Sophia is a young adult dog that appears to be having the time of her life in her foster home. She is soaking up all the attention she can get, enjoying the playtimes with her canine friend and her people, and making new friends wherever she goes. She will need a family to continue with her training but overall she is an intelligent girl who learns quickly and is very eager to please. Sophia is approximately 1 1/2 - 2 years old and currently weighs just over 50 lbs.
Here is what her foster family had to say:
What a catch! Sophia is the perfect mixture of calm, smart, sweet and cuddly with a splash of goofy ham! She exudes puppy-like playfulness when encouraged, can be the best cuddle buddy around...sneaking up on the couch for tail-wagging snuggles, but can also be independent and happily sleep in her crate when need be. She is the easiest dog to love. She can't wait to give you licks and kisses when you come home and would fill your life with joy and happiness. (She came to us with the name "Sophia", but we noticed when we told people that we got her on "Friday" she would perk up...we've been calling her "Friday" and answers to any variation..Fried Egg, French Fry or simply, Fri)
She is a beautifully built dog, compact with a shiny coat and a strong physique. She has a nice smile :), eats and drinks a normal amount and seems to be in great physical condition. We think she may be a bit younger than originally thought because of her goofy and puppy-like playfulness, putting her between 1 1/2 - 2 years of age.
She has great house manners with the exception of the odd burst of excited energy, wanting to start a game of indoor "catch me if you can" but she has calmed down with that trait quite a bit already. She is also learning to get less excited when playing or being handed toys (ie: not jumping and grabbing at them). She doesn't eat off of counters, she patiently waits for treats and hasn't exhibited any sort of "food trolling" or aggressive food behaviour. For the most part she knows what her chew toys are compared to our shoes and socks, but it's best if those yummy shoe temptations are removed until she fully understands the difference.
Sophia (aka Friday) knows sit and lie down and was a very quick study. She is working on her “stay”, "leave it" and "drop it" when playing fetch with a ball and selectively understands the two even though we've only worked on them a few times. She is always gentle when I retrieve the ball from underneath her to throw it. She is very willing to put in the work for a small treat reward and is SO gentle when accepting treats. She has the makings of a very easy to train dog.
She is fully house trained, not one accident with us and on occasion has "signalled" when she needed to go out. She is fully crate trained and doesn't make a peep when in there for the night (though she much prefers your comfy bed to hers). Though she is very accommodating when crated, a short period of time when running errands or out for dinner would be best because she still has that puppy-like energy to burn (a full 8 hr day would be a bit too long for her at this point as she gets antsy when cooped up for more than about 4 hrs if it's not the night sleep).
She is new at walking on a leash and has really adjusted nicely to it, especially with the loud, abrupt noises of Toronto streets. She has a tendency to pull/chase only when she sees a squirrel or cat etc., but when on a Halti and a short leash, she is set up for success! She has not tried to escape or bolt out of the yard or dog park, but we do keep a good eye on her as she is not yet trained with her "stay" or "come" commands. She is very good in the car and quietly looks out the window to enjoy the ride.
She is very friendly if not a bit shy when meeting new dogs and people on a leash. She is happy to greet people when entering the house in a very friendly and well mannered way and seems to be more confident about meeting when in a home/place that she feels comfortable. She has walked passed a few children and has been in the same room as an infant and didn't display any signs of fear/aggression etc., but because of her at times random high activity level and strong pull on walks, she would probably do best with older children. Sophia is still gaining her confidence when meeting new people but has never ran, hidden or shown any aggression towards them.
We do have another dog in the house (and a slightly obnoxious one at that) and she has been completely appeasing to him and basically lets him do whatever annoying thing he wants to her. She had a play date with another dog about her size and had a blast with her new friend. She hasn't encountered a cat in home, and though she is non-aggressive toward other animals inside, we just aren't sure of that combo. She is learning to be gentler while playing at the park with other dogs, but she does have a high level of intensity or rough play with certain dogs that does need to be monitored at the dog park so play time doesn't escalate.
She does not generally bark or show signs of separation anxiety, a slight whimper here and there for a few seconds when we leave and it's off to chewing on her rope again! She LOVES to play and chew on her Kong (she can amuse herself for hours with chewing), laying on her back and getting scratches/cuddles and to play a good vigorous game of fetch at the park (until she finds a nice twig that catches her eye).
She is still getting used to her new environment, but she is very resilient and seems to be unafraid of anything (we gave her a bath and she sat patiently like a champ!) Sophia has a relatively high to moderate energy level on average, but can range from "stop giving me attention, I'm trying to sleep" to "I’m quietly loving this chew toy” to "where's the ball, where's the park, where's the stick...hi hi hi hi hi hi!" She is always up for a good run, play or exercise and is much happier when she has panted at least once in a day, but crashes like a baby afterward. She does appreciate a few good walks/runs per day if not a few good walk/run/play combos.
She likes a brushing and really keeps her shedding down to a moderate level and is very appreciative of the grooming and quality times that result. Even though our other dog in the house is trying his best to teach her the not so necessary skill of random barking, she is very quiet and has barked only a handful of times since coming to us. She would do best in an active but not hectic home, possibly one with another friendly and playful dog, and one with time for lots of cuddles at the end of the day. Let's be honest, a yard would be ideal, but a jogger, local dog park or a trail would be great too!
Sophia (aka Friday) is just such a little sweetheart. Her face melts the hearts of all people that have met her and her gentle, sweet disposition yet spunky nature gets all the boys! Truly a sweet, gentle and playful diamond in the rough!
If you think Sophia (aka Friday) would be a good fit for your family, please submit an application for consideration.
