Cliff Bennett, director of the Flathead County Animal Shelter, is asking Santa for new homes for more of his canine residents.

He has a particular soft spot for old Labradors. Unfortunately, that's the breed that turns up most often in the very crowded dog section of the shelter.

"One of my favorites is Frosty, the senior Lab," he said. "The thing about Labs is they lay their head on your foot. They just want to be near you when everything is against you."

Then there's Fuzzy, another old Lab waiting for a home and a foot to warm with his gray muzzle. Described as spry and light on his feet, Fuzzy loves attention but becomes quiet and relaxed indoors.

Looking for something in a smaller size? A 16-year-old miniature poodle named Annie came in and now lives in a foster home.

"We've got a cute little cocker named Cleo," Bennett said.

Cleo is a lady of an uncertain age. When she was turned in, her owner claimed she was 4 years old, but her seriously gray muzzle and cloudy eyes tell another story to Bennett.

Some owners underestimate their pet's age, while others overestimate for reasons of their own. Under the senior pet program, both Frosty and Fuzzy definitely qualify for the $45 adoption fee, a bargain compared to the $75 fee for younger adult dogs.

Even better, the shelter now offers a program in which the prospective owner takes a pet home for a week to 10 days on a trial period.

"I tell people we want these dogs in a home, but we want them in the right home," he said. "If people are not sure, if they've got young children, or another dog or a cat, we say do all the paperwork, pay the fee and if something goes wrong in this time period then we'll take the dog back, no questions asked."

Bennett said the time period is a basic guideline. He said the shelter won't split hairs if the dog comes back slightly past the deadline, but the idea is to get the adoption concluded or terminated in a timely manner.

"People usually keep them," Bennett said.

He hopes this year that Santa sends a new home to a couple of his long-term boarders, Jasmine and Izzy.

Jasmine, a black and white pointer mix, arrived eight months ago. Just a year and seven months old, she has watched many kennel mates go to loving homes.

"Izzy has been here a long time, too," Bennett said.

A greyhound mix, Izzy has an impressive lean conformation and a great love of people. According to Bennett, she would make a great addition to an adult home or one with only older children and definitely no cats.

"She's a real sweet, loving dog, but she's a cat killer," Bennett noted.

Izzy is a great candidate for the trial adoption because she also picks her canine friends carefully, preferring male dogs over other females.

"We take her out of her kennel and bring her in the office and she's everybody's best friend and a lover," he said. "A lot of dogs are like Izzy - they just can't stand cats."

Sometimes the right introduction between the animals makes a difference.

With dog numbers out of control, a pick up in adoptions would be welcome this Christmas. Bennett said the recent census was 78 dogs in 50 kennels. He considers 54 dogs the upper limit of capacity.

Even with dogs doubled up, Bennett warns against giving a pet to someone else for Christmas, whether from the shelter or somewhere else.

"Every once in awhile someone gets a person an animal for a present and they don't want it so they come back," he said. "The staff here is pretty darn good at being brutally honest and asking pointed questions like ‘If this is a Christmas present, are you sure you talked to your loved one or friend?'"

He said that brutal honesty also goes with telling potential new owners the good and bad news, such as this dog hates men or is an escape artist.

"We want to find the right home the first time," he said.

For the first time since Bennett took over his job, the shelter's cat numbers have come down to a more manageable population. Most of the more than 100 cats obtained from the recent abuse case have found new homes.

"We owe a tremendous amount for that to the Spay and Neuter Task Force, Bennett said. "Because they were able to hold them, we were able to bring in five, six, seven or eight at a time. It was a big group effort. That's been amazing."

To check out the dogs and cats, visit the shelter at 225 Cemetery Road in Kalispell Tuesday through Friday noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Photos and information are available on the website by visiting www.flathead.mt.gov/animal and clicking on adoptable pets.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.