What is a Career Change Dog?
Our professional trainers carefully select our dogs by evaluating them for temperament, health and eagerness to please. They are rescued from shelters where they are at risk for euthanasia. They enter a rigorous training program to become Hearing Dogs for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Not all of our outstanding dogs can meet the demands of becoming a Certified Assistance Dog, thus the need for a "Career Change". They are, however, still winners, and make wonderful pets. Many are already housebroken and some know basic obedience commands. In short, these "near misses" make wonderful companions. We can help match you with a lifelong canine companion.
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Pepper
Posted on 12/12/2019
Pepper is a 16lb., 1 and a half year old Rat terrier/Jack Russell Terrier cross. He was brought into our Hearing Dog Program from LA County shelter in Baldwin Park, CA. He has proven to have great enthusiasm for our training, and he has enjoyed his socialization in public places.
We have decided to release him from the program and make him a companion pet because he has a tendency to be protective (barking and ‘jumping on') of the play yard when ‘strangers' or certain men enter. He has a love/hate relationship with one of the gardeners on staff that may walk in and out of the play yard and this love/hate extends to other dogs as well. He lives with many dogs and plays fairly well for the most part, but he tends to be ‘grumpy' with sharing his space and would prefer not to live with them. He loves being an ‘only dog'.
Pepper loves attention and has been great with most everyone-especially kids. His issues with people seem to be more territorial and only certain men specifically.
Anyone who may be interested in meeting Pepper should be familiar with the Rat Terrier and Jack Russell terrier breed. They play hard and with great tenacity. Pepper has mostly good house manners and does settle nicely. He is affectionate and very people oriented. He seems comfortable with being ‘home alone' although will startle bark in the home or yard if he hears/sees something unfamiliar.
If you are interested in learning more about Pepper, please complete an application first found on our website (www.samsimonfoundation.com) under ‘Dogs for Adoption'. We prefer an application before answering questions on temperament or training. Also, because we are a small program and conduct adoptions in the homes of where our dogs are placed, we limit our travel to 50 miles from Malibu, CA.