Pepe
adoptED
Along with several of our rescued and incoming pups, Pepe and 60+ dogs were found locked away this winter in a hoarding situation outside of Asan, South Korea. Over the past several years the dogs were left to breed and their numbers grew into the hundreds. At least half of the dogs perished due to the horrific conditions they were forced to live in. Many died from illness, neglect, dog fights, and also from human consumption.
The hoarders were reported to the city and slowly dogs are being pulled out and placed into the city shelter. Pepe and 23 other dogs were brought to the city shelter in January. Pepe was lucky enough to be cared for by a wonderful foster in South Korea and is, again, in a wonderful foster home here in Portland.
A few of our favorite Pepe things from his foster…
THE GOOD
- Fully housetrained! Zero accidents in my house. It took 1 day to train him exactly where to pee in the backyard. He usually poops twice on his AM walk, so don't let that 1st poop fool you into thinking he's done!
- Walks well on a leash! it took a few anxious walks before he felt comfy with me but now he's an absolute pro.
- Knows commands 'sit', 'stay', and 'no/nope' (and usually follows them).
- Loves to play! Mornings are Pepe's favorite time to party. He loves fetch indoors and outside, running around, rolling around, and burrowing in a pile of blankets.
- Loves to play with other dogs and seems to be less worried about human strangers if they have a nice dog with them.
- Does really well in his crate for meals, quiet time and bedtime when his human is home.
- Loves affection + to be pet by humans he trusts. Sometimes likes being picked up/held as well (with a trusted human only).
- He's a quick study and likes learning things + having jobs to do. Is treat and attention motivated.
- Did we mention he’s adorable?
A few things Pepe is working on…
THE PRETTY GOOD
- Car rides. Pepe is nervous in the car and wants to be in a seat next to a human if possible (with a dog seatbelt, of course). In one week, he went from needing to be picked up to get into the car to jumping in on his own with verbal encouragement! mostly sits while in the car quietly but nervously. Practice should ease this in a short time, as long as he isn't left in the car alone.
- Pepe gets a little mouthy when playing. It's gentle + he takes a firm 'nope' + redirection to a toy well. Even though the mouthiness doesn't hurt + Pepe is adorable, it's important to keep redirecting him so the behavior doesn't escalate to rougher play over time.
THE NEEDS WORK
- Stranger danger. Pepe is slow to warm up to humans. He took a whole three hours before being all over me, so it's not dire! He typically barks at strangers + wants to approach the strangers to smell them (if strangers stay still and avoid eye contact) and is often eating treats from the strangers' hands shortly after they arrive. Expect a number of repeat intros before Pepe welcomes being touched by a stranger though. He prefers one stranger to visit at a time. On walks, Pepe does not bark at humans and keeps moving on his own or with a bit of verbal encouragement.
- Barking reactivity to noise/visual stimulation when at his foster home (indoors and out). He barks at noises, people talking in the distance, nighttime reflections in windows etc; and he takes redirection fairly well. Pepe isn't really bothered by the blender or the vacuum though!
- Separation anxiety. Pepe gets emotional when his humans come (whining, whimpering and a lot of excitement) and go (a lot of barking). The crate with a treat filled toy is the safest place for Pepe while his humans are not at home. He will need consistent, slow moving work in this area.
The ideal family for Pepe would have the following:
- The willingness to go slow and the commitment to follow our training guidelines for his success
- An adult only home with flexible schedules (working from home is ideal the first few months while he acclimates)
- No other pets but regular access to a playful dog for Pepe to hang with
- No shared walls + a secure, fenced yard
- Patience
- And more patience…
Pepe’s Details:
Breed: Terrier Mix
Age: 1 year old
Sex: Male
Size: 24lbs
Color: Brown/White
Spayed/Neutered: Yes
Microchipped: Yes
Vaccinated: Yes
Medical concerns: Wash his eyes/face regularly to prevent conjunctivitis
Housetrained: Yes, but accidents are normal in the early days
Site: Wildhearts Rescue
Location: Foster home in Portland
Intake Date: 08/04/2020
Good with cats: No
Good with dogs: Yes
Good with children: Unknown, could be with a slow introduction
Good with adults: Yes, with a slow, warm-up period
Adoption Fee: $575