Zane Blessing

SWEET ZANE FINDS HIS HOME WITH A VOLUNTEER AND HER DOG OLLIE

Why did you decide to adopt from a shelter and from Mercylight specifically?

I’ve been volunteering at Mercylight for over three years now, and I’ve formed a strong bond with many of the dogs there during my weekly sessions, including Zane. After walking and feeding him weekly, taking him out for outings with my team and bringing him home with me on several staycations, I fell in love with his sweet personality. He always makes me laugh with his goofy antics. I was considering the idea of adopting him for over a year, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready or able to give him the best home he deserves.

As cheesy as this sounds, one night I randomly had a dream that he was playing happily at my place, and I woke up feeling the strong urge to bring him home, which prompted me to start a conversation with Kelly about adopting Zane.

Can you run us through your decision making process when you decided to adopt Zane?

I have another Singapore Special named Ollie, adopted 7 years ago. One of my main considerations was whether they would get along, and whether I could cope with handling, walking and feeding two dogs instead of one. I also wanted to make sure that they had enough space at home to run around and live comfortably. Since I just moved into a bigger place at the start of the year, I felt that there was ample space to accommodate two dogs.

Another issue I had to consider was Zane’s extremely picky eating habits. I was usually in charge of feeding him at the shelter so I was already quite accustomed to it, but I was also wary of how time consuming and challenging it could be at times. I had to ask myself if I was able to put in the time and effort that was necessary for him to finish all his meals so that he could continue gaining weight to reach a healthy level.

What was the adoption process like for you?

I had lengthy conversations with Kelly about both of our concerns about Zane and how I could manage them, before formally submitting the adoption form for Zane on the website. She wanted to make sure that I had thought everything through and I was ready for it, which I appreciated and am grateful for. We then proceeded with a one month home trial, during which I observed how he settled into my place and how he got along with Ollie. Sure enough, the first few weeks were challenging and it took me an average of 30-60 minutes to coax him to eat his meals.

I think he was nervous about the new environment and being away from his friends at the shelter. I updated Kelly daily about his food intake and progress, and also received a lot of useful tips and advice from her. After the month-long trial, Kelly came over for a home visit and we officially signed the adoption papers on 7 May!

How has Zane been settling into your family? How has adopting Zane changed your daily lives?

I am so proud of him for the progress he’s made with regard to his eating habits - on most days, he can finish his meals on his own and I no longer need to coax him, sit next to him or add treats to his food. He seems to be more comfortable and at ease now. He loves to lounge on the sofa and snuggle up to me when I read or watch television. He also enjoys going on runs with us and going for outings to the beach or dog run with his buddy Xander (also adopted at the same time by my cousins, YAY!). I love that Ollie now has a playmate, and I feel more at ease knowing that they have each other when I’m not at home with them.

There are definitely still challenges to overcome and more room for improvement, but I am excited to work with him and tackle them together. Zane is a very intelligent and sensitive dog and he can pick up on things very quickly. For example, he knows how to communicate with me when he’s urgent to go potty by whining to get my attention, followed by sitting down next to the front door. Overall, he is such a joy to have around and a lovely addition to my family. I feel extremely lucky and privileged to have the opportunity to be his mom.

Do you have any advice for others who are considering adoption? Any other tips you would like to share?

I think it’s normal for the process to be bumpy at the start - as much as you need time to adjust to having a new pet at home, your pet also needs time to adjust to their new surroundings and build a bond with you. Celebrate all the small wins and victories because that’s still progress!

One thing I’ve learnt from being a dog mom is that every pet has their quirks and bad habits, but it is never their fault because they are like little children who don’t know better and don’t mean any harm - it is up to us owners to handle, manage and correct them with love and patience, A LOT of patience! No two dogs are the same, and finding out what motivates your dogs can also be helpful when teaching them new things or correcting them - for example, Ollie is treat motivated whereas Zane is more praise motivated. This means that my approach when training both of them are completely different.

Lastly, adopt, don’t shop! There are so many more sweet and lovable dogs at Mercylight that deserve a forever home. By adopting, you're not only saving one dog but also creating space for another stray dog to receive shelter and rehabilitation at Mercylight. The experience will also change your life and bring such a profound positive impact to you.

Q2 2023