ZSA-ZSA

Female | 5 months old | 25 pounds & growing! | Medium energy | Friendly meeting kids | Has met some dogs | Hasn’t met cats, shows slight prey drive | From Manitoba | Fostered in Toronto | Playful & curious

Affectionate. Rambunctious. Friendly. Feisty. These are all great descriptors of this scruff named ZSA-ZSA. At five months old, she’s growing a little more every day, and it’s her playful personality that keeps her foster family busy on any given day!

ZSA-ZSA’s playfulness, combined with her curious nature, can lead to a display of boisterous energy. But what exactly does this look like? A tendency to jump in excitement when she’s making new friends with other dogs. We love the energy she brings to the table, though she is working on calmer interactions, as not all dogs want to interact in a similar fashion.

Having met kids of all ages, ZSA-ZSA is always pleased to interact with them and shows more restraint in these scenarios. While she was pretty comfortable with her foster family right from the get-go, this scruff has developed even more confidence in their care, which is great to see. We’re also seeing that consistency in and of itself has been a great tool in helping ZSA-ZSA learn the ins and outs of leash walking, especially with all the distractions that public spaces inevitably involve.

ZSA-ZSA is in search of a family to call her own. Keen to adopt? Apply today!

TAPIOCA - APP IN PROCESS

Female | 5 years old | 12 pounds | Low energy | Hasn’t met kids or cats | Has met some dogs outside | From Mexico | Fostered in Toronto | Affectionate & sweet

Time to meet TAPIOCA! Affectionate as they come, TAPIOCA is most definitely a people-person, or rather, scruff. She adores being the centre of attention and will be her happiest self as a devoted companion. Quiet, cute, and cuddly. That’s TAPIOCA to a T! Oh, and want to know a fun fact about her? She’s curious when the TV comes on and tends to watch exciting action-packed shows with her humans!

For those curious about this gal’s love language, it’s definitely words of affirmation and physical touch, of course. She’s a good listener, and she loves nothing more than being showered with positivity. We’re happy to oblige! Of course, maintaining boundaries is just as important, in part because she is stubborn and also because she wants to be cuddled 24/7! A structured routine also helps her understand what is expected of her. In a new home, this will work in your favour.

Not big on toys, it’s possible TAPIOCA will show off a more playful side with dog pals that she develops friendships with. She hasn’t yet met kids or cats, and she may show some curiosity if and when meeting them. In her foster’s own words, “TAPIOCA is fantastic on leash” and has started to really enjoy her walks. Love that for her! Easily developing trust in her humans, it’s only when new people or animals come up behind her that she displays some nervousness. Other than that, she’s confident with city living and is unbothered by loud, sudden noises such as vehicles.

Would you love to meet her? Apply to adopt!

KUMQUAT - APP IN PROCESS

Male | 3.5 months old | 20 pounds & growing | Medium energy | Good second dog | Hasn’t met kids or cats | Fostered in Aurora | Playful & rambunctious

KUMQUAT. A sunshiney, three-and-a-half-month-old pup, with a zesty little personality that rather perfectly reflects his name.

All playful puppy energy, KUMQUAT is the kind of scruff whose social nature would lend well to having a canine companion in the home. KUMQUAT’S curiosity often has him following his human companions around, if only to check out what it is that they’re doing. With other dogs, his intrigue is more present when passing dogs on walks.

The structured days that his foster family has laid out for him are what enable him to show off his best self. This scruff is smart, and he picks things up quickly. Case in point: both house training and, more recently, crate training have been going well. 

KUMQUAT has been enjoying playing indoors, especially since it’s been chilly out lately. One of his favourite toys to chew on is his Kong, which his foster family lovingly fills with treats. It’s the best! Outside, KUMQUAT has been getting the hang of leash walking. Every once in a while, he can pull a little when excited, but even when he does, he’s receptive to corrections.

Think you might like to bring this sunshiney pup home? Apply to adopt!

SINPA

Male | 8 years old | 56 pounds | Medium energy | Coexists with a dog | Hasn’t met kids or cats | From Mexico | Fostered in Brantford | Loves affection | Tripawd

Meet SINPA. 8 years old and looking for his furever, SINPA is the kind of scruff that loves affection from his humans and would spend every morning cuddling you if he could. Sound like the perfect match? We think so, yes!

He’s a tripawd (AKA tripod), meaning he’s got 3 out of the 4 legs that dogs typically have. Does this stop him from enjoying all the things he loves most in this world? Definitely not. With his medium energy level, SINPA has been getting the hang of leashed walks in particular and has already improved since being in foster care. 

Learning what his new routine looks like in Canada, SINPA over here has been decompressing while taking in his new surroundings and all the new sounds that come with that. His preferred activities include naps and sniffing all the best smells while out in the yard and during walks. What might he like in the future? We’re thinking scent games!

SINPA is learning to grow more comfortable living with his scruff brother, and when meeting other dogs, he’s often shy at first. In the same vein, he’s working on gaining more confidence while out on walks. The confidence he has built so far has given him more energy to pay attention to commands, which is major! 

