Otti

Meet Otti — Our Special Little Girl with a Whole Lot of Shepherd Love! We’re excited to announce that Otti will be joining Joey and Rocket at our booth this Saturday in Sacramento for the Tricks for Treats event, hosted by Leash and Collar Pet Boutique! All three are wonderful, adoptable shepherds looking for their forever homes. Stop by to meet them on Q Street between 7th and 8th Streets from 10 am to 1 pm.Some dogs come into your life and steal your heart. Others come along and teach you that a little extra love, patience, and understanding can make all the difference. Our sweet Otti has done both! Otti’s journey with us began when we picked her up from the shelter at an estimated 4 weeks old.

She was so tiny she could fit in the palm of your hand, with barely enough ears to see! She looked more like a baby otter than a German Shepherd puppy, and just like that, our little Otti got her name.From those first tiny puppy days, we’ve loved watching her grow, learn, play, and develop into a sweet, silly, affectionate girl with a personality all her own.By about 4 months old, we started to realize Otti was going to be a little different. She developed a fascination with chasing her tail that went well beyond the adorable puppy-spinning phase. And when I say spinning, I mean this girl looked like a load of laundry on the spin cycle! Knowing she might need some extra help, we worked with the wonderful behavioral team at UC Davis to better understand her needs and learn how to give her the happiest, most fulfilling life possible.With their guidance, daily medication, consistency, and positive redirection, we’ve learned ways to help Otti settle and refocus. She still thinks her tail is pretty fascinating, but a yummy treat, a good bone to chew, or a little distraction can help her redirect that energy.And here’s the beautiful thing about Otti: her extra needs are only one small piece of who she is.This girl has SO much love to give!She’s a true German Shepherd in every sense of the word. A loyal, loving, Velcro girl who wants to be wherever her people are. If you’re moving from room to room, you can bet Otti isn’t far behind. She likes to keep her people within eyesight because, heaven forbid, something exciting happens without her! She absolutely loves visitors and welcomes opportunities for attention and affection. She enjoys playing with our pack, chasing after our dogs during fetch, and turning a simple game into a full-blown case of the zoomies!And when the excitement settles? She’s more than happy to curl up next to you for a good snuggle and nap.A few more things that make Otti pretty darn wonderful: Walks nicely on a leash and enjoys exploring with her people. Crate trained and sleeps through the night. Loves her nighttime cuddles and will happily take every extra minute of snuggle time you’re willing to give before heading to bed. Enjoys an occasional car ride and being included in life’s little adventures. Loves playing fetch, romping with other dogs, and spending time with her people. Has a sweet, affectionate personality and a whole lot of enthusiasm for life!Around 7 months old, we noticed something else about our girl. She seemed to have stopped growing. At first, we thought she might just be a petite little Shepherd, but when her weight also stopped increasing, we wanted to make sure nothing more was going on.We requested bloodwork and discovered Otti has a pancreatic disorder that prevents her body from properly absorbing the nutrients from her food. The good news? We had an answer and a way to help her!Otti now receives a digestive enzyme powder mixed into her meals to help her absorb the nutrients she needs. And WOW, what a difference we’ve already seen!In just over a month, she’s gained more than 10 pounds, grown a couple of inches taller, and her coat is becoming beautifully shiny. Watching her little body finally get the nutrients it needs has been such a wonderful part of her journey. Our sweet girl may require