Sam D10844 Shepherd Minnetonka, MN

Just a springtime update for our friend Sam!
She seems happy for warmer weather because we're getting to take her out to the park and on walks more often. We're laying the groundwork to try to get her to play fetch and we're continuously working on improving her recall. She's still doing great with the known commands (sit, down, stay, bed time, etc).
Her personality is definitely showing, she's pretty mellow and content to be a work buddy but she definitely wants to get her time out exploring. I could see her being a great running companion with a little conditioning and a space where encounters with other dogs is less likely and easy to get away if they occur.
She is so wonderful!

Hi my name is Sam! I'm from Kentucky.

I like puzzles, training, and earning treats. I don't enjoy being around other dogs or animals, but I do enjoy being around people. I like hanging out in the house and will snuggle up on my mat and keep my humans company if they're working or doing other boring things, but I also like to get outside and get fresh air. I enjoy going out to the park when there aren't other dogs around and getting to sniff and run. It would be great to have a big yard with a privacy fence where I can really let loose and not have to worry about other dogs. I don't mind being in my kennel, and I know that when it is "bed time that is where I go while the people sleep too. I've taught my foster people several tricks like how to get me to sit, lay down, leave it, and stay. My foster person says I'm the best girl and so smart.


A few words from my fosters:

Sam is an absolute gem! She is so sweet, a little sassy, and super smart. She loves people but can get a little overwhelmed with too much physical affection and sometimes will let you know she needs some space by walking away.

Her dog reactivity is her only challenge. Through The Bond Between we completed a beginning reactive dog rehab course that taught us several strategies to help Sam manage her anxiety -- which we'll look forward to sharing and showing her future family. One of the biggest takeaways was that it's not about "fixing" her reactivity, rather it's about providing her a safe space, avoiding uncomfortable situations, and knowing how to support her through challenges that come up.

It's a commitment, but she is absolutely worth it and I know she is going to be the best companion for the right family!

The right family for her is one that does not have other pets in the house or any young children and ideally one that enjoys doing training. This girl needs mental and physical stimulation. Because we aren't able to get her out and let her run as much as we'd like we try to do extra training and puzzles. She's also started on anti-anxiety meds to help her be a little more relaxed. The goal would be to keep her on the meds to ease transition and support continued training -- which would be a benefit of her adoption! She comes with 3 training sessions when adopted to set her and her forever family up for the best success!

She is great with clicker training and knows basic commands like "sit", "stay", "down", and "leave it. Walking opportunities have been limited due to her dog-reactivity so we try to do extra training time and puzzles to give her mental stimulation. We are diligent about giving regular let outs and though she doesn't necessarily tell us when she needs to go outside she NEVER has accidents. She never gets into stuff or chews up anything even when left alone. She does well in her kennel and even knows that at "bedtime" it is time to go in for the night."