Quick Facts:
- Breed: Lab mix
- Gender: Female, spayed
- Age: 2 years old
- Size: 35 pounds
- Good with…
- Dogs? No, sorry!
- Cats? No, sorry!
- Kids? 8+ years!
Hi! My name is Poppy, and I am a cute, cuddly and quirky mini Lab mix!
***Poppy is staying with her owners!***
Why I am Looking for a New Home
I was rescued from the streets of Tucson, Arizona when I was only 1 month old. I was very skinny and scared, but was nursed back to health by Tucson Cause for Canines. When I was 6 months old, my parents moved to Tucson and adopted me as a companion for their older dog Petunia!
Petunia and I became fast friends, and have shared many exciting adventures and afternoon snuggles together. However, I occasionally feel threatened by having to share my space with my sister (maybe due to my unsure start to life), and end up starting a fight. We are quick to make up and return to playing and/or snuggling, but now that we are back in Ithaca and living in a much smaller home, my sister and I are fighting more regularly. My parents think that I would be much happier as an only dog, and would enjoy the love of humans without the competition of a doggy sibling!
Personality
I am a little shy when you first meet me, but once we know each other I am eager to share my affection! My favorite way to start the day is giving my humans lots of kisses as soon as they wake up! Sometimes they try to hide under the blankets, but I can usually poke my nose under and find them and kiss-kiss-kiss!! It cracks them up and we all think it’s a super way to start the day!
I am smart and am a fast learner, and quickly pick up new tricks and commands. My favorite sentence is “do you want to go for a walk?”. As soon as I hear that my tail starts wagging and soon my whole body is wiggling and wagging too! I am happiest walking in nature or in big parks where I can have my own space, as I do get nervous walking close to other dogs. In Tucson, my parents took me up in the mountains to hike, and I enjoyed the car ride almost as much as the hiking! Once on the trails, I prefer to keep my ears tucked back for streamline efficiency, but any interesting sights or sounds make me perk them up and cock my head to side – my humans say this makes me look like a cute little gargoyle!
As enthusiastic as I am about my walks, I put equal importance on nap time! I am content to lay in the fenced back yard taking in the sights and sounds of the great outdoors, or snuggle up in a cozy spot indoors for hours. If its a hot day I love to stretch out on a cool floor with my legs straight out behind me (my humans are always impressed with my frog-dog flexibility)! On a cool day I curl up into the most compact little ball of fur. No matter what the weather, I will happily roll on my back when asked “do you want a belly scratch?”
While I used to have some trouble controlling my puppy urges, I am now a good girl and respect my parent’s belongings when I am home alone. I still occasionally carry a shoe onto the living room floor and untie the laces… but that is all, I just untie them…which apparently is very funny and amusing to humans! I would very much enjoy having dog toys to chew on, especially if I don’t have to share with a doggy sibling!
Cohabitation
I love people! I am always super excited to see people I know (which I express with lots of tail wagging, wiggling and generous dog kisses)! I also like meeting new people, but will occasionally get nervous and bark if a new person gets in my face too quickly or makes too much eye contact right off the bat. Even if we get off on the wrong foot though, I am quick to get over it and become friends with anyone new!
I need to be in a home without other dogs. Though I get along great with my sister 95% of the time, the 5% when I don’t makes life hard for everybody. I also should be left out of social situations where there are other dogs present, meaning, please don’t take me to dog parks, or over to your friend’s houses if they have dogs in the home. I’d love to go visit your friends though if they are pet-free! Then I will get all of their love and attention!
I have not met any cats yet, but it would probably be best for me to avoid sharing a home with one, given my trouble sharing with other dogs.
I also have not spent much time with children, but I am sure I would love to play with kids that are old enough to respect my boundaries!
Favorite Activities
- Walking / hiking on leash!
- Learning new tricks!
- Napping!
- Snuggling!
- Riding in cars!
- Tummy rubs!
Medical
I am in perfect health!
Summary
I am an extremely cute and affectionate dog, with a quirky personality that keeps everybody entertained! I need to find a home where I can relax, feel safe and don’t have to share with another dog.
I am an athletic pup, and do need regular exercise! However, once we have had time to play or take a walk, I am very content to take long naps and rest up for our next adventure! I can’t wait to meet you!
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.
