Riley

Meet Riley. This sweet pup was rescued from life as an outside dog living on a property with 16 other dogs running free. The owner would feed them but did not provide medical care, preventive protection, or spay or neuter his pets, so puppies were inevitable. He became overwhelmed when another litter of puppies arrived and reached out to rescue for help. Thirteen dogs were taken in by multiple rescues and the 4 adults that remained with the owner have been spayed and neutered to prevent further litters. Riley came into our care heartworm positive, which is not unexpected for an outside dog who has been living without protection. She's already been treated and was fortunate to still be a young, healthy dog when rescued. She's been living in a foster home for the past few months learning what home life is all about. She's being fostered with a foster mom and dad and a senior lab, but gets regular weekend playdates with some younger dogs in the family and regularly sees the grandkids. Riley is excellent with other dogs and would benefit from a dog buddy in her new home. She is a shy, submissive pup and more of a follower who would do best with a pup role model in her life. When Riley first came to us she was very shy and you could tell she had not had much exposure to the world outside her previous yard. She has come a LONG way but is still a work in progress. Riley is a dog who needs time to build trust...she will find a safe spot in the house, like a couch, bed, etc., and hang out there until she feels comfortable. It took about 2 weeks for her to want to leave her safe spot. Her foster family blocked off the upstairs and kept her engaged so she didn't have the option to retreat, and now she chooses to be with the family and is much better about moving around the house. Overall she's a pretty laidback dog who enjoys her walks with no pulling. Sometimes she will stop if startled, so she's not a city dog but would do fine in a suburban neighborhood. She is fine meeting other dogs and people while she's out and about, but will not come up to someone new in the house. She's still timid around new people, new situations, and sudden noises, but she knows her family. She greets her foster family when they come home with wiggles and joy. She loves to hang out with her people now and enjoys pets. Riley has proven to have good house manners and her foster mom allows her free roam in the home. She rarely barks and has no issues being handled or bathed. Riley is still trimming down from her earlier sedentary lifestyle and needs an owner who is committed to daily walks and will watch her calorie intake. We have started to see more and more of her personality and know she can be a fun dog when given time to settle in and trust. She may act terrified at first, but she just needs time to trust you and her new surroundings. She loves to be petted, so that is a great way to build rapport. Riley's foster mom, Cindy, shared, "We have really grown to love this dog. She was closed down to us at first but is really cute once she opens up. She needs a family who understands she needs time to connect and in return, they will get a very sweet, submissive pup who adores them." Apply today! BREED ESTIMATE: Lab Mix GENDER: Female APPROXIMATE WEIGHT: 34 lbs (could lose a few pounds) APPROXIMATE AGE: ~ 3 years old COAT TYPE: Medium flowy coat ADOPTION FEE: $425 OTHER INFO: utd on shots/spayed/microchipped, treated for heartworm. LOCATION: Fairfax, VA FOR MORE INFO OR TO ADOPT: Please go to https://adopt.worthydog.org and complete the application. You can also help save dogs like this one by becoming a foster, providing a rescue dog with a temporary home and giving them the love and care they need until they are permanently adopted. Every person who fosters is directly responsible for saving the life of a dog, because we can only save as many dogs as we have foster families available to welcome them into their homes. If you think you might be interested in becoming a foster and want to learn more, please go to https://foster.worthydog.org and fill out an application. Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue that primarily adopts to families in the DC Metro area.