Sophia

My story

Pet Location: Wayside Waifs Campus I’m Enrolled In A Training Program: NoCan Live In Apartments: No, I need a fenced yard attached to the residenceRequires Fenced In Yard: YesHousetrained (Potty-trained): NoCan Go Home With Other Dogs: Yes, I must go to a home that already has a friendly confident dog in it that I can learn from.Must Meet Adopter`s Current Dog(s) Before Going Home: NoDoes Well With Cats: UnknownCan Go Home With Children: Yes, kids in the home must be at least 6 or olderMust Meet All Family Members Before Going Home: NoSome of Wayside’s pets are eligible for a Slumber Pawty, a 7-10 day in-home trial period pre-adoption.Slumber Pawty Eligible: NoI need a quiet home environment!This dog is from a puppy mill situation. They will likely need time to adjust to home life. They have lived with many other dogs but have not experienced socialization with people and things like walking on a leash and doorways are challenging for many of them. Dogs from puppy mills can be difficult to housetrain, and adopters should be willing to be patient during this process. Crate training can be very helpful and also give the dog a safe place to call their own. It is also important to let them go at their own pace with building a relationship with their new family and limiting lots of commotion and visitors in the beginning is wise. They have not experienced life outside of the puppy mill, so things could be overwhelming for them at first. Patience and positive interactions are crucial. Aversive methods of training should be avoided. Puppy mill dogs are almost always treat motivated, so using that to build trust and teach new things is the way to go! Adopting a puppy mill dog can be extremely rewarding and the extra time needed to allow them to learn about life and love will be paid back in time!

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