Nikita Spitz Mix Neosho, MO

Say hello to Nikita, new kid on the block!

Although she's a fresh face at FFAA, Nikita is actually a transfer from Carthage Humane Society where her total number of days equaled over 500! We agreed to take her on during their time of need; we are hopeful that new scenery will give her the visibility needed to find her forever home.

She is a 4-5 year old long-haired stunner, likely a Spitz* mix. Her coloring is reminiscent of many shepherd mixes, but her blocky, rounded facial features and stocky, short frame indicate something closer to a Chow Chow or even a Norwegian Elkhound mix.

As described by a manager at her previous facility, Nikita is a gorgeous girl whose lack of interest is shocking! We were told she walks well on a leash and that she is not only spunky and smart but gentle too.

She is clearly passionate about playing with toys; if left to it, she will self-entertain, but she's equally as happy for a human to jump right in and join her. She gets so excited when she plays; she boings into the air, pounces with fervor, and narrates exactly how much fun she's having the whole time.

We were told that she doesn't like dogs that are too rowdy, but at Faithful Friends, we have multiple large yards that allow dogs to play freely and naturally - here, we've found that she matches the energy and has a ton of fun with some of our rowdier young males. You'd never guess it, but her round fluffy body seems to be MADE for speed! She's shockingly agile for both her age and build, and she's always enthusiastic to go on walks or keep the game going with either a human or canine companion.

She tends towards body sensitivity - her beautiful coat is not low-maintenance, so to avoid matting or coat impaction, her future home should be prepared to either regularly employ a professional groomer or to work hard on some co-operative care strategies as well as desensitizing and counterconditioning her discomfited responses to brushing/grooming.

We haven't had the pleasure of knowing Nikita for long, but we're already enchanted by her large, expressive eyes, her initially quiet, peaceful demeanor, and then how sassy and silly she is after just a few minutes of getting to know you.

Nikita's ideal home would be child-free with one-two adults for her to focus on and who will play with her for as long as she wants!


*Spitz is an umbrella category for many dog breeds that share common traits such as pricked ears, a double coat, a tail that curves over their back, almond shaped eyes, and a pointed muzzle. Most are Arctic or Siberian in origin. Examples of more well-known Spitz breeds are Huskies, Malamutes, Samoyeds, Akitas, Shiba Inus, Pomeranians, Shar Peis, Chow Chows, Akitas, Norwegian Elkhounds, Schipperkes, Alaskan Klee Klais - between 50-70+ dog breeds could be placed in the Spitz category.