PAWS Chicago News item | PAWS Chicago

JoJo Finds Her Mojo

May 17, 2023

Picked up as a stray, Jojo had been through a lot and was struggling at the adoption center. She had to be housed in a separate area because she was so reactive to other dogs. “She was pretty chaotic when she came back to meet us. But she also smushed up against us, licked our faces, and looked up with her big brown eyes, and we knew she was the dog for us,” said Julie Merrell.

JoJo is a spunky, two-year-old pup who had a rough start to life. After living on the street, she was struggling to settle in at PAWS, and she was too scared to be around other dogs.  

JoJo desperately needed a special adopter to help her build confidence, and Julie Merrell turned out to be that person.  

“We originally visited PAWS to see if we were ready to find a new dog after losing our old dog in December. We thought we were looking for a small, low-energy dog. A volunteer asked if we might be open to a slightly bigger, slightly livelier dog.”  

As it so happened, they were.  

“She was pretty crazy when she came back to meet us. But in between barking and running in circles, she also smushed up against us, licked our faces, and looked up with her big brown eyes, and we knew she was the dog for us. We were hooked.”  

Once officially adopted, JoJo got a brand-new name to go with her brand-new life.  

“JoJo is now Goose! When we were trying to find a name that fit her, we kept calling her a silly goose and eventually realized that Goose was right.” 

Adjusting to a new home took a while for Goose and for good reason.  

“This is her first time living in a house with people. Her trainer has said that she ‘knows nothing’ and is ‘a totally blank slate.’” 

But with time, training, and a lot of love, Goose is finally getting into her groove.  

“She was a ball of constant energy the first few weeks, and we were a little worried that she would never calm down, but she's finally chilling out now. With training to help build her impulse control, she's well on her way.”  

Today, Goose is living the good life.  

“Goose is happiest when she is running in a circle in the park with a stick in her mouth. We're working on fetch, but she really just wants to run in circles with a stick. She also likes playing with my sister's dog, attempting to climb trees to chase squirrels, staring out the window, and cuddling with us.”  

It’s undeniable—Goose is right where she belongs.  

“We love how open and trusting Goose is. After living on the streets, it's amazing to us that she trusts us so quickly to help and take care of her. She's a consistent source of joy and comfort, even when she's zooming around the house.” 

Ready to find your own Goose?  

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