Meet Tyson! This silver lab weighs in at a whopping 100 lbs and is looking for someone to help him on his weight-loss journey. He loves a good game of fetch or a nice long walk and then he’s ready to keep you company while you watch your favorite shows. This big boy is a strong puller on leash, but he’s very and working on getting better at his leash skills using his favorite thing: treats! Tyson can be very vocal, especially around new people so be prepared for some barking! He is weary with strangers and will take time to get to know you. Older kids that would be comfortable with a big, sometimes bouncy boy would be fine. Tyson would prefer to be the only dog in the home, but may enjoy some similar-energy dog friends.
If you think that this handsome guy, who has so much potential and love to give, is for you, please fill out the adoption inquiry and tell us more about yourself!
This lovely young girl is a sweet, sensitive pup, who will steal your heart with those big brown eyes. Cindy is just a year old and was pretty worried when first arriving at the shelter. Now that she`s more comfortable, she enjoys leisurely walks around the property and just hanging out with her favorite people. She is perfectly content to quietly keep you company while you work from home, watch tv, fold laundry or anything else you need to do. Cindy is not yet comfortable with lots of petting and may prefer just to be in close proximity to her new family. While she needs to be the only dog in the home, she may eventually be able to have a well matched dog buddy to go on walks together. A dog savvy cat is a possibility. Older kids that will be very respectful of Cindy`s needs, will be considered. If this beauty tugs at your heart and you`d like to find out more about her, please start by filling out the adoption inquiry form in the link below.
http://www.mspca.org/nevinsadoptioninquiry
Moon is a happy, athletic 2 year old that is super affectionate with her friends, so make room on your lap for this good girl. She is already house and crate trained. In her enthusiasm to say hello, Moon can be jumpy, but she is happily working on her manners, at the shelter. Her adopters should be excited about continuing to help her achieve best girl status through positive based training. Rumor has it that she can be a bit of a houdini, so she will require careful supervision, even in fenced areas. Moon may enjoy the company of another calm dog, that still enjoys play sessions. She politely declines the company of felines. Older, sturdy kids that are comfortable with a large dog and can be consistently respectful of her needs, will be considered. Are you over the Moon, for this girl??? If so, start by filling out the adoption inquiry form in the link below.
http://www.mspca.org/nevinsadoptioninquiry
Vader is a handsome, wiggly, super happy 8 month old boy that`s waiting to start his happy ever after. He is looking for an adult only home with an adopter who is excited to help him achieve best boy status by using gentle, rewards based training at all times. Vader loves his treats and is very smart, which makes training lots of fun! He can potentially live with another, well matched dog that enjoys his wrestle play style, but interactions will need to be well managed. Vader has shown that he`s not comfortable having anyone share his space while eating or enjoying a chewy, so management is the key to success. He politely declines the company of any felines in his new home. If you think your home is the right fit for this young boy who is chock full of potential, please start by filling out the adoption inquiry form in the link below.
http://www.mspca.org/nevinsadoptioninquiry
Meet Walnut! This most handsome of beagles is ready to find a home of his own! Walnut is active, curious and smart! He loves to go for walks and is treat motivated, which makes learning easier! He is still learning about all of the things the world has to offer, so he is looking for a patient home willing to help him experience new things at his own pace. Walnut can become stressed when he is alone, so he would do best in a home where someone is home a lot and can help him transition and build up to spending more time by himself. He could potentially live with another easygoing dog who can be a good role model for Walnut. Older kids who participate in his training would also be okay.
Meet Sugah! Just as his name implies, this guy is a sweet as they come. In typical Husky fashion, Sugah has both energy and personality to spare. He’s looking for an adventure buddy who is as excited about being active as he is. He will be a bit of a project in terms of his inside manners – think of him more like a puppy trapped in a big dog body! We think that with a good training and management plan for home and a summer itinerary that includes lots of hiking and swimming, Sugah will make a really wonderful companion. Sugah likes other dogs but his play style can be a lot – we think he may be able to live with a really good helper dog, or would be satisfied just having some walking buddies. He has never lived with a cat, but we would be happy to talk to you more about your dog-savvy cat as a potential friend for Sugah. We think he would do well with older kids who are comfortable with a big, bouncy dog and are excited to help with his training. To learn more about Sugah, submit an inquiry today.
