Luz - 4 months & 19 lbs (as of 2/13), Terrier Mix, Female
Expected full grown size 45lbs
This puppy 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.
Their Foster Parent Says: "Luz has stolen my heart from day one with her loving and spunky personality. She is the perfect blend of playful puppy and loving companion. When she isn't zooming around the apartment playing with her kong, she's the ultimate cuddle bug. From our very first night together, she made it clear that her favorite place is napping in my lap. One of her cutest habits is that she will give me hugs when I let her out of her crate, which completely melts my heart every time. Watching Luz blossom and learn has been incredibly beautiful and rewarding. She will bring so much joy and love to the right home - the lucky family who gets to be hers will gain a truly one-of-a-kind companion.
As a puppy still transitioning to city life, Luz is making solid progress every day. While the winter weather has been an adjustment, she's quickly made progress walking on the leash. She's a fast learner who consistently uses her wee-wee pads when she needs to go to the bathroom inside and is already mastering commands like 'sit.' Indoors where she feels secure, her personality genuinely shines - she's incredibly affectionate, playful, and curious. While she can be a bit shy with strangers on the street, she warms up quickly in comfortable settings. Luz is also proving to be great with other animals - she's currently coexisting with my cat, showing little interest in chasing her or other small animals outside. With other dogs, she's comfortable with smaller pups and is building confidence around larger ones. She's shown great progress with crate training in just a few days and sleeps through the night in her crate as long as I'm nearby."
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 level
MEDIUM: 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.)
Cuddle Bug Level: High — Adores all humans, loves to be in laps, gives hugs
Potty Trained: Working on it — Good with wee-wee pads, still adjusting to outdoor potty training due to cold weather
Comfy with strangers: Yes — Sometimes shy on the streets but warms up quickly in comfortable environments
Good with Children:Yes… but most puppies are not a great match for a home with kids under age 8 because they go through intense mouthy play and rambunctious phases and often accidentally hurt young kids while playing. Children must always be monitored and taught to interact with dogs of any age respectfully.
Good with Other Dogs: Yes. Some puppies are shy, others are bold, but all have the potential to be taught healthy socializing skills. It’s a huge part of raising a puppy and must be done carefully. How they interact with other dogs depends largely on how their humans help them learn to.
Good with Other Animals: Yes — Currently living harmoniously with a cat
Mouthy Behavior: Medium— Respects feet and hands but still learning not to chew on shoes/furniture
Leash Manners: Getting the hang of it — Prefers sitting and can get distracted, but making strong progress
Okay in the city: Still adjusting — Strongly dislikes the cold weather but acclimating well otherwise
Jumping on People to Say Hi: Medium — Jumps only when excited about treats/food, not when greeting people
Separation Anxiety: MEDIUM: Most puppies have some level of separation anxiety as they learn to self soothe. Often they cry the first 10+ minutes when they are left home alone or in a crate. Consistent training and alone time is crucial.
Crate training: Yep — Comfortable sleeping in crate at night as long as you're nearby
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
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