He’s slowly but surely coming out of his shell. What’s going to really set him up for success is having a confident handler by his side who enforces structured routine on the daily in a leadership role. With some more recent guarding behaviours popping up, implementing boundaries will continue to be necessary, and obedience training will also be in his future!

If you think SINPA might be the scruff for you, we’d love for you to apply to adopt!

LURA

Female | 8 years old | 44 pounds | Medium energy | Needs slow, proper intros to dogs | Best with dog-savvy kids | No cats please, high prey drive | From Mexico | Fostered in Toronto | Excitable, curious & intelligent

She’s just a gal who loves her walks and chasing squirrels… and being with her humans, of course! Meet LURA. Highly affectionate, LURA enjoys being around her people and uses every chance she gets for pats and snuggles. On the flip side, she can be independent, easily entertaining herself with toys. The confidence she’s gained lately has encouraged her to come out of her shell, progressing from reserved and shy to playful and independent. Such progress!

At home, LURA has been busy learning new commands. Now and again, she might test a boundary. It’s important you reinforce them in such situations, as she thrives on structure, which is what rules provide. She’s a fast learner, and lately, LURA has also been improving on her leash walking skills and is always anticipating her next walk. Working through leash reactivity towards dogs and humans passing by, LURA has been receptive to her foster, who redirects her attention (typically towards treats!). Know that advocating for her space will continue to be necessary, though she’s made great progress. She coexists well with dogs after a slow introduction, though she’d likely do best as a solo dog in the home.

This gal loves to explore, which she does by checking out new walking routes and sniffing all the smells that she comes across in the neighbourhood. With her prey drive, you’ll likely find she’s interested in going after a squirrel or rabbit when outside, making it necessary to redirect her attention back to you while on a walk. She also happens to be a fan of tug (though her people have to play with her to get her really engaged), food puzzles, and structured downtime at the end of the day. Speaking of downtime - she is, in fact, very chill in the home.

LURA enjoys using her crate as her personal space for downtime and often uses it all on her own, doing well with a 9-5 schedule. On the whole, she’s well-suited to quieter home environments and would do just fine living with humans who work 9-5.

Keen to adopt? Apply today!

This dog is sponsored by PetSmart! This means their adoption process includes a visit to PetSmart’s Mississauga Lakeshore location to finalize the adoption. Adopters will receive an exclusive PetSmart adoption kit with $300 worth of coupons and special offers! Plus, adopting through PetSmart Charities helps support rewards and grants that benefit pets in need.

NANDO - PENDING ADOPTION

Male | 10 years old | 22 pounds | Low energy | Has previously met dogs | Good solo dog | Has met older kids | Hasn’t met cats | From Mexico | Curious & sweet

He’s legendary. He’s got heart. He’s NANDO. Bringing the heat, or, rather, the affection when you need it most, NANDO is as loyal as they come. Some even consider him a Velcro dog :) You’ll soon find that all this scruff wants is to be with his people, which, in our books, is the best kind of soul-soothing comfort out there. Feel free to give him ALL the tummy rubs. 

NANDO is big on Netflix and napping, but, while he may be a senior, he’s got a sweet puppy-like energy to him with some goofball tendencies. Some of his fav pastimes include using his nose to sniff all the smells and playing hide and seek during a midday burst of energy. Then, of course, it’s back to his nap schedule.

Being a little shy in new situations, it’s your confident, calm guidance that will have him catching on quickly to what he needs to learn in your care! While he warms up to people fairly quickly giving kisses right off the bat, it can take him more time to get comfortable with males. With you advocating for him, he’ll quickly learn to trust you’re setting him up for success. He’s likely to do well in a calm, quiet home where his people are home more often than not.

Just like the first bite of that perfectly grilled peri-peri chicken, this scruff will add a burst of joy to your everyday life. Apply to adopt NANDO today. It’s a wing-wing situation after all!

Copy of BELLA

BELLA

Female | 6.5 years | 60lbs Hound mix | Low energy

About me

Needs proper intros | Good second dog | Good exposure to dogs and children | Not cat tested | Currently training with a prong collar

A Day in the Life

I love going for walks with my hooman, we go for 3 walks a day for 1 hour each. While my hooman is at work, I relax and nap in my crate. I love it!

Fun Facts

I am from mexico, I love hanging out with kids, and cats kinda make me a little too excited.

Skills & Qualities

Cuddling

Leash Walking

Crate Training

Copy of BELLA 2

BELLA

Female | 6.5 years | 60lbs Hound mix | Low energy

About me

Needs proper intros | Good second dog | Good exposure to dogs and children | Not cat tested | Currently training with a prong collar

A Day in the Life

I love going for walks with my hooman, we go for 3 walks a day for 1 hour each. While my hooman is at work, I relax and nap in my crate. I love it!

Fun Facts

I am from mexico, I love hanging out with kids, and cats kinda make me a little too excited.

Skills & Qualities

Cuddling

Leash Walking

Crate Training