My name is TESSA 11 months!

Tessa arrived on May 4th weighing in at 42 pounds. She is 11 months old. She was found a stray and ended up in a shelter. Here is a video of her while at that shelter. http://search.petfinder.com/petdetail/25936089 This girl had a long ride to NJ yesterday. She was quiet and calm during the entire trip. When we got home we spent some time walking around our property and getting used to to all the new sights and smells. She was interested in everything. She is not afraid to explore. She met our resident dog as well as the neighbors 3 poodles. She was a bit scared at first hiding behind me and peering around to steal a peek at the oncoming dogs. After a couple minutes of doggie introductions she quickly became playful and bouncy. Next we moved into the house where she was a little timid. Tessa is used to a crate because she was quiet and calm all night. She never made a peep. We went back outside this morning and walked some more. She really seems happy to be out exploring and continues to enjoy being outside. I'm sure she would appreciate it if I would let her run. She is still a puppy and has a strong urge to chew but a couple new chew toys has seemed to satisfy her. She seems extremely thankful to have a soft place to lay and some new toys. She has only been here for approx 16 hours so she keeps coming over for assurance and a quick pat on the head, each time staying a little longer, then finally resting her head in my lap. I cant wait to see what this baby will become over the next few days! She hasn't had an accident in the house yet but I take her out often as she gets used to where our exit doors etc. are.

UPDATE: I took Tessa for a nice long walk today. She did very well on the leash and only stopped a few times to take in new smells. She loves being outside and it also went a long way to help expend some energy. She loves to explore our property and would definitely have an appreciation for a family with a fenced in yard so she could run and explore with a little independence. Tessa has done really well at night. She needs to be crated to avoid trouble for a while but she doesn't mind it at all. She stays quiet and calm for up to 10 hours while we enjoy a good sleep. Tessa can be a little timid in new situations. It has taken her a little time to settle in here but its happening. Each day she grows more comfortable. She likes to play with her toys. I sit and watch her a while and every now and then she runs over and rests her head in my lap for a few seconds before going right back to play. She really wants to play with my older dog but my dog is not interested in any play. I think that she would appreciate another playmate in the house but does not need to have one if she gets what she needs from you. Tessa hasn't had any accidents in the house. I keep her on a schedule and she is doing great!

UPDATE: Tessa is still very young and acts very much like a puppy. She enjoys chew toys more than other types of toys. We are helping her with basic skills like sit, stay, & down. She likes my 3 year old boy who is more dog savvy than most, but sometimes needs to be told to be easy. During play I am able to touch her, take her toys, and settle her down without incident. While she's eating, I am also able to touch her all over and take her food. Tessa seems to be really enjoying life right now. Its been a pleasure to be the one to introduce her to a nice soft bed, toys, and even things like running water or vacuum cleaner. It did not seem that she knew those sounds. Next we will tackle stairs. She wants so badly to go upstairs to look around but it's clear that she doesn't know how to climb them. She is getting used to being rubbed and petted and loving every minute of it. She has true innocence and its a lot of fun watching her grow. You can see two videos of Tessa when she first arrived. Once is attached to the video link on this page. The other one can be found at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riEp3_y_0P8

UPDATE: Tessa is improving and improving more quickly as we do training with her. Its giving her confidence as well. She will now sit, down, stay for a 4 count...give a paw, and learning to go through my child's play tunnel. She is VERY smart .

