Size
(when grown) -
Details
Good with kids,
Good with dogs,
Good with cats,
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
Meet Ari
Ari is an 8-month-old, approximately 50-pound Pit Bull mix with a huge heart a whole lot of puppy still left in him!
Ari is the kind of dog who may need a little time to decide that you’re his friend (really not long at all). He can be nervous when meeting new people and can feel overwhelmed in unfamiliar situations, but once he gets comfortable, his sweet and affectionate personality really shines. He loves to cuddle, is highly food-motivated, and is eager to learn when you show him what you want.
Ari has come a LONG way since coming into foster care. He is learning how to communicate appropriately with both people and dogs and is figuring out the rules of polite doggy interaction. He is an enthusiastic, vocal player — and when we say vocal, we mean Ari has a BIG voice! He loves to play with other dogs and has learned to respect the senior dog in his foster home. With younger dogs, he is still learning how to balance his enthusiasm with good manners.
Before coming to his foster home, Ari appears to have had limited interaction with other dogs. Now he is living with six dogs of all sizes, giving him lots of opportunities to learn canine social skills. He handles appropriate corrections well and is learning from his canine housemates, although he is definitely a little bit of a “mess around and find out” kind of learner.
Ari is also still working on his puppy mouthiness. He likes to play with his mouth, and he is learning that human hands and clothing are not chew toys. The good news is that he has made tremendous progress and is becoming much more respectful.
Ari is housebroken and is also good in his crate. He will need to be crated when his people are away. Like many adolescent puppies, he is still capable of getting himself into trouble! He is an enthusiastic chewer and has a dangerous habit of trying to swallow things he finds — including pieces of toys, socks, hair ties, and other household objects. His future family will need to be diligent about puppy-proofing and keeping tempting objects out of reach. We would really like to keep Ari out of the foreign-body surgery club!
When his people are home, Ari would much rather be right beside them — preferably in their bed, where he believes he belongs.
Ari can also become protective of his person in certain situations, such as in the car. We believe this behavior is rooted in insecurity, so continuing to build his confidence and help him feel secure will be an important part of his future.
Because Ari is a young, strong, growing dog, his ideal home will be with someone who has experience handling large, powerful dogs, particularly guardian-type breeds. He needs someone who understands that adolescence can be messy and who is willing to continue helping him build confidence, communication skills, impulse control, and good manners.
We would especially love to see Ari in a home with at least one calm, confident large-breed dog who can continue to model appropriate doggy manners for him. Ari genuinely enjoys having canine friends and has shown that he can thrive with the right dogs and guidance.
He already knows sit, loves treats, loves to cuddle, and is continuing to learn every day. He is also still figuring out where all four of those long puppy legs are supposed to go!
Ari isn't looking for a home that expects him to arrive perfectly trained. He's looking for someone who can see the wonderful dog he is becoming and is willing to help him get there.
Ari is a work in progress — but he is progressing beautifully. With patience, consistency, structure, continued socialization, and a confident human and canine role model, we think this goofy, affectionate, big-voiced puppy has an incredible future ahead of him.
Could you be the person who helps Ari grow into the amazing adult dog we know he can be?
