One South Korean Pup Still Seeking a Home
Tulip has come so far, both in distance and in life.
Tulip was born in South Korea, on a dog meat farm that was converted to an agricultural one with the help of the Humane Society International back in 2016. At just a year old, she and her sister Daisy had never truly interacted with a person, and they did not know what to make of these new beings who had come to take them from the only home they’d ever known, barren and unfriendly as it might have been.
Their wariness continued after they were transferred the AWLA. While our staff tried to make them comfortable with new beds, toys and treats, the duo remained closed off. Our behavioral team started a detailed program of socialization for these two, teaching them about their kennel, about walks and leashes, about touch and trust, and about love. These skills were expanded with stays in foster homes, to teach the dogs about life in a home and how to be a pet. Although Daisy had issues with her vision, likely due to the lack of veterinary care in South Korea, she picked up these skills first, and after six months of dedicated attention, Daisy found her new family.
Tulip took longer to come around. Though very treat-motivated, she was also more concerned about being leashed by our behavior team. She didn’t like to be pet. She needed a very special foster experience, and we found that for her. Guided by a canine foster sibling, she learned more about the home environment, began bonding with her human foster caregivers and soon became a shadow, following her foster “mom” around the house to cook, clean and garden. Buoyed by her progress, we brought her back to the shelter, where she continues to learn more through daily sessions with our behavior team. You can see her show off her agility, her playfulness and her manners in this photo shoot from DeSilva Studios.
While Tulip learned so much from her foster doggy brother, she is ultimately seeking a home with no other dogs, so she can learn to lavish all of (eventual) affection on her new companions. She’d like a yard with a high fence so she can get her zoomies on, and most of all, she’s looking for patience as she learns more about you, your home and about how to be the best dog she can. If you’d like to learn a little more about Tulip, here’s one of her best friends, Behavior Volunteer Joyce, to tell you more about our lovely lab.
If you’d like to help us support animals like Tulip, who have health or behavior needs that require more of our time and energy, please consider making a donation to grant these adoptables the assistance they so desire. And if you’d like to learn more about Tulip and how you can help her take her next steps on her journey, email us or come by to say hi to our budding pup, Tulip!