Little Bear’s Story

The Before…

Little Bear was found as a stray in December 2024, so we’ll never know exactly what his life was like before landing at the shelter. What we do know is that he quickly became a staff favorite at the Queens ACC. A friendly, high-energy goofball in a 70-pound body, Little Bear has no idea he’s not lap dog-sized.

We had taken a couple months off from fostering due to some business trips. I saw that the Queens ACC was at critical capacity and had taken in some dogs from a hoarding case. I figured this was the perfect time to take in a new foster dog. My only criteria were that I help out the Queens ACC, that the dog be a long stay - meaning, they’ve been in the shelter for a while - and that they were relatively non-reactive on leash. I hated having to give that last stipulation, but we needed a break from the reactivity training unfortunately.

When the ACC foster team suggested Little Bear, we said yes right away. Little Bear is a GORGEOUS friendly boy, but somehow, he had been in shelter care for over 150 days at that point. When we picked him up on May 13th, 2025, he greeted me like a long-lost friend.

Our Time Together

Little Bear settled in very quickly and was immediately so well behaved. He was house trained and never had an accident in the house - not even on day one! The trainers at the ACC did an amazing job with Little Bear. His behavior notes mentioned moderate leash pulling and occasional leash-biting on walks, but we never saw any of that. With us, Little Bear was a loose-leash superstar, calmly ignoring dogs, people, bikes, and runners. The only thing that made Little Bear pull on the leash and run home was RAIN! He absolutely hated the rain and would try to run back to our apartment the moment he felt a drop.

We could tell Little Bear liked to chew. He chewed things he wasn’t supposed to once or twice - we did have to buy a new remote - but only when I hadn’t given him enough of an appropriate outlet. Chewing is a natural instinct for dogs. Chewing is a natural instinct for dogs, and if they’re targeting household items (outside of issues like separation anxiety), they likely just need something better to chomp into. Little Bear would destroy a bully stick in about 30 seconds flat (side note, we use this to make bully sticks safer) so I went looking for something safe and longer lasting. I found that beef cheek chews were perfect. Beef cheek chews turned out to be perfect. They kept him busy for ages, didn’t splinter into small pieces, and broke down slowly enough that I wasn’t worried about him swallowing anything that could cause a blockage.

Little Bear also loved his people. He was incredibly friendly and loved to hang out with me on the couch while I worked. He is a big boy, and he did like to jump, but it was all in excitement. With his high energy, we made sure he had plenty of enrichment and worked hard to get his energy out. We used long walks, lick mats, chews, and engaging training sessions. We also have a 20-foot leash and took LB to the park to play fetch and let him run around safely. I never let my fosters off leash, so the long line is a great tool.

Little Bear was incredibly smart and could pick up a new command in literally minutes. We taught him to spin, “place,” and “off” for when it was time to get down from the couch or bed. With his high energy, he also had to learn how to settle. We never used a crate (our apartment is small, and he didn’t need one when he was home alone or sleeping), but we did use a baby gate when he got a little too amped up. Our signal for that was when he started bouncing around on the couch and getting a bit mouthy. We’d send him into the kitchen and block the doorway with a gate that wasn’t even secured. Somehow, LB thought his 70lb body couldn’t get past a baby gate leaning against a wall! It wasn’t a punishment; it was his signal that it was time to relax. Sometimes, dogs just need to be shown that it’s okay to take a break.

One-time Little Bear had zoomies so big he ended up on the kitchen counter! It was clearly a mistake because then he was to scared to get down.

The Almost

Little Bear came close to finding his forever home just three weeks into our time with him. A man met him, fell for him immediately, and adopted him the very next day. Unfortunately, it turned out to be short-lived. He believed pets were allowed in his building, but once Little Bear came home, the landlord changed his mind. Whether it was due to a weight restriction or some outdated pittie prejudice, the result was the same. Breed stereotypes like that are not only unfair, they’re completely disconnected from who the dog actually is. Little Bear is one of the most loving dogs I’ve ever met, yet the “pittie” label was enough for someone to decide he couldn’t stay. I could go on about this for hours, but I’ll spare you for now.

After just three days in his new home, Little Bear was back with us. Luckily, we were more than happy to welcome him back and give him the stability he deserved while he waited for the right home. As sad as this “almost” home was, the first adopter did the right thing by contacting me and the shelter to make sure Little Bear landed back to safety. LB probably just thought he had a fun vacation with a new friend and then he got to come back home!

Little Bear’s Forever

One month later - nearly to the day - Little Bear was meeting his forever family! They were connected to us by a fellow rescue dog-lover who saw Little Bear on the ACC adoption portal and on our instagram. They drove all the way from Massachusetts to meet Little Bear and adopt him on the spot!

It was pouring rain that day, Little Bear’s least favorite thing, but he still was so excited to meet his new family - including a dog sister! They very quickly realized LB was a perfect match. He jumped right into the kennel in the back seat of their car, ready for his long drive back home. IT couldn’t have worked out more perfectly. Not only does Little Bear have a dog-friend to play with, but he gets to go on hikes and run around a big backyard!

What Little Bear Gave Me

With Little Bear, our second foster, my belief that every dog is different and that it’s our job to adjust to their needs, not force them into ours, was reinforced more than ever Little Bear wasn’t a “hard” dog to care for, and certainly not a hard dog to love, but his needs were completely different to our reactive but lazy Casper.

Casper needed patience, structure, and a slower pace. Little Bear needed outlets, variety, and plenty of physical activity to keep his mind and body satisfied. Fostering him reminded me that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to dog care. It’s about observing, adapting, and meeting each dog where they are, whether that means extra walks, a quiet place to relax, or a new kind of enrichment you’ve never tried before.

Every foster adds something to your life, but Little Bear’s lesson was the reminder that flexibility and empathy are just as important as love when it comes to helping a dog thrive.