The Berkshire Humane Society Dog Blog

A big thank-you to our groomers!

bhsdogblog — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:44:44 +0000

Shelties are known for their beautiful long coats; however keeping them beautiful requires regular grooming. Recently we took in two Shelties who were overdue for their bathing, brushing, nail trims, and ear cleaning. We would like to thank Kathy from Pretty Paws for grooming Dallas! He looks stunning and we have received many compliments. We’d also like to thank Sondra from Windy Mountain Farm for her time in grooming Big John! He looks like a completely different dog and we have recieved many compliments on him as well.

Dallas

Big John

If you’re interested in adoption, please contact the kennel staff at 447-7878 ext. 26.

Congratulations, Ortiz!!!

bhsdogblog — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:44:33 +0000

We are very excited to announce that Ortiz has been adopted!! He smiled ear to ear yesterday as he left for his forever home with his excited family. This Adopt-a-Bull had been residing at the Berkshire Humane Society since January. A huge thanks to everyone involved with his training and care during he past few months – you helped to make a wonderful dog even more lovable!

Chopper’s Guide To Manliness

bhsdogblog — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:46:56 +0000

Note: Chopper has been adopted, thanks to the following video!!

We found this video while cleaning out Chopper’s kennel this morning…

Chopper is available for adoption at Berkshire Humane Society.
Stop by and visit or give the kennel a call for more information! 413-447-7878 ext. 26

Congratulations, Wonka!

bhsdogblog — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:32:21 +0000

Congratulations to Wonka, our sweet Pit Bull gentleman who was adopted last week!

Wonka had been at Berkshire Humane since January.

Happy tails to Wonka and his new family

Pup Pals

bhsdogblog — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:49:25 +0000

We strive to keep our dogs emotionally and physically healthy during their stays at the shelter.

Regular exercise, play, training, enrichments, and socialization all help keep them feeling their best.

And what better way to get socialization and exercise than with play?!

Adoptable dogs Chopper and Sophie go for walks together and have regular play sessions. They’re doing quite well, and the staff even think they could go home together! (With our Buddy Program, one would go home for 50% off their adoption fee.)

Check out the video of them below!

Pup Pics

bhsdogblog — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:50:48 +0000

Troy, a dog up for adoption. Photo by Devon Overbaugh

Have you noticed the snazzy photos of our dogs on the adoption pages?

Devon Overbaugh has been volunteering her time to take photos of our adoptable pups! Many, many thanks, woofs, and happy wags to her for this HUGE help!

Adopt-A-Bull Update!

bhsdogblog — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:01:06 +0000

Sadie, one of the pitties who went home last weekend!

Congratulations to our 3 adopt-a-bulls who went home with their new families last weekend!!!

Sadie, Maximus, and Hazel

We were ecstatic to see them all find loving homes over just three days!

The Berkshire Eagle featured Pit Bulls and Berkshire Humane Society in a recent article! Many thanks to them for highlighting the dogs and the shelter.

Don’t forget, Adopt-A-Bull month runs through the end of July, there are still a few days left! We have 3 adopt-a-bulls up for adoption: Rocks, Wonka, and Ortiz!

A Message From the Adopt-A-Bulls

bhsdogblog — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 18:08:08 +0000

Check out this video featuring the shelter’s resident Pit Bulls! Find out what makes their breeds such incred-i-bull pets!

All the dogs in this video are currently available for adoption! You can view their profiles on BHS’ dog page!

And don’t forget, July is Adopt-A-Bull month here at the shelter!

July is Adopt-A-Bull Month at BHS!

bhsdogblog — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 17:07:33 +0000

Join us as we celebrate our Pit Bulls and mixes at the shelter! All month long we’ll be highlighting this fun (and often misrepresented) breed.

For the month of July, all adult Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes will have a reduced adoption donation of $50.

Here are some fun facts about these terriers:

The term “Pit Bull” is a blanket term used to refer to a group of breeds, including the Pit Bull, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes are the most common breed seen at Berkshire Humane as well as many other shelters in the Northeast US.
Pitbulls tend to be very energetic and playful! Take Rocks, for example. If he had his way, he would fetch tennis balls and run all day, then curl up with you after a day full of exercise.
Pit Bulls tend to be social and loving, especially towards their human family. Just look at the way Wonka beckons attention with his eyes.
Pit Bulls were originally bred in Britain to bait bulls. Bull baiting was deemed inhumane and illegal in the early 1830′s, and Pit Bulls were then used for dog fighting. Nowadays, just like any other breed, each Pit’s socialability with other dogs varies. Pit Bull owners can help keep their dogs safe and comfortable around other dogs through early socialization as well as ongoing training. (Two things any dog owner can do to help their pet!)
Pit Bulls make great athletes! They are strong, agile, and have lots of energy. This makes them great candidates for everything from fetch in the backyard to agility to flyball! Look at Ortiz’s joy as he triumphantly brings back his toy! This boy is also into agility.

If you’d love an intelligent, playful, energetic companion, why not consider (or re-consider) a Pit Bull or Pit Bull mix? Come on down to the shelter and spend some time with any of these fantastic dogs. Even if you don’t leave with a Pit Bull, we bet you’ll leave with a soft spot in your heart for them!

Look for more Pit Bull features coming all month long!

Special Seniors

bhsdogblog — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:42:34 +0000

Looking for a dog that’s already trained? One who is less demanding than a puppy? One that will make you cherish every day together? Sounds like it’s time to consider adopting a senior pet.

There are countless advantages to adopting an older dog. They have reached their mature size, they are past the heavy chewing stage, their habits are fairly consistent, most often they are housetrained, most know their basic commands, and they don’t require as much vigorous exercise as a young pup (with the exception of Sam, of course).

One of the few disadvantages is, of course, is that there are fewer years to spend with older pets. Also, geriatric care can be expensive since they are prone to a variety of ailments. It is wise to discuss healthcare options with your vet before major problems arise.

We offer a special program called Seniors for Seniors, which allows senior citizens to adopt older pets at a reduced rate. We find that these matches are mutually satisfying and especially heartwarming.

Currently we have 4 dogs in their golden years looking for their special family:

*Sam (now adopted!!) is a 12-year-old male Springer Spaniel that is in much better physical shape than one might expect! He is very well behaved and is looking forward to an active lifestyle.

*Wonka is a 8-year-old male Pitbull mix who loves to take leisurely walks and spend time with his human companions. He would prefer a quieter household with adults only.

*Rowdy (now adopted!!) is a 8-year-old Mini Schnauzer who is still full of life. He certainly lives up to his name and would love someone with a sense of humor.

*Steve (now adopted!!) is a 8-year-old male Beagle who was found as a stray. Like most other hounds, he loves to follow his nose and would love to accompany you on hikes!

For more information on our sweet seniors, call the kennel staff at (413) 447-7878 ext. 26. You can also visit us at 214 Barker Road in Pittsfield (click here for hours of operation). The dogs look forward to meeting you!