MILEY

Female | 1 year old | 80 pounds | Medium energy | Has met kids | Friendly with dogs and cats | From Ontario | Fostered in Erin | 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 a bite incident 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!

ITZEL

Female | 3 years old | 37 pounds | High energy | Lives with a dog | Hasn’t met kids or cats | From Mexico | Fostered in Toronto | Energetic & playful

Sweet, playful and just a little mischievous, this is ITZEL. Some of her favourite activities include going for long walks and new adventures. She’s curious by nature and loves to explore. If you’re the active type, this might just be the scruff for you! Staying in one place to chill is less her thing … going for runs and playing to her heart’s content is more like it! Her energy and zest for life could very well be our favourite thing about her. Exercise and enrichment activities alike help manage that fun energy. 

ITZEL has been hanging out with her foster family’s resident dog, and we think she’d love living with another playful dog going forward. She’s a social butterfly and greets other dogs in a friendly manner. Occasionally, she can get a little overexcited, meaning a bit jumpy, though she’s still gentle when meeting new people! ITZEL shows an interest in chasing after squirrels, and if she is to meet cats, then you’ll need to ensure you both set and maintain boundaries. 

To dive briefly into her training, ITZEL has been doing well learning basic commands. She’s working on “place,” which remains a work in progress. Crate training is something that has gone surprisingly smoothly! She’s been learning to rest in public and now enjoys her toys calmly, such as her rope and Kong, as well.

Think ITZEL might just be the active scruff for you? Apply to adopt!

YORCH

Male | 1 year old | 24 pounds | Medium energy | Hasn’t met kids | Limited exposure to dogs and cats | From Mexico | Fostered in Toronto | A playful cuddle bug

Meet YORCH! He’s a one-year-old scruff who loooooves to receive affection (obviously, since he’s a cuddle bug!) and, on the whole, is a curious, playful pup who’s been busy learning lots when it comes to basic training.

Over the past couple of weeks, YORCH has been settling into a routine at his foster home in Toronto. He appreciates living in a home where his human is home more often than not, especially since he enjoys being around people. Having plenty of playtime throughout the day, along with time for enrichment activities, ensures he utilizes his big brain to its full capacity daily. As much as he loves to play, he can never say no to a good nap, and once he’s comfortable with new humans, he’s happy to let himself kick back and relax into a nap.

We’d describe YORCH as a scruff that’s both gentle and calm. With this temperament, introducing kids to him is likely to go smoothly, especially since meeting more people means more friends to play with. Still young, YORCH has lots to learn, and living with another confident dog in the home could help him do just that. He’s met some dogs in passing on walks, and ever curious, he’s relaxed in these scenarios. YORCH has also previously met cats, though he has yet to meet them in his current home.

One area of training that YORCH has been working on in particular is house training, which is, admittedly, tricky. YORCH has also been working through his separation anxiety when his foster parents leave the room. This young scruff is food-motivated, meaning that treats can be a great training tool as he continues to progress in all areas.

Keen to bring this scruff into your life? Apply to adopt!

DOUG

Male | 10 years old | 22 pounds | Low energy | Coexists with a dog | Gentle with young kids | Hasn’t met cats | From Ontario | Fostered in Peterborough | Quirky & cute | Easy going

It’s DOUG the pug’s time to shine in the adoption spotlight, and we are SO here for it! Described as “a very good houseguest,” DOUG loves his human interaction, enrichment activities, and getting excited for treats. He’s cute and quirky (it’s the expressive eyes and underbite combo for us) and especially appreciates when his people invite him in for a cuddle or two.

A day with DOUG often involves a healthy amount of napping, which includes structured crate naps, since he experiences some separation anxiety. While he likes to keep an eye on what his people are up to, you’ll find that he’s quite an easy-going guy. His foster parent works shifts, which means every day is a little different, and DOUG over here is pleased as punch to be going with the flow. The one thing that doesn’t please him as much is working through a little ear infection. Obviously, he isn’t the hugest fan of ear drops, but his foster fam has persisted, and it’s definitely gotten easier!

What else? DOUG the pug lives with an older resident dog, and, honestly? He’s indifferent to him, and they simply coexist. On the other hand, DOUG is a happy little scruff when meeting other dogs on walks! DOUG is all tail wags meeting adults, and he shows off his gentle side meeting kids, doing best with those who respect his boundaries.

Lately, DOUG has found his voice in foster care and sometimes barks at the window. Generally speaking, though, he’s a quiet dog and would likely do well in an equally chill home. A couple of short strolls a day (during which he walks well on leash!) plus some enrichment in the evening, suits him well. He’s not very playful, but he will always accept a belly rub. You know, if you were curious.

Apply to adopt!

RAZ

Male | 3 months old | Medium energy | Hasn’t met cats or kids | Curious about dogs | From Manitoba | Fostered in Toronto | Affectionate & sweet | Building independence

Want to be in on a secret? This is strictly on a need-to-know basis: RAZ, this cutie pie 3-month-old pup, is officially adoptable. He’s quite the catch, RAZ is, and likely going to have many potential adopters checking him and his bio out. That’s why we’re sharing this on the sly - so that you can be the first to learn all there is to learn about him!

If there was one thing you should know about this scruffy pup, it’s that he’s the world’s biggest cuddle bug. Now that’s something we couldn’t keep under wraps even if we tried! He’s affectionate, which his foster family loves to see, as it’s visibly shown them just how much he’s come out of his shell in their care. Make sure to maintain your boundaries, though, so that he doesn’t delve too far into clingy territory! The right balance is key.

Let’s talk about his social life! Calmly curious about dogs, RAZ is timid meeting them on walks, though he keeps his composure. When it comes to humans, he prefers to sit and check them out rather than approaching them. If and when they pet him, however, that’s when he’s all in!

Exploring the outdoors is still new territory for RAZ, though he’s showing more interest in going on longer walks. He’ll likely continue to become slightly more active outside than he is now, as he grows more comfortable. Inside the home, he enjoys chill play sessions while chewing on his stuffies or engaging in a light round of tug. Like most pups, RAZ engages in playful nipping here and there. It’s more gentle than anything, though still something to note if he’s to meet kids.

Now it’s time to spill the beans about all things training. Daytime crate training has been tricky, and RAZ tends to cry when left alone, meaning that training to increase his independence will continue to be important! What he has excelled in is house training. RAZ is comfortable using pee pads - a huge help for condo living - and making use of the outdoors. RAZ has done well learning basic commands, and it is repetition that we have to thank for that! Well, and his foster fam of course! There’s some room for improvement with leash training, though he typically follows his human’s lead.

So. Now that we’ve let the cat out of the bag and you know what you know about RAZ, ready to adopt? Apply today!