MOCHA – A1120899

A cup of mocha …and a big smile from Mocha to start your day in beauty…How about it? Come and meet your new girl at the Manhattan Care Center and secure  your daily dose of sunshine for day s to come by adopting her… Mocha is a lovely gal with bright eyes, always ready to be in company. She wiggles and wags in her kennel to entice you to take her out. She is beautiful, healthy, the right weight and  all dressed in a perfect and silky milk chocolate coat. She pulls on the leash and does her business at once as we hit the street.  She is not a pigeons chaser and is interested in meeting other dogs. Free in the yard, Mocha shows a predilection for the bench where she likes to sit or lay, preferably very close to her person. Yes, Mocha is SUPER affectionate, a professional kisser and a beaming recipient of hugs. She loves treats, takes them gently from the hand and can sit on command. Spending time off leash with Mocha is the best way to get to know her and appreciate  her worth. Mocha seems to be the gal who would make the most lovely, playful and loving companion. Come and meet her soon at the Manhattan Care Center and make her yours.

Another volunteer writes:   Always smiling and wagging her tail, Mocha is friendly, sweet and loves making new friends.   Ready for a walk and the opportunity to go potty, she pulls slightly on her leash, but she’s a petite little girl so is easily managed.  She snuggles, she sits, she shakes both paws and gently enjoys her reward treats.  Mocha plays exuberantly with other dogs both male and female after taking a bit of time to warm up.   While she can be a tad shy at first, her effervescent smile and sparkling eyes showcase the fun and friendly little girl she is.  Gorgeous in her mocha (of course) color coat she’s waiting to dazzle you with a kiss and a wave of her tail. Come, be dazzled today!

BEHAVIOR :

KNOWN HISTORY: None

Unaltered Female, Stray

SAFER ASSESSMENT:

Look: 1. Dog’s eyes are averted. Her ears are back, her tail is down, and she has a relaxed body posture. Dog allows head to be held loosely in Assessor’s cupped hands.

Sensitivity: 1. Dog leans into the Assessor, eyes soft or squinty, soft and loose body, closed mouth.

Tag: 1. Dog assumes play position and joins the game. Jumps up lightly on assessor.

Squeeze 1: 1. Dog gently pulls back her paw.

Squeeze 2: 1. Dog gently pulls back her paw.

Toy: 1. Dog settles close, keeps a firm grip and is loose and wiggly. She does not place her body between you and the toy.

Summary: Mocha jumped up socially a few times on the assessor during her assessment. She allowed all handling and was social throughout.

PLAYGROUP:
Mocha has displayed interest in exuberant play with other dogs in the care center.  History around dogs is unknown due to arriving as a stray.  The behavior department recommends slow introductions between Mocha and social or tolerant dogs.
8/5: When introduced off leash to another female dog, Megatron greets politely but remains anxious, and will correct for exuberant play.
8/9: Mocha is social and plays exuberantly, bouncing, bowing and vocalizing during play.
8/10: Mocha plays exuberantly.
8/11: Mocha plays exuberantly with male and female dogs.

INTAKE BEHAVIOR:
Upon intake, Mocha was friendly and well behaved.

MEDICAL BEHAVIOR:
During her initial medical exam, Mocha was social.

ENERGY LEVEL:
We have no history on Mocha so we cannot be certain of her behavior in a home environment. However, she is a young, enthusiastic, social dog who will need daily mental and physical activity to keep her engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively
direct her energy and enthusiasm.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Average (suitable for an adopter with an average amount of dog experience)

Potential challenges:
_X_Basic manners/Poor impulse control: Mocha jumps up a lot of people. It is recommended that default behaviors such as “Leave it”, “Sit/Stay”, “Down” are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach her to control her impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward based training only is
recommended.