Fall River Forever Paws Lightning is an incredibly sweet boy and loves treats

Meet Fall River Forever Paws Pet of the Week Lightning!

Lightning is the cowardly lion of dogs. Has anyone seen Inside Out 2? You know Anxiety? Yeah. That.

Lightning is a nine-month-old lab mix weighing about 55lbs right now. He shouldn’t be getting TOO much bigger at this point though even if he did, he’s a gentle soul that needs some help embracing how to be…well, a puppy! He needs to learn how to make like Elsa and let it goooooo and let loose enough to realize that being a bouncy, rambunctious, playful puppy is OKAY! His inner puppy does shine through every so often when he gets the sporadic zoomies and suddenly breaks into a play bow before he realizes what he’s doing.

Lightning is an incredibly sweet boy once he warms up to you and, honestly, there’s no “quick” way to this boy’s heart. The best way to win him over is just ignoring him and letting him come to you on his own time. It’s not quick, it’s not easy, but this shy boy lacks confidence and needs things on his terms for now until he feels safe. Once he does, he’s all tail wags and begging for belly rubs. He LOVES treats and is very snack motivated, and he loves other dogs; honestly, another puppy around his age would probably do wonders for his confidence and to teach him that life isn’t so scary!

Though Forever Paws recommends basic training and puppy classes for any dog or puppy, Lightning especially could benefit from them purely for exposure therapy and socialization purposes. He isn’t terrible on a leash though he does spook easily. He’s afraid of cats but would probably do well with cats that won’t outwardly bully him. Because he’s such a shy boy, they would prefer kids 10+ just so he isn’t overwhelmed by loud noises and quick movements.

You’ll need to put in the work for this boy but be prepared to be rewarded with the sweetest, gentlest, most loving soul you could imagine.

To apply, visit foreverpaws.com and click adopt to download the application. Once complete, you can email it to fpas1@foreverpaws.com or fax it to 508-677-9175.

The Pet of the Week is brought to you by NEW LEAF, an adult-use dispensary with the best-in-class customer service at 2629 South Main Street and 360 Second Street in Fall River. Click on their Facebook page or their website to learn more.