ZOEY

Female | 3 months old | Medium energy | Enjoyed meeting older kids | Hasn’t met cats or dogs | From Manitoba | Fostered in Toronto | Sweet, playful & learning lots

If you have ever heard us talking about a sweet, smart, and playful rescue pup, well, chances are good we were talking about ZOEY! A scruff who loves people just as much as they love her, ZOEY is as lovely as they get. She has learned a lot since being in SOS care, which we’ll tell you more about in a sec, and has also grown in energy, exhibiting comfort in her current living situation. Truly love that for her!

Life with a pup is a lot of things. It’s challenging. It’s rewarding. It’s a surefire way to fall in love. And fall in love with ZOEY, you will! She’s smart, like for real. She responds to sit, lie down, stay, AND come. That’s pretty good for a three-month-old! ZOEY knows how to be gentle when playing, which, for a young scruff, is saying a lot, and will likely serve her well if and when she meets more kids. It’s crate training that’s perhaps the trickier piece. She’ll use her crate, sure, but like, when treats are thrown in there first. Obviously.

Sometimes ZOEY gets a little over-excited when meeting people for the first time. Accidents happen, right? So, she’s almost house-trained. Almost. This pup has shown that she learns how to anticipate a routine once she gets the hang of a typical day with you. She enjoys spending time working on her chew toys, playing catch and generally being outside.

What else should you know about her? Thunderstorms make her nervous. Belly rubs are appreciated. Her foster family loves having her in their home, and we just know you will too! Apply to adopt ZOEY.

SKIPPER

Male | 3 months old | Medium-low energy | Has had short interactions with kids outside | Limited interactions with dogs | Hasn’t met cats | From Manitoba | Fostered in Toronto | A sweet, old soul!

With his confidence growing on the daily, every new interaction is helping him become his most social self. Meet scruff SKIPPER! Arguably the best cuddler of all time, SKIPPER is, in fact, his happiest when with his humans. Honestly, we can’t blame him.

Described by his foster parent as a natural on leash, SKIPPER still continues to learn all the ins and outs of what it means to be a dog. At three months old, he’s doing well with learning house training and having a human(s) by his side to continue teaching him basic commands as well as some cool new tricks here and there is what he’s looking for. That’s in addition to providing love and care, of course!

After an initial introduction to new people (note that he may be a bit shy at first!), SKIPPER shows off just how friendly he naturally is. He’s curious about people and excited to make new friends. Having come across some other dogs while outside on walks, SKIPPER is starting to show more curiosity towards them as well. He might even enjoy living with another scruff in the home who can match his playful energy as well as show him the ropes.

As a pup who’s growing and learning more and more every day, SKIPPER is looking for a furever family that’s committed to his training and excited to make him an integral part of their lives. Establishing (and maintaining!) boundaries will also be necessary with such a young scruff, but know that training can and should be fun too! We’d love for you to apply to adopt if this feels like the right fit. SKIPPER would love to meet you!

ALFONSINA

Female | 1 year old | 28 pounds | Low energy | Hasn’t met cats yet | Friendly meeting dogs & lives with one | Best in a home with no kids | From Mexico | Fostered in Toronto | Sweet & affectionate

She’s got a lotta love to give, this scruffy pup, and she’s hoping that you have just as much to give her. Meet ALFONSINA! 

Shy for just a second or two (or maybe three, lol) ALFONSINA is actually a big fan of snuggling, cuddling, and affection all around. She’s the sweetest homebody whom we can picture living her best scruff life in a home that gives her both the time and space to develop her trust. What kind of home might suit her best? One that’s more on the quiet side. With that in mind, it’s likely she’d also prefer a home without kids.

There’s probably nothing more in this world that ALFONSINA loves more than people watching. Well, maybe watching a movie with you by her side, she’s a fan of that for sure. What about toys? No, not really her thing! Neither are treats for that matter… in fact, she’ll likely spit them out! While she may not be treat-motivated, she sure is a smarty-pants. While in the care of her foster family, she’s learned paw, come, and sit. Holy doodle!

ALFONSINA has shown that she has a healthy curiosity when meeting dogs. You’ll see that she always gives them a few sniffs hello before carrying on with her day and her walk. Speaking of walks, she’s been busy getting used to the sights and sounds on such excursions. Her foster parents tend to take her for three walks daily, and she’s impressed them with how well she walks on a leash. Unrelated, but equally impressive, are milestones that she’s achieved including learning the ins and outs of crate and house training. See? Smarty-pants!

Apply to adopt.

