Up next, Ginger! Ginger is a one-year-old Husky x Cattle Dog x who came to MUTTS as a stray from a remote community in northern Manitoba. Before her rescue, she gave birth to her three puppies under a shed (in fact, her son Gilligan is up for adoption!). Much like the spice, this gal is full of flavour and spunk and absolutely loves being part of a family, so let’s help Ginger find her home!

Ginger has adapted to home life beautifully and luckily for her, she’s got a few furry foster siblings to show her the ropes! Ginger is a very, very smart girl and she knows that the best advice always comes from our elders. Like a good little sponge, Ginger has been absorbing as much as her foster siblings are willing to show her. So far she’s mastered a few key lessons, like how to read the cues of other dogs, how to find the perfect balance between playing and resting, and the art of fetch (though she’s still working on bringing the ball all the way back)! With new dogs on leash, Ginger is polite and happy to say hi; off-leash, she’s a little hesitant of dogs who are larger than her, but she adapts quickly! Ginger loves being part of a pack and gains a lot of confidence from other dogs, so we know she’d excel in a home with another pup! As for new people, she’s cautious at first and prefers that friendship form on her timeline and terms, but so far everyone she’s met has passed the test!

If Ginger could design her perfect weekend, it would include a good walk and sniff, playtime and backyard lounging, and plenty of nighttime cuddles on the couch. Ginger is not picky about her snuggle partner and has been known to curl up with one of the resident dogs on several occasions, as well as with her humans anytime the opportunity presents! Ginger has FOMO and dislikes being separated from her people (aka the fun). When she first arrived, she couldn’t stand being on her own, let alone in a crate, and would howl and bark endlessly. Now that she’s decompressed, she understands that the time alone is not forever and after a bit of whining, she settles (this newfound confidence is also aided by the company of other dogs).

Each day, Ginger enjoys a combination of backyard time, play with her fosters, and training! She loves to play tug and recently started enjoying fetch. During walks, Ginger wears a prong collar and is working on heel. Off the prong she definitely pulls, but it’s not terrible. She has a thing for chasing little animals but isn’t reactive, so continued use of the prong collar is encouraged. Ginger is very smart and quickly working her way through obedience training, though her stubborn Husky genes sometimes get in the way, especially where recall is concerned. Thankfully she’s highly food-motivated and will do anything for a piece of beef liver!

Ginger is spayed, microchipped, up to date with her vaccines and received a clean bill of health from the vet. She is 100% potty trained and crate trained. She naps in her crate during the day and sleeps peacefully at night (a view of the resident dogs helps her stay calm), but once 7:30am rolls around, the Husky alarm goes off!

Despite her rough start, Ginger is a happy and affectionate gal who thrives as a family dog! We can’t wait for her to meet her people and continue living her best life!

SOCIABILITY: Humans (adults; not kid tested but dog-savvy kids would be fine) and dogs; cat tested but she chases and doesn’t understand gentle play, so she’d be best in a cat-free home
ENERGY: Medium
QUIRKS: Ginger flops on top of you like a fish out of water! She has no idea what personal space is and will literally walk on your head!
TRAINING NEEDS: Continued basic obedience and leash skills; some toy resource guarding (would benefit from training)
MEDICAL NEEDS: None
WEIGHT: 47lbs
FOSTER LOCATION: Barrie