My name is PepperPots!

Meet Pepper.  Pepper has had a challenging past, and she is working through a deep fear of men. With patience, she's making strides—she’s begun warming up to my husband and even sniffed his hand on day 8! She is becoming more comfortable around him and no longer barks when he’s nearby, though she still responds cautiously. She’ll thrive in a home that can introduce her to new men gradually over a few weeks and would do best with minimal male visitors. Since new introductions set her back to “square one,” her ideal family would plan to keep her in familiar, calm environments rather than high-traffic areas like parks.

Despite these sensitivities, Pepper is an absolute sweetheart! She loves being close and has a wonderfully affectionate side. While she’s still mastering some training basics, she’s incredibly smart and quick to learn. She kennels on command, prefers sleeping in her cozy kennel with blankets, and already knows “sit.” We’re making progress with her recall and name recognition—she’s learning “Pepper” quickly! She’s also working on other commands, like “lay down,” “stay,” and “wait,” and is improving each day.

Pepper likes toys. While she'll happily shred any soft toy in sight, she's surprisingly gentle with her blankets, keeping them perfectly intact. Watching her run is a joy—she bounds and leaps like a graceful deer, always ready to chase after falling leaves. Her face is pure sweetness, and she has a stunning coat pattern to match. She’s working her way to a healthy weight; though she started closer to 55 pounds, she’s making steady progress toward her ideal 45-pound frame.

If you are interested in getting to know this animal better, please fill out an adoption application. An adoption application is the best way to show your interest in an animal and is not a binding contract.

To learn more about Ruff Start’s adoption process and the care our foster animals receive, please visit our How to Adopt page.

If you are unable to adopt but want to help this animal and others in our care, you can donate   to support the medical and veterinary needs of all Ruff Start Rescue animals.