Little John

Description

* This dog will be at the Palo Alto Pet Food Express on Saturday, August 15th from 12–3 PM (unless adopted prior to the event). All DPS Rescue dogs are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, flea/tick treated, and microchipped prior to adoption.   Adoption fee: $650 Little John A tiny adventurer looking for his very own merry band   Meet Little John, Robin Hood's smaller-in-name-only sidekick and a 10–12 month old, 16 lb Mini Schnauzer mix who is ready to leave the forest behind and find a person of his own.   In the shelter, Little John definitely took his cues from his brother. Robin was his confidence booster, and Little John was happy to let Robin take the lead. Once they got out of the shelter, though, he's been slowly discovering that he can be brave all on his own.   And here's the thing about Little John: once he decides you're his person, you're REALLY his person.   He's surprisingly easy to win over. Bring out some yummy treats, spend a little time earning his trust, and suddenly this formerly suspicious little guy is climbing into your lap, putting his paws on you, staring straight into your eyes, and doling out kisses like you've been best friends forever. It's one of the most endearing things about him.   Little John is an energetic, playful pup who likes to be in the middle of whatever you're doing. He's a terrific little fetch player, enjoys chasing balls, and thinks tug-of-war is an excellent way to spend an afternoon. He's also incredibly curious and has approximately zero interest in respecting the concept of boundaries. Tables? Worth investigating. Couches? Obviously. Beds? Definitely. If there's somewhere interesting to explore, Little John is probably already halfway there.   He's quick, light on his feet, and athletic enough that we can easily picture him becoming someone's little adventure buddy—or even a future frisbee champion.   He's also a surprisingly quiet guy. Little John isn't interested in providing commentary on every passing squirrel; he generally only barks when he has something important to announce. At bedtime, he is practically perfect: he happily heads into his crate, sleeps by himself in another room, and doesn't make a peep until morning. He's house trained, a good eater, and overall a pretty easy little guy to have around.   He's still working on his leash manners, but he's easy to walk and actually gets excited when he sees his harness come out. Harness = adventure, according to Little John.   Like any young terrier mix, Little John has a bit of an impish streak. If he's feeling ignored or bored, he may go looking for his own entertainment—and small plastic bottles and other forbidden treasures are particularly tempting. He'll need a family who can give him appropriate outlets for his energy, keep tempting contraband out of reach, and appreciate his curious little mind.   His people are his treasure   Little John's biggest consideration is people. He's nervous meeting strangers and has had a particularly difficult time with men. He can be very leery of male humans and may react by trying to nip, so a female-only home would likely be the easiest fit for him, or a home with a very patient, dog-savvy man who is willing to take things slowly and earn Little John's trust rather than expecting him to immediately accept him.   Once trust is established, though, this little guy is incredibly affectionate.   He also tends to want his people all to himself and can be pushy with other dogs, so he'd likely do best as the center of attention rather than sharing his humans with a canine entourage.   Little John doesn't need someone to swoop in and "fix" him. He needs someone who understands that trust is earned—and who will enjoy the incredibly rewarding moment when this cautious little pup finally decides, "Yep. You're my person."   Then you'll get the paws in your lap. The big eye contact. The kisses. The little shadow following you everywhere.   And suddenly, this tiny imp who once needed Robin Hood to show him the way won't need his brother at all.   Little John is ready to find his own merry band—and hopefully, his forever person.