Adopted: Paddington

Quick Facts:

  • Breed: Pit bull mix
  • Gender: Male, not yet neutered
  • Age: 2-3 years old
  • Size: 40 pounds
  • Good with…
    • Dogs? Yes!
    • Cats? Dog savvy cats
    • Kids? Yes, 10 and up!

Hello! My name is Paddington and I’m as lovable and cuddly as a stuffed bear!

History

I was a homeless, malnourished boy, found scavenging around the City of Syracuse. I was brought to the shelter there, and I lived there for two weeks but I hated it so much! I got even skinnier (which was horrifying…check out the photo where you can see my ribs) and was so stressed out that I started to lose some of my fur, especially in places where my bones were already protruding. Some of the volunteers who walk the shelter pups (Cuse Pit Crew), shared a picture of me with a CDR foster mom and as soon as she saw my big brown eyes, she could tell I was special and that she wanted to foster me! So then I got sprung from the shelter and was welcomed into the CDR foster program and now I live in the nicest foster home ever, with the nicest lady and her sweet dogs! She says she was right….I am super exceptionally wonderfully miraculously special!

Personality

I am a total lover. I am so sweet and loving and gentle and eager to please. I am a low key guy, though happy to join you on whatever outdoor adventures you’d like to take. But I’m super happy snuggling and hanging around indoors with you too!

My foster mom thinks I’m really smart… she thinks I have a thing called “self-awareness.” I like to watch what is going on around me and then I respond to it. I pick up on cues very quickly and I pay attention to my human’s directions. Basically I just want to be happy and fit in and have everyone around me be happy, too!

My foster mom hasn’t ever heard me bark. She says that’s fine because my older foster brother dog is something called a “cattle dog mix” and he barks enough for everyone! I do snore though — not loud enough to be annoying, just the perfect snore to be cute and endearing, she tells me! I also make little growly noises when I wrestle with my younger foster brother dog, but I promise, they are only the play growl kind, which you know because we’re having a great time and I am being really gentle!

I love food and treats! Which shouldn’t be surprising because I was a starving doggy when I lived on the street. My foster mom was worried that I would be possessive of my food…but I’m not! I learned to sit to take treats and I sit and wait for my food dish to be put in my crate where I eat. Then sometimes my foster mom will give me treats while I eat so I don’t get too focused and eat my food too fast. I’m not possessive of my toys either! I haven’t had rawhides or bully sticks or real bones since my foster mom doesn’t buy them, but I’ve heard about those things and hope to someday sample their yumminess.

When my foster mom goes to work, I hang out in the mud room. I have an open crate with a soft bed and blankets and she puts on a calming dog channel on YouTube Music and I just chillax. I really dislike being enclosed in my crate but I don’t need to be shut in because I don’t have accidents or chew anything. One or both of my foster brother dogs are usually in the mud room with me too—the younger one stays in his crate if he’s not at doggie daycare, but the older one has free range like me. We’re fine together and don’t start any ruckus — we even ignore our foster mom’s shoes and boots! I also sleep downstairs in the mud room with the younger dog. We settle right in and there isn’t a peep until morning! Beauty sleep is important and I’m working on being beautiful!

I like to ride with my people in the car! My foster mom has a small SUV and the other dogs usually ride in the hatch area but I am a love weasel and have managed to work my way up front! I’m getting used to being seat-belted in with my harness now but I’d still rather be a copilot than a backseat driver!

I had a few accidents in the first week when I arrived at my foster home, but not since. I get it! As for leash walking—I am not bad, though am not yet perfect either. I don’t drag my human but I do like to sniff and stop and check things out, so you have to have some patience. I am not leash reactive at all (so nice!) and I usually ignore other people and dogs walking by when out on a leashed walk. My foster mom says that’s awesome!

At home I’ve mostly stayed off the furniture unless I’m invited up, which impresses my foster mom because the other dogs are total couch hogs. The other night I climbed into her lap when she was on a chair and we just snuggled for a while. I am very content lying on a soft dog bed as long as I’m in the same room as my people.

Cohabitation

Right now I’m living with two dogs and a cat. I really like having fur friends around because they keep me company. I’m awesome with the dogs!

I’m also ok with the cat, but do like to chase her when she gets running and jumping around, especially when the young dog in the house starts the chase game. My foster mom mostly blames the younger dog and it’s true, he is the instigator.

I’m super great in public and sometimes I start to suspect that I’m a model or a movie star! My foster mom took me to a local brewery on bingo night for a photo shoot and I smiled and hammed it up for the camera and they even let me sit at the bar and tempted me with a beer! Bad humans…I politely declined! I also went to meet Santa! He seemed nice and gave me treats. There were dogs of all sizes there (even a bunny visited!) and I was on my best behavior.

I haven’t met many kids, except at the Santa photo shoot. I didn’t behave any differently around them than I do when I meet anyone else, so my foster mom thinks I’d be okay with older kids. I’m very gentle and don’t have any problems meeting anyone.

Favorite Activities

  • Walks! Sniffing and checking out my neighborhood is fun!
  • Getting scratches and pets and love!
  • Watching and learning from my human(s)!
  • Doing things that will get me treats!
  • Lying at my human’s feet or in a comfy bed!
  • Hamming it up for the camera!
  • Eating treats and snacks!

Medical

I was really skinny so I’m still working on gaining weight and will be neutered once I’m healthy enough. When I went to the vet, she thought she heard a heart murmur, but she thought it might be because I was so skinny, so maybe as I gain weight that won’t be an issue, we will see what she thinks at our next visit. Otherwise, I seem in great shape!

Summary

My foster mom tells me I’m the easiest dog she’s ever had (and she’s had 11 dogs including fosters). I am a lover all the way and will be so grateful to have a home that gives me treats and pets and a soft snuggly bed. I’d love a chill brother or sister dog to keep me company and help show me the ropes around your place.

Are you my family?

If you are interested in adopting me, please fill out an online adoption application and live close to Ithaca , Syracuse, Binghamton, Rochester, or Elmira. We do home visits on every applicant, and can’t do home visits where we don’t have local volunteers.

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