Mocha Bean was abandoned in front of a veterinary hospital, covered in ants and starving. When I saw her, I knew I couldn't leave her. I took her to ER vet where she was found to be only 25 pounds--half her healthy weight! She could barely walk, to the point where we initially thought she was paralyzed. Despite that, from the beginning, she was so gentle and sweet and became more openly friendly as she got more food in her and a safe place to sleep. She is curious and wants to be around people and likes to be where the action is.
A couple months later, she is at a healthy weight at 45#, estimated to be about 2-3 years old, and has been living in a foster home with some friends of mine. She is looking for a forever home. Beanie is smart and affectionate, but in need of a single dog home or a home with other dogs similar in size with chill personalities; she is chill when others are chill.
Mocha Bean is such a sweetheart, despite the neglect she experienced in her previous situation. My friends and I are heartbroken to have to let her go, but we will be delighted for her to go to her forever home. I love her deeply and would have welcomed her into my family if I could. While we cannot be her forever family, we want to help send her to the best home possible.
Health info:
- Fully vetted and up to date on vaccines
- Prevention: On flea, tick, and heartworm preventative. We have a few more months' worth of Simparica Trio that we would be happy to send with Bean to her forever home.
- Dietary needs: she is on an elimination diet to see if she is allergic to an animal protein, since she was having diarrhea for the first month or so we had her. The only animal protein she currently eats is turkey (no other meat or dairy). She eats Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach turkey and rice formula. If adopted, her new human will just need to be careful about re-introducing other animal proteins and monitoring her GI health.
- Spay/neuter: Not yet spayed, but we would be happy to help make sure she gets spayed. She went into heat during the summer and needed to gain enough weight before getting spayed.
Personality and training:
- Decent with leash walking. She's working on her excitement when seeing squirrels and birds, but she is willing to go wherever her human leads her.
- Still working on house-training and crate-training, but she is very food motivated and intelligent. She has picked up basic commands very quickly, such as "sit" and "come".
- She loves loves LOVES people. She has yet to meet a person she doesn't like. She tends to prefer women, but that may be because she has mostly interacted with women while we've had her.
- She gets along well with dogs her size or larger. She is young and energetic so would do well with an older, well-tempered dog who will tolerate her shenanigans.
- Bathing and grooming: she is not the biggest fan of baths, but she loves water so she tolerates bathing. She has been tolerant of nail clipping.
Pet's Name:
Mocha Bean
Dog: Primary Breed:
German Shepherd Dog
Birthdate (an estimate is okay):
July 2023
Age Category:
Young
Where did you get your pet?:
I found her as an abandoned pet in front of my vet's office
Adoption Day (when did you adopt your pet? An estimate is okay.):
June 27, 2025
Gender:
Female
Size (at full-grown):
Medium
Weight (in pounds, at full-grown size):
45
Primary Color:
Black
What are your pet's favorite toys and activities?:
She loves any edible toys, such as a Kong filled with frozen wet dog food. She loves walks and going out to explore, but she is also happy to lounge and next to her humans.
Has your dog received any formal obedience training?:
No
What commands does your dog know?:
Sit, come; needs work on down and stay
How does your dog react to being left alone for short periods?:
She barks and gets anxious if left completely alone. She does better with other dogs around. Her tolerance window for being home alone is 4-6 hours.
Are there any specific triggers that cause your dog anxiety or stress?:
She becomes agitated with she sees another dog getting their harness put on/leashed up. She also has a strong prey drive and will pull if she sees squirrels or birds on walks. She is also best kept away from cats, as she becomes extremely fixated on them and wants to chase them.
Is there a daily routine that works well for your dog (feeding, walking, sleep)?:
She eats in the AM and PM; the exact time is not super important. She goes out a few times a day with at least 2 walks. She sleeps well on a dog bed near her humans.
Medical History and Care:
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed or Neutered
House/Litter-Trained
Microchipped
Special Diet
Special Needs
Never Vetted
Unknown
Does your pet have any history of health issues or medical conditions that potential adopters should be aware of?:
Dietary needs: she is on an elimination diet to see if she is allergic to an animal protein, since she was having diarrhea for the first month or so we had her. The only animal protein she currently eats is turkey (no other meat or dairy). She eats Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach turkey and rice formula. If adopted, her new human will just need to be careful about re-introducing other animal proteins and monitoring her GI health.
