Soy Sauce

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: $850 Soy Sauce is proof that sometimes the best things in life come in small, fluffy, slightly stubborn packages and should probably be served with a side of rice. At just 13–14 weeks old, Soy Sauce is already bringing a whole lot of flavor to the table. This handsome smooth-coated Chow boy looks less like a puppy and more like someone accidentally turned a stuffed animal into a real dog. He is ridiculously soft, ridiculously cute and has the face of a tiny lion cub who has absolutely no idea how adorable he is. And yes, his name is Soy Sauce. Because when you have a Chow puppy this delicious, you have to commit to the theme. Soy Sauce arrived at his foster home immediately after his neuter surgery, so his first day was less "Hello! Let's become best friends!" and more "I have had a long day. Please direct me to my crate." He stayed tucked in his crate for several hours, quietly recovering and taking in his new surroundings. Then he got comfortable. And once Soy Sauce decided he was feeling better, the personality came pouring out. This little guy LOVES to run. He will suddenly take off for a few glorious puppy laps around the yard like he has somewhere extremely important to be. And then... FULL SYSTEM SHUTDOWN. He collapses for a nap. A little running. A little exploring. A little investigating. A little more running. Then somebody hits the puppy off switch. He alternates between these adorable bursts of puppy energy and some very serious lounging. He likes hanging out near his people and being part of whatever is happening, but he doesn't need to be attached to them every second. He is perfectly happy exploring the yard on his own once he feels comfortable. Soy Sauce isn't really a snuggler. He's more of a "I'll sit over here near you because I enjoy your company, but let's not make this weird" kind of guy. He does, however, LOVE chin and neck scratches. Find the right spot and suddenly you have a very happy little Chow. He has also been introduced to quite a few new people. A bunch of the neighbors came over to say hello, and Soy Sauce was friendly with everyone. He seems genuinely interested in meeting people and checking out the world around him. He's also already made a potential friend with a neighbor's small dog. His response was essentially: "HELLO. YOU ARE SMALL. I AM SMALL. WE SHOULD PLAY." His 55-pound resident canine foster sibling, unfortunately, does not share this enthusiasm for puppies. That dog has apparently chosen the mature and responsible approach of pretending the puppy doesn't exist and hoping he eventually goes away. Soy Sauce remains optimistic. He has not yet met cats or children, so those introductions will need to be handled thoughtfully. Soy Sauce is doing really well with his house training. He had a few accidents when he first arrived, but he is figuring things out quickly. With the patio door open, he has learned to take himself outside when he needs to go. That's a pretty impressive accomplishment for a puppy who is still figuring out where he belongs. At night, Soy Sauce sleeps in an x-pen with his crate inside. He may issue a brief complaint when bedtime arrives, but he settles down quickly and seems to genuinely like his crate. He sleeps well through the night and has figured out that nighttime is for sleeping, not launching a 2 a.m. puppy festival. He hasn't started going on walks yet, so that's still on his puppy résumé under "Coming Soon." We did, however, attempt to introduce him to a leash. Soy Sauce's response was unforgettable. He started hopping backwards. Not walking backwards. Not slowly backing away. HOPPING. Apparently the leash was an outrageous personal betrayal. We suspect he'll eventually decide that leashes are perfectly acceptable, but for now, Soy Sauce would like it noted that he has strong opinions. He is also a normal teething puppy, which means the occasional table leg can look suspiciously like an excellent chew toy. Fortunately, he is easily redirected. He doesn't have any concerning behaviors and is generally a wonderfully quiet puppy. In fact, instead of barking at strange noises, Soy Sauce tends to "huff." He hears something unusual and basically goes: "Hmph." And then goes back to being adorable. Soy Sauce is a moderate shedder right now, but prospective adopters should understand that this is a Chow puppy. There will be hair. There will be grooming. There will eventually be moments when you wonder how one puppy managed to leave enough fur around the house to create a second puppy. He will need regular brushing and grooming throughout his life. But look at him. LOOK AT HIM. He's basically a living teddy bear. His foster family says he is so cute, sweet and funny that they would absolutely keep him if allergies weren't a problem in their home. And perhaps the biggest endorsement of all comes from the husband, who doesn't necessarily fall head-over-heels for every foster dog. Soy Sauce got him. Apparently this little guy has that special combination of being ridiculously cute, incredibly chill and just funny enough to make you laugh when you aren't expecting it. He came to us as part of a group of Chows from a breeder who loved her dogs deeply and was known for their sound temperaments. Now Soy Sauce gets to grow up learning all the wonderful things that come with being someone's beloved family dog. He needs a home that will continue his training and socialization, understands that Chow puppies can come with a healthy dose of "I heard you. I simply disagree.", and is prepared for the grooming commitment that comes with all that magnificent fluff. He is playful without being crazy. Sweet without being clingy. Friendly without demanding attention. Funny without even trying. And soft. SO. VERY. SOFT. Soy Sauce may be young, but he's already serving up everything we're looking for in a puppy: a wonderful temperament, a curious little personality, a love of people and dogs, and just enough stubborn Chow attitude to keep life interesting. He's ready for his forever family. Just bring the patience, the puppy toys, the grooming brush and a sense of humor. Soy Sauce is already bringing the flavor.