Center for Animal Rescue & Enrichment of St. Louis
 

CHEW Buddy outing 10/9 to Tower Grove Park:

 

I gave Raja a stuffy for the car and made sure her leashes were very secure. She gave her attn to the stuffy for the most part and was pretty good in the car. She only barked once the whole time and that was when we parked. There were some people across the street but there may have also been an excited bark. She pulled pretty strong for about 15 or so minutes, but she did check in with me when I asked and I treated her. She also stopped for sniffs. I did not walk her or play ball in the yard before we left because I know she overheats easily but I will try that next time since it's cooling off to see if she's less excited/pully. We saw other dogs and people and kept our distance and she was fine. She was tired on the way home and so was also good on the ride back. We played ball in the yard when we got back and she was able to "wait" a few times for me to throw the ball instead of going for it. 

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Meet Raja, the 81-pound bundle of joy who's 7 years young and always ready to play! Whether she's frolicking in the yard or diving headfirst into a basket of toys, Raja's motto is, 'Why act your age when you can act your shoe size?' She participated in playgroup while at the shelter, where she was very neutral and chill. She seems to prefer dogs with that same calm, neutral vibe and play style.

This lucky girl got to go on a straycation, and here's what her foster had to say:

'Raja is the sweetest, most loving, and most empathetic dog you'll ever meet. We've had a wonderful time bonding with her over this week of fostering. She has had many big snoozes, long walks (sometimes even jogs!), and hours of playtime with every toy you can imagine. She LOVES playing fetch with tennis balls, wading in pools, and leaning up against people for butt scratches. Raja has just as much energy inside her as she has love. She would thrive in an active home with a large, fenced-in yard where she can let loose! This sweet soul has the wisdom of a senior and the heart of a puppy—proof that you're never too old to have a little fun!​

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Why Raja was added to the Lifesaver list:​

- Her Length of Stay (LOS) at the shelter is 103 days.  When a dog has been in the shelter for over 90 days and has not been into meet and greet because of how she reacts to certain people, her quality of life in living in the stressful shelter environment is discussed.​

- She is dog selective and dog reactive​

- She is people selective.​

-Another thing that triggered her was anything on wheels - strollers, carts, bikes - she was very reactive to any of that.​​​​