Quick Facts:
- Breed: Pitbull mix
- Gender: Female
- Age: 7 Months old
- Size: 39 pounds (and growing!)
- Good with…
- Dogs? Yes!
- Cats? Yes!
- Kids? Yes!
Hi I’m Harper, I love all people, new friends and old, men and women, children and seniors!
History
My background is sad. I was probably born with demodectic mange (the kind of mange that is not contagious to people or other animals). I had no medical treatment and was kept in a bathroom itching like crazy for months. This created a lot of infection and wounds on my skin and I had no relief. I was also very malnourished/super skinny and dehydrated. I got rescued and my rescuer immediately took me to the vet hospital, and they kept me for 3 days in order to get me stable. I am so grateful for that! But THEN…things got even better! I got to come home from the hospital to my foster mom (she was my rescuer!) and she fed me and bathed me and played with me and, most important of all… she and her friends have been loving me up non-stop since Christmas!!! I am such a deeply happy and joyful girl! And I am sooo much better–my skin is healing and I am putting weight on and I love waking up in the morning and starting each new day!
Personality
The dog-savvy people I have met since I was rescued call me a “unicorn” dog, aka “amazing dog” which means I check all the important boxes. I love all people, new friends and old, men and women, children and seniors! I love running and playing and eating but also am calm (for a puppy!) and love resting and sleeping in my big, soft, cozy bed. I am house broken. I settle beautifully in the evening and sleep quietly overnight for 8 straight hours! Now that I am comfy in my foster home I am learning to stay alone (with a cottage cheese Kong, please) and after two weeks am already staying alone for a few hours without crying. I have shown zero aggression of any sort. I have learned to sit, am working on stay, keep checking in with you when on my leash walks, and want nothing more than to make you happy!!
I am easily frightened so I need a family/person that will be patient introducing me to new adventures. I am afraid of the dark so even though I have a fenced in yard my foster mom always comes outside with me when it is dark out. I was afraid of bathrooms but that seems to be resolving. Mostly, I am completely open-hearted and positive to anything my foster mom introduces me to SLOWLY.
Because I am still a puppy sometimes my enthusiasm takes over and I want to jump up and kiss you all over. If you tell me no, I will stop, but then I will remember how much I love you and might do it again. That is the only concern you need to have with me around small children and seniors: I cannot contain my love.
I LOVE my walks! But I get so happy on my walks I sometimes pull and jump and bite my leash out of pure joy. I stop when told no, but I will need some work and patience with that.
Cohabitation
I am amazingly calm for a puppy but as I heal and get stronger I will need a family/person that will be able to take me on long walks to use up my energy, ideally with another SWEET, gentle dog that will play with me (not one that will frighten me, please!). I love my fenced-in backyard at my foster home because I can go out and chase sticks and footballs and play with my new favorite friend, a 16-pound chihuahua mix that lives next door. This new friend is teaching me good manners with a smaller dog. I adore him.
Medical
Because I was never taken to a vet before and then was so sick with demodectic mange and its aftermath, I am still recovering. But, I seem to have an extremely healthy constitution. I just got all of my shots and soon will be spayed. My vet is very impressed with how I am bouncing back!
Favorite Activities
- Hands down, my favorite activity is giving and receiving love. Love is my healer, my sustenance, my purpose in this world. I love to snuggle, to sleep with my head on you, to get belly rubs, to just quietly lie close to you, and to make you happy.
- I love having a family.
- I love my wonderful meals and all my snacks throughout the day. I love cottage cheese-filled Kongs.
- I LOVE my walks, playing in my backyard, playing with my best dog friend from next door, and playing with my toys (even by myself!).
- I love waking up each and every morning at my foster home and starting my next wonderful day.
Summary
As you can see, love is who I am. If you are looking for a protector, I am not for you. But if you will love me and play with me and take me on long walks and always, always make me feel safe, I’m your girl!
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.