Meet Sammy!
Sammy is a 4-year-old, neutered male pug weighing around 20 lbs, and he is one of those dogs who is just impossible not to love. He originally came to KPR about two years ago as an owner surrender and returned to KPR due to a change in living situation.
Sammy is very social, incredibly sweet and active. His energy level is a little atypical for a pug, and he needs a family who will give him plenty of physical and mental stimulation. He loves squeaky toys, but his absolute favorite thing is fetch. He will happily play fetch all day long! His favorite toys are the orange and blue Chuckit balls, which we regularly have to retrieve from underneath the furniture.
He loves being included and does great going places. He rides perfectly in his travel crate and enjoys trips to parks, farmers markets, restaurants and anywhere else his people are going.
Sammy gets along wonderfully with dogs of all ages, sizes, genders and temperaments. He also does great with my nieces and nephews, ages 5-13, and we have never seen any aggression toward dogs or children. He previously lived with a cat and did well with one. Sammy is fully crate trained and sleeps in his crate overnight and when we are away from home.
His previous owner had him in an apartment and described him as high-strung and anxious, but we have not really seen that in foster care. We suspect he simply needed more exercise and stimulation. With a fenced yard, Sammy loves to run, explore and get his zoomies out. Once he has had his exercise, he is a snuggly velcro pug who wants to be right beside his people.
Sammy is also very smart and food motivated, so he would love a family willing to work on obedience training. He is a little wild on leash and could use some refinement there. His love of food also means he will happily steal food from plates, children’s hands, counters or tables if given the opportunity. He has also been known to knock over the trash can in pursuit of a snack. He is a smart little guy, so keeping tempting things out of reach and giving him appropriate outlets for his curiosity goes a long way.
The biggest consideration with Sammy is house training. When he is not outside or in his crate, he wears a belly band 100% of the time. We have worked extensively on house training, but unfortunately, he appears to be one of those pugs who will likely never be completely reliable in the house. The good news is that he has no problem wearing a belly band, and this was also part of his routine in his previous home.
Sammy’s Ideal Home
Sammy needs an active family with a securely fenced yard where he can run, explore and get his energy out. He would love a family who enjoys taking their dog along on adventures and is willing to provide plenty of exercise, playtime and mental stimulation.
His ideal home should also be organized and relatively uncluttered. Sammy is curious, clever and very food motivated, so he will investigate anything within reach! His family will need to be comfortable keeping food, trash and other tempting items safely out of reach. He has definitely helped us de-clutter our home!
Sammy can live with other dogs and should do well with respectful children. A dog-savvy cat may also be an option based on his previous history.
Most importantly, his family needs to be comfortable with belly bands being a permanent part of his routine.
Sammy may be a little bit of a menace, but he is also an incredibly sweet, affectionate, happy dog. For the right family, this goofy little guy is going to be an absolute blast.
