Tall and tan, young and lovely, the girl from Ipanema goes walking... and she usually has a toy in her mouth! Ipanema is blessed with a great playful personality. She is fun, vigorous, proud and high-spirited. One of her greatest pleasures is carrying around a stuffed toy for everyone to see. Being a social butterfly suggests she would do better living with a family that was home most of the day or could take her to work. She loves the outdoors, but lacks finesse around other dogs and should avoid dog parks. Long walks and hikes are much better ideas. Anything you do together will make her happy, particularly if it includes prancing around with a toy. This sweet angel has amazing potential and only needs your guidance to fulfill her dreams.

This cutie patootie is a real show stopper. Paige was found wandering around Muir Beach where a local family gave her shelter and cared for her while they tried to find her legal guardian. Border Terriers have wonderful spunky personalities; they are intelligent, agile and were often used as watch dogs. Paige is friendly, engaging and has a calm and gentle demeanor. She is, however, reactive (barks) around other dogs and would do better with two brisk walks a day rather than visiting a dog park. Fortunately she is food motivated and can be easily redirected. Have a brief discussion with our Behavior Staff on how to work with her on this. Paige adores people and dreams of having a family of her own.

Candy is a sweet, adorable youngster who jumps for joy whenever she is around people. Her enthusiasm is contagious! She spent much of her life outside and now wants to make sure her new forever home has a cozy warm bed inside just for her. Candy is ready for any active first time family looking for an energetic companion. Her canine greeting skills could use some fine tuning; however, with the proper introductions, she could make a great second dog. Because she is so spunky we think older kids (10+) would be best. With a little guidance, structure and love, this cupcake has all the makings of a great lifelong companion.

Chewy is loaded with personality. He is quirky and fun and just waiting for the next adventure. He is also athletic and would do well in most any canine sport. Training him will be easy and fun as he is quite motivated by yummy treats. Keep an eye on him, though, as he is always looking for an opportunity to escape into the great outdoors. Teach him tricks and games to engage his active mind. A training class would be great to teach him manners and strengthen your bond with him. He enjoys playing with other dogs but can be a bit overwhelming, despite his small size. If you are looking for a little dog to amuse you and make you smile everyday, take Chewy out let him work his charm on you.

Talk about adorable; Roxy is IT! She has apparently lived mostly out doors; now she is looking to become a family member inside the house. She would really love to be an only dog where she would get the attention and training she craves. Although currently not well mannered when seeing dogs on walks, Roxie has an amazingly good response to counter conditioning when there are dogs in her vicinity. Roxy has lived with youngsters before, but because she can be a bit piggy when taking treats adult supervision will be needed. All in all, Roxy has the right stuff to be a super star with an experienced family who can continue to work on her foibles. It is impossible not to love this girl.

Sweet little Wendy is looking for a safe place to call home. She's a bit overwhelmed by the big bad world right now, but we know there's a happy, loving girl in there under all that shyness. Wendy needs you to go slow with her. Too much coaxing and calling her name makes her nervous, but if you ignore her a little, you will be rewarded with a dog who loves to give kisses while snuggling in your lap! She would probably love to go to a home with another small, well-mannered, confident canine who could show her the ropes. If you live in a quiet household and are willing to take the time Wendy needs to become comfortable in her environment, this sweet little girl might be the one for you!

Sweet little Nina originally came from a puppy mill situation in 2008. Dogs that come from puppy mills miss out on crucial socialization and training so they need a little extra help, and darling Nina is no exception. She is a very shy girl, but if you go slowly and give her time, she will crawl into your lap for a snuggle. She gets very nervous in new environments, so you'll want to help her feel safe. She had some trouble with house training, which is no surprise for a puppy mill dog. Please talk with our staff about how to help Nina with this. She recently spent time in a foster home where she was a perfect guest. She got along great with their resident dog and loved going on long walks. She is a sweet, loving girl who wants to find a quiet, adult-only home where her people are home most of the time. Meet Nina, read her foster notes, and see what all the fuss is about!

Little Tutti’s world has been turned upside down. She wants to feel safe and secure to bring balance back into her life and begin to love someone again. Her new home be adults only as she is very shy and nervous about being picked up and handled. Living in a quieter, tranquil environment would allow her to relax. She doesn't seem to know much about toys right now, but gently encouraging both mental and physical exercise is a great way to bond with your new canine friend. Eventually she may prove to be quite the athlete and want to sign up for more training. Once you've earned Tutti’s trust and love, you will have a great little friend to share all the new and wonderful things in your life.

Will is an athlete in the making and is full of action, fun, and go, go, go. He leaps, twirls, jumps, plays with toys and gives kisses. Hiking buddy, ball buddy and whatever else fun you have to offer, would be great for his active mind. He is the perfect dog for an active household who will take him to classes, give him structure and did we mention lots of exercise?  Will does not know how to meet other dogs nicely so no dog parks. Discuss this with one of our Behavior Staff to find out how to make sure his interactions are appropriate. Because Will can get anxious when left alone, he needs a home where someone will be there most of the time. He will bring pure joy to his new family.

