Meet Impala Nala, a sweet 40-pound girl who is settling into foster life and showing more of her personality every day. She can be a little shy in unfamiliar situations, but once she realizes you're her friend, her affectionate side comes shining through. Her foster family says she is absolutely people-obsessed and would happily spend all day right beside someone! This gentle girl loves being close to her humans and is looking for a home where she can feel safe, build confidence, and share all the affection she has to give.
If there's one thing Impala Nala loves most, it's cuddling. She happily soaks up pets and attention and has been friendly with the people she's met both inside and outside her foster home. When visitors come over, she may get excited and jump up to say hello before settling down to enjoy their company. She's also been happy to accept pets from unfamiliar people during walks. Once she's comfortable, she's a devoted little shadow who wants to be wherever her favorite humans are. She has a medium energy level, so she's happy to enjoy neighborhood strolls and sniffing adventures before relaxing with her people on the couch.
Impala Nala has been gaining confidence on her neighborhood walks and is becoming more comfortable exploring outdoors. When there aren't tempting distractions around, she's an easy walking companion who enjoys sniffing into little crevices and investigating the world through her nose. Squirrels and cats, however, can capture her attention and she may become reactive. Her foster family has recently started practicing the engage-disengage game to help her learn to notice these distractions and redirect her attention, although she's still at the beginning of that training. Her future family should be prepared to continue this work, keep a secure hold on the leash, and give her enough distance from squirrels and cats to help her succeed.
Housetraining has been another encouraging area of progress! Earlier in her foster stay, Impala Nala was more comfortable relieving herself outdoors in the early morning and evening, with occasional indoor accidents. She's now going potty outside three times a day and had no accidents during her most recent reporting week. This is wonderful progress as she grows more confident on walks and becomes familiar with her routine. Keeping a predictable schedule and offering regular opportunities to go outside will help her maintain these good habits as she transitions to a new home.
At home, Impala Nala is a lovely companion who settles down peacefully when left alone. Her foster reports that she sleeps throughout the day while the house is quiet, making her a relaxed houseguest during those hours. She's also working on cues like "place" and "come," and she's getting better at responding even when things around her are more exciting. Her favorite toy is a squeaky Pop-Tart, which gives her something fun to enjoy between cuddle sessions.
Impala Nala has met other dogs at the shelter and is reported to do best with very gentle canine friends. She request to meet any resident dogs to ensure they're a good match. Because she reacts to cats outdoors, a home with cats would require careful consideration and management. Her experience with children is not yet known, so any introductions should be thoughtful and supervised. Impala Nala is a loving, people-focused girl who has already made meaningful progress with her outdoor confidence and housetraining. She'll thrive with a patient family who can keep building on that progress, continue her distraction training, and give her plenty of affection along the way. She's currently enjoying the comfort of a foster home. If you're interested in meeting Impala Nala, please complete an adoption application and email dogfosters@barcs.org for next steps!
