THE SNIFF: featuring Chip & Bonnie
Tell us a little about you!
I'm Chip and I live in the Twin Cities! I enjoy many hobbies and interests.
Tell us a little about Bonnie!
Bonnie is the ~9-10 year old lab(?) mix I’m currently fostering. She’s very cute, flubby and lumpy (though she’s currently on a diet so I’m not sure how much longer I’ll get to enjoy her flub and lumps!). She's a senior who has lived in homes before, so she's pretty well-behaved and happy to snooze, but she still gets the zoomies and loves to play. It's a nice balance!
Where did you foster Bonnie? What made you decide to foster?
I’m fostering Bonnie through a great organization called Pet Haven. I highly recommend them for anyone looking to foster (or adopt!) dogs or cats, I feel very well-supported by them as a volunteer.
I started fostering almost 10 years ago initially because I wanted to adopt a dog, but I wasn’t sure it would work with my lifestyle and I wasn’t even sure what kind of dog was best for me. I've fostered on and off over the years, though I did “foster fail” (i.e. end up adopting) my 3rd dog, Garnet, who was a strange old monk of a dog and my soulmate and she changed my life forever. After she died, I wanted to get back into fostering to honor my connection to her and the life we shared. Bonnie is the fifth dog I’ve fostered, and fostering has taught me that I have a real soft spot for senior dogs and shy dogs!
What's a personality quirk you love about Bonnie?
She makes the funniest noises. There must be something about her vocal cords that make her snore more easily than other dogs – I've been told people can hear her snores through the phone if I'm sitting in the same room as her on a phone call. She also purrs like a cat when you pet her. Plus the few times sirens have gone down our street, she sits up like she’s in a choir and joins in with a mournful howl.
What's something about Bonnie that you've come to value over time?
It took her a couple days to relax with me (the first 3 days with a new foster can be the hardest) and she did a lot of barking and pacing at first, but now she’s an easy dog. She’s a gracious and charming host when I have had friends over - she will want you to sit on the couch and give her belly rubs until she falls asleep snoring with her head in your lap or on your hip. She's also got a lot of playful energy in her that is very entertaining to watch! (And she does want you to watch her play).
What's something about fostering that you've come to value over time?
It's very cool to watch a dog open up to you over time - every dog I've had has these secret dimensions to their personalities that they only start showing after a few weeks or months. It feels like unlocking higher levels on a video game or something. And then finding them a loving forever home and getting updates about their new lives is so rewarding! (Note: if your dog was fostered, please send an update to your dog's foster! I always miss the dogs after they get adopted and it's lovely to get updates).
What's your favorite way to spend time with Bonnie?
Bonnie loves walks more than anything, and seeing her exuberance about them is contagious. But I do think cuddling on the couch and watching something or reading is my personal favorite - she is so good at it!
If you are interested in adopting Bonnie, her application information can be found in the link below!
LEARN MORE ABOUT BONNIE
