Pepper
cur/terrier Mix | Female | 5 years Old | 42 Lbs
QUICK FACTS: ✔️ Good with other dogs and older kids! ✔️ Crate trained! ✔️ Housebroken! ✔️ Good in car! ✔️ Good for beginner dog owner!
✔️Walks well on leash! ❌ No apartments! ❌ Resource guarding!
Updates
Officially adopted September 2!
PUPDATE 2
Pepper has been doing absolutely AMAZING! Her separation anxiety has gotten much better so there’s not as much whining in the crate. She’s learned to love eating peanut butter filled Kongs and playing by herself by throwing toys around and chasing and chewing them (she’s very good at destroying toys:)). She still doesn’t like playing fetch, but maybe she’ll figure it out someday. She is honestly the most cuddly girl, who loves nuzzling into your chest and arms and giving big ol’ kisses. She loves going on walks and sniffing around the yard (and eating weeds) and she’s opened up so well. She is iffy and more timid around big groups of people, which can obviously get very overwhelming. Meeting new people one on one, she can be shy and timid but warms up within the first couple of minutes. She can be possessive of her toys around other dogs, but we have never experienced her becoming really reactive towards them to chase them away. She usually just gives a little growl. She continues to improve and come out of her shell every day, and she is very very excited to find her FUR-ever home and meet her new family :)
PUPDATE 1
Since it is summer vacation, every day is a little different and Pepper has been adjusting well to the varied schedules. Usually, first thing in the morning she will snuggle up in bed for a few minutes (her snuggles are her rolling all over you). After she goes out to go potty, she runs to her food bowl very excitedly waiting for it to be filled. Shortly after breakfast, she gets another potty break and then she hangs out with my teenage daughter for the day. She loves hanging out on the bed snuggling some more and hanging out on the couch, but she's also started to find the joy in ripping arms and legs off of toys and destroying the evil squeakers that lurk inside so many of them. She enjoys walks in the neighborhood and is happiest when she is anywhere my daughter (her current favorite human) is. Dinner is usually around 6 pm, more potty breaks, more following my daughter around the house and yard, more toy destruction, more snuggles, and it's time for bed. She is crated when we are gone but enjoys sleeping on my daughter's bed at night, though she would be fine in a crate, too.
As far as we’ve found, she LOVES everyone, and she is very happy to meet people, wagging her tail and smiling. She warms up very quickly and is always awaiting her pets. We have yet to meet a person that she doesn’t seem comfortable with. If she is too excited, she will try to jump up but she is working on that. She's very smart and will be able to correct this soon, we are hopeful.
Pepper has not met any young kids yet, only teens and adults. She does very well with older kids but has had no exposure to anyone under 14. No exposure to cats.
Pepper had heartworm and was on activity restriction until July 1st. When she first arrived, she was described as a lazy dog. We see now that they thought that because she was sick. Now that she is feeling better and gaining confidence being in a home where she is loved, we would categorize her as a medium energy dog. She loves to bounce around every once in a while and rip apart toys and toss them into the air playing with herself, but she also loves to curl up on a chair and take a long nap. We recently started to take her on walks She is enjoying them very much. I could see her becoming a great walking and maybe even running buddy. She does fine on a leash most of the time, but beware, if she sees a squirrel or a bunny, she’ll try to bolt after it. Also, if she wants to go inside (especially to get out of the rain), she can pull quite insistently. She doesn’t play fetch very well, but otherwise she is a pretty chill dog that loves lounging on the furniture, snuggling, and chilling.
She hasn’t met very many dogs, but she is definitely the dominant one with the dogs she has met with us, though in new situations with multiple dogs, she can be submissive. There had been a bit of tension between her and our resident dog initially, but they are beginning to warm up to each other more. When she first came to us, she was very possessive of her space and things, but she is doing much better now that she knows our dog is not a threat to her. Introductions to new dogs should be done slowly to let her warm up, though.
When we leave Pepper alone, we leave her in her crate. She's a very loving dog and is not very fond of being left alone. In the beginning, she would whine and even howl, and putting on background noise didn’t seem to help but she has calmed down a lot since then. She goes into her crate willingly (better if bribed with treats) and will settle down quietly most of the time now.
Pepper will need a dental once she is tests negative for heartworm. Fetch will cover the cost of the dental at a Fetch approved vet in Madison. She is gaining weight and her energy level has picked up greatly, so I think she feels better even if she is still testing positive. I've seen a big difference in her energy in just the last 2 weeks. She's becoming very playful. It's adorable.
Pepper is such a unique, sweet dog and LOVES cuddling, sitting on your lap, and giving kisses. If you are sitting anywhere, she will make it her mission to climb up onto your lap for snuggles. She hates baths and doesn’t appreciate getting her nails clipped but loves rolling around with toys and being with people. She is very precious and loving, and with some loving training, she will become the perfect companion for anyone and everyone.