If there were a Guinness Record in the category for happiest dog, 8-month-old Sparkles would be a hands-down (or paws down!) winner. Sparkles has the softest golden brown fur and the most soulful eyes--and those speckled paws indicate some heeler in her hound mix. She was found abandoned in a box along a road in Kentucky, so with a challenging start to her life, it is understandable that she might need a little extra time to feel completely comfy around new people. She weighs about 27 pounds, is micro-chipped, spayed, and is up-to-date on all her vaccinations. She is putting the final touches on her house training and she loves her walks with a favorite canine housemate. Sparkles adores the other dogs who are permanent residents in her foster home and having a canine buddy or buddies in a fenced-in yard would be at the top of her wish list. She loves toys and watching her grab them from the box and bring them to her crate--her little cave--brings such big smiles for foster family. So if you are looking for a buddy that will make your heart sing as you see her confidence build and her personality unfold, then Sparkles is the dog for you. Please email us at AlmostHome4Dogs@yahoo.com for an application or more information. (Local adoptions preferred — Philadelphia and tri-state area [South Jersey and northern Delaware] only.) PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTACTING US! We are NOT a shelter: All of our dogs live in private homes with foster families. Come and meet the Almost Home dogs and their fosters at our Meet & Greet events, where you can learn more about our wonderful dogs from the people who live with them, find out which dogs are on their way and when they’ll arrive, and fill out an application to adopt or foster. We cannot adopt to homes where electric-shock fencing systems or training collars are used. For more information on the dangers of electric-shock collars, please visit banshockcollars.ca/studies.php . We do not have an online adoption application; to request an application, e-mail us at AlmostHome4Dogs@yahoo.com. To speed e-mail processing time, be sure to note the name of the dog you are inquiring about in the Subject line. For Meet & Greet times and locations, visit our home page, where you also will find information on our adoption process and fees. FOSTER FAMILIES ARE LIFESAVERS!! Can you open your heart and home for a few weeks to homeless shelter dog? Remember, by fostering a dog, you save TWO lives — that of your foster dog, and that of the dog who takes his place in the shelter! Come to a Meet & Greet and find out if fostering is for you — there's no reward quite like the feeling that you've saved a life ... or two!