Freckles

My story

Freckles - 11 wks, 4 lbs, Chi Mix, Neutered Estimated between 15 to 20 full grown  This is eligible to join our foster-to-adopt program. Please email fostertoadopt@socialteesnyc.org with the animal’s name in the subject line if you are interested! Want to straight up adopt? Submit an adoption application at socialteesnyc.org. Thier Foster Parent Says: "It's been such a joy having Freckles with us! Even though he's a little shy when he first meets new people and other dogs, he really blossoms quickly with just a bit of time and patience. We were so happy to see that even on his very first day with our two adult and senior dogs (both SocialTees alums! @miloandtrudy), he became inquisitive and playful within just a few hours. It's hard to believe he's only been with us for four days, because he already confidently leads our two dogs in his zoomies all through our railroad apartment. Every day, he becomes a little braver and more confident. It's amazing to see him go from shaking in fear on the sidewalk to walking confidently side-by-side with our other dogs on his leash (for two whole avenue blocks today!). He was very relaxed and has even started to go potty outside during our walks which is a big step. He still uses his wee wee pads in between walks, and he already knows that those are the designated spots. He likes going into his crate for naps as much as cuddling up on top of us including our big dog Milo. He may be small but he has a big personality with a sense of humor! Having had a lot of experiences with raising dogs from puppies, I can also tell he's very smart and already learned a few commands very quickly with treats - he learned "come," "sit," "paw," and "stay" in just a few tries. He also has been sleeping through the night which is a huge plus. Whomever adopts little Freckles is going to be very lucky to have such a good boy!" Level of dog ownership experience needed:INTERMEDIATE: As an adult, this dog will need significant structure and plenty of daily exercise, training, and mental stimulation – 90 consecutive minutes of movement in the morning plus potty break walks and brain games throughout the day. The adopter must have relevant primary care experience with a similar breed, temperament, and/or energy level. (Primary care experience includes ownership, fostering, or dog sitting as an adult, not a dog you grew up with.) Relevant puppy care experience is a huge plus, but bare minimum the adopter must have TONS of time and patience. Raising a puppy can be a lot of fun, but it’s also  tremendous work. Puppies’ personalities and exercise/stimulation requirements change dramatically between now and when they’re a year old as their bodies and brains develop, so an active lifestyle and the ability to adapt to a pup’s evolving needs are a must. We strongly urge professional dog training with a rewards based trainer from the get go. Adults only or kids ages 8 and up – all puppies go through a mouthy, rambunctious phase and often accidentally hurt children when playing. PLEASE DO YOUR OWN BREED RESEARCH to make sure you have a better understanding of the kind of temperament and exercise requirements this dog may have as an adult. Energy levelMEDIUM: Very young puppies sleep and nap a lot, but their energy level skyrockets when they become teens (4 months to around a year). As an adult, this dog will need significant structure and plenty of daily exercise, training, and mental stimulation – 90 consecutive minutes of movement in the morning plus potty break walks and brain games throughout the day at a minimum. (This is regardless of dog size – many small breeds were designed for lots of activity and will exhibit unwanted behavior when they’re understimulated.)  Potty trained?Working on this skill. Potty training takes a lot of patience, consistency, and clean up.  Cuddle Bug LevelMedium — Likes to snuggle when he's in the mood but often stays in his own bed  Comfy with strangers?Sort of — Fine with meeting new people but not particularly interested, kind of shy in busy social situations like a gathering or a packed day in the park.  Comfortable with Children? (ALWAYS requires supervision)Not a great match for a home with kids — calm teenagers and up is okay, this pup is either mouthy and rambunctious or sensitive and requires either a low key, quiet home or a grownup only home willing do training  Social with Other Dogs?Yes — Good with all other dogs (sizes, breeds, etc.) as far as we know and enjoys socializing with other canines Respectful of Other Animals? (cats, small pets, etc.)N/A — he hasn't noticed the pigeons on the sidewalk at all so far and has not seen any other animals or dogs that are smaller than he. we have a 22 lb dog and a 49 lb dog and he's getting on well with them. Mouthy Behavior?High – Is either still in the puppy stage or was never trained to not be mouthy. Wants to put everything in their mouth. Tries to chew on your hands when playing or needs attention, grabs the leash with its mouth, loves to gnaw on your personal belongings. *doesn't grab leash or any of our personal belongings but he's definitely mouthy when he plays since he's a pup.  Leash Manners?Getting the Hang of it – Probably hasn’t been on a leash much in its life but he/she is figuring it out. Might be a mild puller but responds to correction. *hasn't pulled/stays and walks behind me Okay in the city?Sort of — Spooked easily by loud noises and bustling areas but walks pretty well and probably just needs more time to adjust (may be a puppy or a brand new rescue)  Jumping on People to Say Hi?Medium – Jumps up only on people the dog knows when really excited. Stops with correction.  Separation Anxiety?Medium – Might cry for a few minutes when you first leave the house but settles pretty quickly and has no problem being left alone.  Crate training?Yep/mostly – Seems comfortable in the crate, may whine a little at first but settles pretty quickly. We use the crate when we leave the pup alone and/or at night.  Medical status:Healthy as far as we know. Up to date on their DHPP and Bordetella vaccines (for dogs under 4 months old, adopters will need to finish the DHPP vaccine series and administer the Rabies vaccine at 16 weeks of age), spayed/neutered; microchipped; treated with dewormer upon How this dog ended up with Social Tees:Most of our dogs come via partner groups who help us save them from shelters where they are at risk of euthanasia in Tennessee or St. Thomas. There are very few spay/neuter resources there and many more animals in those areas than there are people to adopt them. Rescue groups like ours bring them to the northeast where the desire for pets like these allows us to save their lives.  PLEASE NOTE: We cannot guarantee any breed mix, exact age, or full grown size (if the dog is under a year old). We do our best with very educated guesses though!  This animal is not at the Social Tees office, all are in foster homes. LEARN MORE ABOUT US: socialteesnyc.org and Instagram @socialteesnyc ##2385279##

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Freckles, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.