SHIRRAH (pronounced Shear- rah) is now a ten month old puppy who is referred to as an “American Shelter dog”. She is most likely a mix of pitbull terrier, Labrador retriever, a dab of greyhound, and a large dose of CUTENESS! She came to us from SF Animal Care and Control where she was very, very scared. It is clear that she has been under-socialized (maybe taken too young from her mother?) and needed to catch up with her doggy skills. She is now 45 pounds, a bit lanky, but may still fill out a bit when full-grown.
Shirrah loves people and cuddling…to her, heaven would be sleeping on your bed at night! She is still shy with people, especially men. She is okay with older children or teens, but a bit too skittish with the sudden movements of a younger child. She can also be a bit mouthy when excited. She cannot go into a home with children younger than twelve yrs.
She is currently being fostered with a senior female pit mix, an adult male pit mix, and a male French bull dog. She loves her foster brothers and often engages in “pitty” play, which can be rough. She also played well with some recent foster puppies (little Chihuahua mixes) and never hurt them accidentally or intentionally. Consequently, from her playing, she has some minor scratches on her head from playing, not fighting. (She also stuck her head through a wire fence and got a scratch from that). She can be a defiant teenager at times, trying to “push buttons” of the other dogs to see what behavior she can get away with. She will try to dominate and be the “alpha” dog, so it is imperative that she continue with obedience training with her new owner. This will help her know where her hierarchical status is.
She has shown some food defensiveness to other dogs and is fed separately and away from the other dogs. (This should be continued in her new home). Because she eats in her crate, she will literally head- dive into her crate when the food comes out. She takes treats well by hand and is learning to earn all rewards. She is very food motivated (great for training!) but will also try to eat every other dog’s food if given a chance.
Like most dogs, she does require a proper introduction to stranger dogs. Additionally, she can be “dog-selective”, which may mean she will not like at least half of the dogs she meets. She can be snarky if the other dog comes on too strong or rudely. She will probably not be a “dog park” dog, one who could frolic off-leash at Ft Funston or Pt Isabel.
Shirrah also has a tail-chasing habit which, according to dog trainers, is indicative of anxiety. Since being in a stable foster home, she may still engage in this behavior when feeling overly excited or stressed. But, with the help of appropriate distractions and gentle corrections, she has markedly improved with her tail-chasing. She does not exhibit any overt separation anxiety, but she has the company of other resident dogs. She requires some activity to keep her from boredom or she will “find” things to do (not always the best choices….).
She has not been tested with cats, but based on her interest in small animals (mostly birds), she probably would be too interested in them.
Shirrah really needs someone who will be patient and very committed to continuing formal obedience training with her. She completed and excelled in a basic training course, but she needs further socialization and firm guidance in learning good doggy manners. Having an older and established dog in the house might give her more confidence, too. She is a very special dog who is ready to blossom into being the best companion ever!
If you would like to meet this special girl, please submit an application and email Valerie at v.louie@sbcglobal.net The application will help us discuss issues regarding this dog and place an appropriate companion with you.