This handsome young guy is sweet, fun and full of energy. Marshall is just a year old and he`s been happily working on leash manners and polite greetings, especially since treats are involved, which means training is a blast for him. He`s a people kind of dog and would do best in a setting where someone is home more often than not and has a predictable schedule. Since Marshall is still quite young and learning the ins and out of good manners, puppy proofing the home will be a great way to help him be successful. His new family should be excited to continue his positive training to help him achieve best boy status. Marshall may be happiest as the only dog in the home, but could potentially join a home with a very well matched friend, with proper management. A dog savvy cat is also a possibility, but again will require well managed introductions. Older kids that can participate in his training will be considered.
http://www.mspca.org/nevinsadoptioninquiry
Meet Ty! This petite little lady is a natural athlete, and is looking for a quiet home with room to zoom! She’ll need some time to settle in first, though, as she can be quite worried about new people or places. We think Ty would do best in an adult-only home where she can settle in slowly. She also likes to stay busy, and will do best with lots of enrichment to keep her occupied! Ty would prefer to be the only pet in the home, since she is pretty selective about her dog friends. If you think Ty is the sweet little homebody for you, fill out an inquiry today!
This handsome, stocky little guy answers to Milo and he loves to snuggle after playtime. He is 9 months old and weighs about 54 pounds. Milo is a bit of `work in progress`, so his adopters should be excited to help him achieve best boy status using gentle, reward based training at all times. Prior to arriving at the shelter, Milo led a very sheltered life and is now hard at work learning the basics of good manners. In his quest for attention and love, Milo can sometimes become over excited leading to some jumpy/mouthy behaviors, so kids over the age of 10, who are comfortable with dogs, are the best fit. He can also be a bit vocal, so apartments/condos would not be appropriate. Since Milo was trained to use pee pads in his previous home, he will need a consistent potty schedule and patience when the inevitable accidents occur as he is learning to do his business outside. He can potentially live with another dog, but this will require another layer of management for adopters. No cats at this time simply because Milo needs to concentrate on settling in. We know that Milo has great potential to mature into a wonderful, lifelong companion who will happily provide sloppy kisses and oodles of love to his family. If you think you are ready to help this good boy and love him already, please start by filling out the adoption inquiry form in the link below.
http://www.mspca.org/nevinsadoptioninquiry
This handsome boy is 2 years old and loves to go for walks in quiet areas. Chester is 60 pounds of happy with people he`s comfortable with. Since he is a worrier and a bit fearful of new people, a low traffic home that doesn`t have new people coming and going is appropriate for him. His adopters should allow him time to quietly transition to their home, giving him the opportunity to choose when to say hello. Chester would love to be with someone who`s home more often than not, so he can keep them company and show them what a good boy he is. Mental enrichment with things like food puzzles, treat dispensers and chews will keep him happy and entertained while in the home. While Chester should be the only pet in the home, he may eventually be able to have a well matched dog friend to go on walks together. He is not a candidate for daycare or dog parks. He can potentially live with older teens that will consistently be respectful of his needs. Chester is ready to be the loving companion to someone that thinks he`s wonderful, just the way he is. If you think you and Chester are great for each other, please start by filling out the adoption inquiry form in the link below.
http://www.mspca.org/nevinsadoptioninquiry
Meet Sophie! This special lady is on the road to emotional and physical healing after our Law Enforcement department joined Agawam Police and Animal Control to rescue Sophie last month after neighbors complained they could hear her being hit and crying in pain. Her owner is being charged with two counts of felony animal cruelty. She was immediately brought to our Boston shelter, where veterinarians examined her and found that in addition to being emaciated, she had anemia, a fractured tooth, and a thin coat.
Since then, we have been helping her get healthy and giving her lots of love! Sophie is incredibly friendly and loving, despite her past trauma. She is healthy now but she’s learning some behavior skills from scratch because normal forms of dog communication were ignored in her last home. Despite her history, Sophie has a big personality and is silly and engaging. She loves being around people. We know that Sophie can thrive in the right home with hero adopters who are able to continue the behavior support she’s been receiving in our care. We’re looking for an adopter in an adult-only household with no other pets. If you can be Sophie’s hero, inquire at mspca.org/bostonadopt ??
POSITIVES:
-Playful young dog with training potential
-Energetic and up for adventures
-Loves to play with other high-energy dogs
-Affectionate when she knows you!
POTENTIAL CHALLENGES:
-Cosette will be a project dog. She is young, energetic, and has significant gaps in training. She will need adopters who are ready for what this entails. Adopters will need to be willing to take training classes and be open to proper training techniques. She will also need a lot of enrichment in her day-to-day life – enrichment feeding, puzzle toys, lickie-mats/kongs, etc will all help keep her happy and entertained.
-Cosette can get overstimulated sometimes. Knowing when to keep energy levels low to keep her from becoming overstimulated, and knowing when it is appropriate to be playful and active is important for managing and working on this. This can manifest into jumping or becoming fixated and mouthy. Discuss redirection.
