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 7-year-old female. One is teaching me how to play and the other one 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 didnt 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 dont want to mess up my sleeping place. Of course I will probably have some accidents because I am still learning, but I havent 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 dont 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 doesnt 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 dont think Im supposed to rip those apart. We havent 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 Im 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 Im 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 an introvert who can be timid at first, especially at busy adoption events. She would likely thrive in a home that is patient and allows her to warm up at her own pace. Building trust with her will be key to a happy relationship.

Ongoing Health

No specific health conditions or procedures were mentioned in the listing.

Training & Support

Pepper is working on kennel training and is doing well with potty training, though occasional accidents are still possible as she is still learning. She is learning to use a bell to signal when she wants to go outside. She is learning basic commands like "sit" and "down" and is working on name recognition and recall. Impulse control activities are also part of her training, and she is learning to take treats gently and not nip. She is also learning "wait," "leave it," and "stay" with the help of a professional dog trainer. While she loves to play with toys, she is learning "leave it" when it comes to branches.

Application Details:

• Applications start by contacting us through Wags.

Transportation

Pepper is currently in Minnesota. Information regarding transportation availability is not detailed in the listing.