Luca – Adopted

I’m LUCA! But I am a FEMALE Luca, not the other Luca and I’m a 5-1/2-year-old purebred GSP. I’m staying with my auntie right now because my mom died very suddenly. So, her sister (my auntie), contacted the rescue to see if they could find a new home for me. I know some basic commands like sit, come, load up. go to bed/crate, and my recall is good unless I’m distracted by a squirrel or other small animal. I do need work on stay and off. I’m really smart and I learn fast. I even learned how to open the sliding glass door!

I have lived the majority of my life in places where I could run, run, run. In the past year, I have had to learn to walk with a harness and leash. I’m OK at it although I do pull. I do not use a crate when I’m home alone, but when my auntie has to be gone for a little while, I am indoors with access to a few rooms andsometimes I can also go outdoors to spy on the squirrels. If I’m left alone for too long (especially if I haven’t had good exercise), I may get into mischief like taking things out of the sink or from the trash. Even though I sometimes go into my crate to sleep, please don’t put me in a crate during the day, especially when people are home – I will probably whine at you! Most nights I sleep in a soft-sided crate. Because I am such a snuggler and I like practicing that skill, I also love sleeping with my person.

Like most GSPs, I love action, like fetching a tennis ball (OK. I’m a bit obsessed) and I like learning tricks if I get treats. I like tug and stuffed toys. I LOVE my off-leash time chasing balls,zooming around or swimming. I really need that off-leash exercise a couple of times a week. I have been trained on a training collar, but my recall is good with my auntie so she doesn’t have to use it very often and only on vibrate if I don’t respond immediately. Even though I am not known as a fence challenger, I do want a securely fenced yard that has plenty of room for me to run around. When I can be outside, I will watch the squirrels as intensely as I play ball.  When I was with my mom, I lived with another smaller dog, from her puppyhood,and we had a blast playing together. I play energetically with both people and dogs but not using my teeth or my claws. My auntie knows that my dog friend and I need to be separated when we are fed. I have been aggressive around another dog but those incidents involved resource guarding. Maybe I should be an only dog but I do usually get along with other dogs, just not when food or my toys are part of the equation.

I love all people and am always friendly when people or family come to visit – I get so excited that I do tend to jump on them. I know I need some training on this, but one clever solution is to give me a tennis ball to distract me – then I don’t jump! I haven’t lived in a home with children but I have visited them and we seem to have a mutual adoration! I am pretty calm with them and I like having them pet me, even when we meet in an open space park. I haven’t been with toddlers or babies so I don’t know how I would be around them . . . I’m sure they would feel like I’m a giant!

My auntie says that I am a very sweet, snuggly, loving girl. She feels that I need to have someone who isn’t gone all day so we can play, love each other and form a strong bond. She also knows how much I need space to run and play (like a fun bike ride, a hike, a long walk or serious fetch) and when I get adequate exercise, I’m a gem!