-Cosette can sometimes get mouthy during handling. During some instances of close handling, Cosette has mouthed as a way of communicating discomfort. Discuss petting consent and touch gradient.
-Cosette has shown some uncertainty around strangers. She has the potential to become reactive toward strangers if not addressed. On walks you should always keep her at a distance from strangers where she isn’t fixated on them or reactive and make any instance she is aware of someone’s presence a positive experience. Discuss “look at that” and “engage/disengage.”
-Cosette can be uncertain of her environment at times. Despite being young and playful, she is still learning how to be confident in new environments. Experiences with socialization should always be carefully managed and positive experiences. Knowledge of body language and signs of overwhelm are crucial to knowing when to end an interaction. Environments should be managed as much as possible and start small before getting bigger.
-Despite her size, Cosette is still a puppy in many ways. She will need all the considerations a puppy does when going home. Housebreaking, crate-training, and careful management of the environment to set her up for success. Discuss environment management, puppy-proofing, etc.
DOGS: With a good fit. She has found success playing with other dogs that match her energy here at the shelter – dogs that are also high energy and into playing rough. She may benefit from having another dog in the home that can be an outlet for her and be a helper.
CATS: No. She has shown prey drive here at the shelter and doesn’t currently possess the training or restraint that would be needed to successfully live with cats, but maybe someday.
KIDS: Possibly – Older children or teenagers who are interested in being a part of her training and are able to understand and respect body language.
HANDOUTS REQUIRED: Setting Up for Success, Bringing Your New Dog Home, Housetraining, Body Language, Constructional Affection How To, Fear Free Veterinarians, High Arousal Dogs, Crate Training, Dog Parks, Food Toys, How to Teach Give, Loose Leash Walking, Successful Confinement, Managing Leash Reactivity, Mouthing, Throw out the Food Bowl, What is Clicker Training?, When to Manage/When to Train
ADDITIONAL TRAINING/VISITS: May need multiple meets to be comfortable. How to Train Your Dog 1 class required!
Calling all beagle lovers! This sweet girl is full of happy beagle energy. Her big beagle ears flap in the wind as she bounds to say hello to new friends. Lucy is about 3 years old but behaves more like a puppy lots of fun, lots to learn. We think Lucy would do well with a confident adult dog friend that can be both her playmate and her teacher. Lucy should be in an adult home as she can be a little rough when she gets excited, but shes working hard to learn a gentler approach. Dog-savvy cats who have their own space in the home could be a fit as well. If youd like to learn more about Lucy, submit an inquiry today!
http://www.mspca.org/nevinsadoptioninquiry
POSITIVES:
-sweet, mellow lady
-happy to stroll around the block, doesn’t have crazy exercise needs
-playful and snuggly once she warms up
CHALLENGES:
-Fearful: has had a challenging transition in the shelter due to fear – has taken time for her to make friends/solicit attention from people, avoids interactions with new people. Adopter will need to be able to go at her pace during meet and for first several weeks/months at home, have realistic expectations for timeline it could take for settling in/decompression. Discuss body language indicative of Bella’s fear. Petting consent. Transitional space for her to settle in before giving her additional access in the house. Small bubble – may never be a social butterfly. *Possible that adopter will need to address fear before being able to take her outside*
-Handling sensitivity: not comfortable with handling from people that aren’t in her circle – body language to express discomfort includes a stiff body, holding her breath, hard stare/whale eye. She will often approach and then retreat – discuss importance of listening to her communication to prevent her from saying it more loudly the next time, removing pressure/attention when she approaches to reinforce, etc. Strongly recommend working with Fear Free vet and groomer – should consider talking to vet about oral sedation for grooming appointments to help her feel more comfortable.
-Housetraining: not completely housetrained in last home, will need adopter who is patient. Discuss management, using a confinement space, getting her on a schedule, never punishing accidents, etc.
DOGS: other mellow dogs ok
CATS: ok, good hx living with a cat
KIDS: no thank you
HANDOUTS: bringing home new dog, setting up for success, dog body lang, body lang of fear, building confidence with distance, management for fearful dog, fear free vets, housetraining, crate training
TRAINING/VISITS: no training included, may require more than one visit depending on Bella’s comfort level.
Meet Choco! This silly looking little guy is full of pizaz in his 20 pound body! Choco is super active and treat motivated, he loves to learn and would benefit from practicing all kinds of doggie manners. He has a big personality and is looking and would do best in a home without a lot of close neighbors. Choco has been a little shy when in new situations, but once he settles in we think he will be more affectionate and social, which is how he was described by his previous owner. Choco has lived with another dog, but is a little bit unsure when he meets new friends. We think he would do best as the only pet in the home so he can get plenty of TLC and be the center of attention. He does bark when he sees other dogs outside sometimes, but with training practice has already shown some improvement. Choco would prefer to live in an adult only home.
