The road to a good and comfortable life has been a long one for Miss Pearl, but it’s finally time for our sweet senior mama to retire from years of working as breeding stock.

Pearl’s story broke our hearts: she was rescued from a backyard breeder who wasn’t sure of her age. Her first-ever visit to the vet confirmed she was over ten years old, and, sadly, pregnant. Our community banded together to help Pearl bring her final litter into the world. Now that she’s successfully weaned her babies for the last time, it’s time for Pearl to kick back and enjoy her golden years!

Despite years of questionable living conditions, Pearl is sweet and tender and doesn’t have a bad bone in her body! She loves meeting new people and is happy to see about 90% of guests, and though she may be wary of the other 10%, her mind is easily changed if a treat is offered! She is neutral towards the other animals in her foster homes (a cat and a dog), and have been living issue-free with them for over two months!

Pearl would do fine in a home with other animals, or as a solo pet. She’s a-okay with action (puppies and young kids) but is also very happy to relax. Given her older age, she’s not gunning for a weekend full of hikes and big adventures, but she does love to walk and see the world so a family with a quieter yet somewhat active lifestyle would be the perfect match. Pearl also spent time in a foster home with young kids, and did really well! You would often find her in the middle of their play sessions or sitting nearby, watching what the kids were up to. She does not have any resource guarding tendencies and could be a wonderful addition to a young family!

Pearl would also make a wonderful companion for a condo-dweller, as she is quiet and compact and doesn’t need a lot of space! Pearl is not an overly-needy lady: she likes to follow her foster around the house, making sure she’s up to speed on the household activities, but she’s also quite content to relax. She enjoys the companionship of her foster family, often opting to cuddle beside them on the couch as they give her tummy rubs.

When she needs a little break from hanging inside, Pearl is happy to head out for a walk. Right now, she receives three small walks per day, and could likely handle a little more. She’s easy on the leash and has no interest in pursuing smaller creatures. She’s recently started to bark at other dogs during walks, but nothing of any major concern!

Back home, Pearl is content to hang on her own if her fosters have to step out – no separation anxiety or destructive behaviours for this gal! In terms of potty training, Pearl is nearly there: she poops outside, but she does pee a lot (likely linked to postpartum) and uses pee pads in the house.

In the coming weeks, Pearl will start her vaccination series and be spayed when she’s deemed safe for the surgery. At that time, she will also have full teeth extractions, as well as the removal of a mass in her mammary chain, which will be sent for testing. She is microchipped.

Anyone who has welcomed a senior dog into their lives knows, firsthand, how special the bond becomes. Though we don’t always have a complete picture of their years beforehand, there are few things as wonderful as making sure the latter-half is nothing short of perfect. We know that the best family is out there waiting to shower Pearl with love, care and all the comforts of a good home!

SOCIABILITY: Humans (adults and kids), dogs and cats
ENERGY: Low-medium
QUIRKS: Pearl is an enigma! It’s tough to know what’s going on in her cute little head!
TRAINING NEEDS: Continued focus on potty training (moving away from pee pads)
WEIGHT: 12lbs
MEDICAL NEEDS: Upcoming spay surgery, which will include full mouth extractions and removal of a mass in her mammary chain
FOSTER LOCATION: Toronto