Josie is a gorgeous 2-year-old rescue pit bull mix with a big heart and playful spirit. She loves cuddles, playtime, and spending time outdoors. She is incredibly sweet, and we bonded very quickly. Josie is a goofy girl who loves people and has stolen my heart in the short time we've known each other. Due to my living situation, unexpected changes to my work schedule, and some personal struggles, I am unfortunately not able to care for her long-term, and I hope to find a home that can give her the life she deserves.
In the home, Josie is a sweetheart. She is house-trained, but not crate-trained. She is a power chewer, but typically only destroys the toys that are given to her. On one occasion, she destroyed a bottle of lotion while I was away, but I have since limited her access within the home when she's alone and have had no issues. She is able to be left alone for up to 8 hours without issue, but would be happier with more people around to give her as much attention as possible. She sometimes gets zoomies, usually at night, when she hasn't had enough exercise. She is very curious and pretty much follows me everywhere in the house. We are working on basic training; she can sit, stay, and come very well in the house, but needs more practice to follow these commands outside.
Josie is very friendly, perhaps a bit too friendly, as she wants to greet every human and dog she sees. She mostly walks well on a leash, but does sometimes pull when she's found a good scent or sees a squirrel. She has a strong small-prey drive, which is especially ignited by squirrels, and she is easily distracted, so training would be beneficial to help her maintain focus on her handler while in public.
While Josie has interacted with some small dogs, she is much better with larger dogs. She is extremely playful and easily excited around other dogs and can't always read social cues when other dogs don't want to play. To my knowledge, she has not interacted with cats. Josie would do best as a single pet or in a home with a social, patient, larger dog who also enjoys playtime.
Josie does not exhibit resource guarding; I can take toys and food from her without much fuss. She does not bark much and only growls during play. She can be a bit mouthy, trying to nip at hands when playing or being pet, but is typically very gentle and getting better with training. I have only seen aggression (snarling) from her once when play became too intense with another dog at the park, but the dogs were separated without incident.
Josie would be happiest in a home with a fenced yard and multiple adults to give her all the love and attention that she craves. I would caution against bringing her into a home with small children, as she is larger and stronger than she thinks she is. I live alone in an apartment, so she doesn't have an outdoor space of her own, and recent changes in my work schedule don't allow me to give her the time and attention she deserves. She has only been with me about a month, but I have absolutely fallen in love with her, and under different circumstances, I would not be giving her up. I cannot bear the thought of taking her back to the shelter, so I am working my hardest to keep her with me until I can find a suitable home.
If you are looking for an affectionate, playful, beautiful baby and have adequate resources to support her needs, Josie could be perfect for you.