Hiii, we’re MUTTS Dog Rescue, and this is our latest adoptable, Bruiser! Bruiser is a Leo omnivore who was recently rescued from the SPCA, where he was surrendered due to financial reasons. He is a total love bug, the perfect walking companion, and dreams of life as an only child. Bruiser is ready to find his forever home and wants to remind us: whoever decides to shop and not adopt is seriously disturbed!

It’s clear that prior to his surrender, Bruiser was very, very loved. Now that he’s comfortable with his fosters, he is a total lovebug and extremely loyal! He feels best when velcroed to his fosters and has some pretty major FOMO. Bruiser derives a great deal of comfort from close proximity to his people so his fosters are working on building his sense of independence, ie) tethering him to his playpen to encourage him to hang on his own, as well as utilizing the crate to provide him with a safe space. Despite his need to shadow his fosters at all times, Bruiser does very well when left on his own. His fosters tell us he would have no issues remaining home alone outside of his crate: when on his own, Bruiser likes to hang by the window or on “his” chair and doesn’t cause any trouble!

We believe Bruiser would thrive as an only child, though older, dog-savvy kids would be fine. He prefers a calm and predictable home with a routine and familiar faces. Meeting new people can be an anxiety-inducing experience for Bruiser. He needs time to warm up and usually introduces himself by barking and running off. His fosters encourage new people to ignore him, which always draws Bruiser in. Once he’s comfortable, Bruiser happily accepts all the attention he can get and loves to be the star of the show! With other dogs, Bruiser is great during pack walks but hasn’t shown much interest in getting to know fellow canines. At home, he strongly dislikes sharing the spotlight with other pets, so it’s best that Bruiser be adopted by a family where he can truly shine as the #1 pup!

Though he is a lower energy boy, Bruiser loves his walks and is a dream on the leash – small, easy to handle, confident and walks with a little bounce! Right now, Bruiser walks for 35-40 minutes in the morning and another 15-20 minutes before bed. He doesn’t do much running around without a human to play with. Bruiser loves playing fetch with his fosters and is slowly learning how to play with other dogs, though it’s hard to tell if he’s having fun since he becomes quite vocal. His basic obedience could use some sharpening. He understands “sit” and “come,” and it’s believed that his recall is okay since he’s usually close by. Bruiser is a smart pup and with the right tools at hand (aka an assortment of cheese) he should be able to master some more advanced commands in no time! Bruiser is potty trained, microchipped, neutered and up to date with his vaccines. When he first arrived at the Barrie SPCA, he immediately started showing signs of high-stress and fear and was put on anti-anxiety meds. His fosters are currently weaning him off of these meds and it’s going very well. Bruiser will require surgery for a dental cleaning and extraction of a cracked molar (a possible root cause of his anxiety), which is still to be scheduled.

Sweet and loyal to a fault, Bruiser is ready to find a family to give him space to shine! Let’s help this cutie pie find his very own Elle Woods!

SOCIABILITY: Humans (adults and older, dog-savvy kids); best as the only dog in the home; not cat tested but does not have any prey drive
ENERGY: Low to medium
QUIRKS: Bruiser is a food connoisseur! He likes a variety and doesn’t mind starving himself if dinner isn’t up to par. Thankfully he’s becoming less picky, but he still prefers top shelf treats, especially cheese!
TRAINING NEEDS: Continued basic obedience
MEDICAL NEEDS: Currently being tapered off anti-anxiety meds; upcoming surgery for a dental cleaning and extraction of a cracked molar (to be scheduled)
WEIGHT: 17lbs
FOSTER LOCATION: Mississauga