Meet Samantha Jones, a playful and affectionate 1-year-old Australian Shepherd up for adoption through Redmond-based Motley Zoo Animal Rescue.
Samantha was rescued from a local puppy mill and loves other dogs. She will need to have another canine companion in her new home because of her history.
Notes from Samantha's foster home: Samantha is a very sweet but shy little girl. She does require another dog in the home, as she is from a puppy mill and really relies on constant canine companionship. She is a friendly girl who loves to initiate play with the other dogs in the home. She would be considered the class clown of the house. She is quick to make friends with other dogs and absolutely loves puppies. She's been a great help to Toyota with her 11 puppies and constantly oversees their care and helps clean them up. She's quick to let her foster mom know when someone's hungry or in distress.
She has a very mothering side to her. That being said, she loves to play, but is learning and can be a little rough for dogs smaller than her. Her favorite thing is to roll over on other dogs when she plays, and she has no concept that some dogs may not want to play with her. She's very much a fun-loving girl, and her playful demeanor is contagious to all the dogs in her foster home. Samantha wants to have too much of a good time sometimes and is lacking a little in basic obedience. She is learning to sit among other things. When it comes to other dogs, she is fearless and will play with anyone no matter the size. She'll even do a leaping body slam roll over against the resident 60+ pound pitbull while playing tag in the backyard. If you're in the middle of the mix, she has no body awareness and will leap on you, walk all over you, and body roll against any body part (including your face).
Samantha Jones is doing really well with house breaking, as long as there is a consistent schedule and she has small breaks throughout the day. She is learning to hold it and not go in her crate, which is a huge breakthrough, as it was hard to break her habit from the puppy mill of going in her crate. She's no longer having accidents overnight but will need to be crated, as this fun-loving girl doesn't realize that 3-4 a.m. is not the most convenient time to have a dog roll on your face and bat at you to play. She likes to touch a lot with her paw and will tap your shoulder, leg, or chest to get your attention and to get reassurance. Many noises still elicit a fear reaction in her, but she is now starting to look at others' reaction to the noise rather than automatically scrambling to hide in her kennel. Constant but controlled exposure to new things will help her grow into a confident young adult. She still has a very puppy like demeanor and is testing things with her mouth, learning what she is allowed and not allowed to chew on.
Because of her puppy mill background and her fear/nervousness, she will need positive reinforcement training only. She is very sensitive, and we are working on exposing her to more of the outside world. In the home, she's very open, relaxed, outgoing, and friendly. She's an energetic young girl and needs plenty of daily exercise. Outside the home, she is still nervous. When she is overly distressed, she shakes and drools. She is getting more exposure to riding in a car but is still nervous about that. She needs to be crated in a vehicle while driving because she feels better in a crate, but also because of the drool factor. With time and commitment, she should eventually get over her fear of what is unknown to her, as she has an inate sense of curiosity. She is affectionate and sweet with people she knows, always good for a cuddle. She has started giving sweet little kisses, feeling most comfortable licking your hand, not your face. She likes to be held and will often crawl up onto a willing lap if someone's on the computer or watching TV, and if you're busy, she's just as happy to curl up at your feet, which she does while her foster mom is working. This girl needs patience and TLC, but her love and devotion will make all the effort worth it as she becomes confident and secure!
How to adopt: Email adopt@motleyzoo.org to request an adoption application. For more information about Samantha, check out her Petfinder profile or visit www.motleyzoo.org.
