Meet Mystique, a sweet senior lady who believes life is best lived with her nose to the ground and a human by her side. At 37 pounds, this affectionate girl may be older and mostly blind, but she certainly hasn't let that slow her down. Mystique is a brave, joyful dog with a huge heart, a serious talent for snuggling, and plenty of pep still left in her step.
Mystique absolutely adores people and seems to believe everyone she meets is a new best friend. She wants to meet everyone she encounters, and while she can come across as a little enthusiastic as she heads toward someone to sniff them out, she quickly settles into a cuddle and happily moves along. She is wonderful with men, women, and children, and has previously enjoyed spending time with kids ages 8 and 13. Given her limited vision, respectful children who understand how to interact gently with a senior dog would be the best fit.
Her foster says Mystique practically lives for snuggles, and it is easy to see why. She curls up in their lap while they work, with one paw on each side of their torso, and will happily snore away as long as she can be close to her person. She even sleeps under the covers at her foster family's feet. She has a funny habit of rubbing herself against people like a cat and sometimes makes her own little imitation of a purr when she is especially happy.
Despite her limited vision, Mystique navigates the world with impressive confidence. She has learned the layout of her foster home and gets around surprisingly well. She enjoys walks and runs, and even when her foster had less time for long outings, she still did wonderfully on a short run. She loves exploring grass and trails with her nose, and she is learning "up" and "down" to help her navigate steps safely. She is food motivated and can be redirected easily with treats or a clicker, especially when her favorite hot dogs are involved. At home, she enjoys a Kong stuffed with frozen yogurt and kibble.
Mystique is also doing wonderfully with housetraining and has had no accidents in her foster home. She does well when left alone and is generally content to settle in. She does have a mischievous side, including a habit of perching on the very top of the couch cushions and slowly falling between them! She has also demonstrated that unattended bags of long-lasting chews can be very tempting, so her future family will want to keep tasty contraband safely out of reach. She may bark when she hears an unfamiliar noise at the door, but she settles quickly, and her barking does not come with aggression.
On leash, Mystique still pulls, but her foster has found that she can be redirected fairly easily with food or a clicker. Because she is mostly blind, she does benefit from some gentle leash guidance to help her navigate and avoid bumping into things. She has also been wearing Doggles as she prepares for an upcoming surgery and has been doing well with them. Mystique can be reactive toward other dogs while on leash, so her family will need to thoughtfully manage her environment and give her plenty of space from dogs when walking.
Outside of those situations, Mystique has shown that she can enjoy canine companionship. She has met other dogs at BARCS and done well with gentle, polite dogs, including small breeds. Because her reactions on leash can be different from her interactions in a controlled setting, any potential doggie roommate should meet Mystique to make sure they are a good match. Her future family should be prepared to continue managing her around unfamiliar dogs and avoid situations that put her in a position to react.
Mystique has not lived with cats in her current foster home, so her compatibility with cats is unknown. A careful introduction and management plan would be important if she were to join a home with resident cats.
Mystique may be a little quirky, but that is part of what makes her so special. She is affectionate, resilient, playful, and completely determined to enjoy every bit of life. Whether she is sniffing a trail, going for a run, enjoying a pup cup, rolling in the grass, working on a frozen Kong, or burrowing into her person's lap for a nap, Mystique is happiest when she is included. She has so much love left to give and deserves a family who will cherish her for exactly who she is.
I'm a VIP because I'm still learning, and the shelter can be a tough place for dogs like me to shine. But I've got a whole team cheering me on!
If you're patient and open-hearted, I could be your best friend. I'm available for adoption! During the adoption process, a staff member can walk you through what's been working for me and how you can keep the progress going at home.
MVP Up to Bat! I'm a BARCS MVP because I'm working on my leash skills. Treats help, and so does a loose leash for guidance, since I'm mostly blind. I've done just fine with calm, polite pups in low-key settings. I'll just need to meet any potential doggie roommate first to make sure we click! Please contact our Dog Foster team at dogfosters@barcs.org to connect with my foster family, and get to know me better! I can't wait to meet you.
Every animal deserves a home run! BARCS MVPs are overlooked pets in the shelter. Thanks to the generous support of the Alonso, Basallo, and Bradish Baltimore Orioles families, all MVP animals have waived adoption fees AND will go home with a brand new leash and collar or cat carrier.
??For more information or to see the full MVP line-up, click here: https://www.barcs.org/mvp
