Miso is sunshine in a dog suit.
And now we finally know what kind of dog suit.
Estimated to be approximately 1–2 years old, Miso is a petite 35-pound girl whose Embark results came back as 50.3% Siberian Husky, 29.1% Golden Retriever, 10.3% German Shepherd Dog, and 10.3% Supermutt.
Which means somebody apparently took a Husky, a Golden Retriever, and a German Shepherd, sprinkled in a few more dogs for good measure, packed the whole thing into just 35 pounds... and somehow set the affection dial to MAXIMUM.
Miso is one of the most naturally loving dogs we have ever had come through Shiba Saviors. She does not merely tolerate affection. She is delighted by it.
Walk into her room and love on her and you may get the full Miso response: YAY! YOU LOVE ME! She has been known to launch herself from several feet away just to land beside you already positioned for cuddling.
She loves kisses. She loves belly rubs. She loves being touched. She loves curling up beside someone. And so far, Miso appears to have reached the very reasonable conclusion that all humans are potentially excellent.
But here is what makes her particularly lovely to live with: she is not constantly demanding entertainment. Once she knows you are there, she settles. She seems to want companionship more than entertainment.
Somebody is going to get an absolutely exceptional dog.
Miso's DNA results are officially in.
Her family tree may be large-dog chaos, but Miso herself is a surprisingly compact 35 pounds.
Miso is extraordinarily people-oriented. She loves physical affection and seems genuinely happy just being near someone.
She is cuddly without requiring you to spend every waking moment entertaining her. She can curl up beside you for affection and then settle comfortably while you go about your day.
Her enthusiasm when someone does offer affection is ridiculously endearing. Sometimes she walks over. Sometimes she apparently decides walking would take entirely too long and flies.
Personal space is a concept Miso has reviewed and respectfully declined.
Miso is already house trained, crate trained, excellent on leash, and knows “sit” and “paw.”
She is remarkably easy to have around when people are home. She settles nicely, enjoys affection when it is offered, and does not need constant activity or attention.
Work from home? She will hang out with you. Watching TV? Perfect. Gaming? She is in. Reading? Fine by her. Doing absolutely nothing on the couch for three hours? Miso has been training her entire life for this assignment.
She is still young, though, and unattended household objects occasionally require forensic investigation by mouth. Until she is fully settled and her habits are better known, she should not have unrestricted access to the house when nobody is supervising her.
Miso came to Shiba Saviors after being picked up as a stray by Animal Control. Her stray hold passed, and nobody came to reclaim her.
When we met her, she was thin and understandably unsure of everything happening around her. She was hesitant about leaving the shelter kennel, but once outside she walked beautifully on leash and quickly showed us just how gentle she was.
We do not know what happened before Miso came to us. We know she was found as a stray. We know she was thin. We know nobody came for her.
And somehow, none of that seems to have convinced Miso that people are not wonderful.
She still expects love. And when someone gives it to her, she gives it right back.
Miso has not been with us long, and we do not believe in making permanent judgments about a dog based on their first days in rescue.
When left alone, Miso may cry or give a few surprisingly deep howls. She does settle, so at this point we are not labeling her with separation anxiety. She is learning something very important: people can leave and still come back.
For now, she should be safely crated when she is home alone. Because she can bend typical wire crate bars, we recommend a durable, appropriately sized crate that cannot injure her if she gets determined.
We are also still evaluating her with other animals. On leash, she has been calm around dogs and has not shown reactivity on walks or at the veterinary office.
Our resident pack is a lot for a new dog to process, and Miso has seemed intimidated by the group dynamic. We are not going to push her into overwhelming interactions simply to see what happens. We are taking our time and evaluating her fairly in calmer, controlled situations.
Her behavior with cats and small animals is still unknown.
Miso does not need anything exotic. She needs people who want a dog to be part of their life.
Someone who likes having a furry shadow nearby. Someone who considers a dog curled against them on the couch a feature rather than an inconvenience. Someone willing to continue her training, help her become more confident when left alone, keep her safe, and give her time to settle.
Working from home would be wonderful, but it is not an absolute requirement. What matters is having a realistic plan to gradually teach her that alone time is safe.
We are still determining what type of canine roommate, if any, would suit her best, so homes with existing animals will be considered individually.
Miso's DNA may have solved the breed mystery, but she is still a young Husky-heavy dog adjusting to a new life. Secure handling is important.
As with all Shiba Saviors dogs, outside time must be carefully managed. She should remain leashed unless she is inside a securely fenced area, and she should never be left outside unattended.
Miso will need secure leash handling, a properly fitted harness, careful door management, and adopters who understand that a newly adopted dog may behave differently while adjusting to an unfamiliar environment.
Somewhere out there is a person who has been wishing for a dog who truly wants to be their dog.
A dog who will curl up beside them while they work. A dog who will happily accompany them through completely ordinary days. A dog who thinks kisses and belly rubs are legitimate forms of currency.
A dog who occasionally realizes from across the room that cuddling is happening without her and immediately launches herself into the situation.
A dog who, despite whatever happened before she came to us, still seems completely convinced that people are worth loving.
That's Miso.
She does not need someone to make her life exciting every minute. She needs someone to let her be part of theirs.
And somewhere out there is a person who has absolutely no idea yet just how much this little 35-pound dog is going to love them.
Maybe they just found her.
All Shiba Saviors adoptions require active GPS tracking.
Adopters receive a complimentary FI Mini device and six months of service. A $20 activation fee applies.
All Shiba Saviors dogs are adopted with a martingale collar, secure harness, leash, Fi GPS, toys, any bedding they may have chosen, a bag of food, current preventatives and treats.
