The Leftover Puppy

Nick keeps referring to Alex as the ‘leftover puppy’.

In my last post, I told you about Becca, who I thought was my ‘last puppy.’ But as is too often the case in puppy adoptions, there was another shuffle, and in the end, I still have one puppy. Just not Becca.

Alex was briefly adopted (for just over 24 hours) but it was not a good fit for the other dogs in the household, so he is back.

To be honest, I’m not a fan of the name Alex, but Leftover Puppy isn’t any better.

Especially because Alex is a wonderful puppy.

My friend Holly has been calling Alex, Scout, which is actually a great name for him.

Alex/LP/Scout is smart and fun and incredibly eager to please. He already knows to sit on command, and is completely crate-trained – able to go eight hours overnight without an accident. He’s beginning to understand the house-training, too – anything for a treat.

I pulled out my tiny teeter-totter that is big enough for Fanny to use but too small for Otis. All it took was luring him over it with treats one time, and after that, he ran up and over it again and again without me. He was probably hoping treats would appear as they did the first time.

He is loving the big snow we got, bounding through the 6 inches of snow. I’m doing my best to entertain him, so we play a lot of chase (his favorite game), which is good exercise for me and wears him out.

Hazel has lost patience with him and now simply proactively hisses and swats him every time he approaches her.

Diamond adores him, but her enthusiasm is just too large, so they only socialize through the baby gate or crate wall. When Diamond voices her protest of this divide, I cover up her crate (which I’m beginning to think she prefers because she always gets calm and quiet when I cover it). Alex sits beside the crate silently protesting in solidarity.

He’s doing great on a leash, has stopped getting carsick in the car, and continues to eat faster than any puppy I’ve ever fostered. I slow him down by feeding him from a Kong Wobbler or if I have time to clean the floor, scattering his food all over the puppy pen.

I think Alex would make a great agility prospect. I’m going to pull out my tunnel for him to try once the snow melts a little more.

I’d say maybe he has border collie in him (he’s the right shape, hair length, ears, pointy nose, coordination, long legs) but he doesn’t have the intense energy/drive of a border collie. He is actually pretty calm as puppies go.

If you know anyone looking for a puppy, already semi-trained, send them our way. Alex is almost 4 months old and weighs 18 pounds. I think he’ll be a medium-large dog full grown (but never take my word for it). He loves people and is outgoing, sweet, super smart, and VERY treat-motivated. As mentioned, Alex is crate-trained, making good progress on house-training, and walking pretty well on a leash. Alex is available for adoption through Operation Paws for Homes.

Until Each One Has a Home,

Cara

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My next book, Who Will Let the Dogs Out: Stories and Solutions for Shelters and Rescues will be released January 28, 2025, but you can order an early copy and support our mission to give them to shelters and rescues, by purchasing one directly from Who Will Let the Dogs Out.

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If you can’t get enough foster dog stories, check out my book: Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs. Or its follow up that takes you to the shelters in the south One Hundred Dogs & Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey Into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues.

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