Pepper

Hello future family! My name is Pepper, but my foster mom calls me Little Miss Peps. I came to MN from New Mexico where I was found solo on a walkabout! Before I arrived in MN, I was fostered by a family with dogs and small kids and did great. But coming to MN was exciting because the snow is fantastic! At my current foster home, I have two older dogs to keep me company – a 4-year-old male and a 7-year-old female. One is teaching me how to play, and the other sets the rules and lets me know when I do well, so of course, I try to pay attention as much as my puppy brain will allow and soak it all in. They have been very patient and understanding of me and actually motivate and cheerlead me when I do awesome things. I have also had other fosters come through the house and really loved the 8-week old puppies, Laverne and Shirley. We became friends so quickly! There was a big 2-year-old female who also came; I didn't like her at first, but was slowly warming up before she went to another foster home. Maybe because she was bigger than me and wanted my boyfriend Henri (resident male dog), I might have been a little green with envy. I have been working on kennel training and eating my meals in my kennel. I sleep well in my kennel and get up around 6 or 7 in the morning to potty, letting my foster mom know because I don't want to mess up my sleeping place. Of course, I will probably have some accidents because I am still learning, but I haven't had any mistakes in a few days here. I love going potty outside; there are so many smells and places to go, and I know it makes my foster mom super happy. I have also learned that ringing the bell is a good way to get that back door open! I am definitely an introvert; big adoption events take a lot out of me. I am more timid at first, but if you put your hand out with a good treat, we can become friends and build trust, and then you can pet me. When I got here, I was terrified of everything, but we have been working really hard on building confidence and being rewarded for being brave. Just don't come at me too fast at first because I am still working up to being the friendliest puppy possible. Once we are friends, you can dance around like crazy, and I will probably dance with you! I have realized how much fun toys are, especially the ones that crinkle and squeak! I really like to play tug with the male dog, but it doesn't last long and we end up just kissing each other. I love the snow and eating the ice outside. There are fun paths shoveled out in the yard for me to follow, so I can run some laps. I like things outside like branches a little too much, but I am learning "leave it," so I don't think I'm supposed to rip those apart. We haven't done a ton of basic obedience training yet because I am still so young, and we had to work on my socialization with humans and big dogs first. But I am learning "sit" and "down" with treats and am working on name recognition and recall (foster mom says my recall is the best; I almost always come when called!). We are also doing impulse control activities, and I am learning to take treats nicely by sitting politely and to not nip and bite. I have also learned that a quick "uh uh" means I am doing something sneaky and should probably stop, but of course, I'm a puppy, so I will probably try again anyway! It definitely helps that I live with a professional dog trainer because we are now doing things like "wait," "leave it," and "stay." There is also agility equipment in the yard, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE agility (dog walk, A-frame, hurdles). My foster mom says I'm super trainable, but I just know that when she asks for things, if I do it, I get a super yummy treat! I am a timid but curious and happy young lady, and am learning that asking permission by looking to mom is the way to live a good life. I really like being outside, and have found that cuddling with my foster mom is the best activity ever! Sometimes I think she is a mountain I get to climb up and around. I have met kids of many ages and love them; they have so much energy. Mostly, I like to cuddle up with the other dogs or my foster mom. I am really smart, so I am looking forward to learning how to be a really good girl for you!

Ideal Home

Pepper is timid at first and would do best in a home that understands she needs time to warm up. She gets overwhelmed at large adoption events.

Ongoing Health

No ongoing health concerns mentioned.

Training & Support

Pepper is working on kennel training, potty training, and has had a few accidents but is doing well. She is learning basic commands like sit, down, wait, leave it, and stay, and is working on name recognition and recall. She is also learning impulse control and to take treats nicely.

Application Details:

• Applications start by contacting us through Wags.

Transporation

Pepper is currently in Minnesota and transportation may be available.