The folks at Vancouver’s HugABull Advocacy and Rescue Society may not know much about Coco, but they all agree she’s highly deserving of a second chance. “She was picked up as a stray and taken to Surrey Animal Resource Centre,” says HugABull foster co-ordinator Christine Crunican. “When staff members there saw how poorly she was doing in the kennel, they gave us a call.”
Back at HugABull HQ, volunteers went about trying to determine Coco’s age and breed based on the minimal information they had.
“She’s young, around two, and acts very much like a puppy, with a whole lot of energy to burn – she could play ball for hours, given the chance. Don’t let some of her photos fool you – she definitely isn’t a couch-potato dog!” Crunican laughs. “We also think she’s some sort of Pitbull mix. She’s got an adorably long snout, but her other characteristics, like her beautiful brindle colour and white markings, are quite typically Pit.”
Given her unstructured past and high-energy nature, Coco’s wish is to be matched with an adopter who can provide her not only with a good physical outlet, but plenty of mental stimulation as well. “We’ve found that she is dog-reactive when on leash, and will lunge and bark at other dogs out of frustration,” Crunican explains, adding that, when given the chance to meet other canines properly, Coco is highly social and eager to play. “Her house manners also need improvement, in terms of greeting people and staying off the furniture, so we’re looking for someone who is willing and able to take time to work with her on these things. She is, however, fully crate trained.”
Something else that Coco needs help with is her confidence. “Our guess is that she was a backyard dog and that someone may have physically struck her at some point, which has left her with some residual anxiety,” says Crunican. “She needs to learn that not everything is bad and not to be so fearful.”
Happily, she adds, training will likely not be too difficult, as Coco is very food motivated and fond of treats. She also loves her people fiercely, and promises to be a loyal companion to whomever offers her a home.
“She’s a super-happy girl with lots of love to give,” says Crunican. “Cats or other small animals in the same household won’t work, but she may get along with another nice dog. It would be lovely to see her out of the city, in a house with a yard where she can burn off steam, although this isn’t entirely necessary. All Coco really needs is someone who is physically active, who can commit to working with her on her manners, so as to build that lifelong bond.”
Does Coco sound like the dog of your dreams? More information about her and the adoption process can be found on HugABull’s website, at hugabull.com.
