Tugboat Catahoula Leopard Dog Mix Oakland, CA

I am in a foster home and not at the shelter. If you are interested in adopting, submit an adoption questionnaire by email. Learn more hereBring endless joy into your life with loyal, goofy, and affectionate Tugboat! This 4-year-old sweetheart is a soft and squishy Catahoula Leopard Dog mix who grins when he is excited to see you and is eager to match your energy. His favorite toy is any kind of ball, and he is adorably clumsy when trying to play fetch. You'll know he is deep in sleep when his cheeks billow or his tongue pokes out of his mouth.

What makes Tugboat a good fit for your home:

Very quiet, nonreactive dog. He will chat with you while you're playing, making the cutest awoos and yawns, but he is not a barker.
Extremely friendly and gentle. At events or in big crowds, he just goes with the flow and soaks in the love.
Polite around food, even though he is VERY food motivated. He might come for a sniff, or give you puppy eyes, but he does not counter surf or try to steal food and will stay in his bed while we are eating.
Great apartment dog! Sure, he could love a backyard, but he is mellow and happy with just a couple of walks/potty breaks a day. He is fully housetrained, a dream on the leash, and leaves other people, dogs and critters alone (he might stop to watch, but he won't pull).
Sleeps through the night on his bed, and, if you let him up on your bed in the morning for a cuddle, you can even sleep in an extra few hours.
Well-trained, nondestructive, and eager to please. While he is clever and likes to see if he can squeeze extra treats out of you, he always tries his best to understand what you're asking.

What makes your home a good fit for Tugboat:

You want an adventure buddy, and/or people are often home. Tugboat is fantastic in the car and out in public, able to stay in his 'place' on the back seat or under the table, but he doesn't like to be left alone. Even with steady progress increasing his confidence while he is away from people, it's unlikely he will ever be happy being alone for a full work day.
You are willing to learn a new 'language'. Tugboat is deaf, though you might not notice right away, and is responsive to hand signals and attuned to body language. The hardest part for us has been that he doesn't know, and will never know, how great his name is
He loves his routines, and will quietly 'complain' (sit and stare) if he feels like a meal is late or someone should be home by now but isn't. If you have a structured routine, great! If you want one, he will keep you honest. If not, maybe you can find his complaints endearing and work out a compromise, he is adaptable.
You like big dogs, and cuddling, but don't want a big dog all over you all the time. Tugboat will lay next to you, put his head in your lap, or wiggle onto your chest for a quick kiss, but he prefers gentle contact over full-body cuddling.

Tugboat is ready to bring love and joy into your life and will reward you with endless companionship! Click here to learn how to adopt, and submit your adoption questionnaire.