One of my favorite things about being a Foster Mom is learning fun and wonderful things about my foster dog, and then sharing them with potential adopters! Each foster dog is different with special quirks, likes, and dislikes. One of the huge benefits of adopting a dog from a rescue rather than a shelter is that we (or any decent rescue) are able to give you SO much information about your potential new family member. Imagine knowing what you’re getting yourself into, how well trained this dog is, if she has separation anxiety, if she is picky about her food; all before bringing her home! The reality is that shelters can not always gather solid information about a dog because of the high stress environment. But alas! In a foster home, we can get a true read of an individual dog and assess what home he or she would do best in! So here are the top ten reasons to adopt Tofu 🙂
1. Happy!- Tofu is seriously a joyful dog. I spent ten solid minutes laughing at her yesterday when I picked up a bandanna. The joy on her face was amazing! Tofu gets antlers, nylabones, rope toys, balls ect. None of these excite her in that special “happy dog” way. But something ridiculous goes through her mind when she sees a bandanna, leash, collar, or scarf. The wiggling! Oh the wiggling. I have no words. We experience a similar reaction every morning when she is let out of her crate. Every morning there are smiles, wiggles, happy dancing, joy, more wiggles. She is a “morning person”. But more than that, she’s a “life person”.
2. Genuine– I wrote about Tofu’s past, how she got here, and what her life was like pre-rescue. But I’ve come to realize that her past has given her a special gift. She is genuine. She lets you know how she is feelings and wants to express it to the world. This is often experienced through tail wags, lap sitting, kisses on your face, and cuddle sessions. However, she also was genuine about her initial feelings towards Leroy, and will politely know when he’s making her uncomfortable. Way back when we were crate/rotating, she showed us her snarl teeth and said, “Hey, I’m not sure about him just yet. Give me time.” So we gave her time. But Tofu is especially genuine in her reactions towards other people. She wears her heart on her sleeve. When it’s time to have a love fest- you’ll know it. She’ll be whole-heatedly loving you to pieces.
3. Special– Well of course, she’s deaf and has slight vision impairment in one eye. But that’s not what I mean. Tofu is special. Something about her just makes you feel like you can accomplish more, dream more, give more. Tofu makes you feel like the world is in your reach, and your only decision is to decide what you want to achieve. She is inspiring. She looks at you and her eyes say, “Just go for it. I have faith in you.”
4. Home Ready– Most dogs who are living in a foster home will have this in common. But none the less, it’s worth saying. Tofu is ready for you. She is crate trained, housebroken, knows basic commands, knows how to wait for her dinner in her crate, knows how to cuddle with her humans. She gets it. I thought it would take longer, since she was living outside, but she’s smart and ready for this life.
5. Mature– Dogs typically become “mature” around three years old. Some of the issue’s I’m having with Leroy seem to have escalated in the past year, but he is simply coming into his maturity. Tofu however, is a ripe three years old. She has likely reached her maturity, so “what you see is what you get”. There will be little change down the road. Of course none of this is a guarantee. But her personality and core self is thought to be pretty set at this age.
6. Perfect Energy Level– It may seem hard to define the “perfect energy level”. However, I have a feeling that Tofu falls in the ideal category. If you want to run, or hike, or even do some agility work, she will be ready with bells on! If you want to walk or stroll casually, she would be happy to join you. If you want to play with a toy, oh what fun! And if you want to cuddle, well as long as there is room by your side. I do think that Tofu would be a good agility dog. I don’t know anything much about this, but she has some serious jump in her step. So I’d bet she’d figure the rest out 😉 But no matter how spunky your home is, I would bet she’d do just fine.
7. Cute– Seriously, she’s cute as a button. Better than that, she’s a Tofutti Cuttie! (Tofu is not endorsed by Tofutti in any way. It would be cool though.) But I mean her face! Have you seen her? Just look. Ok. This one is on you- look at the cute!
- I iz cute!
8. Cuddly– This is something that is very important to me. Although it confuses me, I understand that not everyone wants a dog that will lick their face, sit on their lap, cuddle during nap time, and be all around cuddly. But Tofu, she likes those things. She can hang out independently or nap with Leroy at times. But she loves being a cuddle bug. And I would want her future family to love that about her.
9. Good– Tofu is a good dog. She is not a perfect dog. But she is learning and she tries very hard. She wants do the right thing to make her humans happy. She wants to please. She wants to kiss you when you’re sad and sit politely while you’re on the phone. She wants to wait for her dinner, no matter how hard and exciting it is. She tries not to eat her toys, because I tell her “No” (but they taste so delicious!). She wants to help you eat your dinner and do all the good things she can to make you happy. She wants to be a good girl.
10. Adoptable!– The best thing about Tofu is that she’s looking for you- her forever family! She is waiting and ready for that right person to fall in love and say those special words.- “You will be with me for the rest of your days. Your troubles are now my troubles. I will be here for you, and never leave you. I promise- I will never leave you. You are not ‘homeless’ anymore. You are mine. And I am yours.”
If you have any questions about Tofu, becoming a foster parent, or the adoption process- you can email me (Leroy’s mom) at Casey@caseyheyen.com
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