!

Best Friends Animal Society is heading up an effort to encourage Senator Obama to adopt a dog rather than purchase one. It’s called Obama Family Dog. Apparently, he promised his children that if he allowed him to run for President, they could get a dog. He’s already being courted by the AKC to purchase a purebred dog, so it’s time to let him know what the rescue community thinks! Sign the Best Friends petition in order to help “persuade” Mr. Obama to do the right thing.

RESTON, VA (November 20, 2005) – The holidays are a time for sharing our hearts and our homes. On a uncharacteristically sunny November Saturday, over 2,200 dog seekers, owners and lovers visited the “Home 4 the Holidays” pet adoption event hosted by GOODDOGZ.ORG.

The Reston Town Center became home to over 100 homeless dogs who put on their best face (and bows and antlers) in the hopes of finding a warm, loving home where they could spend the holidays. 18 area purebred and mixed breed dog rescue organizations banded together to find homes for the dogs in their care. GOODDOGZ.ORG also provided trained adoption counselors who roamed the crowds assisting dog adopters with finding their perfect four-legged match. GOODDOGZ.ORG will work with the local rescue groups and agencies to track the number of adoptions in our area between November 7, 2005 and January 6, 2006.

Attendees could also do their holiday shopping for their pets. Many local pet retailers were on-hand promoting their Christmas merchandise. Children were visited by Santa Paws and GOODDOGZ.ORG’s own SPOT mascot.

“This year’s Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption event did a wonderful job of promoting dog adoption as an alternate choice to buying a dog from a pet store or breeder,” explained Mark Bates, Vice President of Rescue Group Support. “It’s obvious from all the dogs that are here today, that there are many dogs in the local area that are need of a good home during the holiday season.”

The national “Home 4 the Holidays” campaign is sponsored by The Iams Company and the Helen Woodward Animal Center. In its seventh year, the campaign has attracted over 1,800 animal welfare organizations with the goal of finding forever homes for over 350,000 homeless animals. The goal of “Home 4 the Holidays” is to increase adoptions from animal shelters and pet rescue groups during the holiday season when more families add pets to their homes than any other time of year.

GOODDOGZ.ORG is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating potential dog owners on dog selection and care and supporting the efforts of rescue groups. We believe that by assisting with good dog-owner matches, we’ll give each family the best opportunity for a lifelong relationship with their new dog and help to keep dogs out of shelters.

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Reston, VA (May 10, 2005) – Saturday, May 7 th brought a perfect spring day to the Reston Town Center, which hosted the 5 th annual Reston Pet Fiesta. The one-day event featured over 30 local animal rescue organizations and shelters that brought over 100 homeless dogs cats and even ferrets in the hopes of finding them new families. Benefiting GoodDogz.org, a local 501(c)3 non-profit organization who educates potential dog owners on dog selection a nd care and supports the efforts of rescue groups, the Pet Fiesta attracted more than 8,000 attendees to the heart of Reston for a day of furry fun.

“It was a wonderful event and we enjoyed it tremendously. Most importantly, we had serious adopters and potential fosters come by. So it was all very rewarding and great fun. Now we can’t wait until next year,” explained Ewa Rurarz-Huygens, a Board of Directors member with Beagle Rescue of Southern Maryland, Inc.

“We appreciate the wonderful opportunity you provided us to showcase our rescue dogs in the fashion show. Athena drew a lot interested, even through she did decide to sit for her debut rather than strut her stuff, explained Lynn Neumann of Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue. “But now that Smokey and Athena have some modeling experience under their belts, they are ready for the circuit. We adopted out two dogs as a result of the event!”

The day began with the Tails on Trails 4K Dog Walk, which attracted over 200 four-legged participants and raised over $5,000 for GoodDogz.org. The morning walk was lead by the GoodDogz mascot “Spot”, along with rescue dogs Sadie and Trevor, and covered both residential and commercial areas around the Reston Town Center.

“Gypsy loved the walk and the event!” exclaimed Fermina Rochac, President of HerndonDogs, Inc. and participant. “She would like to pre-register me for the walk for the next couple of years!”

Pet Fiesta attendees enjoyed demonstrations on pet first aid, caricature drawings, face painting, exhibiting pet businesses and the Dog House of Style Fashion Show featuring twenty rescue dogs. Woofies Online Boutique, LB Boutique and Bow Wow Designs provided apparel for the fashion show. The day also included the Pawsitively Fun Pet Contest featuring categories like the Fastest Frosty Paws Eater and Best Tail Wagger. The contests were sponsored by RestonDogs, Inc., the sponsoring group for the Off Leash Dog Park (OLDA) at Baron Cameron Park in Reston.

GoodDogz.org is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to educating potential dog owners on dog selection and care and supporting the efforts of rescue groups. We believe that by assisting with good dog-owner matches, we’ll give each family the best opportunity for a life-long relationship with their new dog and help to keep dogs out of shelters.

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