7 Adorable Puppies In Fort Worth To Adopt For Christmas

Meet a Few Puppies Who Need a Home in Fort Worth

There’s no time like now to add a new family member! Fort Worth’s shelters are overflowing with wonderful pets that would love to make themselves at home in your home. Some of the municipal shelters have even waived their adoption fees to help give more adorable pets a chance.

We know that adopting a pup of any age is a big responsibility, and only share these dogs to shine a light on the dogs that prospective owners may otherwise not know about. Many owner surrenders happen because people got excited about a new dog, but weren’t ready for the work it would take once the newness wore off.

1. Dogs in Fort Worth – Trooper, Adult Lab Mix

Trooper is an adult silver lab mix, possibly purebred but nobody knows for sure. He’s with the Fort Worth Abandoned Animals Alliance who says he’s a typical lab that loves everyone! Trooper needs an active family that can spend the time he needs to blow off excess energy and teach him all the things he needs to know.

Being a Labrador retriever means that Trooper needs lots of exercise and a high-quality diet. He loves toys and is food-motivated, making for pretty easy training as long as you’re consistent. Labs like Trooper love food, and easily become overweight if you let them.

This gorgeous boy is ready for his new home, and who can resist his adorable face? Visit their website to apply to adopt sweet Trooper this Christmas.

2. Dogs in Fort Worth – Rikki, 5-Month-Old Lab Mix

Meet Rikki, a 5-month-old lab mix pup with a permanent case of ”Happy Butt.” He’s a beautiful young dog with a ton of energy, but his life didn’t start out very well. He came into the city shelter as a neglected, underweight pup, then spent the majority of his young life there before being placed on the euthanasia list because he wasn’t thriving. Can you imagine? Being sentenced to die because you struggled in a place where so many are already struggling.

Happily, Saving Hope Rescue spotted him on the list and pulled him out before his life ended. It’s hard to tell that this boy was ever unhealthy, and he loves everyone. Even cats, but they don’t always like him and he hasn’t learned to respect their boundaries yet. Rikki knows how to sit, he’s crate trained, and can walk nicely on a leash.

As a lab mix, he’s going to need lots of time and training to see that he reaches his potential. We don’t know what else he’s mixed with, so those breed tendencies will play into things too. Labs were bred to retrieve waterfowl for hunters, so most of them love water and playing fetch. They also love to eat, but can be prone to some skin issues, so a food that helps support healthy skin and nails should help prevent problems.

We think it’s time that Rikki found his fur-ever home – is it with you?

3. Dogs in Fort Worth – Cookie, 1-Year-Old 3-Legged Snuggle Mutt

Cookie’s missing leg doesn’t slow him down one bit! The rescue says that he is fast and agile but only wants to be close to his person. He’s a little fearful when he first meets new people, but gentle introductions turn his nervous barks into tail wags in no time.

Is he a lab, a terrier, or a boxer? Cookie isn’t telling, but the rescue thinks he’s a little of them all. Labs are known for their disposition and Cookie doesn’t disappoint – he’s a sweet pup that loves cuddles, toys, and treats.

With boxer in the breed mix, this pup will likely be protective of his family once he knows his place in the pack. Boxers are strong athletic dogs that can stand 25 inches at the shoulder. They’re goofballs that love to play, but handle protection training quite well. Boxers can be prone to eye problems that may be linked to their facial structure.

It’s not clear what sort of terrier is in Cookie’s breeding, but it’s probably American Staffordshire terrier or American pit bull terrier, as they’re common in the area and Cookie seems to look a bit like them.

Are you ready to bring home this snuggle bug? We think Cookie is perfect for a family who will respect his limitations (even though he doesn’t see any) and give him the love, exercise, and training he’ll need. Apply with Saving Hope Rescue to adopt this adorable boy.

You may notice there are a couple of black dogs on our list. Did you know that black dogs and cats are some of the last animals to find their fur-ever homes? No one knows why for sure, but there’s a definite difference in the amount of time a black animal is stuck in a shelter. We hope you’ll keep that in mind as you look for your next furry family member and give a dog a chance that might otherwise be overlooked.

4. Dogs in Fort Worth – Solomon, 1-Year-Old Catahoula Leopard Dog Mix

Solomon had a rough beginning. He was in a horrible situation with a breeder where he was never shown affection. This boy was so afraid that he would only leave the corner of his crate when there weren’t any people nearby and his foster mom waited for weeks before Solomon allowed her to touch him.

