Shelter Dogs by Peg Kehret Page B

you,” Megan told him, “that you will never, ever go back to the Humane Society.”
    At home, Buddy and Lester met the newcomer. They sniffed Zorro, and Zorro sniffed them. Tails wagged. Low-slung Lester walked under Zorro and stood there; when Zorro jumped out of the way, Lester walked under him again. Buddy sat down to watch. It quickly became a game, and both dogs seemed happy to have a new playmate.
    When Megan and Ken took Zorro inside, he calmly followed them through the house, carefully keeping his tail under control.
    â€œZorro was absolutely no trouble,” Megan says. “We expected it to be a huge adjustment for all of us. Instead, he fit right in. Although his head reaches the kitchen counter, he has never tried to take food. He is gentle with Lester and Buddy, and he loves his daily walks in the park.”
    Megan enrolled Zorro in a novice obedience class. He did so well that she continued with an advanced class.
    One day the obedience instructor invited Megan and Zorro to attend a Flyball competition.
    â€œA what?” Megan said.
    â€œFlyball. It’s a dog relay race. There are two teams of four dogs each. When the starter says ‘Go!’ the lead dog on each team races down a lane, jumping across four hurdles, and triggers a ball box with his paw. That releases a tennis ball. The dog catches the ball, makes a quick U-turn, and carries the ball back over the hurdles to the starting line. As soon as he gives the ball to his handler, the second dog on the team starts off. The race keeps going until all four dogs are finished. The team that’s fastest wins.”
    Curious, Megan went to watch a Flyball race. She saw dogs of all sizes and breeds, including mixed breeds like Zorro, playing Flyball. The dogs and the people all seemed to be having fun. The dogs waited eagerly for their turns, some of them barking with excited anticipation.
    Thinking that Flyball would provide good exercise for Zorro, Megan taught him the Flyball routine. He loved running fast and going over the jumps. He quickly caught on how to release the tennis ball from the box, and he always raced back to Megan with it, eager to get her approval and a treat. Before long, he did so well that he was invited to compete.
    Right from the start, Zorro was good at Flyball. Soon he won a Flyball title and then another and then a third. He won ribbons and medals.
    He was asked to join the Puget Sound Flyers, a Flyball demonstration team whose purpose is entertainment rather than racing. Zorro’s team performs at half-time during many sporting events.
    Megan took him to do shows at the University of Washington during basketball and soccer games. They traveled to Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada, where they were the special guests of the Vancouver Grizzlies, a National Basketball Association team.
    Zorro was classified as an “entertainer” as he crossed the border into Canada. After the Flyball performance, the Grizzlies provided Megan and Zorro with their own hotel suite for the night. It was definitely more luxurious than a kennel at the Humane Society!
    â€œPeople tell me how lucky Zorro is that I adopted him,” Megan says. “But I am the lucky one. He has enriched my life in so many ways.”
    Megan used to take the bus to the Humane Society because she didn’t drive. After Zorro began Flyball competitions, Megan learned to drive and got her own car so that she could transport Zorro to his meets.
    The obedience instructor who taught Zorro’s classes saw the expert way Megan handled this large dog and offered her a part-time job. Megan now teaches obedience classes. Zorro sometimes goes along to demonstrate the proper methods. Zorro also took the necessary training to qualify as a therapy dog so Megan can take him to visit hospitalized children. Even the sickest children smile when they pet big, friendly Zorro.
    Zorro’s Flyball team was invited to provide the halftime