Canopy

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: $800 Meet Canopy: A Little Princess With a Very Big Personality Canopy is a 2–3 year old, 10-pound Havanese/Poodle mix who is nonshedding to very low-shedding, incredibly sweet, playful, and just a little bit ridiculous in the very best way. She has the delicate, almost aristocratic look of a little princess, but don't let that fool you. This girl has plenty of puppy energy, zoomies and personality packed into her 10-pound body. Canopy is happiest when she is with her people. She follows her foster family from room to room and wants to know what everyone is doing. Given her history of being abandoned and recently having puppies, some of that attachment may be anxiety, but she has already made wonderful progress. When she first arrived, she wanted to be right next to her people constantly and struggled when someone left the room. Now she is comfortable curling up on the sofa even when her family isn't right beside her. She's learning that she is safe and that her people come back. And then there is The Happy Dance. When someone comes home, gets up, or simply walks into the room, Canopy throws herself onto the floor and does what can only be described as a cross between The Worm and a tiny seal. She inches herself forward with her belly on the floor, lifting her head and wiggling her entire body because apparently walking normally isn't nearly exciting enough. It is absolutely adorable and one of the things her foster family loves most about her. Canopy is very playful and loves interacting with people. She enjoys playing with her foster family's daughters, ages 11 and 15, and has been wonderfully patient with their friends. She apparently has no objection to being picked up, danced with or generally included in whatever the kids are doing. She also enjoys meeting other dogs. She can be a little shy at first, but has done very well with dogs she has encountered on leash. She walks beautifully on a leash. She doesn't pull, chase squirrels or bark at dogs or people, which makes her a very pleasant little walking companion. She loves a good outing and particularly enjoys riding in the car. She settles nicely in her crate during car rides and seems quite happy to go wherever her people are going. Canopy is house trained and does all her business outside. She doesn't yet have a reliable way to tell her people that she needs to go out, so her foster family simply gives her regular opportunities throughout the day. She has not shown any destructive chewing or digging. She does, however, have some separation anxiety. When left alone for 30–40 minutes, she cries and barks, although her foster family hasn't had a camera to know whether that continues the entire time. She has made progress and was recently perfectly content staying home for six hours with her teenage foster sibling while her foster mom was away. We think Canopy's future family will need to be patient with this and continue helping her learn that being alone for short periods is safe. She would do best with someone who is home a lot or who can gradually work with her on independence. This is also a girl who needs exercise and interaction. A good morning walk makes a huge difference. Once she has had a chance to get her energy out, she is happy to settle down and lounge. A trip to the park in the afternoon is another favorite and helps turn down the volume on those occasional puppy-style zoomies. Her ideal home could be a family with children, a couple, or even an individual who wants a devoted little companion. The biggest requirement is that her person wants a dog who wants to be involved in their life. Canopy would love someone who is home often, enjoys walking and playing, and doesn't mind having a tiny shadow following them around. And did we mention she is gorgeous? Her foster family calls her Princess for a reason. She has a beautiful tail, an elegant little face and a sweet, loving personality that makes her very hard to resist. Canopy has clearly been through some changes in her young life, but what shines through is how incredibly loving she is. She seems genuinely thrilled to have found a safe place and people who adore her. Now she needs a forever family who will give her that same feeling for the rest of her life. Canopy is looking for her people. Preferably people who don't mind having a 10-pound shadow, a professional happy-dancer and a very adorable little princess following them everywhere.