Benjamin - 5 months & 20lbs (as of 10/05), Chi/Terrier Mix, Neutered Expected full grown size to be around 25 to 30lbs This puppy is eligible to join our foster-to-adopt program. Please email fostertoadopt@socialteesnyc.org with the animal's name in the subject line if you are interested! Want to straight up adopt? Submit an adoption application at socialteesnyc.org His Foster Parent Says: "He has been going by Benjamin/Benny. Benny is an incredibly sweet puppy whose personality came out almost immediately after arriving in his foster home. He is playful, happy, friendly, and full of love. When he isn't sleeping or playing with his foster sister, he wants nothing more than to snuggle up on the couch with you. He is a wonderful little companion who loves being around people and other dogs. Benny is still learning and is practicing his basic commands. When he gets excited during playtime, he can be a little mouthy and likes to nibble on hands and feet, but he has not shown any destructive behavior or chewed up household belongings. I am also working on crate training and helping him become comfortable spending time on his own. One of the most rewarding things about fostering Benny has been watching his confidence blossom. When he first arrived, he was hesitant about walking on a leash and often looked to his foster sister or me for reassurance. In just one week, he has made tremendous progress and is now much more confident and comfortable on walks. He is eager to learn and continues to surprise us with how quickly he adapts. Benny is also making great progress with potty training. He reliably uses puppy pads to pee and is doing well with pooping outside. He has not had any accidents indoors. He is a loving, affectionate, playful puppy who would thrive in a home that can continue to provide him with patience, consistency, training, and plenty of cuddles." Level of dog ownership experience required: INTERMEDIATE – As an adult, this dog will need significant structure and plenty of daily exercise, training, and mental stimulation – 90 consecutive minutes of movement in the morning plus potty break walks and brain games throughout the day. The adopter must have relevant primary care experience with a similar breed, temperament, and/or energy level. (Primary care experience includes ownership, fostering, or dog sitting as an adult, not a dog you grew up with.) Relevant puppy care experience is a huge plus, but bare minimum the adopter must have TONS of time and patience. Raising a puppy can be a lot of fun, but it's also tremendous work. Puppies' personalities and exercise/stimulation requirements change dramatically between now and when they're a year old as their bodies and brains develop, so an active lifestyle and the ability to adapt to a pup's evolving needs are a must. We strongly urge professional dog training with a rewards based trainer from the get go. Adults only or kids ages 8 and up – all puppies go through a mouthy, rambunctious phase and often accidentally hurt children when playing. PLEASE DO YOUR OWN BREED RESEARCH to make sure you have a better understanding of the kind of temperament and exercise requirements this dog may have as an adult. Energy Level: MEDIUM – Very young puppies sleep and nap a lot, but their energy level skyrockets when they become teens (4 months to around a year). As an adult, this dog will need significant structure and plenty of daily exercise, training, and mental stimulation – 90 consecutive minutes of movement in the morning plus potty break walks and brain games throughout the day at a minimum. (This is regardless of dog size – many small breeds were designed for lots of activity and will exhibit unwanted behavior when they're understimulated.) Tolerance to City: City Pup – Growing confidence on walks and adapting well to city life. Potty Training : Uses puppy pads for peeing and poops outside; no indoor accidents. Puppies mean potty training and patience :) Comfort Level with Strangers: Social Butterfly – Friendly, happy, and affectionate. Behavior with Children Maybe for Age 12 and Up: Puppy mouthiness when he's excited is the only thing that concerns me with smaller children Social with dogs : Yes. Some puppies are shy, others are bold, but all have the potential to be taught healthy socializing skills. It's a huge part of raising a puppy and must be done carefully. How they interact with other dogs depends largely on how their humans help them learn to. Social with children? (ALWAYS requires adult supervision) - Sort of – some puppies enjoy interacting with children, others get easily overwhelmed by their energy and attention. Regardless, most puppies are not a great match for a home with kids under age 8 because they go through intense mouthy play and rambunctious phases and often accidentally hurt young kids while playing. Children must always be monitored and taught to interact with dogs of any age respectfully. Social with cats? Yes. Most puppies have the potential to be friends with a cat. It's on the adopter to know their cat's temperament and preferences and to teach their puppy respectful manners. Mouthy: Needs Training – Playfully mouths hands and feet when excited. Separation Anxiety: - He is comfortable being left alone in an unrestricted, puppy-proofed space Leash Manners: Getting the Hang of It – Has made tremendous progress in just one week. Cuddle Bug Level: High Loves snuggling on the couch with his people. Jumping on People to Say Hello: Needs Training – Puppy excitement and mouthiness suggest continued work on polite greetings. Crate Training: Working on It – Currently practicing, but confinement remains challenging: not all dogs love crates Medical status: Healthy as far as we know. Up to date on their DHPP and Bordetella vaccines, spayed/neutered; microchipped; treated with dewormer upon intake. (For dogs under 4 months old, adopters will need to finish the DHPP vaccine series and administer the Rabies vaccine at 16 weeks of age.) How did this dog end up with Social Tees? Most of our dogs come via partner groups who help us save them from shelters where they are at risk of euthanasia in Tennessee, Los Angeles, and Puerto Rico. There are very few spay/neuter resources there and many more animals in those areas than there are people to adopt them. Rescue groups like ours bring them to the northeast where the desire for pets like these allows us to save their lives. PLEASE NOTE: We cannot guarantee any breed mix, exact age, or full grown size (if the dog is under a year old). We do our best with very educated guesses. This animal is not at the Social Tees office, all are in foster homes. LEARN MORE ABOUT US: socialteesnyc.org and Instagram @socialteesnyc