Size
(when grown) Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg)
Details
Not good with dogs,
Not good with cats,
Story
💗 SAGE — A BIG PUPPY WITH A BIG FUTURE 💗
📍 Upland Animal Shelter — Upland, CA
🐾 Animal ID: IEPA-A-19438
🐕 Breed: Cane Corso Mastiff Mix
♀️ Sex: Female
🎂 Age: 9 months
📅 Intake Date: August 7, 2026
💵 Adoption Fee: $200
Meet Sage — a big, beautiful adolescent who is still very much a puppy learning how to navigate the world. 🐾
At only 9 months old, Sage is affectionate, intelligent, playful, people-oriented, and eager to learn. She already has many wonderful qualities, but she also has some unfinished puppy manners — particularly jumping and mouthing when she becomes excited or overstimulated.
Recently, Sage spent some one-on-one time with an experienced dog handler, giving us valuable new insight into her behavior and, most importantly, what she needs to succeed.
And there is a lot to be hopeful about. ❤️
🧠 A SMART PUPPY WHO CAN BE REDIRECTED
To see Sage at a naturally high level of excitement, she was taken directly from her kennel for a walk without having playtime first.
When they reached the park, Sage jumped twice and attempted to grab the leash.
She was immediately redirected into a sit.
And Sage responded.
Throughout the walk, she was frequently called back and asked to sit to help her remain focused and regulated.
Again, Sage responded well.
Something else became very apparent:
Sage LOVES affection. 💕
She responds so beautifully to praise, petting, and human attention that very few treats were needed to keep her engaged.
Throughout most of the walk, Sage showed no reaction to the people or dogs they encountered. She did become mildly reactive when another dog reacted toward her near the play area and again while returning to the kennels.
Sage has not yet been formally tested with other dogs, so we cannot make assumptions about dog compatibility.
She has also not been tested with cats.
❤️ SWEET, AFFECTIONATE AND FULL OF POTENTIAL
The overall impression from this experienced handler was of a sweet and affectionate young dog who, with proper direction and training, has the potential to become a very nice adult dog.
That fits beautifully with what volunteers have been seeing.
🐶 WHAT OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE SEEN
One volunteer recently spent time with Sage for the very first time.
She was easy to take out of her kennel.
Easy to walk.
Easy to return to her kennel.
And when they entered the play yard, Sage did something that immediately revealed her affectionate side:
She sat beside the volunteer and covered his face with kisses. 💋🐾
She enjoyed being petted, showed no discomfort with being touched, and happily demonstrated that she already knows “sit.”
Another volunteer had a similarly positive experience, and Sage has also been observed engaging in positive play with people.
But Sage can sometimes become jumpy, mouthy, and overly physical when she gets excited.
This is important information for her future adopter.
Sage is already a large, powerful puppy — and she is still growing.
🌱 UNDERSTANDING SAGE'S ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR
Sage is right in the middle of adolescence, a critical developmental stage when young dogs may test boundaries, become easily overstimulated, and need especially clear and consistent guidance.
Her jumping and mouthing are adolescent behaviors, but because of her size and strength, they need to be addressed rather than allowed to escalate.
Sage needs to learn how to settle, regulate her excitement, and understand what appropriate interaction and play with people look like.
The encouraging part is that she has already shown that she can be redirected, regain her focus, and respond to guidance. 🧠❤️
This is a puppy who needs education, not perfection expected of her overnight.
🏡 THE HOME SAGE NEEDS
Sage is recommended for an:
ADULT-ONLY HOME
Her ideal adopter should have experience with Cane Corsos, similar powerful breeds, or young large dogs.
Because Sage can become overexcited, her person should be comfortable reading canine body language and recognizing when she is becoming overtired or overstimulated, then helping her settle before that excitement escalates.
A predictable daily routine would be especially beneficial:
🎓 Training
🎾 Play and appropriate exercise
🍽️ Meals
🌳 Potty breaks
😴 Quiet, contained rest
And then repeat.
Yes — rest is important!
Like many adolescent puppies, Sage may become more unruly when she is overtired. Learning how to switch off and relax can be just as important as getting enough exercise.
Crate training, along with an exercise pen or another appropriate safe containment area, is recommended to help Sage develop a healthy routine and learn to settle.
Sage needs structure.
She needs consistency.
She needs clear boundaries.
She needs positive training.
And she needs someone who understands that teaching self-control is part of raising a young dog.
🐾 SAGE AT A GLANCE
❤️ Affectionate
🧠 Smart and eager to learn
🦋 Social and people-oriented
💋 Generous distributor of kisses
🪑 Knows “sit”
🦮 Walks well on leash
🧸 Loves toys
💕 Responds beautifully to affection and petting
🏃 Active adolescent puppy
🤗 Can initially be shy/nervous and need time to warm up
🐾 Can become jumpy and mouthy when excited
🧘 Needs help learning to settle and regulate excitement
🎓 Needs continued positive training and socialization
🏡 Adult-only home
💪 Large-breed/Cane Corso experience strongly recommended
🐕 Dog testing pending
🐕 Generally nonreactive on walks; some reactivity observed in response to another reactive dog
🐈 Not tested with cats
💗 SHE'S ONLY NINE MONTHS OLD
Perhaps the most important thing to remember about Sage is simply this:
She's nine months old.
She hasn't finished growing physically, and she certainly hasn't finished growing emotionally.
The behaviors we're seeing today do not have to define the adult dog she becomes.
This is precisely the time in Sage's life when structure, positive training, consistency, appropriate socialization, and good experiences can make an enormous difference.
We already know she can learn.
We know she responds to redirection.
We know she can regain her focus.
We know affection motivates her.
We know she enjoys being with people.
And we know that when a volunteer took her into the play yard for the first time, this enormous puppy chose to sit beside someone she barely knew and cover his face with kisses.
There is a wonderful adult dog growing inside Sage.
She just needs someone who knows how to help her get there. ❤️🐾
Come meet Sage and see the potential that experienced handlers and volunteers have already seen in her.
Her story is only beginning.
TRANSPORTATION IS AVAILABLE FOR RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS
