Pet Connection: Meet Topanga

She's got a personality as warm and sunny as the Topanga Canyon.

Whether you think of Topanga as being named for the sunshiny canyon in Los Angeles, or the equally sunny character on “Boy Meets World,” this is a dog with a smile as bright as the sun.

The 2-year-old pit bull stopped by with 4 Luv of Dog founder and rescue worker Kish Hilmert to visit live in-studio with Emily Welker on the KVRR Morning Show. Topanga’s grin is big, but so are her teeth, and that can make people nervous if they’re not familiar with dog behavior, Hilmert said. “Teeth-baring can be a behavior some dogs do to greet people… so it’s important to look at the rest of the dog’s body language,” she said. Whether it’s Topanga’s friendly grin or other less-known elements of dog communication, it’s always important to ask a dog’s handler if it’s okay to approach the animal, she said — an important reminder anytime, with any breed, but especially during National Dog Bite Awareness Week this week.

Topanga is high-energy and loves to give affection. She’s well-behaved, but does jump up on people from time to time, so a home with very tiny children might not be as desirable as with bigger kids. She’s good with cats and other dogs, healthy and ready to fill your home with her big heart and sunshiny smile.

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