Beautiful Max has a gorgeous coat, soulful eyes, and runs like the wind. Max was surrendered to us pretty scared and shy, but his true nature comes to the fore when he greets children. He adores them. Talk with one of our Behavior Staff about how shy dogs do best when meeting strangers and adjusting to new environments. Max does not appear to be shy by nature, so don't make the mistake of teaching him to act that way! We think Max will do well with another dog at home. He could do either Small Dog or Family Dog Classes, as he is not afraid of larger dogs. Someone needs to be home most of the time to help Max learn to feel safe when left alone. Enjoy your new best buddy!

Carmelo is a lovable, silly, goofy young lad. This boy is super strong, particularly when he walks on a leash, so have him fitted with a "Sense-ation" harness to help save your arm. He will need at least two long "brisk" walks every day in addition to playing fetch. This boy's mantra has to be "a tired dog is a happy dog". Carmelo's new household should have prior canine experience, be an active family who enjoys the outdoors, and children should be older (10+). He will need an iron-clad routine, emphasizing his joy of life and playful spirit with an equal amount of training and mental stimulation. This will put him on the road to success making him an ideal companion and friend.

Daphne is a gorgeous young dog looking to find her way in the world. She loves people and loves to play, but can get worried in new environments. She LOVES squeaky toys and will bring them back to you again and again to keep the fun going. Daphne also likes other dogs and after a proper greeting, she wants to play, play, PLAY! Her play style might be a little overwhelming so dog parks should NOT be on the agenda. Daphne spent several weeks at San Quentin as part of our Pen Pals of San Quentin Program where she worked on her obedience training and even earned her Canine Good Citizen certificate! Daphne is a great, charming dog -  come meet her and you'll find out why!

Butterball is a roly-poly happy little fellow who enjoys life. He is full of energy and ready for any activity. He is tolerant and sturdy so should be able to withstand the attention of most mature children, provided they are supervised by adults. He also likes to meet and play with other dogs who appreciate his play style. He would do well with another dog in the household provided they are compatible. Butterball is friendly and social and would enjoy daily outings. With his sunny nature and optimistic outlook on life, Butterball would fit almost any household. He is guaranteed to put a smile on your face every day of his life.

Gomez is an active, compact, confident little guy who thinks life is fantastic! He is not shy about sharing that enthusiasm with the people or dogs he meets. With carefully chosen playmates who like to play as much as he does they are a joy to watch! Gomez can get rather mouthy when excited or ignored. This mouthy behavior is not aggressive; it’s his way of communicating. However, his new adopter should work with him to redirect this behavior. Figure on at least two strenuous work-outs per day along with retrieving some balls. If you are an active, experienced dog owner who appreciates an interactive working dog, take a look at Gomez - he may be the perfect dog for you!

Duke is a really fun guy to have around. He is a great mix of Pug and Beagle; happy, energetic, ready for anything. He’s a curious boy who loves to play with toys and already knows sit and shake. Management is your friend to keep Duke from escaping. Teaching him to 'wait', keeping him out of the space in front of the door, and being polite when people come into the house, will be your job. He does not need to stay outside alone; that way you will not have a problem with him digging his way out. A perfect home would have someone there most of the time so he can get used to being alone slowly. Duke is a true family dog and is ready to go!

Labs are loyal, loving and affectionate, making great family dogs. Sue spent most of her  childhood on a ranch and she seems conflicted meeting other new dogs. She barks at them from a distance, rushes up to say "hello," then becomes very submissive. These social skills need monitoring; our staff can give you some pointers. Sue will need plenty of exercise. She loves stuffed toys and wants to please her people, so she should be easy to train. She is looking for a home with prior dog experience that can help her learn how to cope with the real world. Her needs are simple- an iron-clad routine, good management and training, plenty of exercise and a home full of love and patience.

Minnie is fun, happy, friendly, smart and full of personality. She is just perfect, except for her attitude towards other dogs. Because she is so small, this would put her at risk if they should take offense. Anyway, she doesn't need other dogs. She would love to be your best buddy. And she wants to go everywhere with you; being alone makes her quite anxious. If you would like to teach her tricks and games, it would make Minnie really happy. Imagine her performing on a little stage! Because Minnie is so mini, she would not be a good choice for young children who could unintentionally injure her. This sweet little girl will be hard to resist.

Missy is about as cute as they come. She loves people, but she can be cautious of strangers. Once she gets to know you, however, her favorite place is your lap, where it is easier to reach your face to cover it with kisses. Missy adores other dogs and would be pleased as punch to go to a home with another dog. And she loves to play with toys - toss a ball and watch her go! She can also be a bit of a trouble maker - she'll need a home where structure, management and training are the name of the game. Missy sometimes favors her left rear leg; our adoption desk for can give you more information about this. If you're ready for a funny, friendly, smart little dog to join your family, please meet Missy.