Handsome Harper

Handsome Harper

Meet Harper! This sweet, goofy pup is social, smart, and full of joy. He’s a handsome blue American Staffordshire Terrier mix with a beautiful steel-gray coat, and a slight overbite that gives a uniquely adorable look to his big bully smile. He also has the cutest head tilt when something piques his interest, and is still very puppy-like at under a year old. He’s a strong, active boy who is still in adolescence, so we expect him to continue to grow and fill out beyond his current 55 pounds.

Harper comes to Worthy Dog Rescue from Farmville, North Carolina, where he was found as a stray. One of our foster moms, Denise, was working on a construction site there when she saw this adorable dog running loose and tried to engage him. Harper came right up to her and greeted her with warmth and lots of happy wiggles. He was clearly a very young dog, but he looked thin and was running around without a collar, so her natural instinct was to help. Unfortunately it’s not uncommon to see dogs running as strays in the area, but that didn’t sit well with Denise.

Within minutes of Harper greeting everyone on the site, one of the workers inexplicably sprayed him in the face with orange paint. It went directly into his eye, which immediately started to swell. This happy puppy with the head too big for his body showed nothing but playful and friendly energy towards the man, and in return he was bullied and cruelly attacked. Denise reacted quickly and took Harper to the vet for care. She felt connected to him now, and knew she had to help him find a better life.

Denise canvassed the area, going door to door to find Harper’s owner, and even asked the local businesses and stores in the area if they recognized him. No one did. The vet said that the local shelter would only hold a dog for 3 days, and bully breeds like Harper are typically euthanized right away. Denise felt this young pup deserved better than that, and reached out to Worthy Dog to see if we could help. Her timing was perfect, as we had just added a brand new foster home to our team, and they were open and ready to take Harper in.

Harper is now safe, loved, and being well cared for in his Falls Church foster home by James and Regan. He’s doing great with their 3 dogs, and is having a blast running and playing with his buddies in his big, fenced back yard. He’s very smart, and knows his basic commands like sit, down, and wait. He’s house-trained, crate-trained, and has already learned to sit and wait for his food until invited. Harper is such a special dog. He’s fun, has a gentle nature, and is a very social pup who loves the company of other dogs.

James describes Harper as a joy to have in the home, and was surprised at how quickly he settled into their lifestyle. He’s entertaining, and they love to watch him prance and leap like a deer when he runs with the other dogs. Harper is graceful and powerful, but at the same time still a puppy who loves to play. He’s not a big barker, but has learned to talk to them, and will make little howl noises when he wants food or playtime in the yard.

Harper is a young, strong, and energetic pup who needs an active family that will commit to regular exercise, and his continued training and socialization. He needs daily walks and play time, and would do well with another playful dog in the home. He’s still learning some manners and has bursts of puppy energy, so he may jump up when he’s excited, but his foster parents are working with him and he learns quickly.

Thankfully there was no long-term damage to Harper’s eye, and he has been fully vetted and neutered. Harper is a unique, awesome dog who deserves a great life. Our preference is a family who has experience with strong dogs so they can make sure that Harper continues to be an ambassador for his breed, and a great example of how awesome these pups are.

To learn more about Harper, go to our website and fill out an adoption application.

If you’re interested in becoming a foster home for awesome dogs like Harper, please fill out a foster application.