Coco -UPDATE Pit Bull Terrier Vancouver, BC

Thanks to the many shares on social media, Coco has landed himself a foster home!!! They report he is doing well, going for walks, snuggling on the couch, and happily greets each morning with enthusiasm and toys!!! Coco is still looking for his forever home though. We now know that he settles into home life well, and the behaviors that he exhibited at the shelter have stopped. While he is happy and excitable Coco is no longer mouthing or grabbing! Thankfully his behaviors have calmed down now that he is in a home! Coco has shown that apartment life is not really ideal for him though. So we are looking for someone who has no common hallways or elevators with other dogs. As Coco continues to settle in we will have more information to post on his new house manners and life. If you are interested in meeting this beautiful boy, with a girls name ha ha, please email us to arrange a meet and greet with Coco.

We are asking if you have what it takes to care for Coco to please email Vancouver Animal Services at animal.services@vancouver.ca with information on your environment and dog experience. We will only be showing Coco by appointments and to the right fit to set him up for success!!



Have you ever been somewhere that made you instantly stressed out, where you just can’t wait for it to be over; like getting on a very crowded elevator or standing up to make a speech?

Most dogs who arrive at the shelter adapt well to it, but for others it is just too hard to take. Coco falls into the latter bracket; right from day one here stress was and is hanging off this beautiful boy. His only outlet for it is to be a tad difficult with the staff and volunteers. Coco likes to get very jumpy and mouthy. He gets super excited and has a great time pulling on the leash, then grabbing at the leash and then grabbing at his person. He has a very high social arousal state and gets like this every time he comes out of his kennel or being leashed up for walks.

We are working very hard to discourage these behaviors and have found some nice routines to allow Coco outlets for his stress. He does wonderful out and about on his walks. Our volunteers report he is a different dog once away from the shelter. He greets people well and is happy to receive nice pets. We also have a local trainer who has offered her time to work with Coco and a local Canine Swimming Facility that is allowing him free swims!!

But even with everything we are doing to aid Coco, it is just not enough. The reality for the dogs here is 12 hours of time with us, the volunteers and potential adopters and then 12 hours in the dark as we close down for the night. Add this to the stress Coco is going through on a daily basis, and it makes for a bad equation. So what we are looking for is a dog experienced foster home for Coco. Vancouver Animal Services will cover EVERYTHING that Coco needs to flourish in his new home. From food, bowls, toys, right down to vet care. We would prefer someone local to Vancouver or willing to travel as both the trainer and swim instructor have offered to continue working with Coco for free. We do require someone with canine experience with pit bulls or jumpy/ mouthy dogs. Coco will not do well with cats, or small children. We will only be allowing meets with Coco with the appropriate fit.