This week, we’re profiling the social butterflies of the Vancouver SPCA: Kit Kat and Bear

Kit Kat has confidence in spades! This spunky little Shiba Inu cross walks with an air of authority and isn’t afraid of any dog that gets in her way. She isn’t one to pick a fight mind you, but if she senses that there may be competition, she’ll lie down in pounce mode and watch her rival like a hawk.

In addition to being doggy ninja material, Kit Kat is quite the acrobat. She’s the only dog I’ve met who pees with both her hind legs up balancing only on her front paws. She’s not always as stable as she might like but she practices like crazy. In between her acrobatic rehearsals, Kit Kat likes to take sudden dives into whatever patches of grass or dirt are available. It’s a slightly odd sight and usually somewhat unexpected when she decides to dive head first into the ground and squirm, roll and twist around like she’s got an itch on her back she just can’t scratch. A man who witnessed one of these sudden outbursts of wriggling actually stuck his head out the window to comment.

But don’t try and make fun of this little ball of fluff. If she understood you, she’d probably snub you like she snubbed my doggy treats. I had asked her to sit and she did so I gave her a doggy biscuit only to have her take it from my hand, put it on the ground, and pee on it. Point taken.

For details on Kit Kat, click here.
BC SPCA Vancouver Shelter: 604 879 7721 or vancouver@spca.bc.ca

Now, everyone will agree that better looking people generally receive better treatment. This week I found out that the same goes for dogs! Click on to read about Bear!

As you know, over the past few weeks I’ve mostly been walking Rottweilers. They’re not the most popular breed and I don’t think I’ve ever been stopped by someone while walking one of ‘em. Occasionally someone might mention in passing that the dog is good looking, but nobody ever stopped to pet a Rottweiler or ask where s/he could be adopted – even with a big “Adopt Me” bandana on.

This week I got to walk Bear, a female Lab/Chow Chow cross and positively the most beautiful dog I have ever seen. And you know what? EVERYONE wanted to pet her, play with her, ask about her, and a couple of people even uttered the words “I’m just gonna have to go to the SPCA and adopt her right now!” It was ridiculous! Even the two toddlers we came across (one of which already had a dog to play with) were drawn to Bear like magnets. I guess favoritism towards the good looking is something ingrained in us right from the get-go.

Bear is a very friendly puppy at 7 months who has already grown to a size that could fill one of those retro red pull-wagons. You can see it in her long gazes at other dogs playing with their owners, and in the way that she pulls on the leash that she’s just dying to get out and play fetch with her future human companion. However, though she enjoys playing and is curious about new people, Bear is quite timid and not the type of dog to make the first move.

You know that human instinct we have that tells us to avoid certain people and trust others? Well, I’m pretty sure Bear has it too! It was interesting to see how she would sniff some hands and follow some people who looked and acted normal enough and how she pulled away from others who were…how shall I put this in a way that’s least offensive…“off.”

Bear is the perfect social dog in every sense. Not only will she improve the social life of her future owner (how can she not when absolutely everyone falls in love with her), but she also knows which people to avoid and which to sniff around based on basic human social standards. If you’re interested in adopting this beauty, you better get to the Vancouver SPCA pronto because I would be in utter shock if she were still there next week!

For details on Bear, click here.
BC SPCA Vancouver Shelter: 604 879 7721 or vancouver@spca.bc.ca

To read the profile of another dog, click here.