Did Cuppy catch your eye? When you go to take him out, he greets you calmly and is easy to leash. He sometimes likes to hold the leash in his mouth, but it’s all very polite—no tugging, no pulling, just his little comfort item.
Once outside, Cuppy can be a bit strong on the leash at first, likely because he’s trying hard to stay house-trained. After he takes care of business and gets a few good sniffs in, he relaxes and walks much more easily. He isn’t very toy-motivated right now, but he absolutely loves back rubs and gentle affection.
Cuppy’s skin is currently inflamed, and he came to us as an owner surrender, but even with the discomfort he’s dealing with, he remains incredibly sweet. In the yard he leans in for attention, resting his head in your lap and nudging your hand for more pets. He knows “sit,” behaves nicely, and did well greeting another dog through the fence.
Videos:
Cuppy: https://youtube.com/shorts/2DJZCIyd60Y?feature=share
Cuppy 2.0: https://youtube.com/shorts/uhOpbdjq3fs?feature=share
Hugs from Cuppy: https://youtube.com/shorts/ni_HH_IRYns?si=DGV3853M0y-kLKJ2
Cuppy likes pets: https://youtube.com/shorts/AStwe0uzO1o?si=8wP6oMJau4V2paAS
Cuppy knows sit: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gU1cwUnVeI8?si=eQsEK-WqDPfF-m3N
Behavior Notes:
Per volunteer 12/7: Cuppy is just the sweetest boy with the most handsome face. He was easy to leash but immediately put the leash in his mouth once out of his kennel. He wasn't thrashing or even pulling really, just holding the leash while we walked. Once in the play yard, he kept the leash in his mouth. He would come over for pets and loved scratches. I had another volunteer throw me a rope toy in hopes of trading the leash but had no real luck. In the yard, I started saying "find it" and scattering treats. He did let go of the leash to find and consume the treats. When we were ready to leave the yard, the leash biting went up a notch and he was tugging at it, while I was trying to walk us out. He would not trade me for the rope toy and would initially go after scattered treats but come back for the leash. After a few minutes of this, we were able to exit the yard, using "find it" and scattered treats. I brought the rope toy with me which he eventually took in his mouth and walked with in his mouth all the way to the photoshoot. He dropped the rope for the photoshoot and struck a pose like the model he is. Upon returning to kennel, I took the rope with me and put it back in his mouth but when he approached his kennel, he started mouthing at the leash. I tossed the rope toy with some treats in the kennel and he went for them. I used the clip method to take my leash off him and he did get it back in his mouth but ultimately let go. I let behavior team know I think he should be bumped up to blue based on the leash biting which has been logged on his walk sheet for a few days.
per volunteer 12/7: This guy has a lot of personality! He LOVES to carry his leash in his mouth, so it is best to walk him with two leashes. Cuppy does not guard but he also does not release toys/the leash, has to be bribed with treats. He is a very cuddly boy and wants all the love. Cuppy’s skin is irritated so he appreciates a good scratch. He pulls intermittently on leash so is best suited to a harness.
Per staff 12/7: Leveling up to Blue due to reports of leash biting from a volunteer
Per volunteer 12/4: I wanted to make you aware that Slick bit Cuppy's nose tonight, thru the fence. It bled a lot, (left droplets on the new sidewalk ), we notified vet staff who looked at it and she put in a vet check slip. It looks more like scratches now.
Stephanie had Cuppy in the large cold yard, and I was going to walk into smaller one.
I did write on the front of Slick's kennel card, he's reactive thru fence.
12/3/25: vol notes:
Cuppy was sleeping on his bed when I went to take him out. He's easy to leash, steps out, but then he grabbed the leash and did not release it. I took him into the grooming room and added my 2nd leash, and he just carried the first leash in his mouth - there was no tugging, there was no pulling. I also grabbed a toy from a toy box, but he didn't have any interest in holding the toy, he preferred the leash.
He's a little bit strong on the leash, but he is also trying to stay house trained so that may account for the initial pulling to get outside. After he relieved himself and did several sniffs, he dropped the leash and I just left it drag behind him.
In the yard, he very much enjoyed me rubbing his back. That skin is so inflamed, it's sad to know he was a owner surrender.
He knows sit, he's well behaved, he did good through the fence with a dog that walked passed. When I sat on the bench, he came over to me, put his head in my lap and nudged me for pets.
He didn't have much interest in the toys that I showed him.
Returning him to his kennel was no problem.I took off the first leash before we got to his kennel, and then remove the second one as he went in to his kennel.
He is a very nice dog and well mannered, it's such a shame his owner allowed his skin condition to get so bad.
11/29/25: Very energetic, pulling aca all over the place, will leash bite, allowed all handling needed for exam.
ACCT Philly is located at 111 West Hunting Park Ave in Philadelphia. We are open for adoptions 7 days a week. Please visit www.acctphilly.org/adopt for details.
If you are a rescue interested in pulling this animal, please email our lifesaving team, or visit here if you are not currently a rescue partner: https://acctphilly.org/acct-philly-love-local-partnership-program/
Confirmed placement is considered confirmation of an actual rescue pull. Possible placement, interested parties, and other "TBD" statuses are not considered confirmed and do not indicate an animal is no longer urgent
All animals at ACCT Philly are from Philadelphia, as the only open intake animal shelter in Philadelphia, we are not able to accept animals from outside of Philadelphia. ACCT Philly’s Pennsylvania kennel license number is 08313
