BUTTERCUP
Buttercup (ADOPTED!) is approximately a 1.5 years old and weighs about 25 pounds. We rescued her 2 weeks before she gave birth to a litter of puppies (all adopted), and she has proven to be quite the puppy herself. Her fosters call her a “good dog.” She will look you in the eye with an intelligence and expressiveness that is almost human. Buttercup will make someone a wonderful companion, but she needs people who are ready to play with and exercise a dog who is rambunctious, playful and always ready to go!
Her breed is something of a mystery - she has little, short legs on a well-muscled body, upright ears, and though she looks black, she is actually a very dark chocolate color that shows itself it bright sunlight. Buttercup has been a wonderful mother to her puppies and even when her time was consumed with chasing them around and nursing, she would always take time to get cuddles from her people. Her fosters often wake up in the middle of the night to find that Buttercup has joined them in bed, snuggled up as close as possible, usually with her head buried under their pillows.
Buttercup is very bright and is usually a quiet girl. She came to us knowing a few things. She is housebroken and seems to know right from wrong when it comes to household rules. She knows how to sit, but will need practice with other basic obedience commands, like “come” and “stay.’ Our girl rides very nicely and quietly in the car. She also has a few quirks that are sure to put a smile on your face. She is an expert at offering her paw for a “high five” or “shake” – sometimes even slipping her paw into your hand when you aren’t expecting it. She absolutely loves a nice fluffy blanket and will dig and squirm around in it until it’s just right for a nap. Usually ending up with just her nose exposed for breathing. Blankets are also a favorite place for to her to hide her treasures. She digs and dexterously uses her nose to tuck away toys and chewies for later.
Buttercup loves to be outdoors and seems to find everything interesting in some way! She truly relishes rolling around in the grass on a sunny day or stretching out and dragging her belly across the lawn. She can often be found lying outside, belly up, in a patch of sunshine. As a young, active dog, Buttercup would do best in a home that can provide her with both mental stimulation and physical activities. She is a smart, athletic, high energy dog that loves nothing more than to play all day and then crawl into your lap for a nap and some ear rubs. Buttercup is happiest after a nice long walk or a game of chase in the yard. She seems to be most content with a good snuggle at the end of a long, busy day. She would love several walks a day, to sniff and explore, as well as interactive play time with her people. She likes to play ball and fetch sticks. She also enjoys brain-stimulating puzzle toys that require a little mental agility and reasoning for a tasty treat (i.e. Kongs, bob-a-lot).
In the evenings, when on a long leash, and distractions are minimal, Buttercup walks calmly. She has more trouble staying focused during the day, when on a shorter (4-6 ft. leash) and more control is needed. At these times, she often pulls to investigate bushes or leaves blowing in the wind, and is reactive (barking and pulling) if she strangers, other dogs and bicycles at a distance. She is fine, however, when people and bicycles come close. We believe that if meeting others while she is off-leash, she would not be reactive.
Buttercup’s experience with other dogs is limited. Because she has spent most of her time inside with her puppies, there have not been many opportunities for her to interact with other dogs. However, she was living with several other young social dogs and pups at the shelter before she came to us. Like most dogs in “mommy-mode,” Buttercup became more defensive of other dogs after her puppies came. When the time for her to nest came along, she didn’t even want her foster brother around anymore (with whom she had got along with up until then). We believe that if given the choice, she would prefer the company of people over dogs and that, with some practice, she can be comfortable around other dogs once again.
She is currently living at a foster home with four cats. It took a few weeks for everyone to learn to get along. Buttercup would need reminding that the cats don’t appreciate being chased and that they definitely don’t want to wrestle like puppies. Her urges to chase them have since faded and she is trusted to be left home alone with them.
We will schedule her spay surgery as advised by our veterinarian. As with all our dogs, she will be up-to-date on her vaccinations, microchipped and started on heartworm prevention.
If you are interested in meeting Buttercup, please begin our pre-adoption approval process by completing our online adoption form. Click on “Adopt” at the top of the page, for our online Adoption Form. If you have specific questions, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..