BELEN

Female | 9 years old | 36 pounds | Low energy | Has met kids & dogs | Has not met cats | From Mexico | Fostered in Toronto | Sweet Senior looking for cuddles

Meet BELEN! Like a fine wine, this sweet senior scruff just gets better with age. Described by her fosters as calm, gentle and sweet, BELEN is the whole package. Pet Peeves? None so far! Favourite activity? Cuddling, of course! This lovebug truly enjoys the simple things in life and just wants to be loved.

Go with the flow is BELEN’S motto. Have to go to work? No problem! She happily goes into her crate to nap for up to 8 hours at a time. Walking on a leash? New to BELEN but she is already a pro, happily walking beside her foster on a short leash. Potty training? Check and check! After brushing off the first day jitters in her foster home where she held her pee all day, she now easily goes outside to potty.

BELEN has been successfully introduced to other people, dogs, and children up to 10 years of age, and she did phenomenal. With her mild temperament, she calmly approaches, sniffs and seeks affection. Her loving nature means occasionally jumping up for attention, so slow introductions around children are best. And while she is always very patient and gentle, BELEN would be best suited in a home with older children who best match her energy level.

A dream day in BELEN’S world entails a shorter walk, clocking in some quality nap time, getting brushed, and flopping over for belly rubs. Bonus points if she can lie in the grass and soak up the sun! While BELEN loves the slower pace of life, she still shows off her sassy side when engaging in a slow and short-lived squirrel or bird chase! Her lower energy level makes her well suited for either house or apartment living. Honestly, she’s happy as long as she’s with her people!

Like what you hear? Apply to adopt!

Please note: Adoption fees for senior scruffs are sometimes reduced depending on age, breed and health! BELEN’s adoption fees are $550.

TAMAR

Female | 8 months old | 36 pounds (and growing!) | Has met kids & dogs | Hasn’t met cats | From Mexico | Fostered in Toronto | Affectionate, Smart and Curious

Meet TAMAR! If there's one thing to know about TAMAR, it’s that her affection spreads far and wide, extending to just about everyone she meets, human or canine!

TAMAR is curious and always up for an adventure! TAMAR loves showing off her silly side (zoomies, anyone?), but recognizes when she has played too roughly (we love an emotionally aware queen 👑)! At home, she’s perfectly content to curl up, snooze, or work away at a favourite chew while her humans do their own thing!

TAMAR could be comfortable in a variety of home settings (condos welcome!) with enough physical and mental stimulation. After some initial nervousness around loud and unpredictable noises, she’s becoming more confident every day. She has tackled subways, streetcars and cars… talk about a city girl! She is also quickly learning basic commands including sit, wait, and come, and settles easily in her crate while her foster mom goes to work. 

TAMAR has met kids of all ages but does best when they respect her space and let her approach first. TAMAR is a social girl, especially when other dogs reciprocate her energy, so we think she’d love a home with another playful scruff. Since she is very attentive to squirrels and birds, we anticipate that cats may not be the best fit! TAMAR is still learning the finer points of being a polite puppy, so she needs a home that can confidently redirect her attention and help her social butterfly personality shine!

TAMAR would love a family who can keep her curious mind and playful spirit busy while also appreciating her favourite part of the day: settling in for a good cuddle after all the adventures are done. Whether she’s exploring the world or curled up by your side, TAMAR is ready to be someone’s best friend. Apply to adopt!

ARMIN

Male | 1.5 years old | 50 pounds | Medium energy | Lives with a dog | Hasn’t met kids or cats | From Mexico | Fostered in Waterloo | Shy & building confidence

Meet ARMIN! Building up his confidence each and every day, we’d like to formally introduce you to scruff ARMIN. You know how some gals are a girls’ girl? Well ARMIN here is a dogs’ dog. While it’s important he still has one on one time with his people (obvi!), he would benefit from living in a home with another confident dog. He looks to other scruffs for guidance, and feels reassured by them in unfamiliar situations, which we kind of love for him.

Here’s the thing. You can 100% expect ARMIN to need some time to warm up to you. Is he secretly a marshmallow under any of those initial nerves of his though? Yep. It’s pretty cool to witness how easily he now exits his crate, which is his safe space. That’s all thanks to time and patience. And, with you by his side, well this scruff will be able to conquer even more!

One of ARMIN’s favourite activities is resting in a quiet corner of the house, the garden…or basically wherever you are to keep an eye on all the goings-on. He lives in a chill home in the suburbs, which is pretty lovely if you ask us, and we can best picture him in an equally calm environment going forward. And about that calm environment, it would be best if he were to live with dog-savvy kiddos, if any. Don’t forget that ARMIN, while practically perfect, can still be skittish.

As we speak, this scruff is busy learning a new routine with his foster family and continues to work on house training. Of course, he’ll continue to learn and need to adapt once he moves into his furever home as well. If bringing ARMIN into your life and home is something that excites you, let us know and apply to adopt!

JAGGER

Male | 7 months old | 45 pounds & growing! | Medium energy | Hasn’t met kids | Lives with a dog and cat | From Mexico | Fostered in Toronto | Fun, affectionate & a quick learner

Meet JAGGER. A fun pup who’s more or less down for anything, it’s safe to say this is a scruff that quickly came out of his shell in a new environment. The environment in question? A foster home in Toronto, complete with a cat, a resident dog, and an outdoor space.

From being found sick on the side of a road as a puppy to living in a shelter until recently, JAGGER has shown himself to be remarkably adaptable, settling in with ease. He peacefully coexists with the cat, giving her space, and quickly bonded with his foster dog sibling, who he looks to for guidance. We said he’s pretty much down for anything and thus far that includes, trail hikes, car rides, to the park for a round of fetch… the list goes on! Basically, what we’re saying is that JAGGER here would be a great adventure buddy.

JAGGER is still figuring out boundaries, so he’d be a great family dog in time, with any interactions with kids supervised as he can get rowdy. He is initially cautious of new people but with guidance has shown to warm up well.

Additionally, his curious side is starting to show, and he’s eager to pull toward interesting smells on walks. Leash training is a work in progress. Having a confident human by his side to help him navigate new surroundings will set him up for success. It’s his first month outside of the shelter and so all things are new!

Being clear about what you’re asking of him helps JAGGER show off his best self, and he responds well to praise, affection and treats. Oh and he loves belly rubs!

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!

BRUNO is currently in Toronto and available for informal meet & greets with his foster to see if it's a good fit. Email adoption@saveourscruff.org to set this up!

Please note: Adoption fees for senior scruffs vary depending on age, breed, and health! BRUNO’s adoption fees are $550.