SPCA of Brazoria County

You may have noticed that our blog took a smidgen of a hiatus – for a few reasons. One, our blogger went on vacation and two, our blogger had no idea what to write about next.

Hey there. I’m the blogger. My name is Jami. Not only am I the primary blogger (most of the time), but I’m also the Program’s Coordinator (managing our transport, POSH, and foster programs), and I oversee our social media intern from a local high school during the school year.

What I do is nothing compared to what my team does on the daily. From walking dogs to cleaning kennels to greeting customers and facilitating adoption counseling, I often miss the brutal reality that many of my colleagues witness every single shift.

I see enough, though, to, with an absolutely exhausted spirit, share a few observations gathered from my two years at the SPCA-BC. Today’s blog post focuses on this:

Dogs are living, breathing beings – not objects or toys. 🐶❤️

When I was 19 and finishing my first year of college, I took in a mystery mutt that a friend found in his parents’ yard. She’s still kicking and howling, and she’s one of the lights of my life (almost as bright of a light as my toddler. Yes, this is relevant).

It took me too many years of my dog’s life to learn to respect her cues and, once, that resulted in my daughter obtaining a minor injury. The guilt I wrestled with after that situation was enormous and came from every direction. I told myself I wasn’t just a bad mom, I was a bad dog mom too. I didn’t protect my toddler. I didn’t read my dog. I was the worst person ever, bar none.

Eventually, I stopped beating myself up and I course-corrected. I taught my daughter to respect my dog’s space and, rather than discipline my dog when she communicated her boundaries (yes, via growls because that’s the only language dogs have), I removed my daughter and told her “the puppy doesn’t want attention right now, let’s go find something else to do.”

We see countless potential adopters walk through the doors of the shelter seeking a dog that will fit seamlessly into their life. Sometimes, they luck out and go home with a new pup that integrates easily and without any hiccups. In those cases, we sometimes receive pup-dates but, more often than not, we don’t hear from them again and have to trust that their new life is better than what we were able to give them in the shelter.

Other times, the dog is returned a day, three days, a week later. Oh, they chewed all of my shoes or Well, they nipped at my child. They were too strong for me to leash walk.

We usually have to ask a lot of questions before we discover that the dog wasn’t given toys or appropriate exercise so they turned to what was available, or that they only nipped because they were left alone with a grabby baby while gnawing on a bone, or that the adopter didn’t reinforce the leash-manners we teach the pups in our care.

In almost every situation, a wrong choice was made by the adopter. And I say that without judgement because I’ve made wrong choices too.

What adopters often forget is that shelter dogs and purebred dogs alike are living creatures with personalities, preferences, and needs. They aren’t a doll that can sit on the sofa until their owner is ready to play. They are a unique being with unique needs that must be met.

It’s those unmet needs that result in undesirable behaviors. Trust and believe, friend – it’s less time-consuming and less expensive to meet the needs and foster that coveted bond between man and dog than it is to retrain undesirable behaviors.

If you’re thinking about adopting — or if you’ve already brought a dog home — take a moment to see them for who they are: a whole being with feelings, needs, and boundaries. Be curious, be patient, and be willing to learn. The connection you’re hoping for doesn’t come pre-packaged — it’s built, day by day.

And in the end, if you’re willing to work and wait, it is more than worth it.

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Plan your visit and support the shelter! 🐾

🕓 If you’re looking to meet your new fur-ever friend, visit us at 141 Canna Lane! Our hours are 8 AM-5 PM Monday-Friday with extended hours to 8 PM on Thursdays, and 8 AM-3 PM on Saturdays.

🐶🐱 Call us at (979) 285 2340 during operating hours to learn more about our adoptable animals and support programs or to schedule a meet and greet with a particular dog. Walk-ins are always welcome as well!

🤝 Email caninefoster@spcabc.org to foster and chelsea@spcabc.org to volunteer. We can always use extra hands! 🙌

🧸 We are always accepting donations like towels, blankets, dog beds, and toys at 141 Canna Lane. Or you can donate here.