My journey from the shelter to ShepHeroes' foster home was exciting. It started with a long car ride from the shelter, multiple shampoos at Pet Food Express to rid me of the stink of my prior life, and lots of love.
The first stop was ShepHeroes' adoption event in Citrus Heights, part of Pet Food Express' month-long Adoption Fair. I received a much-needed bath, my first ever, which required multiple shampoos due to my 12-week-old super-smelly body. The ride to the event was a breeze. While I hung out in a crate, my ride said we had to roll down the windows to cope. After the refreshing bath, I lounged in my own Xpen and took long naps during the event.
My sweetness was on display as I loved all the humans who sat with me in the Xpen. I snuggled into their laps for long snoozes, including the kids who took me home to be my foster family. I have a very soft mouth. I even enjoyed a stop at one of their soccer games, safely tucked in a wagon to protect me from parvo. I showed my potential to adapt to new environments and situations.
My people have settled on my name as Ollie Bear, thanks for all the name suggestions. So far, I'm very kid-friendly as I live part of the week with two kids whom I adore. Potty training is coming along much better than crate training since I would rather be with my people and certainly make a fuss when I need to be crated. But my two foster families who co-foster me have persevered through this same fuss with prior foster puppies. My first night was the roughest as I didn't like being alone after leaving all the other puppies I shared my kennel space at the shelter so my foster mom was sweet to let me snuggle into her for all of us to get some sleep. But they've whispered that this is temporary and like all their prior fosters, they'll guide me into getting comfortable sleeping on my own. At first I didn't appreciate the resident shepherds since I thought they were going to interfere in my playtime with the kids but I've come to the conclusion they're all right. I guess it's really their house and I'm the guest so I've adjusted to being part of their pack. I live with two shepherds in my foster home with the kids and three shepherds in my other foster home where everyone is adults. My people are so sweet to set guidelines for me to be at ease since I was part of a large and sad hoarding situation where the local animal control intervened to help us. I'm a shepherd mix and lucky to be healthy, chunky, and sweet.
I ride nicely in the car and learning all about sit, down etc. I also hang out in shopping carts when my people take me out shopping with them, I adore meeting all the people who love to pet puppies. My foster families are so intriqued by my possible breeds that they donated funds for a DNA test, they both say that I could possibly be a theraphy dog when I grow up.
Although puppies require time, energy, patience, and love to raise, shepherd puppies require an extra commitment to raising neutral adult dogs. We ask adopters interested in me to have experience with shepherds or similar herding or working breeds and the time and resources to commit to structure, environmental exposures, and training.
As a foster-based rescue, ShepHeroes is always in need of fosters. An overwhelming number of shepherds in our local shelters need our help for a fresh start. Would you be willing to share your home and part of your summer to help shepherds find new families? You provide the love, and we'll provide everything else! Saying "yes" today truly saves a life. Complete this https://www.shepheroes.org/foster-form, and we'll be in touch ASAP! We appreciate your consideration.
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