by Denise LeBeau, Best Friends Animal Society

Pictured are Gomer and Kara Horn at Dutchess County SPCA.

A Dog in the Training Partners Program Gets A Loving, Forever Home and a Very Special Job!

You may have read or heard about Gomer. He is a very popular guy who has quite a story. This senior boy had a history that would rival any homeless dog. Please read Gomer's story: The Story of Gomer.

Gomer used to live for many years at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary where he was in the Training Partners program. He was loved, of course, but every dog wants his own human. Well after many years, Gomer had some luck and a couple of angels enter his life this past spring. Gomer, a senior Pit mix, was chosen after by the Dutchess County SPCA in New York. How did this happen you may ask.

Well, it happened when friends Lori Arkin of Dutchess County SPCA and Victoria Wells of Behave Yourself! of New York came to Best Friends in Utah to choose a dog for their program. After arriving, they would eventually choose Gomer as the dog they wanted to help to get the extra training he needed to one day go to his forever home. Mind you, Gomer is a senior dog. No matter...Gomer really impressed these two wonderful young ladies, Lori and Victoria. (Unfortunately senior dogs are sadly looked over so much of the time.)

Gomer was chosen, and off they would go back to New York. So Gomer was on his way to a new tomorrow. But what about a new home with very own human? Would that ever happen? Lori and Victoria specialize in helping even the hard to place dogs. With a little extra training, they thought Gomer would find his forever home soon enough.

Lori, who sits on the board of the Dutchess SPCA, said Gomer was special, and he would be a good fit with them. This life-changing organization specializes in older dogs and has a progressive walking/training program that she knew could help this special dog, Gomer. And that would lay the foundation for him to be adopted to his forever home.

In the meantime, unbeknownst to Lori and Victoria at the time, a lady by the name of Kara Horn of New York had decided she wanted an older dog. So she put the word out that she was looking for a great rescue dog. She looked around and did look at another dog, but when Kara met that dog it wasn't the strong connection she was looking for.

Now, Kara knew what she exactly was looking for in a dog: an elder statesman, must be good with strangers, must be good with children, and possess a lower energy level. She still wanted a dog in relatively good health, as her new dog would have a job to do!

She eventually talked to Leah at the Dutchess County SPCA and gave her the criteria. So the search was on. Kara would meet a few dogs there at Dutchess County, but they were too young, too convalescing and/or too jumpy for her. Then as she was doing a final walk-through at the kennel... there was Gomer.

At first, Kara didn’t think Gomer was a good match for her. She explains, “Gomer was happy to see Leah, but he didn’t run to the front of the kennel and bark like the other dogs. After he said "hi" to Leah, he went back to his bed and laid down.”

Leah told Kara that really Gomer was a much different dog out on a walk and away from the kennel (like so many dogs). So Kara took Gomer out on lead to see for herself, and she was shocked! Gomer was full of life and energy out on his walk. His kennel demeanor belied this spunky, outgoing side of him! Karen knew right then that she and Gomer were the right fit. So this boy, who had no real human to call his own for probably a decade, was adopted. Miracles do happen!

Soon Gomer would be leading his new life. And as for that job....off to campus they went! Campus?! That’s right, Gomer is now the assistant House Advisor and Resident Life under Kara’s direction. They are a prominent presence at the tony university – Vassar College (fortunately for Gomer, Vassar has been co-ed since 1969).


Both Gomer and Kara live and work on this gorgeous campus in the Hudson Valley, where Gomer is totally Big Man On Campus!

Kara says that everyone loves Gomer. Both students and faculty are like “Hey Gomer,” “Gomer – What’s Up,” “Looking Good Gomer!” His popularity has resulted in Kara making friends all over the place. Actually Kara was surprised at what a total conversation starter he is! People stop her to talk with and about Gomer left and right, and he eats it right up!

Yes, Gomer is very popular...he’s BMOC! He’s got it all, but what about the behavior problems? Previously Gomer had been in the Training Partners Program because of some "behavioral issue." So what’s it really like to live with this “problem” child?

Kara says Gomer has no major problems at all. She had been told about his dog issues, and some housebreaking problems, but she manages them. That includes the squirrel fever and the bike chasing. He likes to chase them both. They even went up to the bike shop and sniffed some bikes so he could see there wasn’t much to be afraid at all of when it comes to bicycles.

Okay, he had a few “accidents’ in her apartment, but with a regular schedule of intermittent longer and shorter works, he hasn’t had one accident in th longest. Karen has found that he really doesn’t like other dogs that are too nosy or interested in his business (who would?!). There hasn’t been one skirmish or dog incident since she’s had him!

He also let Kara know that his dog bed wasn’t quite as fluffy as he’d like. He had a perfectly good bed, but it is not quite the couch that he would prefer. So he started going up on the couch, and making himself at home. So the DSPCA recommended turning the couch cushions up so that it wasn’t comfortable. That advice and his brand new and improved dog bed wound up being the perfect solution to his furniture habits.

Besides being incredibly handsome, very popular and a lot of fun, Gomer is also a lady’s man. Kara’s two nieces, which are three and four years old, both love Gomer and he loves them! He’s turned out to be the perfect children’s companion animal; and he does his stoic best to not get too carsick on the four and a half hour drive to Williamsport, PA for the family gatherings! Gomer’s so laid back and friendly he’s got her family eating out of his paw, too!

He’s got this extra cute habit as well, Kara confides. He has a stuffed animal fetish. He thinks all the stuffed animals are his! One day Kara was home and she heard a strange thud, Kara who collects elephants, found that Gomer had gotten onto the shelving as was helping himself to a stuffed elephant, which he proudly pranced about with joyfully.

Another time at a student leader meeting, Gomer made himself at home by "borrowing" someone else’s stuffed animal and lead a rousing game of tug! Seeing the obvious need for Gomer to have his own stuffed animal stash, Kara reports that he’s got a basket filled to the brim with his favorite stuffy toys! (Note to Santa: this one’s easy!)

Fancy bed, stuffed animals galore and his own toy chest, what else has this pampered pooch demanded? Well, it turns out he didn’t even want to eat for the first two weeks on campus... must have been first day of school jitters!

So Kara was on a mission. She was trying all different brands and kinds of dog food, both wet and dry, the old hot dogs in meal trick, and even went as far as sprinkling cheese on his food...maybe a little parmesan would do it. Gomer finally settled on the perfect dog food combo that Kara is happy to report he devours everyday, and his appetite and health couldn’t be better.

This is such a wonderful ending to a great story! The picture above shows how much he loved Kara from the beginning. We look forward to hearing more tales of Kara and Gomer winning friends and influencing others at Vassar and everywhere else!

Best Friends Training Partners Program
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Vassar College
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Dutchess County SPCA
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Please read the related story on Gomer.
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