My name is Shima!

History: Our Out of the Cold Rescue Effort was a great success in welcoming over 180+ animals to rescue from rural areas in North Dakota before the cold set in. These animals are all so deserving and thankful to get a second chance in finding a forever home of their own!

Momma Shima arrived to rescue with her adorable kiddos and have been doing well in rescue. They are now officially ready to each find forever home of their very own!

A Note from the Foster: My name is Shima. I am a 1 year old German Shepherd mix. I came to Coco’s Heart in November during their Out of the Cold efforts. When I arrived, they told me I was going to have PUPPIES! I wasn’t sure what that meant at first, but as soon as my puppies were born, my instincts told me exactly what to do and I did an amazing job raising TWELVE puppies! It is now time for me to let my puppies leave the nest and start a life of all my own.

When I first arrived at my foster home, I stayed in a crate overnight and when my foster family was away from the house. So I am familiar with being crated, and was very quiet in my crate and kept it clean. However, when my puppies were born, I just stayed in my own space connected to their pen area, so I would be available to provide care to them whenever needed. Once they were getting bigger and needing more of their own space, I moved away from their pen and now I do a great job just staying in the main living area of my foster family's home. I don’t have any accidents when they are gone or overnight. I am very respectful of their home and property and do not chew on anything.

In fact, not only do I respect my family’s home by not chewing things, I am really not even interested in toys either. I never really knew what those were as a puppy, so don’t really care too much about them. I do have one toy I can chew on that I will pick up and chew on once in a great while. But overall, I am just a content girl without toys.

I came in a little underweight and then have been spending so much of my calories on caring for my babies, that I am still a little underweight. I sure can eat a lot, but still need more time with plenty of food to get to my ideal weight.

I am doing great going potty outside and really don’t have accidents in the house at all. However, there is carpet in a room downstairs at my foster home that a previous dog in the foster home had accidents on, and that seems to trigger me to want to poop in that room. But as long as I stay out of that room, I don’t ever have any accidents.

Now that I am phasing out of nursing my puppies, I am starting to gain more energy and am starting to show the energetic side you’d expect from a 1 year old. For a long time I was very, very mild, but my puppies were taking a lot out of me. I am still a very well behaved pup, but I now start to show more signs of playfulness. Like getting very excited, hopping about when I know I get to go on a walk. I’m also starting to be a bit more vocal and telling my foster dad I really would like to go for a walk. I don’t really bark, but will talk to you to tell you I am excited and want to go. I am also starting to be quite playful with my puppies, pouncing and playing with them.

It took me a while to learn how to “dog”. There were several things, like barking for example, that I didn’t really know about when I came to live in a home. But I do now bark if someone comes to the door, so I can now be your doggie doorbell. Otherwise, I’m really a quiet girl.

I warmed up to my foster family immediately, but when strangers started to visit it made me very nervous at first. They frightened me and were in MY space. But thankfully, my puppies drew in lots of attention from friends and family, so I got lots of practice with visitors. I now am not phased when a friend comes over and am not nervous at all anymore! I found that those strangers often give me hot dog treats, and hot dog treats are my favorite! So I came to find those strangers were a pretty nice thing to have around!

I do well walking on a leash most of the time. Sometimes there are critters outside that get me very, very excited, and I will pull then. I LOVE to go for walks, and would do well with someone who likes to hike and spend time outside. I love sitting outside and watching for deer, squirrels, and any other critters that may go by. I could sit outside and just watch the fields for HOURS if you let me.

I do need to be watched outside, as my foster parents have discovered that I am fond of digging holes.

Due to my intense interest in critters, I may not do well sharing a home with cats. I have done great with my puppies though, and love to play with them. I think I’d do pretty well in a home with another playful dog, or in a home of all my own would be fine too!

I am the fluffiest, best little girl who is very excited to meet my forever family!