Teacher's Pet

Description

* This dog will be at the Palo Alto Pet Food Express on Saturday, September 5th 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: $800   Teacher’s Pet: At the Head of the Class   Teacher’s Pet is a 1-2 year old petite Pomeranian with a truly remarkable rescue story. She came to DPS while in labor and gave birth to seven beautiful babies— some at the shelter, some during her freedom ride, and the rest safely in a DPS foster home! Through it all, she remained calm, trusting, and devoted to her puppies. She has been an exceptional mama, but now that her babies are growing up, Teacher’s Pet is ready to graduate into a forever home of her own.   The Daily Lesson Plan   Teacher’s Pet begins her day around 7 a.m. with an immediate trip outside to potty. After breakfast, she usually heads back into the yard to finish her business or simply enjoy the morning air. Before her foster family leaves for the day, she helps clean the puppies’ faces and joins them for playtime.   While everyone is at school and work from about 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., Teacher’s Pet stays loose in several gated rooms with one of the resident dogs and access to her puppies. She handles this time beautifully and has shown no signs of separation anxiety. When her family returns, she greets them at the door with enthusiastic jumps and happy little whines until someone gives her the love she has been waiting for.   Dinner is served around 6 p.m., followed by a mixture of playtime, family time, and naps. She takes one final potty trip around 10 p.m. and sleeps in the kitchen, usually choosing a dog bed or the cozy space beneath the table instead of the available crate.   Teacher’s Favorite Subject: Affection   If cuddling were a class, Teacher’s Pet would earn straight A’s. She was incredibly trusting from the moment she arrived in her foster home with her one-day-old puppies, happily allowing her foster family to care for both her and her babies.   Now that motherhood is becoming less demanding, her loving personality has only become more apparent. Teacher’s Pet follows her favorite people from room to room and believes that whenever someone sits down, the proper place for her is directly on top of them. Stop petting her and she will gently nudge your hand to remind you that the assignment is not yet complete.   Her most special talent is giving hugs. She will climb into your lap, place a front paw on each of your shoulders, and lean her whole little body into you. It is every bit as sweet as it sounds. She also welcomes strangers with wagging tails and kisses and seems to believe that every new person has arrived specifically to adore her.   Playtime and Classmates   Teacher’s Pet lives with two much larger dogs weighing approximately 35 and 55 pounds. She interacts well with both, although the older male generally prefers to observe the household commotion from a safe distance. Her younger female foster sibling is a favorite playmate, and the two enjoy racing through the house together when Teacher’s Pet gets her daily zoomies.   She remains playful with her puppies and has a few special favorites she loves to chase and pounce on. She also enjoys soft toys, appropriate chew bones, and is learning to play fetch. Her energy tends to arrive in cheerful bursts, followed by several hours of serious napping.   Teacher’s Pet has done wonderfully with her foster family’s children, ages 8 and 12, as well as visiting children as young as 6. She is friendly, gentle, and thrilled to receive attention from everyone.   Manners and Continuing Education   Teacher’s Pet is approximately 90% housetrained. Impressively, she has never had an accident while left alone during the day. Her occasional accidents happen when she is playing hard and seems to forget that she needs a break. She does not yet reliably signal when she needs to go out, but she is learning the word “outside” and will run to the back door when asked. A consistent potty schedule should help her complete her housetraining.   She has not needed to be crated in her foster home because she required access to her puppies, so crate training would be new to her. She knows “sit” and “down” and is ready to continue learning with a patient, consistent family.   Teacher’s Pet has not yet begun taking neighborhood walks due to her and her puppies’ vaccination status, but she clearly recognizes a harness and leash—and becomes wildly excited whenever the resident dogs are preparing for a walk. Her disappointment at being left behind is unmistakable!   She can occasionally guard food, chew toys, and even her favorite people from other dogs. Her adopters should be prepared to manage these situations responsibly and continue working with her using positive reinforcement.   Teacher’s Pet is also a surprisingly talented jumper. Despite her petite size, she can launch herself onto the kitchen table—even when the chairs are pushed in—and has occasionally been discovered conducting inspections of both indoor and outdoor tables. Her future family will need to keep food safely put away and help teach her that tables are for humans, not adventurous Pomeranians.   Coat and Grooming   Teacher’s Pet has a beautiful, fluffy Pomeranian coat. Routine brushing and grooming will keep her coat healthy and comfortable.   Her Forever Family   Teacher’s Pet would be a wonderful addition to a family ready for an affectionate, playful, people-centered companion. She loves children and would happily soak up the attention available in a busy household, but she could also thrive with an individual or couple looking for a devoted little shadow. She may enjoy having a compatible canine playmate, provided her family is willing to manage resources carefully.   After raising seven puppies with patience and love, Teacher’s Pet is ready to be someone’s baby. Whoever adopts her will receive a joyful welcome at the door, a constant cuddle companion, and some of the sweetest little Pomeranian hugs imaginable.