UPDATE: Tessa is growing into a super sweet, loving and caring companion especially with my almost 4 year old son. She has really taken to him, playing and looking after him as well. She often comes to us for a hug, pet, cuddle or kiss. It took her a while to trust and get to know us but now that she does it keeps getting better and better. She tried relentlessly to win over our resident senior girl but finally today she decided it would alright to play. That made Tessa a very happy girl as she was longing for a playmate. Tessa is extremely food motivated making it easy to teach her new things. We have been working on sit, down, stay & give paw. She loves to do her training sessions. This can be great because it will make wonderful bonding time for her and her new family. A new family that will give a little patience to earn Tessa’s trust will not be disappointed. She is a very loyal girl who will love you and protect you. Tessa is a mostly quiet girl unless she wants to play. Then she can run and jump and play with real puppy enthusiasm. She loves to play with all kinds of toys and has a toy basket here. She has made a game of pulling out each toy one by one and then waiting for me to put them all back so she can do it all over again. Since Tessa is still very young she needs to be provided with interesting things to chew. She likes to play and chew for hours. Tessa enjoys our long walks in the woods. Her favorite thing is to walk along a downed tree and take in as much as she can see. Although the deer don’t seem to bother her much she would really prefer if the squirrels as well as the neighbors’ cat would find somewhere else to live. Tessa is getting used to spending time in the house relaxing with us but she would surely prefer if her new family could spend time with her outside. This could be accomplished by nice long walks allowing her time to explore or by giving her independence in a fenced in yard. She may even make a good hiking dog. We have gone to the park a couple of times and she does well as long as there's not too much commotion. It was a bit too stimulating for her when there was a ballgame going on, but maybe with time she could get used to this type of atmosphere. Time is everything for Tessa. Things that she was frightened of just a few short days ago she is enjoying today. She has come a long way to being the wonderful girl full of personality that we see today in just over a week. Tessa has only had one accident in the house. I keep her on a schedule and take her out often. I’m not sure that she knows how to alert me to go outside but she almost always goes when I take her. There is no part of her body that is off limits to you. I can pet and caress her all over even when she’s eating or chewing. She has a very soft mouth when you give her treats. Did you know that hound dogs make awesome companions? They are just like any other breed of dog in that they bond well your family and love to be with you. They even have an independent side that gives you space when you need it. Once Tessa adjusts to your lifestyle you will have a great family dog.
If you are interested in seeing additional photos, please friend Sheryl's Den on Facebook. www.facebook.com/sheryls.den If you are interested in adopting, please complete and submit an application. Be sure to list the dog's names that you are interested in on the first question within the application. Please be sure your application is complete. The 1st question asks which dogs you are interested in. To see additional dogs, see our adoptable pet list at www.sherylsden.org


This animal is currently fostered in a private home. Our rescue is 100% foster home based. We do not have a shelter or kennel. They are cared for by a loving family until adopted. Each pup has had their first vet exam, a shot, and de-worming, etc We make sure they have no fleas prior to going into our foster homes. They are fostered out of the shelter at least two weeks or more prior to adopting to monitor health. We take their care seriously!

Please note that the adoption appointments will be scheduled after your application is approved. Once adopted, feel free to change the dog's name. You do not have to keep the name listed in this post.

#####PLEASE BE SURE YOUR APPLICATION IS COMPLETE OR IT WILL NOT BE PROCESSED. PLEASE BE SURE TO LIST THE NAME AND NUMBER OF THE VET'S OFFICE THAT CARED FOR YOUR PRIOR OR CURRENT PET. #####

IF YOU ADOPT a pup and live in the State of New Jersey we do have low cost spaying and neutering at very affordable prices. Kindly inquire upon an approved application. We also have an affordable program for out of state adopters.

We also offer low cost micro-chipping! For a low fee of only 20.00 we will have your dog microchipped. You will be able to register the microchip for a low cost fee of only 10.99 at the time of the adoption appointment. The 10.99 fee is a ONE time registration fee. The microchip is for the lifetime of the dog. You have the ability to update the contact information at NO cost. You will also have a one year membership to Home Again. This is a big savings for you.


***** If you're interested in fostering we could always use the help to save more animals. A crate, food, and medical care are provided. The animals are picked up in West Milford, NJ and brought back here for adoption. The time commitment is two to two and a half weeks. Please email letting us know what town you live in and we will forward information to you. *****

Sheryl's Den has teamed up with Petfirst Health care in an effort to offer pet insurance for your adopted family member. If you wish, you can enroll once you adopt or within 20 days after your adoption. Your coverage will begin at midnight following your activation. The first month is only 5.00. If you choose to continue the pet insurance the cost would be 14.95 a month thereafter. Pet insurance protects you from the expense of vet care. No need to worry about unexpected expenses. Details: Use any veterinarian, pay your vet, send claim form to PetFirst, meet the 50.00 deductible, receive your reimbursement check in as little as two weeks. If you would like further information, you can contact PetFirst at 1-877-291-PETS.