Additional Details

HOW TO ADOPT: This dog is available for adoption by appointment. To schedule a time to meet this dog, please email Cassandra at cjohnson@arl-iowa.org.

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– Great dog with tons of potential who is looking for a special family who will continue working with him to help him gain confidence and learn that life is full of great things. If you’re up to the challenge, read on!

– Likes to take things slow with meeting new people and more a of a sit n’ watch kind of dog

– Has come a long way in the weeks we have been working with him

– Has worked with our behavior team and loves those in his inner circle, but things such as petting from strangers, leashing up, and anything a “normal” dog would like can still be quite scary for him, so he will need continued help over time from his new family

– Leaving interactions 100% up to him and using treats as rewards are great ways to gain him trust; he LOVES having the choice to interact and have his space

– Has done well with calmer dogs while he’s been in our care and has followed them around learning how to be brave; would likely do best in a home with another dog to learn the ropes from

– Needs a teens-and-up home right now, as young children are way too much for him. A mature, structured home would be perfect!

– Since he’s still learning to live with people, vet visits will have to be approached differently, so it will be important to talk with your veterinarian about ways to help him be most comfortable

– Still unsure about leashes and may benefit from a home that has a fenced yard or is OK with the use of potty pads while he continues to grow in this area

– Looking for a predictable home with very patient people who understand that it may take him not days but weeks to become completely comfortable. If you’re willing to give him that time, you’ll see, just as we have, that he is worth the wait! It will be incredibly rewarding to watch him become more trusting every day!

The ARL’s shelter software requires that we choose a primary breed for our dogs. Visual breed identification in dogs is unreliable, so for most dogs we are only guessing at primary breed. We get to know each dog as an individual and do our best to describe each of our dogs based on personality, not breed label.