Ginger (adopted June 2018)

If you’re a proud parent of an adopted pooch you know that the adoption process is anything but predictable—but in the best way. Mrs. Parks predicted that she’d bring home a small dog, and she did … sort of.  

Little did Mrs. Parks know, when she got to the APS of Durham and saw Ginger, formerly Angelica, all her predictions would changeGinger was only eight weeks old (so, technically, a small dog) but also a German Shepherd mix (meaning, well, she wouldn’t be small for long). But, as they say, it was love at first sight.  

Mrs. Parks had been wanting to adopt for a while, but adopting a dog is no small feat; without a backup babysitter (ahem, puppy sitterit was a big challenge. However, when Mrs. Parks’ daughter Michelle—along with Michelle’s husband and their kids, then on summer break—offered to help out, Mrs. Parks knew she would have the support she needed to create a great life for Ginger. And thus, Ginger got a brand new home with Mrs. Parks.  

The biggest challenge? Getting Ginger on a schedule to match Mrs. Parks’ daily routine. After all, Ginger was only eight weeks old. Anyone who’s had a puppy knows that potty training is hard! But with time, patience, and that extra help from Michelle and the kids, Mrs. Parks and Ginger totally synced. Now, Ginger and Mrs. Parks have a great routine, one that we gather makes Ginger a very happy pup—regular weekend puppy playtime, training classes during the week, and endless belly rubs.  

Another beauty to this relationship? A brand new doggy friendship between Ginger and Michelle’s Boxer dog BoltA win-win for all—both dogs and humans alike—is what we call a Happy Tail.