Meet Penny! That means brace yourself for this spring-loaded jumping bean of energy. We have had the great pleasure of getting to know Penny pretty well in the adoption center, that means we know her to be a complicated lady. Sometimes she is bouncy and wild and ready for action, sometimes she is quite fearful and quiet, trying to make herself disappear. Life with Penny will mean helping her navigate the world when she is being silly and when she is afraid. She`s looking for an adopter who is excited about helping her become the very best version of herself – but we already think she is pretty great. Penny might be able to live with a confident and tolerant helper dog, but says no thank you to cats and kids. If you`d like to learn more about Penny, submit an inquiry today!
The first thing you notice about 2 year old Bear, is his sweet, handsome face. The second is that he can be a bit shy meeting new people. But once he`s comfy, he`s happy to be your big, bouncy, silly friend that tries to squeeze onto your lap. Bear was very worried when he first arrived at the shelter and adopters should anticipate that this worry may resurface when transitioning to his new home. Ample time should be given to Bear to settle in and become comfortable before well managed introductions to non household members are made. This big guy can sometimes have a big bark, so he`s not a good candidate for apartment living. Bear should be the only dog in the home, but may be able to have a carefully matched dog walking buddy, but no daycare/dog parks for him. He may be able to join a home with a dog savvy cat. Older, sturdy kids that are comfortable around big, sometimes bouncy dogs and who can be consistently respectful of Bears needs, will be considered. If you think this good boy is just the one you need to complete your family, please start by filling out the adoption inquiry form in the link below.
http://www.mspca.org/nevinsadoptioninquiry
Meet Spencer! This handsome, senior boy is so friendly and social. He makes a great welcoming committee, he loves to wiggle and wag whenever he meets new people. Spencer can be playful and loves to go for walks. He was housetrained in his previous home and can relax at home on his own. Spencer would likely be okay with older kids, but would prefer to be the only pet in the home. He has been able to meet other dogs, but gets a little vocal when he sees dogs walking by. This charming man is just about the perfect mix of friendly and easygoing.
Meet Remi, the reigning World Fetching Champion himself. This big-eared friend has never met a tennis ball he didn’t like. New friends, on the other hand, he can sometimes be a bit wary of. Remi is looking for an adopter who appreciates his reserved nature – he saves his best silly moves and fetching prowess for only his closest friends. While people can be a little scary, Remi thinks having a dog friend who he hangs out with sometimes would be great fun, but doesn’t like to share his food or favorite things so he says no thanks to living with one and would prefer no kids. Submit an inquiry today to learn more about Remi!
Meet Daisy! No one knows how to enjoy a summer day more than Daisy! This wonderful lady might be 10 years old, but you would never know it! She has the spirit of a spring chicken and would make a great adventure buddy. Daisy loves to splash around, go for walks and romp around in the yard, but don’t worry after all of that she is ready for a nice long nap! In typical pittie fashion Daisy can be a bit stubborn and spends a part of her walks trying to convince you that she knows the best way to go. Daisy would prefer to be the only dog in the home and thinks she’s queen of every castle, so she doesn’t need any canine friends. She has a smile that can light up a room and has yet to meet a human she didn’t like. Daisy has met lots of kids and has enjoyed saying hello and cleaning any food off of their faces and hands. We think she would likely do okay with kids who are comfortable around and gentle with dogs!
Meet Dozer! This 3 month old, lab-pit mix is a slobbery cuddle bug looking for a new best friend. This adorable pup is very food motivated and working on his manners by getting lots of yummy treats as reinforcement. Like any puppy, Dozer will need help with basics like housetraining and keeping his paws on the floor. We’re not sure exactly how big he’ll grow to be, but we expect he’ll be a large bouncy boy!
Interested in adopting? Fill out an inquiry and tell us about yourself!
Heidi is 9 months old, and is just as athletic and energetic as she is gorgeous! While she is on the shy side, once she feels comfortable her silly playful side shines through! Heidi will need patient adopters that can give her plenty of time and space to settle into her new life. Because there is no history of Heidi`s past, adopters should plan to be flexible with her training needs as she matures.
While Heidi takes a while to warm up to new people, she adores other dogs! Heidi will be most successful in an adult-only home with a calm, well mannered (but playful!) resident dog who can be a good role model for her. With appropriate, well managed introductions, she may be able to live with a cat. If you think you`ve got the time and energy for this gorgeous shepherd pup, please start by filling out the adoption inquiry form in the link below.
http://www.mspca.org/nevinsadoptioninquiry