Vegas
Lab Mix | Female | 1.5 Years Old | 43 Lbs
QUICK FACTS: ✔️ Good with dogs! ✔️ Potty trained! ✔️ Can free roam when alone! ✔️ Walks well on leash!
Vegas found her family on 10/24/2022!
Updates
Pupdate #2
An update from Vegas’ sitter:
Throughout the summer, we’ve had the privilege to host Miss Vegas for weekend stays. Recently, however, we got to hang out with her for a week, and by the end of her stay, she was a totally different pup than was dropped off. We do boarding & daycare, so have a daily mix of playful dogs in addition to three high-energy and well-socialized resident dogs — and each dog she encountered, Vegas watched like a hawk, and passed “How to be a Dog 101” with flying colors. During Vegas’ previous shorter stays — which began after her solo camping trip you may have heard about — we kept things very low-key: she could hang out wherever she felt comfortable (this started as in a bathroom, then the laundry room adjacent the bathroom, then discovering a dog bed in the living room next door), we’d harness and double-leash her for quick bathroom breaks outside, and otherwise she’d just keep to herself and hang out on the dog bed she chose. This stay, Vegas skipped her bathroom and laundry room hangouts and made herself comfy on the dog bed in the corner of the living room. The morning of her second day, she joined the resident dogs on a trip to the backyard, sniffed around a bit, but kept a watchful eye on their actions. She also watched the daycare group from the comfort of that bed. By her third day, the door was open to the yard and the daycare group was out — Vegas got brave and joined them! She wasn’t totally sure what she’d gotten herself into, but by the afternoon, she was running and playing with the pack! She decided she LOVES being chased and now often leads the pack in laps around the yard. That day, she also decided I was maybe an okay human after all and would sneak up behind me when she thought I wouldn’t notice her and lick my legs. Whenever I sat down, she’d sneak over and sniff at my toes. One important note with these interactions: I never acknowledged Vegas — just let her investigate me on her own terms. By that evening, she came over to sit on the floor next to me on the couch. The morning of her fourth day, Vegas was waiting at the living room doorway, ready to greet a human and start her day — zooming all over the yard and hanging out with the resident dogs. She also discovered her sassy side, which showed itself through deciding to come inside when Vegas was ready, rather than when she was asked to. As she comes out of her shell, Vegas is proving to be a very fun, sensitive, observant, and sweet pup; to thrive in her forever home, she will need patience and consistency from someone willing to let Vegas warm up to them and settle in on her own terms. She would also do really well with a balanced, confident dog to continue to grow with and learn from, or a weekly attendance in a small daycare program similar to the one she was a part of during her stay with us — a large commercial facility or even a dog park would be way more than Vegas is currently equipped to handle.
Enjoy this video and this video of Vegas making new friends and coming out of her shell!
Pupdate #1
Meet Vegas, who unlike the city, is very low key and enjoys a lot of peace and quiet. For her first week with us, she mostly laid in a corner of our guest room gazing at us with untrusting eyes. Over the last few weeks, she’s slowly trusting us more and has even started to take treats from us. She’s also graduated to the guest bed which she has realized is much more comfortable than the floor. At first, she also wouldn’t leave “her room” at all, but now with a bit of coaxing, she’ll sometimes come out and lay in a dog bed near us while we watch TV. We’re even getting a subtle tag wag at times when we go in to say “hi” or give her treats. Vegas prefers to have those around her at eye level. If we’re standing, she’s still skeptical and will typically run away from us. Tethering her to us as we cook or walk around the house has very slowly started to improve this and her forever home will need to continue to push her slowly to help ensure that she knows humans can be trusted.
Vegas will need a quiet low-key home to continue her progress. A home or apartment in a quiet neighborhood would be best, as the sounds of the city can be scary. We have never heard her bark – just a whine or two when she’s nervous. She lives with two very laid back dogs and co-exists perfectly. We haven’t seen her with kids, but she would likely do best in a home without the hustle and bustle of a lot of activity. We also haven’t seen her with cats, but she has not exhibited any prey drive. Vegas joins us on a brief daily walk with our resident dogs and sticks very close to us. The nice thing is that she doesn’t pull, so she’s easy to walk—though we use a harness and a collar in case she gets spooked. Encouraging her to do small things like this will help to continue to build her confidence.
Vegas is looking for a patient and understanding home dedicated to helping her live her best life now that she has moved on from her beginnings in the woods in Texas. This sweet girl will slowly start to shine as she experiences the world with a family that helps nurture her development.
