Potsticker

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 Some dogs walk into a new home as if they have been waiting their whole lives to get there. Potsticker needed a little more time to believe she was safe. This sweet 4 year old, 30-pound Chow girl came to us from a breeder who loved her Chows deeply and took great pride in raising dogs known for their sound, wonderful temperaments. Potsticker has spent her life surrounded by people who cared about her, and now she is learning what it means to be a beloved house dog and to have a family all her own. And Potsticker is approaching this next chapter at her own pace. She's a go-with-the-flow kind of gal. She wakes up when you wake up, sleeps peacefully in her own little spot in the living room, and when she sees that her person is up, she'll get up and come say hello. Her mornings start with a quick potty break, breakfast around 7:00 and then one of her favorite things: a walk. Potsticker really enjoys going for walks and exploring the world around her. She's still learning the finer points of this whole leash business, and she can pull quite strongly, particularly when something catches her attention or she becomes startled. Her adopter will need to be confident and attentive with her leash handling. She's not looking for a marathon, though. A nice 25–30 minute walk where she can sniff, explore and take everything in is right up her alley. When Potsticker first arrived in her foster home, she was understandably overwhelmed by all the newness. For the first couple of days, she found one spot where she felt safe and pretty much decided, “Yep. This is my spot. Everyone can carry on without me.” But then, little by little, things started to change. She began venturing a little farther. She became curious about the house. She started watching her foster mom a little more closely. Every day, she has become just a bit more comfortable, and those small steps are incredibly rewarding to watch. Potsticker is still a shy girl. If you approach her too quickly, she may decide that retreating is an excellent idea. New people, sudden movements and unfamiliar sounds can still make her nervous. But she has never shown aggression or reactivity. She is simply a gentle dog who is still figuring out what all these people, sounds and new experiences are about. What Potsticker needs most is time. She needs someone who understands that trust isn't something you demand from a dog. It's something you earn. She needs a person who can give her the space to approach when she's ready and the patience to let her discover, at her own pace, that she is safe. We can picture her beautifully in a quieter household with someone who doesn't need their dog to be the life of the party. Potsticker isn't looking for a home where there is constant activity and excitement. She's looking for someone who appreciates the quieter joys of having a Chow: a peaceful dog nearby, a leisurely walk, a favorite spot in the house and the enormous satisfaction of watching a once-nervous dog slowly decide that you are her person. She lives with another dog and mostly responds with a very Chow-like “Whatever.” She doesn't seem particularly interested in what her foster dog is doing, and when she sees other dogs on walks, she'll stop and look but doesn't feel the need to introduce herself. She's perfectly content doing her own thing. Potsticker is also completely housetrained and has had no accidents in her foster home. In true Chow fashion, she apparently believes maintaining a clean household is simply good manners. And then there is her favorite luxury: BRUSHING. Oh, does this girl love to be brushed. She closes her eyes and settles in like she's at a five-star spa. It may just be that Potsticker has been waiting her whole life for someone to understand that regular grooming is actually a wellness treatment. Her foster family is already seeing something special happening with her. Every day, she is learning a little more about trusting people. And while she isn't going to be the dog who runs up to every stranger and immediately asks for attention, that's not what makes Potsticker special. Her trust will be something you earn. And when she finally decides that you are her person, that will mean something. We believe there is a wonderfully loyal companion underneath that cautious exterior. She just needs someone willing to be patient enough to let her show you. Potsticker doesn't need someone to fix her. She needs someone who will give her the time to bloom. And if you can do that, we have a feeling this quiet little Chow girl is going to give you something pretty wonderful in return.