Meet Paz! Like many of our recent intakes, Paz found himself on the euthanasia list at MCACC due to fear and stress in the shelter. We don’t know much about his background, but it’s clear that he has had a rough go of it and didn’t trust people at all.

Paz had a little bit of an adjustment period, but after a month out of the shelter has improved greatly. Within a day, he started becoming more energetic and playful. It was immediately clear that he loves other dogs. Despite everything he’s likely been through, he definitely wants to be friends with everyone. Like a true husky, he doesn’t fully understand that not all dogs want to deal with his shenanigans. There were a few scuffles with the other dogs in the home early on due to his persistent interest in them, but he has made tremendous progress in understanding boundaries and giving them space. He is also working on getting more comfortable around people and being less reactive towards unwanted touches. Once he trusts someone, he really wants to be near them (on their lap is preferred).

Paz has a moderate amount of energy and is pretty well-behaved around the house. He is fully potty- and crate-trained and sleeps well through the night in his crate. He loves going for walks and even walks nicely on leash without much pulling! He had some issues with marking in the house early on, but that has since resolved. His fosters are still working on his counter-surfing habits and jumping on people. Like many huskies, he does have a stubborn side, and he likes to test boundaries. He can also be a bit mouthy when he gets excited. However, he responds well to gentle correction and especially to re-direction with treats thanks to his strong food motivation. He will snap at people who try to correct him with physical force, but of course we wouldn’t recommend doing that regardless. Because of corrections with force in his first foster home, he does have a bite history now – we do want to stress that in a more experienced foster home he has had no follow-up incidences, but he will need experienced adopters who understand how to correct unwanted behaviors the right way. His foster has reported that he listens better to people he trusts. With some patience and consistent, gentle training, we know that Paz will continue to improve.

As he has settled in, Paz has become more and more playful with other dogs. He’s very vocal when he plays, which can get other dogs riled up, but his intentions are always good. He has only been tested with large dogs in the home, so we’re not sure how he is around smaller dogs or other animals. We have no concerns about him living with other dogs, especially if they match his size and energy, but of course we will require a meet-and-greet before his adoption is finalized. Because of his history and lingering fear around people, we recommend he go to either a child-free home. 

Despite his rough start in life, Paz is such a sweet, happy boy with so much love to give. He loves belly rubs and snuggling up with his trusted humans. He would make an amazing addition to an active household that is willing to work with him to earn his trust and build his confidence. Ideally, there would be another young and playful dog or two to keep him company, though he could also do well as an only dog in the right home. We’re so happy to see Paz get a fresh start and experience the good life with a loving family. If you’re interested in meeting him, please fill out an application on our website.