Rescue's 'Happiest Dog,' Longest Resident Needs Perfect Fit For Home

FRANKFORT, IL — Take one look at Ryker, and you'd never guess the beefcake of a pup has spent the majority of his life in a shelter. He's just so very ... happy.

The 4-year-old bull terrier mix weighs in at a chonky 90 pounds—probably all those treats as a staff favorite—and easily flashes a grin showing off his chompers. He's been in a shelter since he was just several months old, but unlike other dogs, Ryker seems unfazed by what can be a noisy, sometimes chaotic environment.

Actually, he seems quite content.

"He’s our happiest dog," said Missy Ryerson, manager at Cache Creek Rescue. "He’s not upset to be there. He doesn’t care to get some place better, because this is all he knows."

Ryker's story has struck a sympathetic note with many who see it online. The mostly white dog with a tan patch over one eye and erect ears came to Cache Creek from a shelter in southern Illinois. His constant presence and calm demeanor around Alsip Home and Nursery, 20601 S. La Grange Rd. in Frankfort, have made him a staff favorite, and his stardom has started to precede him. So many who hear his story wish he would find a family. Ryerson hopes so, too, but knows that their deep bond and his overall character mean they'll take their time finding him a home away from the only one he's known.

"He’s happy where he’s at, but we don’t want him to stay in a shelter his whole life," Ryerson said. "He thinks of us as family, and thinks of this as his home."

Adoption for a dog like Ryker can be a bit tricky. Some read his story and wonder what might be "wrong" with him, that he has not yet been adopted. Despite his love for those at the rescue, it takes Ryker some time to warm up to people. The big guy is just a bit shy, is all.

"There’s nothing wrong with him, he is very shy around new people," Ryerson said. "... It takes him time to warm up to new people."

They've got their good boy's back. They'll take their time, then, finding him the right fit. It won't be a quick meet-and-greet to get to know him. It will take several visits with an interested owner, to see if it's a match.

"We won’t let him go home right away," Ryerson said. "They have to take the time to come in, get to know him, and it takes multiple times."

Any potential owner would foster him first, to allow the rescue to evaluate the match as a more long-term home. Sure, a home for Ryker for the holidays is a cheerful idea, but that's a tall order—one that can't be rushed. And Ryker doesn't seem to mind.

"Our biggest thing is everybody asks what’s wrong with him," Ryerson said. "He thinks of it as his home. We’re not worried about it. He’s not going shelter-crazy.

"He’s a shy dog that needs time to warm up to people. They have to be willing to commit time to get to know him before they can take him home to foster."

Ryker would do best in a home with low activity, and no smaller kids. Maybe one where visitors don't often pop by. Probably best that there not be any cats, and if there's another dog, it should be a bigger, older one, Ryerson said.

Ryker's just a big boy who likes attention, and little dogs might not be able to withstand his sometimes pushy ways—though he's definitely a good dog, "who knows his manners," Ryerson said.

Ryerson has been with Cache Creek for 15 years. Each year, they send between 600-800 animals—mostly dogs and puppies—to new homes. Dogs Ryker's age can be tougher to adopt out, but the rescue's work with rehoming puppies helps balance out cases like his.

"Puppies are what make your shelters continue," Ryerson said. "Without puppy adoptions, you can’t save the adults."

Cache Creek in 2021 facilitated 700 adoptions, she said.

The rescue mostly pulls its animals from situations in Oklahoma and Arkansas, enabling them to have a stronger grasp on the breeds and health of the animals coming in.

"You need to know where your animals are coming from," she said.

At any one time, the rescue has 35-40 animals available for adoption, but that can fluctuate. Though they sometimes have kittens, they steer away from adult cats, for fear they'll go stir-crazy in kennels.

In her career in rescue, this year has drawn a sharp contrast.

"This is one of the worst years I’ve ever seen in rescue," she said. "So many shelters are on intake hold because there have been so many surrenders and abandons."

While it's a pleasant idea to bring a puppy home for Christmas, it can lead to buyer's remorse as the puppy grows, and the dogs then are turned over to shelters. Ryerson also believes that the COVID-19 pandemic led so many home bound people to adopt or buy puppies. Many failed to train them, and when the owners returned to work, the now older dogs lacked basic training to prevent home damage and bad behaviors.

Though a broader issue, Cache Creek, specifically, has seen a low return rate on its adopted animals, she said.

"The returns that we’ve gotten, very few were Christmas presents or COVID-19 dogs," she said. "If you don’t take a dog to training after being home with it for a year, there’s going to be issues."

The rescue has waived an adoption fee on Ryker, and they'll provide in-home training for him to help him adjust and make sure the fit is just right. The rescue operates mostly on donations, but will expend their own resources to help any new matches work out.

"We’re willing to help them out whatever we can to keep that animal in a home," Ryerson said. "If they need training, we work with a trainer.

"We don’t want these animals to come back, we’ll take money out of the shelter to keep them in the home. So hopefully they can stay in their home and not have to come back to us."

Cache Creek shares all of its adoptable animals via its Facebook page, updated regularly. Anyone interested in learning more about Ryker can email cachecreek19@yahoo.com for more information.

Ryker—and all the other animals—would love some walks and playtime Christmas morning. Volunteers are invited to drop in and spend some time with them, no RSVP needed. Shifts are 8 to 11 a.m., and 3 to 6 p.m.

Cache Creek is located at 20601 S. La Grange Rd. They can be reached at (815)469-1044.