MANOLO

Male | 1 year old | 35 pounds | Medium energy | Living with a dog | Hasn’t met kids | Hasn’t met cats | From Mexico | Fostered in Bracebridge | Happy, curious puppy-face

Appropriately named for his love of shoes, it’s MANOLO! 👠👟🥾 With the most adorable little face, we have a feeling this guy might look like a puppy forever. 🐶

Still a young pup himself, MANOLO is full of energy and curiosity, but learning when it’s best to relax. When he first arrived, he would follow his foster parents around the house constantly. Now, he still likes to check in, but he’s also happy to keep himself busy with toys or shoes (did we mention he loves shoes 🙃).

Once you've earned his trust, MANOLO is an incredibly devoted companion. He loves being close to his favourite people and would happily spend every evening curled up beside you. (While couches remain off-limits for now, we're fairly certain he'd love to negotiate that rule.)

MANOLO is still building confidence in the world around him. New people can make him nervous, especially indoors, so proper introductions are essential. For this reason, we do not feel he would be comfy in a home with children. Loud noises and passing vehicles can also be startling, so leash walks remain a work in progress, but he loves quiet trail walks where he can sniff to his heart’s content!

MANOLO has been mostly indifferent to other dogs, preferring human companionship over canine play. He would do well in a home with another respectful dog, but he would also thrive as the star of the show. He hasn't been introduced to cats yet, but he has not shown any signs of prey drive, and we believe he would do well in a home with feline friends.

When he's feeling comfortable, MANOLO loves running and playing in the yard. He knows that bathroom business happens outside and has not had a single accident in his foster home. Gold star, MANOLO! 🌟

MANOLO’s looking for a patient, understanding home that will continue to help build his confidence. Ready to have this guy steal your heart? (and sneakers!) Apply to adopt!

RAE

Female | 4 months old | 15 pounds & growing! | Puppy energy | Playful with dogs | Has met older kids | Has met two cats | Fostered in Etobicoke | A sweet, quick learner | Playful & affectionate

With the most amount of love to give, we know it’s about time we introduced you to RAE. She’s as playful as scruffs get, and we’re 100% certain that she’ll show off just how many toys she can play with at any one time once in your company! It’s actually impressive.

Puppy stage is in full swing with RAE! If you’re a first-time dog owner, this will be a learning curve, but a fun one, no doubt! We’re sure you can imagine that as a pup who’s learning and growing (and all the things!), that she’ll need continued training in her furever home. What’s one thing that’s gone even better than expected thus far? Crate training! She uses that as her space to rest.

If you couldn’t tell, RAE over here is a quick learner. She knows how to sit and has also been working diligently on house training. With her foster family, she’s working on minimizing her tugging during walks. Speaking of, this pup enjoys going for a few walks a day, and is just as happy if they vary in length. She’s met dogs in her neighbourhood, and is always eager to play nicely with them.

Now that we’re on the subject of meeting new friends, RAE can be timid when meeting new people. Upon meeting someone a second or third time, she’ll absolutely take a liking to you. Third time’s a charm, and all that! Treats help. Just keep an eye out for any nipping, especially if and when she meets younger kids. With her playful and affectionate nature, she has done well meeting older kids so far.

Apply to adopt RAE.

SHIZI

Male | 6.5 years old | 30 pounds | Low energy | Limited exposure to dogs and kids | Hasn’t met cats | From Mexico | Fostered in Toronto | Sweet as can be & affectionate | Gentle & building confidence

Quietly taking in his brand new Canadian life, meet SHIZI! This sweet tri-pawed guy made the journey all the way from Mexico and has been taking everything in at his own pace. His approach to new experiences involves quietly observing the world around him while he decides exactly how he feels about it.

SHIZI was reserved when he first arrived in foster care, but we're already seeing a more relaxed and playful scruff emerge. Once he's comfortable, his quiet exterior gives way to full-body wags, kisses, and a definite appreciation for a good pat (treats are also enthusiastically accepted). 

He's house-trained, settles well overnight, and is comfortable with some alone time using his crate. He may not know what all these toys are about just yet (a Kong? Suspicious.), but give him a towel rolled up with hidden treats, and suddenly he's got a game worth playing.

Where SHIZI really comes alive is outside. This nature-loving guy is always ready for another neighbourhood adventure, even if he just came home from one. He loves taking his time to sniff through the greenery, investigate his surroundings, and conduct quality control on every patch of grass he encounters. As a three-legged scruff, a few manageable walks throughout the day give him plenty of opportunity to explore without overdoing it.

SHIZI handles the sights and sounds of city life surprisingly well, including busy sidewalks and traffic. New people and dogs are something he'd rather approach at his own pace. He's reserved yet polite. A family willing to give him time and space to build trust will help his confidence continue to grow! Apply to adopt.