Has your dog ever been diagnosed with or treated for any of the following? (Please check all that apply, even if your dog has fully recovered. This helps us provide the best support for future families.):
Allergies (environmental or food-related)
Anaplasmosis (tick-borne)
Anxiety Issues
Arthritis or Joint Pain
Canine Distemper
Chronic Ear Infections
Dental Disease
Ehrlichiosis (tick-borne)
Heartworm
Influenza
Kennel Cough
Leptospirosis
Lipomas, Cysts, or Other Lumps/Bumps
Lyme Disease
Parvovirus
Seizures
Skin Conditions
Vaccine Reactions
Other
Additional notes about your dog’s health history::
She was severely emaciated when I found her, so she may have issues related to that in the future. She is now a healthy weight.
Has your dog ever shown any challenging behaviors, such as biting a person or another pet? If so, please share some context.:
In her foster home, she was lunged at or snapped at on multiple occasions by a smaller dog and would get into squabbles with him. The smaller dog is reactive and would go at Bean for minor things, such as being near his bed. Most recently, the smaller dog attacked her, and Mocha Bean bit him in response and quickly let go. This has been her first and only bite incident toward another animal, and she has never bitten a human. She otherwise displays no food aggression or unprovoked aggression. She does have a strong prey drive that is triggered by cats and very small dogs.
How often does your dog require grooming (e.g., bathing, brushing, trimming)? :
We bathed her when she got dirty but didn't have a regular bath scheduled otherwise. She tolerates baths and nail trims.
Personality:
Playful
Constant Companion
High Energy
Medium Energy
Low Energy
Stubborn
Timid
Needs Training
Friendly to Strangers
Good with Other Dogs
Good with Young Children
Good with Cats
Bonded Pair
Requires A Fenced Yard
Crate Trained
Purebred
How is your dog with other dogs?:
Friendly: Generally gets along well with other dogs.
How is your dog with cats?:
Aggressive: Does not get along with cats and may show aggressive behavior.
What's the most endearing thing about your dog?:
The tips of her little ears bouncing as she moves around. She is so affectionate and has the sweetest eyes. She loves food and will dig through the couch for a single kibble.
What criteria are important to you when considering an adoptive family or home for your pet?:
Her forever family ideally has a fenced yard, or at least a quiet neighborhood for her to take walks in. She should either be a single pet or live with other similar-sized or larger dogs. Her forever family should be ready to put in the time to help manage her strong instinctive drives and behavioral issues. Most importantly, they should be ready for a very affectionate dog who always wants to be where her people are, even if it's just lazing around on the couch napping.
Is there anything else you'd like your pet's new family to know?:
She is smart and food-motivated. We have even had training sessions using her regular kibble as treats, and she will gobble it up. Be careful of leaving food out, or she may very well decide to hold onto it for you (in her stomach). We have not found her to be destructive of anything in the house that's not holding food. She's never shown interest in chewing or destroying clothes, shoes, furniture, books, etc.
Why are you rehoming your pet (primary reason)?:
Foster Pet
Details about rehoming reason (if needed):
We knew from the beginning, when I found her abandoned, that we wouldn't be able to keep her. We have just been trying to get her ready for her forever home.
If applicable, do you have the legal right or necessary permission from the breeder or rescue organization to rehome this pet? :
Not Applicable
Yes
How long will you be able to keep your pet before you may need to consider surrendering him or her to a rescue?:
Two weeks
Who is your veterinarian?:
Hyde Park Animal Hospital
What do you feed your pet, and does he/she have any feeding quirks or preferences?:
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach turkey and rice formula
Do you currently have pet insurance?:
No
Would you consider a long-distance adoption?:
Yes
No
Maybe
City, State:
Chicago, IL
Zip Code:
60615
How did you hear about us?:
Rescue/Shelter
Referring Name (person, page, or organization, if applicable):
Naperville Area Humane Society
Service Level:
Assistance Needed: Help Me Choose