Size
(when grown) Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less
Details
Good with kids,
Good with dogs,
Good with cats,
House-trained,
Spayed or Neutered,
Shots are up-to-date,
Story
* Interested in adopting? Please read the dog’s full biography to see whether they may be a good fit for your home, then submit an application at www.dpsrescue.org. All DPS Rescue dogs are spayed/neutered, up to date on age-appropriate vaccinations, dewormed, flea/tick treated, and microchipped prior to adoption.This dog will be at the Palo Alto Pet Food Express on Saturday, May 16th from 12-3 PM unless adopted prior to the event. To be considered for adoption, please submit an application in advance at https://www.dpsrescue.org/adopt/dog-application/. Adoption fee: $750 Meet Chef Boyardee. Yes, that’s his real name, and yes, he absolutely lives up to it. This 2 year old, 17 pound Pug is basically a tiny Italian restaurant owner trapped in a dog’s body. He wakes up every day with the confidence of a man yelling “MANGIA!” from the kitchen while dramatically throwing pasta into a pan. Chef Boyardee came from the shelter, but frankly, you’d think he came straight from a sitcom. He is pure entertainment from start to finish. If this dog had opposable thumbs, he’d be hosting a Food Network show called Cooking With Chaos. Chef’s specialties include: • enthusiastically emptying every toy basket in under four minutes • performing surprise spins when excited • collecting “ingredients” on walks like sticks, leaves, and suspiciously important rocks • making every single person laugh within approximately thirty seconds of meeting him This boy has main character energy. He doesn’t walk into a room. He arrives. Chef is goofy in the absolute best way. He’s the kind of dog who sees life as one giant adventure movie starring himself. Squeaky toys? Incredible. Other dogs? Amazing. Humans? Obsessed with them. Existing? His favorite activity. And listen. We need to discuss the face. This pug has the kind of expressions that make people pull out their phones against their will. He looks permanently shocked, mildly concerned, deeply hopeful, and ready to audition for a Pixar movie all at the same time. If you adopt him, prepare for your camera roll storage to suffer immensely. Personality-wise, Chef is like your funniest friend who maybe had one espresso too many. He’s playful, social, curious, and always ready to see what’s happening. He loves being near his people, not necessarily because he’s clingy, but because what if something fun happens five feet away and he misses it? The good news is that beneath all the comedy, there’s a genuinely wonderful dog here. He’s smart, eager to learn, and wildly food motivated. This man would likely learn quantum physics for a chicken nugget. He already knows commands like sit, wait, leave it, and spin, which honestly feels very on brand for someone named Chef Boyardee. He’s also doing well with crate training and housetraining and rides beautifully in the car, which means he’s equally prepared for: • a Starbucks run • a road trip • emotional support errands at Target • or simply supervising you while you buy groceries you didn’t need Chef absolutely loves other dogs and would happily turn every encounter into WrestleMania if allowed. He’s still polishing up his manners and learning that not every dog wants to party 24/7, but his intentions are always joyful. And honestly? That’s the magic of him. Chef Boyardee is joy. He is the dog version of a confetti cannon. The kind of dog who makes bad days feel smaller because he’s too busy spinning in circles carrying a stuffed taco. Some dogs quietly exist in the background. Chef Boyardee is not one of those dogs. He is hilarious. Memorable. Ridiculously charming. Endlessly entertaining. And somewhere out there is a family that’s about to become completely obsessed with a little pug named after canned pasta. The only real risk here is that someone else adopts him first and you spend the next six months saying, “Wait… the spinning pug named Chef Boyardee got adopted already?!” while staring dramatically out a window. Don’t let that be your origin story. May 13, 2026, 10:46 am