TAMAR

Female | 6 months old | 35 pounds & growing | Medium energy | Dog friendly | Has met some kids | Hasn’t met cats | From Mexico | Fostered in Toronto | Smart, curious & cute

Inheriting her name from a special & important ingredient in candy, it’s TAMAR! Tamarind is often used in Mexican candy for the sweet, sour and spicy effect, but it’s confirmed, TAMAR is 100% pure sweetness.

Taking life’s adventures one paw at a time, she’s been curiously observing the big world around her. Fostered in the city, she is unfazed by the hustle and bustle, and excited to meet both new people and scruffs on her walks to the park. Her foster mom says she simply seems, “motivated by the adventure of life.” 💖

While TAMAR is still a puppy and learning the few last pieces of her new routine, she has made lots of progress in her training. She will still need some support growing her confidence going potty outside, but she’s a smart cookie learning sit in just one quick training session, has been amazing in her crate, and even mastered stairs like a pro!

At a recent weekend away at the sitters, TAMAR got to spend time playing (and also cuddling) with a fur friend (pictures for evidence 🤫). She truly loves every kind of companionship, so while she’s had limited interactions with kids and hasn’t met cats, with slow introductions and a little patience we know this excited, happy girl could easily settle right in.

TAMAR would likely love the family life, or even being her human's #1 BFF, but one things for sure, her happy place is cuddling next to you after a fun day of adventure. One look into her beautiful green eyes, and you just can’t help but fall in love forever.

Want to give this sweet puppy girl her cozy, dream home? Apply to adopt!

BRUNO

Male | 10 years old | 66 pounds | Medium energy | Best as a solo dog for now and with dog-savvy kids | Hasn’t met cats | From Hamilton | Fostered in Toronto | Affectionate & chill

Giving the loveliest chill senior scruff vibes, we’re pleased to introduce you to BRUNO. At ten years old, BRUNO is in his senior years with the cool, calm, and collected nature to show for it.

Right off the bat, we (and BRUNO!) would like his potential adopter(s) to know that BRUNO is busy enjoying life, even with early stage chronic kidney disease (CKD). This means his kidneys aren’t working as efficiently. This was diagnosed early, and with proper nutrition, vet checkups and monitoring, this lifelong condition can continue to be well-managed.

This scruff’s ideal day involves spending a good chunk of time with his humans. It might just be his favourite thing! Bonus points if they are eager to give him a nice head scratch. Of course, he’s learning boundaries and is working on his independence when his people are busy with work or other such activities.

A day in his life involves a few medium-sized walks throughout the day, about 30 minutes each. We love how confident a walker he is, though this confidence does result in some pulling here and there! He’s working on it. BRUNO and his foster family also work through short daily training sessions. Both recall and crate training are a work in progress.

In a future home, BRUNO is the kind of scruff who would likely be his most comfortable self as the only dog, at least for now. He’s shown some reactivity towards both small and large dogs when outside, which typically presents as whining and pacing. Having a confident leader by his side to help guide him in these scenarios will ensure he continues to progress in this area.

Friendly with adults, it’s likely BRUNO will walk right up to you for a sniff and some affection! When it comes to kids, he’s mostly indifferent, though he’s fine to have them approach him. 

Think he’s the one for you? Think you’re the one(s) for him? Apply to adopt!

RUBY

Female | 3 years old | 50 pounds | High energy | Has met kids | Friendly with dogs | No cats please | From Ontario | Fostered in Waterloo | Silly, smart & eager to learn

Right from the start, who stole our hearts? RUBY, it’s you 🎶 Mama RUBY is out of the shelter and ready for a home to provide her with love, structure, and lots of activity to continue blossoming into the sweet and silly girl she truly is.

While RUBY was shy with strangers, especially men, she initially just needed slow introductions, patience, and her safe space to decompress. She is fully crate-trained so after a good cozy nap in there, she was instantly ready to befriend both her foster mom and dad at the very same time. Recently, RUBY has even become more trusting, and quick to show off her most goofy and affectionate side when making brand new friends!

Being part Belgian Malinois, RUBY is happiest when she is out exploring, staying active, and following a consistent routine. Her days currently start with a full hour of exercise, often a jog alongside the bike, followed by a long structured walk. At lunch she has a slightly shorter outing, often paired with some training and playtime. In the evenings, RUBY goes for one more good long walk or even a hike with the foster pack, and then some fun play before bedtime.

She also might be part fish, because this girl LOVES to swim! In heatwaves, find RUBY happily splashing around on a long line, playing fetch in the water. After a full day of activity and designated rest, RUBY enjoys curling up near her humans and rolling onto her back with that goofy grin to let you know when she’s ready for belly scritches!

