Susan Daffron talks to Janet White from Camp Cocker in California about a cocker spaniel named Alvin who is available for adoption. Alvin is such a sweet and special little dog, his foster mom Janet started up a blog for him, which you can see at Little Alvin's Big Life. Alvin now has friends and supporters all over the world. He's a small caramel-colored cocker mix with huge brown eyes. Because he's smaller than most cocker spaniels, he has a perpetual "puppy" look, even though he's probably at least three years old. Although the folks at Camp Cocker don't know much about Alvin's past, they do know he came in as a stray in a Los Angeles area shelter.

It's likely Alvin was an outdoor dog who was kept in a back yard with very little human contact. He can be shy and nervous around new people, particularly when he's inside. Unlike many small dogs, you can't just pick Alvin up and put him in your lap. Initially, he was fearful of being touched at all, and even now after lots of love and attention in foster care, Alvin still needs to warm up to new people a bit. He is responding extremely well to obedience training and he is motivated by food so he's easy to train. Janet says that just teaching Alvin to "sit" has reinforced the bond between them. Often learning a few obedience commands can give shy dogs more confidence, so Alvin would do best in a home with a patient owner who will give him the time and attention he needs to bond and learn. Wouldn't you just love to come home to that adorable face?

Questions or Comments? Send them to: SusanD@petliferadio.com.