A past participant in Secondhand Hounds’ Strut for Mutt walk events is taking the next step by bringing foster dogs into his family’s home.

Architectural Designer Al Tsai welcomed his second foster canine, nicknamed “Doofus,” to the family fold less than two weeks ago. The bull terrier is hearing impaired and was abandoned in a house in the Ozarks, where it was leashed with several other dogs, Tsai explained.

Rescued by Secondhand Hounds in cooperation with an overpopulated “high-kill” animal shelter in Missouri, the one-year-old dog is affectionate, empathetic and an extrovert, said Tsai.

“We are training him on very basic hand signals using treats as a reward, and, so far, he has learned to sit, to come, and the finger wag for ‘no,’” he said. “He’s had no problems learning that all very quickly.”

However, the Tsai’s noticed that Doofus only will volunteer to sit on warm surfaces. He  doesn’t like a cold seat. The bull terrier is learning to play well with their 3-year-old adopted dog, Lucky, and they rough house, playing games like tug-of-war.

The family is working on a daily routine with Doofus to help him to rest, be at ease and feel welcome in this environment, Tsai said.  The dog is available for adoption through Secondhand Hounds.

The Tsai’s first foster dog, a muscle-bound bull terrier named Gatorade, was adopted by his “forever” family earlier this year.