Need a little calm canine energy in your life?

Meet Zen, a laid-back and super-sweet Chinese Shar-Pei who’s about five years old and weighs in at 50 pounds. Zen is a unique and striking dog who has a very gentle way about him, and just wants to be loved and to find his new place in the world.

After being purchased from an Arizona breeder, Zen was surrendered by his owner who claimed he was working longer hours and wasn’t able to care for him. Poor Zen lived in a home with his family for over four years and then suddenly found himself abandoned in a shelter for six long months. This is, unfortunately, a story that happens to good dogs every day. Because of his sweet, calm demeanor, Zen quickly became a staff favorite at the shelter, and they called in Mutts Matter to help move him to a less stressful environment and find his new family.

Zen has settled in quickly at his new foster home that includes two dog-savvy foster parents, two pup siblings and a cat. He came into the house very respectfully and a little cautious and fell right into place in the pack. Zen does well with calm, stable dogs and his foster siblings are teaching him the rules of the house. He likes to play and romp with his pack, but is not overly assertive and is very eager to please his foster family. Zen also met with the resident cat that rules the roost and they’ve come to an understanding.

Like many rescue pups, Zen is a little timid and hesitant around men at first, but after a few days he’s started to trust his foster dad, who takes him on all kinds of fun outings and walks. He warmed up right away to his foster mom and follows her everywhere, and he was quickly comfortable with me when I came to visit, gently taking treats and allowing me sit right next to him. He is such a sweet, gentle soul that you wonder how anyone could give this special boy up.

Zen is already discovering the joys of a good home life, whether that’s hanging out with his pack watching TV, playing chase in the yard, or going on his daily walks. He loves to go outside, smell all the new scents, and enjoy the experience of exploring a new environment. He plays with all of his toys, and has already identified his favorite spot in the house, a cushy dog bed in a prime location to keep an eye on his humans and be surrounded by his chew toy treasures. It’s also a great spot to watch the front door, and he dutifully lets his foster family know when visitors arrive.

Zen will be a really easy pup to add to your family, and given a little time will settle in well and make someone an awesome companion. He’s already potty-trained, crate-trained, walks well on a leash, and knows his basic commands like “sit,” “down,” and “shake.” He’s a very treat-motivated dog and eager to please, so he learns quickly. He would do well in a home with cats or other calm dogs, and we’d really like to find him a zen-like home that matches his laid-back energy level.

Like most Shar-Pei's, Zen will have some special skin care requirements that you will need to be familiar with, and he’s currently on a special diet to keep his skin and coat looking healthy.

To learn more about Zen, go to the Mutts Matter Adoption Page and fill out an application, or you can contact Suzanne at suzanne@muttsmatterrescue.com.

Follow Mutts Matter on Facebook to learn more about us and see new pups coming into the rescue!