GEORGE is off on a great adventure, spending time helping inmates at a Central Virginia correctional center learn dog handling and training skills, to enable their future training careers. George has been there for one week and we have our fingers crossed that he will successfully adapt and be incorporated so he can continue his own training regimen.
If you are looking for a happy, well-rounded and devoted companion, we nominate George! He has been so well-trained, he slides into life with confidence and ease, taking on whatever is expected, in order to be the best friend ever. George has been a wonderful guest at one of our foster homes where his foster dad has helped him go from an untrained young adult to a loving friend to the other dogs in his foster home, as well as the resident cats. We hope George has been waiting for just the right home: Yours!
Sweet George! Sometimes the sweetest dogs are the ones that are the toughest to see, because of the shell they have built up around them from their previous experiences. In George's case, since he came to us as a stray, we had no background at all, and have helped him build his behavior from the ground up. George is housetrained, wonderful with other dogs, and is even good with cats! He has been diagnosed with slight hip dysplasia in both hips, and will have more problems with arthritis as he ages. He can be treated with cosequin on a daily basis and live a pretty normal life, and he will love having dog friends and a family who won't race him madly around the ball field chasing and fetching, but he can still have a great life! George has appropriate play skills with other dogs and has a very special friend, a red pitbull named Lily. If you’re in the market for two dogs, you could not make a better match than Lily and George! We will soon post some pictures of Lily for your viewing pleasure. To adopt start with an application.
“George calmed down a lot and I owe a lot of that to Lily [another foster dog]. She's been the best thing that could happen to him. He has not jumped on or at me for well over a week. I no longer put him on a leash outside to make sure I can get him in. He no longer bounces away when I approach, preferring instead to accept “scritches” and affection, burying his head under my arm, and giving sweet, gentle kisses. Sometimes we just sit outside and I rub him down and scratch his head, neck, and back, and we are relaxed and calm enjoying each other's company and affection. He returns back inside and to his kennel with no effort.
*His play with Lily is dictated by Lily most of the time, but he loves to run and make her chase. When she gets too physical he returns that in a kind and appropriate way. He takes treats gently and enjoys a variety of different things. He's very level headed when presented with other dogs or people outside of the run, either just staring and observing calmly or at worst, a little whine. No barking and carrying on at all. When we go out together, he's confident enough to just exist in that space and just wander around along the fence line, observing all that is around him. In the kennel, he doesnt seem to care at all about the other dogs, even an intact male that is currently with us. He does get excited when I let Lily out, because she's his person and he knows he is going out to play with her. He calmly approaches others in the kennel and sniffs and walks away. I have not tested him with cats or children, but I feel like if he was presented with children, if they are trained to be calm and respectful with him, they'll never have a better babysitter or guardian. He has been nothing but gentle with me and I am prone to doing things that might be uncomfortable, like kisses on the head and face and bear hugs, and he has not responded with anything other than a return of affection to me.”
