Cootie is a 3-year-old gray pit bull mix with a gentle soul who is feeling overwhelmed by shelter life. She has been waiting for her forever home since November 2025 and shows signs of kennel stress, which can make her hesitant to approach new people at first. However, with patience and calm reassurance, she allows full handling and warms up quickly. Cootie's true personality shines when she's around other dogs; she becomes loose, wiggly, and visibly more comfortable, often helping staff introduce newly arriving dogs to see if they are dog-friendly! She loves people she's familiar with and will rub up on them like a cat. Cootie is energetic and loves to play and run, but she also enjoys just hanging out with her people. She's described as a sweet and silly girl who loves running in open fields, rolling in the grass, and playing tug-o-war. In the home, she's a dream: not a barker, doesn't jump on counters, isn't destructive, and is content being left alone. She's also an excellent passenger on car rides and is polite toward strangers on walks.
Ideal Home
Cootie would thrive in a quiet and patient household that can provide a gentle and loving environment. She would benefit from a rescue or foster who can help her decompress and would do well with another dog of similar size to build confidence. She prefers to be the only dog in her world and isn't a fan of meeting other pups, so introductions should be done slowly and in a controlled environment, avoiding dog parks. Cootie is reactive to cats and small mammals.
Ongoing Health
No specific ongoing health conditions were mentioned.
Training & Support
Cootie is trainable and has learned commands such as sit, lie down, and leave it, with progress on roll over. She has also improved on her leash behavior. While her bark may seem intimidating, she is not aggressive. She did have one bite on record as a result of play when she got too eager for a stick. Patience and positive reinforcement are key to helping her feel safe and open up.
Application Details:
- Applications start by contacting us through Wags.
Transporation
Cootie is located at our San Jose facility. Transportation may be available to approved adopters.
