ADOPTED
This little cutie is Ponyo and she is a 3yr old red and white Boston Terrier who weighs 18lbs. Her colouring is less common for a Boston, but just makes her unique and oh so pretty! Ponyo came to us from a puppy mill situation sadly. She was lacking socialization and was fearful of people and the world around her. In her time 
in foster care she has learned that the world is a fun place, people can be kind and toys and chews are a lot of fun!! She is ready now to find her forever family where she can settle in and be a beloved member of the family.
Ponyo gave us quite the surprise on May 31,2023 when she gave birth to 2 little pups! No one knew she was pregnant and she showed no signs at all of being pregnant. We don’t know where she was hiding her little pups up inside of her, but what a surprise when those 2 little ones decided to make an entrance to the world. We are so thankful that Ponyo was able to birth and raise these pups in a loving home rather than in the puppy mill where she certainly would have stayed had they known she was pregnant. Ponyo was an excellent mom and did a great job with her pups, but her mom duties are done and it is her time now to be the focus and get all of the attention. Ponyo cant be spayed until September but we didn’t want to hold her back from starting her life with her forever family. She will be adopted out on a contract which will require her family to return her to our vet in Cambridge to be spayed. This appointment will be made in consultation with her family but has to be done at our vet. Anyone interested in Ponyo must live within 45min or so of Cambridge to make this return for a spay feasible.
Ponyo is a happy, fun and joyful dog typical of her breed. They are known as the clowns of the dog world and we can see this comical attitude coming out in her more and more as she settles into life in a home. She always has a big smile on her face and makes us smile just looking at her. She is though still adjusting to life outside of a puppy mill and as such is nervous of new people and new things. She needs her people to be fully understanding of this and know that she needs continued gentle socialization to the world around her and that she is shy initially upon meeting new people. She very much wants to be around people and there is a very social dog in her just waiting to come out, but for now, she will often run up to people to give a quick kiss on the hand, and then will dart away and observe from a distance. One way to really win her over tho is with food, or walks. She loves both and has a hard time saying no to a tasty tidbit or a fun stroll.
Ponyo’s ideal home would be one with adults only or teens. She is still learning about the world around her and is nervous of noises or quick movements so a family with young children or one where young children visit regularly wont suit her. But a quiet and calm home will bring out the best in her. Her outside environment should be quieter and calmer as well. Ponyo is currently fostered in a rural setting and this suits her well, but a small town, or quiet subdivision would also work for her; somewhere without a lot of traffic noises or a lot of people coming and going. She definitely wont want to live in a big city center. Ponyo lives with other dogs and cats in her foster home and is good with them. She quite likes other dogs and would happily live with another dog that respect her need to settle in and not want to wrestle with her. Ponyo has been in her foster home for a few months now and is only now starting to initiate some gentle play with her foster siblings. She would
also do well as the only dog in the home and getting all of the attention. Ponyo mostly ignores the cats in the foster home. One time she did chase the cat but this was cat initiated and not her usual behavior. Our cats are very dog savvy and don’t react to the dogs so she could similarly live with a dog savvy cat that wouldn’t pester her.
Ponyo really enjoys her walks and trots along nicely. She is still learning to stick to one side of us and not do laps around us as we walk, but again, a lot of her time in foster care was taken up with puppy raising so formal leash training skills are still a work in progress. She would enjoy a few daily walks. Ponyo also loves yard time and we would ideally want a home for her that has a secure fenced in yard. Having never had the chance to enjoy the outdoors prior, she really loves yard time now and loves to roam around and explore her yard. We would want this for her in her forever home. The yard must be secure though with no gaps or holes that her tiny body could squeeze through. As a mill dog, she must be considered a flight risk and we have to ensure her safety. Her yard must be secure and she has to be on leash at all times unless in a secure fenced area.
Ponyo travels quietly in the car. We crate her for the ride for her safety. She doesn’t love car rides and finds the act of getting into the car scary, but once in and settled in her crate she is a good traveler. She just needs more exposure to car rides to reduce her fear. Ponyo is also good in the house. She is good to go to the bathroom outside; she just doesn’t know how to tell you that she has to go so you have to be proactive and let her out regularly. She will do her business in the yard or out on a walk. She is crate trained and quiet enjoys her crate time. She would like her crate to be in the living room or other main room in the house, and left open so 
that she can come and go. When we aren’t home and at night she sleeps in her crate with the door closed. She likes the security of her crate and will run in when its time, knowing she gets a treat or her meal every time she goes in her crate. Ponyo is also very quiet in the home and rarely barks. She is a great roommate and is often so quiet and unassuming that you can easily forget that she is there. Ponyo has recently started jumping up onto our laps for a quick cuddle which has been a nice addition to her routines. She can’t be considered a cuddly dog at this point, but we do see glimpses of this and know that given more time, she will be a cuddler. She really wants the attention and affection, she is just timid about it still. But its coming out of her more and more!! She just needs her people to be kind and patient and understand that life in a puppy mill is often cruel and her exposure to people for her 1st three years wasn’t positive. But she is a social dog at heart and we know that in time she will get there.
Ponyo’s favourite things are hanging out in the back yard/ deck with us and getting a treat or two tossed her way, chewing on Nylabones ( a newly discovered pleasure for her), meal times which she eats in her crate, and walks. She is a simple dog with simple likes and she is a very easy dog to live with. Ponyo is aa lovely dog and we quiet enjoy her but we know that her perfect forever family it out there. Anyone interested in her should be knowledgeable of the Boston Terrier breed. If you are a gentle natured, patient and kind person or family and would have the time and care to help Ponyo with her journey to confidence building and socialization what you
will get from her in return is a happy, quirky little dog who will make you smile daily and who will be a loving companion for your daily walks and time at home. This little dog is a joy. We adore her and know you will too!