Kung Pao

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: $750 Some dogs arrive in rescue ready to take over the couch. Kung Pao arrived ready to figure out what the heck had just happened to her. And honestly, we can't blame her. This beautiful girl had spent her life in a breeder home, and suddenly she found herself in a completely new environment with new people, new smells, new routines, and absolutely no idea what was on the menu. Kung Pao is a spectacular 4–5 year old female Chow Chow, weighing 48lbs, with an absolutely gorgeous blue merle coat. She came to us when her breeder asked us to help find homes for some of her adult Chows, and while Kung Pao was initially completely shut down, she has made an amazing transformation in foster care. Her foster family gave her something very important: time. They didn't push her. They gave her space, talked to her softly, reassured her that she was safe, and let her figure things out at her own pace. And then something pretty magical happened. Kung Pao started to realize that these people were okay. Now when she sees her foster family, her whole body wiggles with excitement. She greets them with lots of kisses and will actually seek out their hands for pets and scratches. She follows her people around the house, although she likes to wander back and forth and investigate what everyone is doing. She's curious about the world and clearly wants to be part of it. And then there is the grooming story. We need to talk about this because if you're looking at Kung Pao's pictures and wondering, "Why is that gorgeous Chow shaved?", the answer is: she wasn't supposed to be. Kung Pao's beautiful long Chow coat was shaved down by groomers. There was no medical reason for her to be shaved, but unfortunately, it happened. So what you're seeing right now is very much not the finished product. This girl is going to grow back a spectacular, luxurious Chow coat. When that coat comes back in, she's going to look like the magnificent blue merle Chow she was always meant to be. For now, she's basically in her summer vacation haircut, whether she ordered it or not. And interestingly enough, her foster family noticed that the grooming experience seemed to be a turning point for her. After she was groomed, Kung Pao lifted her head, began making eye contact, and seemed to realize that she was safe. So while we definitely wish she still had her gorgeous coat, something wonderful came out of the experience: we got to see Kung Pao start coming out of her shell. Kung Pao is a fairly easygoing girl with mild energy. She enjoys wandering around, spending time outside, and taking a one-mile evening walk. She walks beautifully on leash, generally staying right alongside her person. She'll occasionally pull toward something interesting to sniff, and squirrels and birds are definitely worth stopping to investigate, but she doesn't bark at people or other dogs on walks. She simply stops and watches them. She's also wonderfully house-trained and crate-trained, although her crate isn't exactly a prison cell in her mind. At night, she happily settles into her crate with the top removed and sleeps peacefully. Kung Pao has a medium-sized canine roommate in foster care, and the two are very respectful of each other. She's beginning to show more interest in playing, although she's still figuring out exactly how this whole "fun" thing works. She enjoys toys and will happily retrieve them, but then she likes to take her prize back to her own little space. The good news is that she's not possessive about someone retrieving the toy. Her foster family can take it from her without a problem, even when she's right beside it. In other words, Kung Pao's toy philosophy is basically: "Yes, this is my ball. No, you may not have it. Actually... fine. You can have it. But I'm taking it back." She's also a little bit of a kleptomaniac, although her criminal career is focused almost exclusively on towels and socks. So if you adopt Kung Pao, we'd recommend keeping your laundry secured. You may think you left a sock on the floor. Kung Pao may think you left her a gift. She is generally quiet, although she can be startled by unexpected noises, strangers, or even someone entering a room when she isn't expecting them. She may bark or growl for a moment, but once she realizes everything is okay, her tail starts wagging again. She's simply a girl who is still learning that the world isn't nearly as scary as it once seemed. And that's really what makes Kung Pao so special. She isn't looking for a complicated life. She wants a loving home where she can continue to build confidence, spend time with her people, enjoy the outdoors, and receive plenty of affection. She actually seeks out her people's hands for pets and scratches, and those kisses are becoming one of her favorite ways to tell you that she likes you. She would love a home where someone is willing to show her how much fun life can be. An active home with access to the outdoors would be wonderful, and having another friendly dog or people who are home often could help her continue to blossom. Kung Pao has already come so far. The completely shut-down girl who once avoided all contact is now greeting her foster family with a wiggly body and kisses. She's walking on leash, exploring her surroundings, enjoying toys, watching birds and squirrels, and discovering that being someone's beloved dog can actually be pretty great. And somewhere underneath that temporary haircut is a spectacular blue merle Chow coat just waiting to make its comeback. So yes, Kung Pao is currently missing the glorious coat she was born to wear. But don't let the haircut fool you. The fluff is temporary. The beautiful Chow underneath it is forever. And if you give this girl a little patience, a lot of love, and a home where she can continue discovering the world at her own pace, we're pretty sure you're going to end up with one very happy Kung Pao. Because this particular Kung Pao is sweet, loving, eager to please, and ready to become someone's very special girl.