Boat: Canoe

* This dog will be at the Palo Alto Pet Food Express on Saturday, November 7th from 12PM – 3PM (unless adopted prior to the event). 3910 Middlefield Road All DPS Rescue dogs are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, flea/tick treated, and microchipped prior to adoption.

Adoption fee: $650 Canoe: Small Boat, Big Personality All aboard for puppy love! Canoe is one of the four Boat puppies, rescued from the shelter with his mama, Marina, when he was eight weeks old. Now about 10 weeks old, this scruffy little sailor is ready to launch into a forever home of his own! Mama Marina weighs about 25 pounds and looks like a Maltese mix, and our best guess is that Canoe is a Maltipoo with a soft, terrier-like coat, a fabulous personality, and an impressive ability to turn an ordinary afternoon into a puppy party. While purebred Maltipoos are generally allergy-friendly, Canoe may not be suited for those with serious allergies. Your Personal Lap Boat Canoe takes his duties as a lap dog very seriously. At roughly 3–4 pounds when his foster checked in, he’s a tiny package (and most definitely the runt of the litter!) with an enormous affection budget. His preferred destination for any nap? Your lap. His preferred activity once he arrives? Snuggling closer. Canoe absolutely enjoys racing around and playing, but he also makes time to sit quietly and soak up pets. A belly rub can bring this busy little boy to a complete stop, except for one back leg, which keeps kicking away in appreciation. Whether he grows into a champion couch companion remains to be seen, but he’s already putting in some excellent practice. Head of the Recreation Department Canoe runs a very busy recreation program. There are balls to chase, rope toys to wrestle, plushies to investigate, and squeakers that apparently require repeated testing. He enjoys exploring a variety of toy textures, sounds, and smells, and rotating the selection keeps his little puppy brain busy. He has plenty to say during play, too! Expect enthusiastic puppy commentary as he wrestles his toys or invites the resident dog to join the fun. Like any typical teething puppy, he sometimes mistakes fingers, shoes, or clothing for potential chew toys, so his family should be ready with appropriate toys and patient redirection. His foster home includes Scout, a 35-pound mini Golden Retriever who has politely declined a position on the puppy entertainment committee. Canoe eagerly invites Scout to play, but he does a lovely job of reading Scout’s signals and accepting “no, thank you.” A Day Aboard Canoe’s daily itinerary is straightforward: sleep, play, eat, repeat. He wakes around 6 a.m., heads outside for a potty break, and fuels up with breakfast. The morning brings backyard adventures and a nap around 10, followed by more play before lunch at noon. An afternoon snooze usually arrives around 3, with a snack at 4 and another rotation of play and rest before dinner at 8 p.m. After one final round of evening entertainment, he settles in for the night. Meals, naps, and overnight sleeping happen in his indoor puppy pen in the living room. His crate is available inside the pen, and he often chooses it as a cozy sleeping spot. Canoe grew up with his littermates for company, so he’ll need some help adjusting to a new home and learning to spend time on his own. Little Explorer, Learning the Ropes Canoe enjoys brief outings in his doggy stroller, where he likes to prop up his paws and sniff the world going by. He’s comfortable wearing a harness and has watched passing people, dogs, and cars without barking. About 10 minutes of sightseeing generally meets his current cruising requirements! Ready to Find His Home Port Canoe’s wish list starts with a welcoming lap and people who delight in an affectionate little companion. He’ll thrive with a family ready for the happy work of puppyhood: potty breaks, socialization, gentle training, toy rotation, and plenty of time together. If you’ve fallen for Canoe’s tiny, snuggly charm, this Boat boy is ready to make waves and find a permanent place in your heart.