Gemma is ~7 months old, 43lbs and is quickly learning how much fun it is to be an adolescent puppy. She came to us very scared and shut down, and in just a matter of weeks, thanks to the dedication of her foster, Gemma is starting to shine. She has come so far and is really beginning to show the playful, loving dog she’s meant to be. Gemma can start off shy, but with a little time and patience, she’ll become your loyal shadow. She’s incredibly affectionate, sweet-natured, and devoted to her people. Gemma has a medium energy level—she can be calm and relaxed indoors, or engage in WWE style tug-of-war with her foster fur sibling. She loves soft toys, squeaky toys, and tugging toys. She is learning to really love her walks and has mastered walking on a loose leash. We have also recently learned that Gemma is a water dog! She went on a lake trip with her foster mom and was very excited to put on her life jacket and get in the water. Social Skills: People: Initially shy, but warms up into a loving, affectionate companion once she is comfortable. She is great around groups of people. Dogs: Friendly, respectful and playful; would greatly benefit from a confident dog friend in the home Kids: she has been exposed to a toddler during her training daycare and she has done very well Cats: she has been exposed to one cat and kept her distance. If there is a cat in the home, it should be very dog savvy and thoughtful introductions would be required. Training & Progress: Gemma is a work in progress in all the right ways and she gains so much from consistent, daily training. She is eager to learn and growing leaps and bounds. Crate trained (but needs a heavy-duty crate—she’s an escape artist!) House trained with routine Leash skills improving quickly with structure and consistency Thriving with confidence-building and exposure to new environments Gemma is looking for: A patient, committed adopter who will commit to training A structured home where she can feel safe and build confidence Someone willing to continue crate training and positive exposure A secured yard is required, as she loves to run and zoom, but she can be an escape artist A dog in the home could help her confidence, but she’s also learning to stand on her own. Overall, Gemma wants an adventure family that continuously exposes her to new environments, new people, new dogs. She would benefit from someone who can take her to doggie daycare during the day and continue daily crate training. *PLEASE NOTE: all of our dogs are fostered in Houston, TX, where our rescue is based. However, we transport to about 30 different cities in the United States, using one of our trusted transport partners, once an adoption is confirmed. We work with our adopters and transport partners to find a time and pickup place that works for everyone! If you're interested in adopting Gemma, please head to www.pippyspals.com/adopt and fill out our adoption application. If our team thinks you could be a good fit, our Adoptions Director will email you to set up a Zoom call, the first step in our consideration process.