My name is Piper, and I am a very loveable 55-pound puppy who will make you laugh every day. 

I love every human and every dog I have ever met. In my foster family, I live with another dog, a 9-year-old human, and two adult humans, and I do well with all of them. I can be a bit mouthy and jump onto others (dogs or humans) when I play, so I would do better with older kids. 

I am very curious and want to know how everything works: I investigate every cabinet you open, smell new things that come into the house, and follow you into rooms to see what you’re doing. I want to be involved in whatever others are doing. If my doggie foster sister has a toy, I want that toy (and I will try to steal it). If a human is petting another dog, I want to put my body between the human and that dog so I can be petted, too. 

I am excited but generally respectful around other dogs. I will jump around to try to get them to play, but if a dog tells me they don’t like something, I know how to leave them alone. I also don’t engage or get offended when a dog barks at me meanly.  

My foster family thinks that I am a younger sibling dog who needs a more confident dog around. When my doggie foster sister is around, I am very comfortable. But when it is just me at home or on a walk, I can get spooked by random objects or sounds.  

I have a lot of puppy energy. My foster family thinks that I am about 18 months old based on my bouncy energy, stretchy skin, and tendency to want to put my mouth on many things. I do best when I get a good deal of exercise, and I need to be supervised so that I don’t chew on things that aren’t my toys. Another reason I need to be in a family with another dog is that I love playing tug or chase with my doggie foster sister in the backyard. This is a good way for me to get out some of my energy between walks. 

I am a quick learner who picks up on patterns after a few repetitions. I have learned the command “wait” in the past 2 weeks, and I can almost do it better than my 5-year-old doggie foster sister. I am eager to please and motivated by both food and praise, so I could be taught many commands. My foster family is starting to train me to use a gentle leader on walks so that I pull less. 

I am impressively good in my crate which gives my foster family peace of mind when they leave the house because they know I won’t chew on things in their absence. I go into my crate without complaint and rarely whine in there until I am let out. 

I am looking for a family who can be firm with me but also be gentle and patient. I have cowered when a human picked up a shoe, a cord, and a bat at different times, which makes my foster family think that I was abused in my past life. I can learn how to harness my 55 pounds of strength for good with some coaching and encouragement. And I will be one of the best dogs you will ever have – sweet, socially skilled, curious, and very pleasing to pet (I have very soft fur and a smooshy face – what could be better?). 

Piper is from a local impound. If you are interested in getting to know this animal better, please fill out an adoption application. An adoption application is the best way to show your interest in an animal and is not a binding contract.

To learn more about Ruff Start’s adoption process and the care our foster animals receive, please visit our How to Adopt page.

If you'd like to donate towards this pet's care, you can donate to our Animal Care Fund. Our Animal Care Fund supports the medical and veterinary needs for all Ruff Start Rescue animals. You'll be able to enter this pet's name on the second page of the donation form.