Chow Fun

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 Chow Fun is exactly what her name promises: a whole lot of fun, wrapped up in 42 pounds of fluffy Chow. And this girl has been on quite the journey. Chow Fun came from a breeder situation and, when she first arrived, she was understandably a little shy. She spent the first couple of days figuring out where she was, who these people were, and whether she could trust them. Spoiler alert: she decided the answer was yes. It took her approximately 48 hours to go from “Um… I’m not sure about all this” to “Okay, I live here now and you are MY PEOPLE.” Once Chow Fun decided her foster family was trustworthy, she came out of her shell in a big way. Call her name and she comes running with her tail wagging. She went from pacing nervously to lounging around, initiating play with the resident dogs, and generally acting like she has been part of the family forever. And then there is the Velcro. Chow Fun is not merely a Velcro dog. She is industrial-strength Velcro. She wants to know where her people are at all times and routinely checks in with a little boop on the leg, because apparently 42 pounds of Chow needs a physical confirmation that you're still there. She loves having her chin and head scratched and will happily rest her adorable face in your hand while you do it. After meals, she gets bouncy and performs a little happy dance because apparently dinner deserves choreography. Chow Fun is also discovering her inner athlete. She has become increasingly playful and loves playing with toys, but once the festivities are over, she's perfectly happy to settle down and lounge. She's basically part-time party girl, full-time professional napper. She lives happily with two other dogs, including another Chow, and does wonderfully with them. She's met a newborn and was completely appropriate, apparently deciding that babies are interesting but not nearly as interesting as whatever she was doing. She's also calm and easygoing enough that her foster believes she could fit into many different types of homes. And if you're looking for a walking buddy, Chow Fun is a natural. She does great on leash, doesn't need much training, happily sniffs her way along, and can be redirected when it's time to keep moving. She doesn't bark at people or other dogs, either. In fact, barking is apparently beneath her. She has occasionally delivered the softest little “boof” to another dog as an invitation to play, but that's about the extent of her public commentary. At home, Chow Fun is wonderfully well-behaved. She doesn't destroy things, doesn't dig, doesn't bark incessantly, and can roam freely with the other dogs when her foster leaves. She is calm and happy when they return and is usually the first one at the door to welcome them home. Now we need to discuss two extremely important things. HAM. Chow Fun wasn't terribly interested in eating when she first arrived. Then her foster discovered the magic ingredient. Ham. Suddenly, Chow Fun was like, “Wait. You people have been keeping THIS from me?” She also has an impressive snoring habit. And by impressive, we mean she falls asleep almost instantly and immediately starts snoring like a 74-year-old man in a recliner after Thanksgiving dinner. It's apparently both hilarious and ridiculously adorable. And then she discovered mirrors. Chow Fun has apparently never encountered her own reflection before, and she is now fascinated by the fluffy stranger staring back at her. She will stand in front of mirrors and televisions, occasionally issuing little soft growls at this mysterious Chow who keeps copying everything she does. The rivalry is intense. We have not yet determined who is winning.   But underneath all the fun, happy dances, mirror arguments, ham appreciation and industrial-strength Velcro is something really special. Chow Fun has the kindest eyes. Once she bonds with you, she trusts you with her whole world. And that is a pretty extraordinary gift from a dog who had to learn that the world could be a safe place. Chow Fun is 3 years old, 42 pounds, wonderfully loving, dog-friendly, house-trained, quiet, playful, affectionate and ridiculously cute. She is still blossoming, so a quieter home where she can continue building confidence would be wonderful, but what she's already showing her foster family is that there is a whole lot of personality waiting underneath that beautiful Chow exterior. So here's your warning: You are going to meet Chow Fun and think, “She's cute.” Then she'll wag her tail. Then she'll boop your leg. Then she'll put her face in your hand. Then she'll do her little happy dance. And approximately 14 seconds later you'll be wondering if your house has enough room for 42 pounds of Chow. Don't say we didn't warn you. Because Chow Fun isn't just fun. She IS the fun.