Catahoula leopard dogs are all-purpose dogs that were used to hunt feral pigs, guard, and still be good with children; although they’re listed as herding dogs in breed registries. This is Louisiana’s state dog, and it comes in many colors. Catahoulas often carry the merle gene and have spots, but they can also be solid colored with splashes of white, or brindle. However, the merle gene can come with a price – sometimes dogs are born with a double merle and are at risk for being blind, deaf, or both. Luckily, Catahoulas have a lower risk of blindness or deafness than other breeds.

This breed is usually between 22-26 inches tall and can weigh 40-95 pounds. Their size, like their coat colors, are highly variable because breeders focus on the dog’s function, and color isn’t a high priority.

Solomon is a small guy, about 22 pounds. He’s ready for a fur-ever home with a pet parent who understands that he needs time and patience to deal with his fears. If you’re interested in Solomon, apply with Saving Hope Rescue in Fort Worth, Texas.

5. Dogs in Fort Worth – Deane, 7-Month-Old Lab/Dobie Mix

Deane’s bright smile and gold eyes are heart-melting weapons of doggy love. This 7-month-old pup is gorgeous, and at 45 pounds already, he’s probably going finish fairly big, maybe 80-90 pounds? This boy’s original family surrendered him at the same time that Saving Hope Rescue was picking up another rescue, so Deane lucked out.

Deane is most likely mixed with Doberman pinscher which is a medium-to-large dog that usually weighs 65-90 pounds and stands up to 28 inches at the shoulder. Dobermans are active, powerful, and smart dogs that require either a large yard in which to play, or lots of walks in addition to obedience training to help them become their best doggy self and keep them from becoming destructive and aggressive. Dobermans are naturally protective and don’t typically need training to protect their family – it’s just what they do.

His other half, the Labrador retriever, is also a good-sized dog. They average 60-80 pounds and are terrific family dogs. Labs are high-energy dogs that need exercise and training, or they can become destructive – their puppy years are known for lots of chewing!

This sweet boy seems to have the best of both breeds. He’s all legs and loves going for walks – with all that puppy energy his new family needs to be active and ready to supply Deane with exercise and training.

6. Dogs in Fort Worth – Reveille, Young Adult Border Collie/Blue Heeler Mix

This young mom is just about done nursing her pups and ready to find her home. She’s a border collie/blue heeler mix and has energy to burn as well as the smarts to figure out what you want from her.

Her mix makes her a prime candidate for dog sports like agility or rally obedience. Border collies are famous for their speed on an agility course and their brains are off the charts. A fact which ironically lands them in shelters – people want a smart dog but forget that it comes with the “loads of training or will become destructive” caveat.

Blue heelers are also known as cattle dogs, they’re super smart and great herding dogs. They also do well in dog sports and, like border collies, love working with their human.

Both breeds are relatively healthy and medium-sized. They run 35-55 pounds and about 23 inches tall at the shoulder.

It’s important to remember that herding breeds are bred to control groups of animals and sometimes that includes “gripping” with their mouth. When you most often hear about a herding dog that bit someone, it was in a family setting with young children running around. It’s an instinct that can be redirected but never eliminated.

If you have experience with herding breeds and a ton of unspent energy, grab this girl before someone else does. She’s with Fort Worth Abandoned Animal Alliance, and her adoption application is online.

7. Dogs in Fort Worth – Pinto, 1.5-Year-Old Mixed Breed

Last on our list, but certainly not least, we have Pinto. A mixed breed dog who needs a foster or adopter before the end of December. She’s crate trained, gentle with treats, house-trained, and knows several commands. She’s being returned to the rescue through no fault of her own, but Fort Worth Abandoned Animal Alliance needs to get her placed quickly because they’re out of room.

Fort Worth Abandoned Animal Alliance is all foster-based, so dogs have a chance to learn some proper manners before going to their fur-ever home. It also gives foster families a chance to get to know the pup so they can be placed in the right home.

Maybe you can be the miracle this pup needs, and it doesn’t have to be forever – a foster family would be terrific! Fill the foster application out today so Pinto can catch a little luck.

Foster to Help Dogs in a Region in Crisis

North Texas animal shelters are in a crisis. Some shelters are taking in more than double the normal number of owner surrenders and strays than they did at the same time only a year ago. To add to the problem, not as many dogs are being adopted. The shelters have an unprecedented need for fosters and adoptive families. So, even if you aren’t ready to adopt a new pup, helping one out by fostering few a few weeks or months takes some of the strain off of the system.

Fort Worth Animal Care and Control posts a list of ”Code Red” animals whose time is up. They have a cutoff time, after which the dog is likely to be euthanized. Some of the dogs are young, under a year old, and are deteriorating so rapidly that they can’t keep them alive any longer.

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The photo featured at the top of this post is © Ruth Black/Shutterstock.com