Tucker Pug & Beagle Mix Vancouver, BC

Profile:



Tucker is a 29 lb. 1 1/2 - 2 yr. old Puggle (Beagle crossed with a Pug). In the short time he’s been with us he has shown himself to be a GIANT love bug. He also likes to be “in the know” about all the happenings in the world both at home and through the window as a keen observer of life. Cesar Millan says that humans are the only species that will follow an unstable leader, and Tucker is no fool! The first thing he’ll suss out in your presence is who is going to be taking care of whom. Is it his job to take care of you (which is a bad idea to begin with) or are you going to take the lead so that he can be the wonderful pet that he’s destined to be?



Ideal Home and Owner(s):



Tucker’s ideal forever home can be a single person, a couple or a family that really, really values loyalty in a canine companion – because that’s his top trait!



The current foster home wouldn’t recommend small children with Tucker (unaware of how he’d be around them), but based on his energy level and the fact that he can get worked up pretty easily (does engage in play with his mouth which has the potential for a bite), we are recommending older children or children considered mature and sensitive to the need for a balanced inner state in themselves and with others.



He is being fostered with another dog and has accepted the boundaries and hierarchy of the household just fine. This did require an initial upfront investment of time and consistency though. Not a concern of course if he’s going to be someone’s only furry child. If he lives with another dog that he’s compatible with, it is recommended that he gets some one-on-one training time to get him up to speed on all of his commands to give a consistent performance. We do not know how he is with cats as he’s never been around them while in Dogwood’s care.



The ideal home is really committed to being clear with their energy. Tucker needs to know he has a place in the family, he likes routine and likes knowing where he stands. Then quite frankly, he’s literally “putty in your hands.”



Behaviour, Quirks and Training:



Tucker is very active – he likes to “zoom” up and down the stairs to occupy himself, loves to play fetch, and engage with his chew toys in addition to being extremely cuddly. He seems happy to do whatever you’re doing. He gets out on a daily basis on a couple of walks and to the dog park, but hasn’t been off leash yet around other dogs. Loves sniffing and doing his own thing. On leash, his beagle traits of following his nose sometimes overpower him, so he does pull sometimes and will need some work with this.



He listens very well in terms of home life and comes when called without fail. He would make a good “alert dog” – he’s definitely not a barker, but he’ll let you know if there’s something you ought to know about. He is fine with being invited onto the bed for a morning sleep in (though he sleeps overnight in his kennel – goes in by himself). And will listen when told to get off the bed. Once he literally rolled out of bed – but that was an accident.



He interacts well with other dogs, but there needs to be an established rapport between them – he’s selective about his dog friends. So a considerate and observant approach is recommended when interacting with new dogs.



Tucker, is a dominant dog, but letting him know what is and is not acceptable seems to work well. This is why a natural leader or someone comfortable in the alpha dog role or an owner with calm and assertive energy is recommended.



When he came into his current foster home he showed himself to be possessive of his toys and bones. Very quickly this trait disappeared with clear expectations of Tucker’s role in the home and initially hiding all of the dog toys. So he has shown that a lot is possible when he trusts, feels safe and knows who he can follow.



He likes to be brushed and LOVES back scratches. He will rub himself under your feet or lie on his back and squiggle around on the carpet. And he’ll chase his tail from time to time for amusement – making him all the more endearing. And AS IF he couldn’t be any cuter, sometimes his bottom tooth gets caught on his lip which has earned him the nickname “Snaggle Tooth”.



He is highly inspired by food (will do anything for food). In terms of commands he knows: “Stay”, “Lay Down”, “Drop It” “No” are all in his English vocabulary. He does have a tendency to beg, which he is being weaned off. He can be petted while eating, so no possessiveness in that department.



He is definitely a dog that will get you out exploring your neighbourhood and who can't wait to go to his new forever home.




 


 

To complete an application to foster or adopt, please download THIS FORM fill it out, save it on to your computer to retain your information and then e-mail it back as an attachment.( dogwoodrescue@shaw.ca)