Rufina

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When Rufina and her littermate Louna from Maryland found themselves in need of a home, their owner contacted MAESSR to help find each one the perfect forever family.

At 13 pounds, “Ruffy” is a lightweight ball of puppy energy. Displaying a nice, even temperament, Ruffy is neither needy nor overly assertive. She makes no attempt to be top dog and she defers to the resident dogs who tell her what’s a no-no behavior-wise. The resident Springer lets her sleep spooned next to her and the resident terrier puts up with her occasional energy bursts. Ruffy has been great with everyone she has met, including pre-teen children. She’s never been introduced to cats, but she ignores squirrels, so her foster parents suspect that she might treat felines as playmates.

As expected for her age, Ruffy’s housetraining is a work in progress. She sleeps quietly in a crate all night with a pee pad at the back in case she needs to do her business. With her puppy enthusiasm, Ruffy spends much of her time cheerfully running around to see what’s up. And “up” she will go unless told, “No!” She will need to have this reinforced to keep her off chairs, but she’s a bright girl and will learn quickly. She doesn’t jump on people so much as she just jumps, flinging herself joyously in the air while running around. On the few occasions she’s thought about chewing something inappropriate, usually a newspaper, a slight “no” and redirection with an appropriate toy soon changes her focus. Ruffy loves to play with toys in a non-destructive way by mouthing them or fetching, and she has begun to play tug-of-war with the resident Springer. 

Ruffy enjoys car rides and easily settles down on a lap, the empty passenger seat, or in a crate while traveling. Her leash training is progressing well. When out on a walk, she tends to circle, but if one of the other dogs walks in front of her or in tandem, her forward motion is pretty good. When Ruffy is adopted, her forever family will have to take her to obedience classes,a MAESSR requirement for puppies a year and younger. 

While her foster parents are away, Ruffy patiently remains in her crate like a good girl. This little scamp has other ideas when it comes to different forms of containment, however! Her foster parents have discovered that a three-foot high exercise pen with an open top is no match for Ruffy’s wiles. In just two sessions, she learned that she can scale it and pop over the top! On the other hand, an unsecured, leaning, three-foot puppy gate keeps her contained because she hates the noise it makes when it falls over! In the yard, she’s not an escape hazard because she likes to stay in a 15-foot radius of her people or the other dogs. 

Sweet, little Ruffy will be ready to start her new life soon. She will fit into just about any type of household and would probably enjoy a doggie companion. With a great attitude and innate intelligence, this little sweetheart would make a wonderful addition to some lucky family.