Catrina

My story

Catrina is a 1.5-year-old Australian Shepherd Dog/Chow mix with a low center of gravity, a thick coat of fluff, and a whole lot of personality packed into her 49-pound frame. This girl is obsessed with toys. Plush toys, squeaky toys, chew toys-she`ll happily empty the entire toy box and entertain herself with whatever she finds. Fetch is her favorite game, and she`s always up for a round of zoomies in the yard or a good long walk to sniff the neighborhood. She`s surprisingly athletic and would probably crush it in agility or obedience training. She loves her walks but gets excited by dogs, squirrels, and other Very Interesting Things. She`s stronger than she looks, so she`ll need someone ready to work with her on leash manners.Catrina is shy with new people and requires slow, gentle introductions on her own terms. While she looks tough, she’s really a softie deep down - she wants to be brave, but needs a few minutes to process anything unfamiliar. But when you become her person, her silliness shines. Flopping down and rolling over to get you to look at her, asking for attention with licks, nudges, and straight up putting her head under your hand to Make Pet Happen. And, she wants to please her people - getting a “Good Girl!” lights her up like nothing else (...other than a good tennis ball, that is). Catrina will need a home with a patient, savvy adopter who will read her body language and understand proper handling techniques if she is shows signs of fear or anxiety. This also means being an advocate for her: Catrina should not be put in high-stress situations (she is not a brewery dog or dog park dog), and any introductions with new people should be carefully guided and not forced. She has nipped when in a state of conflict/tension, described as “redirecting” (teeth on hands, but not biting down). For these reasons, Catrina can only go to a home with no kids, with an adopter who isn`t hosting a parade of guests every weekend. Applicants will be provided with all known details on her behavior and needs to make an educated decision on if she’ll be the right fit for their home. Catrina already knows a few basic commands and is food-motivated, meaning she’ll happily trade tricks for treats. She`s crate trained and does great overnight or while her foster is at work, and is house broken. Catrina gets along well with other dogs and would enjoy a playful companion, but she`d also be fine as a solo dog-as long as she gets enough

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Catrina, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.