Jean Luc Picard

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 Jean Luc Picard   3 years old | 54 lbs | Standard Poodle | Non-shedding   Boldly Going Where No Poodle Has Gone Before   Captain Jean Luc Picard has had quite the journey—and if his first mission was simply to survive, his next one is to find the forever crew who will love him as much as he loves them.   When JLP arrived at the shelter, he was in heartbreaking condition. His eyes were so badly infected that they had completely crusted shut and he couldn't see. His beautiful Poodle coat was severely matted, with little dreadlocks all over his body. He was, in every sense, a hot mess.   And yet, even then, his tail never stopped wagging.   That pretty much tells you everything you need to know about Jean Luc Picard.   Once rescued, treated, groomed, and finally able to see the world around him again, JLP didn't waste any time settling into his new life. He was a little shy and quiet for about 24 hours— and then apparently decided, “Make it so.” He chose his foster as his person and quickly became an enthusiastic member of the family.   Captain of the Cuddle Crew   JLP is a giant Velcro baby and an absolute love bug. At 54 pounds, he is convinced that he is approximately the size of a Chihuahua and would very much like to be a lap dog. His foster has photographic evidence of him climbing into a lap at an outdoor concert, resting his head over his foster's shoulder, and happily watching the world go by.   He is sweet, gentle, affectionate, friendly, outgoing, and playful. He has yet to meet a person he doesn't like—or a dog he doesn't want to engage with. Pretty much everyone is immediately promoted to “his people.”   JLP loves being near his family and is happiest when he knows where his humans are. He'll follow you around, sleep at your feet, watch you eat, get up when you get up, and generally keep you in his sights. He doesn't need to be the center of attention every second—he just wants to be part of the crew.   He's also remarkably well-mannered. He rarely barks unless he wants your attention, takes treats gently, and doesn't have any issues with chewing or digging. He's affectionate without being pushy and has a wonderfully sweet nature.   Boldly Going on Adventures   JLP is a wonderful combination of adventurous and chill.   He loves a good walk and has happily tackled everything from shorter strolls to impressive 2–7 mile walks. He initially pulls a little when he first sets out, but once he's settled into the rhythm, he walks nicely and simply enjoys the adventure.   He isn't particularly interested in chasing birds, squirrels, or every moving object in the universe. Instead, he's much more interested in checking out the people and dogs he encounters. He may look to see if another dog is interested in saying hello, but he's friendly and appropriate—no barking, lunging, or aggression. Mostly, he's hoping someone might offer him a head scratch or a treat.   Back at home, JLP is perfectly happy to switch from explorer mode to Captain of the Couch. After his morning adventure, he'll lounge in the house or backyard, hang out with the family and resident dogs, wander outside when he needs to, drink some water, and generally supervise the household.   And then, because apparently every good Poodle needs a little evening entertainment, he may decide around nighttime that it's time to wrestle with the resident Goldendoodle before returning to his dog bed or settling beside his people.   A Very Social Captain   JLP absolutely loves other dogs. He enjoys running and playing with his foster's Goldendoodle and has made it his personal mission to convince their hound that they should be friends. The hound remains unimpressed, but JLP continues to believe in the power of friendship.   He would happily have canine companions in his forever home, but he could also be perfectly content being someone's one-and-only baby. His foster hasn't seen him around cats or children, so those introductions would need to be evaluated appropriately, but based on his interactions with people and dogs, JLP's general philosophy seems to be:   “Hello! Are you my friend? Excellent. Let's proceed accordingly.”   Smart, Willing & Ready to Learn   JLP is a smart boy who learns quickly and is very motivated by treats—cheese is particularly effective Starfleet currency.   He already knows sit and touch and is working on down and stay. He wants to please his people and enjoys figuring out what they're asking him to do.   He's also adjusting beautifully to the comforts of normal dog life after clearly having had a rough start. Watching him go from a dog who couldn't even see because of his infected eyes to a happy, playful boy who runs around with his foster siblings is pretty special.   A Day in the Life of Captain Picard   JLP sleeps on a dog bed in his foster's bedroom and generally waits patiently for his humans to wake up and let him out, usually around 6:30 AM. He may briefly wake if he hears something but quickly settles back down.   After going outside and taking care of business, he has breakfast, followed later in the morning by his big walk or adventure. Afterward, he's happy to spend the day wherever his people are—inside, outside, lounging in the backyard, or simply hanging out with the family and dogs.   Dinner is usually around 6 PM, and by about 10 PM he's ready to settle in for the night. He isn't particularly rigid about his schedule and is happy to stay up later or settle down earlier, as long as he's with his people.   Things He's Still Working On   Our captain does have one significant area where he needs continued support: being alone.   JLP becomes anxious when left by himself, even when the other dogs are present. He isn't currently crate trained and was initially very resistant to the crate. His foster has been taking things slowly, feeding him meals in the crate with the door open and tossing treats inside to help him develop positive associations. He's making progress, but this will be an ongoing project.   His foster has also been working with him on his separation anxiety by leaving for very short periods, returning, rewarding him, and gradually increasing the amount of time away. He's getting a little better, but his forever family will need to continue this work patiently. Medication has helped take the edge off his anxiety, but he is not yet comfortable being left for extended periods.     His Ideal Mission   Jean Luc Picard needs a family who understands that being his person is a big deal to him.   A home where people have plenty of time to spend with him would be ideal. A household where he is routinely left alone for long stretches would not be a good fit right now. His people don't have to entertain him constantly—he's perfectly happy to lounge, nap, wander around the yard, or relax—but he wants companionship and to feel like he's part of the family.   He'd love a canine sibling, but he could also happily be the only star of the show. We think he'd adore a family with older or respectful children, although he hasn't yet had direct experience with kids.   The Final Frontier   There's something incredibly special about JLP.   After everything he endured before arriving at the rescue, he could have been frightened, withdrawn, or distrustful of people. Instead, he wagged his tail. He still does.   He's a big, goofy, gentle, affectionate Poodle who takes treats softly, loves his people completely, enjoys dogs, loves his walks, learns quickly, and is equally happy exploring the galaxy or napping beside his favorite human.   His foster says it best: “He really is a special boy that is going to make some family very happy.”   Jean Luc Picard is ready for his next mission.   And this time, he's hoping it's the final frontier: home.