Sooty

Sooty is a handsome young man who’s ready to blossom! A bit of a nervous nellie with new people and outdoors on the busy city streets, Sooty wants nothing more than to learn how to become a cool and confident adult dog. He needs a special adopter who’s ready, willing and able to put in the work with him—and who understands that it’s definitely worth the reward!

Big fan of: Other dogs! Sooty gets a big confidence boost when he’s around friends who speak his language. While in the shelter, Sooty has become particularly fond of a beautiful Husky, and they can often be found playing chase or going for outdoor strolls together—which is just as cute as it sounds! Sooty can be fearful of humans he doesn’t know, but when he’s with his BFFs he’s a totally different pup. Around his people friends, Sooty loves to prove just how goofy and funny of a dog he is! Playing with toys is one of his absolute favorite hobbies, and he’s an expert at making people laugh with his comedic antics and giant smile. He loves getting pets from his favorite people, too. Scratches from his back to his tail are all good for Sooty, and he’ll probably lean his whole body into you while you’re petting him, too!

Working on: Becoming more confident outside and with new people. Sooty is not at all a fan of the hustle and bustle that comes along with our Manhattan location. When out for walks alone, Sooty has tended to stop, pace or try to pull back inside. Sooty is nervous around new people as well, taking time to warm up to staff and barking towards people he doesn’t know on the street. In particular, Sooty really isn’t a fan of being reached for by people he hasn’t yet learned to trust. Sooty will likely always be nervous with strangers and needs a person who’s ready to advocate for him when he feels overwhelmed—as well as someone who’s excited to put in the work towards helping him become a more confident dude. For all of the behaviors mentioned above, our Behavior team would be happy to speak with interested adopters about how they can best set Sooty up for success!

Dream home: Sooty is looking for a patient adopter who understands that it may be hard for him to adjust to a new home and is excited to slowly but surely build a relationship with him. Because the big city is too much for Sooty, his new home should be in a low-traffic area—but, an exception could be made for someone with experience with fearful dogs. Because Sooty gets a big confidence boost from other dogs, he’d love to go home with someone who has another pup or regular access to one! When it comes to kids, we think older children—around ages eight and up—would probably be the best bet. If you’re interested in adopting Sooty, please fill out our Dog Adoption Survey.