Meet Leonardo

Leo has every reason to be unsure of people, yet somehow he seems to have decided they're the greatest thing in the world.

Before coming to Made a Promise Rescue, Leo's owner dumped him out of a car and drove away. Panicked, Leo ran after the car and was hit by another vehicle. Thankfully, someone witnessed what happened and immediately called for help. Leo was taken to an animal shelter, where the extent of his injuries eventually placed him on the euthanasia list.

At just 10 months old, Leo's life could have ended there. Instead, he came to Made a Promise Rescue, received the hip surgery he desperately needed, and started getting his first real introduction to what being someone's beloved dog is supposed to feel like.

Through all of it, Leo has remained one of the happiest, most loving dogs you could meet. He adores people, melts into anyone willing to snuggle him, and seems determined to make friends everywhere he goes. His foster is pretty sure he's campaigning to become mayor of the neighborhood.

The Promise We Made to Leo

We promised Leo that we would get him through his surgery and everything that came afterward. He would be spoiled, loved, cared for, and surrounded by good humans from here on out.

His body had already been through more than it should have at such a young age. Our job was to help him get back on his feet and show him that the people in his life now weren't going anywhere.

At a Glance

Energy: Medium

Training: Knows "sit" and is working on "down," "stay," "kennel," and "here."

Dog Friendly: Still being evaluated. Leo has had limited interaction with other dogs because of his medical restrictions.

People Friendly: Absolutely

Kid Friendly: Yes, but older kids around 7-8+ would likely be the better fit because of Leo's energy, strength, and enthusiastic greetings.

Cat Friendly: Unknown

Small Animals: Unknown, although he will chase squirrels.

Potty Training: Doing well on a schedule but still working toward complete reliability.

Medical: Leo underwent an FHO on his right hip and continues to receive physical therapy. His hip and mobility will need to be monitored throughout his life.

Personality

Leo is friendly, affectionate, goofy, energetic, and incredibly loving. He's still very much a young dog and approaches life with the enthusiasm that comes with it. He loves being outside, fetching balls, chewing on sticks and dog-friendly chews, sunbathing, playing hard, and then crashing for a well-earned nap.

And then there's snuggling.

Leo's foster describes him as a wet noodle. If you're available for affection, he'll melt himself into you in whatever position happens to work at the time. Personal space isn't something Leo spends much time worrying about. Belly rubs are always welcome, and being close to his people is even better.

He's also still learning which things are actually meant for dogs. If something interesting happens to be within reach, Leo may need a reminder that it wasn't placed there specifically for him.

In the Home

Leo's days tend to alternate between energetic play and serious napping. He enjoys balls, bones, dog-friendly chews, time outside, and anything that keeps his young brain and body occupied.

Meals are another highlight. Leo approaches breakfast and dinner with the enthusiasm of a dog who is absolutely certain nobody has ever fed him before. He currently also receives a small bedtime snack because it helps prevent an upset stomach and early morning "hunger pukes." His foster expects that may become unnecessary as he gets older.

When his foster is away, Leo does well in his kennel. He's currently been kenneled for periods of up to about three hours without an issue.

With Other Dogs

We don't have enough information yet to confidently describe Leo's compatibility with other dogs.

Because his activity had to be restricted before and after surgery, his foster hasn't been able to freely introduce him to other dogs. Before surgery, Leo spent a night in another foster home with a resident dog and did well, although his mobility was very limited at the time.

As his physical restrictions allow, we'll continue learning more about how Leo interacts with other dogs. His foster feels that a well-matched dog with good social skills could potentially help teach Leo some of the things he hasn't had the opportunity to learn yet.

With People

Leo has yet to meet a person he doesn't like.

He loves humans of all kinds and would happily greet everyone he encounters. We're working on helping him understand that not every person needs to be greeted with quite as much enthusiasm as Leo thinks they do.

Once the introduction is over, expect affection. Lots of it. Leo is happiest when he's getting attention, belly rubs, or finding some way to fold himself directly into his person.

With Kids

Leo likes kids just as much as he likes adults, but he doesn't understand that smaller humans may need a little less Leo during introductions.

He's strong, energetic, and still learning personal space, so his excitement can be overwhelming for younger children even though his intentions are friendly. A home with kids around 7 or 8 and older would likely be the better fit.

With Cats and Small Animals

Leo hasn't been evaluated with cats, so we don't know how he would do living with them. He has been known to chase squirrels in the backyard, so a home without cats may ultimately be the safest fit unless future introductions tell us otherwise.

Training & Care

Much of Leo's early time in foster care had to focus on his medical needs rather than traditional puppy training. He's learning now and already knows "sit" pretty well. His foster is also working with him on "down," "stay," "kennel," and "here."

He had a few potty accidents when he first entered foster care but is doing well with a consistent schedule. He'll need a family prepared to continue reinforcing his training and helping him develop the manners he didn't have the opportunity to learn while dealing with his injury.

Leo underwent a successful FHO, or Femoral Head Ostectomy, on his right hip at 10 months old. During surgery, the veterinarian discovered that the damage to his femur and hip socket was more extensive than the X-rays had shown. The good news is that his veterinarian has been very pleased with how well Leo has progressed following surgery, even noting that he was doing better than expected.

Leo continues with weekly physical therapy and home exercises to give that leg the best possible outcome. We're hopeful that this will be enough for him long term, but there is a possibility that Leo could require a total hip replacement at some point in his life. His forever family will need to be committed to monitoring his hip as he ages and providing additional orthopedic care if it ever becomes necessary.

Ideal Home

Leo would love a home with a backyard where he has room to play, along with people committed to giving him daily exercise, mental stimulation, continued training, and plenty of affection.

He's an active young dog, so adventures and walks will be right up his alley as his physical abilities allow. Older children would likely suit him better than very young kids, and his compatibility with other dogs will continue to be evaluated.

His future family also needs to understand his orthopedic history and be prepared to monitor his hip throughout his life. Leo has already made incredible progress, but choosing him means being committed to whatever that hip may need in the future.

A Note from the Foster

Leo is a wet noodle. He'll melt into you in whatever position he can manage if it means being close.

I've never met a more loving dog. After everything people have put him through, Leo still seems to love humans regardless of size, shape, or anything else. He doesn't seem interested in holding his past against anyone. He's just happy to be here, happy to be loved, and very happy to return that love.

Promise Pup Highlight

Leo went from being dumped out of a car, hit by another vehicle, and placed on a euthanasia list to getting the surgery and care he needed to get back on his feet.

But the part of Leo's story that stands out most isn't what happened to him. It's the dog he continues to be despite it.

He's happy. He's ridiculously affectionate. He loves people. And that giant smile seems to follow him everywhere he goes.

The Promise Moving Forward

Leo, we promise to take great care of you until we find the family who gets to take over that job for the rest of your life.

From here on out, your story gets to be filled with good humans, fun adventures, belly rubs, physical therapy, ridiculous amounts of snuggling, and whatever care that hip of yours needs along the way.

You deserved better than the way your story started. We'll keep our promise until we know the rest of it is in very good hands.