Rescue Story
Yuja was rescued from a dog-meat slaughterhouse in North Chungcheong Province, a cruel and terrifying hell where dogs were hanged and torched alive for their meat. Yuja carried much trauma from the indescribable scenes in this place - she witnessed the cruel torture right in front of her eyes. Time and love have helped Yuja begin to heal her wounds, and she’s ready to find her place in the world.


With humans
Yuja is still pretty careful around people - she is a little nervous towards strangers, and tends to shy away from them at first. But give her a bit of time, and she will let you pat her, and sniff and lick you. She seems to be more comfortable around females, but she still shows fear around men.Even if she is wary, Yuja is not aggressive at all. Towards small children, she sometimes shows that she reacts to them as she would to a baby puppy, as if she wants to take care of them and groom them. Under training and supervision she will not have any issues with children.


With dogs
Yuja has not had much time outside, nor much of a chance to interact with other dogs in that setting. She has been absolutely great with the dogs she is living with in her foster home - she rolls around on the floor and runs around with them. When she meets unfamiliar puppies at the vet clinic, she is curious and approaches them carefully and slowly. But we have seen that she can be a really loyal friend - she was inseparable from one dog she was rescued with. She is shy and takes a little time to get comfortable around other dogs - even now when she is in unfamiliar places with a lot of other dogs, she sticks to her foster mother’s side. She will observe things carefully to get the lay of the land a bit, but when she musters up her courage a bit, she will take some timid little steps towards the action. She still might back up a step or two if a potential playmate approaches to fast, but she gets along well once the ice is broken and joins in the fun. She has such a gentle nature, and we are certain that she will not have any issues as she learns to socialize in the outside world. But overall she seems to prefer to play with friends who share her low-key character, and are OK going at a slightly slower pace, rather than getting rowdy in a group.


With cats
Not sure whether the same mix of caution and curiosity would apply to cats, but again, given that she is quite gentle, it may well be a case of exposure and getting to know them.


Energy Level
Yuja was mostly housebound, because of her heartworm treatment, but she has started getting out more. The way she runs is sloppy and adorably awkward - you can see her body hasn’t quite caught up to her enthusiasm yet, but it just adds to her loveliness and uniqueness. She’s reached the point where she can get in a brisk walk for an hour a day, and maybe throw in a run around a large playground for a couple hours once a week. As she discovers her new world and returns to full health, we are sure she would love a healthy, active lifestyle.


Shedding/Barking
There is seasonal shedding, as is typical of her mixed-breed background. When she is startled, like by the sound of a doorbell or knock at the front door, she will bark once or twice, but that’s usually it - she isn’t the type for extended or incessant barking.


Needs help with
Yuzu likes to be stroked, but is afraid of being suddenly grabbed or held. She needs more acclimation to men, after her terrible experience on the farm. She's still a bit uncomfortable in her leash and harness, and doesn’t really like wearing her outfits outside, but she tolerates all this if it means getting outside for walks. If you can help reinforce positive associations between the things Yuja doesn’t like and her outdoor funtime, things will go a bit more smoothly. Although there is no tendency to be protective of her own food, she often waits to eat only after other dogs around her have finished, and this sometimes means shes doesn’t get to eat her meal. Her maternal instincts seem to extend towards young children - she is curious about them and wants to approach to investigate. Her maternal instincts may also kick in and lead her to try to use her mouth on them, and this might cause them to react to her. She will need a bit of training in this regard, but she will never be aggressive towards them.


Health Specifics
none.


Ideal family
Because of her suffering in her past life, you might think Yuja is fragile, but she is a survivor, and as she has been weaned out of her shell, her gentle loving nature has really shone through. Yuja is ready to be loved - when you pet her she closes her eyes, tilts her ears, and wags her tail. She will greet you first thing when you wake up in the morning. However, she is also perfectly fine spending time on her own - she has an independent streak to her. After her treatment for heartworm, Yuja is now getting to enjoy the great outdoors - she loves nature, but she would also need some outdoor activities at home, rather than a daily routine of going out for walks. Above all, her family would need to be willing to go at Yuja’s pace, to let her decide how she will adapt to a new home. She might still show that she is uncomfortable when riding in car, but now that she seems to be more comfortable in her kennel, it’s easier to take her on the road with you. Even this might not be necessary for much longer - she’s also getting used to just hanging out in the back seat watching the scenery outside.


More photos and videos
www.instagram.com/foryou_corgi/