Miss Claire is a southern girl and a true steel magnolia. She is 6 years old and has had a lot of puppies. She is retired from a MO breeding kennel.  She weighs around 20 lbs and has not been professionally groomed although she likes being brushed. That’s where she gets her steely mother behavior. One of Claire’s superpowers is snoring and the other is singing the song of her people when she doesn’t like a person in her space. She is unaggressively protective of her person and there’s no doubt when you’ve crossed the safe zone she has established. No one knows what that safe zone is but Claire but we learned quickly to respect it. She is fairly good about stopping  if you ask her and her fosters have used the coins in a bottle and a firm STOP to interrupt her. Claire is a true cavalier in her sweetness and need to be close to her person. She tolerates other dogs and cats well mostly by ignoring them. She doesn’t bark at animals with the exception of the menace black squirrel! She is loving, eager to please but still skittish. We don’t know all of her background but it’s clear she does not like men and loud, busy households. She seeks the safety of her crate when she’s unsure and prefers to eat meals in her crate as long as she can see the other dogs eating. She enjoys treats and knows to sit for them. She will come to her name and taught herself to go in and out of the dog door. She’s never had an accident in the house. She enjoys rolling in the grass outside and going for walks as long as it's not too hot or too fast. She’s a leisurely walker and doesn’t like to be left if everyone else is going.

The best type of home for Claire will be one that doesn’t have men living there (she would likely adjust to men being in her presence but it will take awhile.) and preferrably a single female home.  The fewer residents, the better so far since she choosen one person to attach to.  This home should be willing to continue to work with her as her fosters have and improve her acceptance of others.   She doesn’t require a huge amount of exercise but her fosters believe that it helps her mental health to exercise and helps keep her from gaining too much weight now that’s she spayed. With time, in the right home, her true personality will emerge. Patience, understanding and recognizing her signals is a must. Not giving up on her is key. She would be best in a home with adults and a safe place to be when there’s company. She sleeps in a crate now but would be fine outside of the crate once she understands the routine. The fosters have not seen an destructive behavior but there is usually someone home most of the time and little opportunity to make mistakes. She doesn’t play with toys but likes to take them from the other dogs and run into another room. She is not interested in chewing up socks or shoes or stuffies. Her job for most of her life was having puppies so she is learning how to be a regular dog and live with humans full time. Claire will make a loving, devoted companion for the right person/family.,

The best fit for Claire is a quiet, female-only home with someone who works from home or is home most of the time, another canine companion who is compatible, a securely fenced yard, and most of all, experience and willingness to work with her behavior concerns.  Claire responds favorably to a leader and is willing to please.  Please complete an application if you are interested.  We do not approve long-distance adoptions.  Claire is being fostered in Lansing, MI.