Lug Nut aka Gentle Bear

Description

* This dog will be at the Palo Alto Pet Food Express on Saturday, August 22nd 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 Lug Nut may have a tough-sounding name, but spend five minutes with him and you’ll understand why his foster family nicknamed him Gentle Bear. This 6 year old Chow Chow is one of those dogs who quietly wins you over until you can’t imagine the house without him. Rescued from a shelter, Lug Nut has proven from the very beginning that he is an absolutely wonderful Chow. He is sweet, loving, incredibly mellow, and just an all-around good dog. He isn’t looking for constant entertainment or attention. He is perfectly happy to hang out near his people, wander outside, find a comfortable spot on the floor or a rug, and take a nice long nap. He has free run of the house and is completely trustworthy. He is 100% housetrained, doesn’t get into things, doesn’t chew, doesn’t dig, and is an exceptionally quiet dog. Lug Nut does have one special consideration: he is deaf. That means getting his attention can sometimes take a little creativity, but he has adapted beautifully. He is smart and observant, and he quickly learned to sit before meals. His foster family has also discovered that he is very tuned in to what is happening around him, especially when something interesting is going on in the kitchen. And by “interesting,” we mean whatever his people are cooking. His own dinner? Questionable. Human food smells coming from the kitchen? Now THAT deserves his attention. Like many dogs, he may be stressed the first few days in a new environment. Usually he shows his stress by panting. Pretty typical dog trait. After a few days, though, he settlesinto his routine and shows his true personality. Now he is a relaxed, easygoing guy who enjoys being part of the family without needing to be the center of attention. He may sleep in the same room as his people or wander off to find a quiet spot of his own. He doesn't need to be glued to you every minute to feel connected. And then there are the walks. Lug Nut LOVES walks. In fact, he loves them enough that he has occasionally picked up his own leash and brought it to his foster family. Apparently, there was a serious scheduling problem and he felt management needed to be notified immediately. He gets very excited when he sees his leash and happily heads out for two or three 10–15 minute walks each day. He walks well overall, with a little pulling when he gets excited, and he doesn't bark at people or other dogs. If he spots a dog across the street, he may let out a little whine because, clearly, he thinks it's a new friend. Lug Nut enjoys other dogs and does well with them. At the dog park, he tends to be more interested in smaller dogs and can be a little intimidated by the bigger ones. He is not particularly playful and doesn't seem interested in toys, chasing games, or chewing things. Every now and then he will enjoy a bone, but his idea of a great afternoon is much more likely to involve a walk followed by a nap than a game of fetch. He is also wonderfully well behaved when left home alone. He has free run of the house and appears completely comfortable while his family is away. When they return, he is generally found sleeping. He may jump onto the couch by the window to watch someone leave through the front door, but then he quickly goes back to whatever extremely important lounging activity he had planned. Lug Nut is not a fan of confinement. He is not crate trained and does not like crates or an x-pen, so his ideal home will be one where he can safely have freedom in the house. He doesn't need a crate because he is already trustworthy and fully housetrained. There are a couple of quirky Gentle Bear details his future family should know. Like many Chows, he drinks a lot of water, so if his bowl is empty, he may decide the toilet is an acceptable backup water source. And he hasn't quite mastered the art of delicately taking a treat from someone's hand. If you know how to feed, a horse, that may work best for Lug Nut. (Flat palm)Twice, he has inadvertently gotten a little too enthusiastic and caught his foster's hand along with the snack. He isn't being aggressive at all. He simply apparently believes the entire hand might also be edible. Because Lug Nut gets stressed by travel and new environments, he would be happiest with a family that doesn't travel frequently. When his foster family took him away for a weekend, he was so uncomfortable that he held his stool for four days until he returned home and could use his familiar backyard spot. He has done the same when staying with a temporary foster while his family was away. He will pee on walks, but he absolutely insists that his other business be conducted in the privacy of his own backyard. So a home with a small, secure yard would be ideal for this particular gentleman. Once he bonds with you, Lug Nut is simply your dog. He knows you. He loves you. You are his forever. His foster family has had him for a month and says they have genuinely loved having him in their home. His foster family has also noticed that he can become surprisingly affectionate with guests once he is comfortable. Not a lot of stranger danger with this lad. Lug Nut is the kind of dog who doesn't demand much but gives you so much in return. He is gentle, quiet, affectionate, house-trained, trustworthy, wonderfully mellow, and absolutely delighted when someone suggests a walk. He's a little bit quirky, a whole lot sweet, and very deserving of a family who will appreciate the special, gentle bear that he is. Lug Nut is ready to trade his shelter story for a forever story—and preferably one that includes a backyard, plenty of walks, and absolutely no travel itinerary.