Fortune Cookie

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 Your fortune: A beautiful Chow is about to enter your life. She will steal your heart, your couch, and probably your snacks. Consider yourself warned. Your luck is excellent. Fortune Cookie is a beautiful 3 year old, 37-pound female Chow Chow who came to us from a breeder situation. She is petite, incredibly sweet, and has one of those faces that always seems to have the tiniest little smile hiding on it. She's also a bit shy and is still learning about this whole thing called being a dog, but watching her confidence grow has been absolutely wonderful. Fortune Cookie is definitely a Netflix-and-chill kind of girl. She likes to take her time in the morning, enjoys a good nap, and is perfectly happy lounging around while life happens around her. She also loves being outside, particularly when she can find a nice cool spot to lie down and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Her foster family has a perfectly good comfy dog bed available, but Fortune Cookie has apparently reviewed the accommodations and decided that the cool floor is superior. She's fluffy. She has standards. Her mornings typically begin around 8:00 a.m., when she slowly gets up and heads outside to start her day. Breakfast follows around 9:00, although she's much more enthusiastic about it when her foster mom adds some delicious wet food to her kibble. After breakfast, she spends time with the resident dog, and the two are happy to lounge around together. There is also the very important backyard business of squirrel and bird surveillance. Sometimes Fortune Cookie joins the chase, and sometimes she simply watches the proceedings like a highly paid security consultant. Dinner is another story. Around 7:00 p.m., when the wet food makes its appearance, Fortune Cookie suddenly remembers that she is, in fact, very interested in dinner. We can't blame her. A good meal is a good meal. Fortune Cookie is wonderfully quiet. In fact, her foster family has hardly heard her bark. She doesn't chew things, dig up the yard, or create chaos just for the sake of creating chaos. She's simply a very easygoing girl who enjoys relaxing, exploring a little, and spending time with her people. She's also a smart little cookie. Pun absolutely intended. She followed the resident dog to the backyard potty area and has done beautifully with housetraining, with no accidents inside her foster home. She learned how to use the doggie door on her first day, and she is crate-trained as well. In fact, her crate is apparently her favorite little bedroom. Her foster family learned that lesson on her very first night. They initially put her behind a baby gate in the kitchen because they thought giving her more space would help her feel comfortable. Fortune Cookie disagreed. She wouldn't settle down or go to sleep, so they introduced her to the crate. She walked right inside, curled up, and immediately went to sleep. Apparently, the message was not “I need more space.” It was “Excuse me. Where is my bedroom?” And then there is the other thing her foster family discovered: Fortune Cookie can JUMP. This petite little girl has apparently been keeping her athletic abilities hidden under all that fluffy couch-potato behavior. Don't let the 37 pounds and sleepy personality fool you. When Fortune Cookie decides she wants to get somewhere, she can put some serious spring into those legs! Although she is still learning about leash walking, she does well when she has another dog with her. She seems to gain confidence by following a canine friend's lead, which is one reason we think another calm, respectful dog could be a wonderful addition to her future home. She is very polite with other dogs and does best when they give her a little space and allow her to approach at her own pace. Her relationship with people is equally sweet. Fortune Cookie may not immediately walk up and demand attention, but as she becomes comfortable, her curiosity starts to win. She will approach her foster family for pets, enjoys being talked to, and likes staying nearby while her foster mom works in the backyard. She may be independent, but she definitely wants to know where her person is. And then there are car rides. Apparently Fortune Cookie has decided that walking toward the car is optional, but being carried like a giant baby into the car is perfectly acceptable. Once she's inside, she is happy and affectionate and wants to get as close to her person as possible for pets. Honestly, we support this policy. Fortune Cookie would do beautifully in a calm, loving home with someone who understands that confidence doesn't always happen overnight. She doesn't need a family who expects her to immediately become the life of the party. She needs someone who will let her discover things at her own pace and appreciate those little moments when she decides, “Okay, I think I like you.” Because when Fortune Cookie chooses you, we think you're going to feel pretty darn special. She isn't demanding. She doesn't need constant entertainment. She doesn't need to be the center of attention. She wants a comfortable place to sleep, good food, some fresh air, a little affection, and a person she can trust. In return, you're going to get a sweet, gentle Chow with a funny little personality, a permanent almost-smile, an unexpected vertical jump, and a whole lot of love waiting to come out. She is the kind of dog who may quietly follow you around the backyard, settle nearby while you go about your day, and eventually wander over and ask for some attention. She'll make herself comfortable, perhaps take a nap, maybe do some squirrel surveillance, and then check back in with you. That's Fortune Cookie. They say you make your own luck. We say sometimes luck comes with four paws, a fluffy coat, and a 37-pound body. Fortune Cookie is ready to make your life a whole lot luckier.