She also loves other dogs… a little too much at times! RUBY is still discovering how to be a dog herself, and at first that excitement turned into accidental bulldozing. The best part? She’s been very responsive to feedback and has learned that good manners leads to more playtime or simply just hanging out with her fur friends.

Think you’ve got the adventurous life RUBY’s been patiently wiggling for? Apply to adopt!

ACE

Male | ~3 months old | ~20 pounds & growing | Puppy energy | Has met kids | Hasn’t met dogs or cats | From Manitoba | Fostered in Toronto | Very loving & learning lots

Ready to meet the top dog? This is ACE. With so much zest for life, his puppy energy is truly infectious! As a rambunctious pup, dive-bombing into his humans to give out kisses is absolutely one of his preferred pastimes. 

Bringing a puppy into your life is a lifestyle change, for sure. That said, you’re the one reading his bio, so we like to think that you’re already intrigued by this and possibly already looking for ways to adapt to having a young scruff in the home! A few things to note: regular supervision while he’s out of his crate is a must. He’s eager to please, though he’s still young, so obviously he’s interested in getting into some mischief here and there!

You could say that ACE is an ACE at sleeping through the night. Even during the day, he has dedicated downtime in his crate for a nap after all of his activity. When he’s not catching some Zzz’s, he’s typically busy working on tricks for treats. He already knows how to shake a paw, sit and lie down. Oh, and his recall is quite good, too!

Still teething, ACE nips when excited, which is something to note when introducing him to more kids. ACE also seems interested in meeting dogs, though he has yet to have any face-to-face interactions with them. What else can we share? Well, just that he finds joy in bringing his toys everywhere… so you’ll definitely find them in the kitchen, the living room, the hallway… really, you name it! We think it’s pretty sweet!

Ready to bring this ACE into your life? Apply to adopt!

TRINEO

Male | 10 months old | 52 pounds | Medium energy | Has met older kids and some dogs | Hasn’t met cats | From Mexico | Fostered in Mississauga | Friendly, sweet & building up confidence

This right here is TRINEO! Cautious yet curious, TRINEO has been slowly settling in and learning what life looks like now that he’s made the big move from Mexico to Canada. Obviously, he’s been busy finding his footing in a new environment with his foster fam right by his side, whom he’s learning to become comfortable with around the home!

TRINEO’s typical day involves a few walks, which typically range from 15-20 minutes each. Being the quick learner that he is, he’s easily picked up walking on a leash (and house training for that matter!). Not only that, but having started to build up his confidence, he’s been enjoying going on longer walking routes to see more of his new neighbourhood.

While out and about, this scruff is cautious yet curious when meeting new dogs and will sniff them hello before moving on shortly after. As with anything, patience will be key as he continues to work through his initial nervousness in new scenarios. A consistent routine where TRINEO can easily learn what to expect will help.

Some of the things that TRINEO likes most include curling up with a good chew toy and lounging on his bed. Once he gets comfortable with people, he also likes receiving affection. 

Apply to adopt!

MILEY

Female | 1 year old | 80 pounds | Medium energy | Has met kids | Friendly with dogs & cats | From Ontario | Fostered in Sharon | Affectionate, smart & goofy

Meet MILEY. At one year old, MILEY is a young and playful scruff looking for a forever home that’s just as loving as they are coachable! MILEY is likely to grow into a large guardian breed dog and, as such, needs a confident human looking to grow and learn alongside her with continued training.

Some of MILEY’s favourite things include playing outside, going for long walks (and hikes if you’re up for it!), and exploring nature to her heart’s content. She’s got a mild interest in small animals, but only ever gives them a half-hearted chase. After a day of play and outdoor time, you’ll find that MILEY does well with decompressing in her crate and is just as content practicing the place command. She’s well-trained, this scruff, and it’s that kind of structured day where she has time to practice skills that will have her progressing even more in a new home.

Before coming into SOS care, MILEY was living in a shelter environment, with few opportunities to work on her socialization skills and interactions with people. This led to bite incidents where this scruff acted defensively. Routine, patience, and structure, combined with gentle socialization and handling, will set her up for continued success going forward (just like it already has done!).

While MILEY doesn’t necessarily want strangers going up and petting her, she’s become more trusting and is affectionate and loving with those she trusts. Her interactions with people have progressed, and she’s recently started befriending kids during monitored interactions! While this scruff has yet to experience city living, we expect that with a little time and patience, she’d do just fine.

If you’re someone who’s looking forward to continuing this scruff’s training, then you might be the one for her! Apply to adopt!