My name is Darby!

This little spitfire is Darby and he is a completely adorable Pug/German Shepherd mix which makes him very unique and very cute! Darby is 1yr old and is approx. 35lbs so a nice, medium sized dog. Darby came to us from a rural pound where he was an unclaimed stray. He was terrified in the pound and it took him a bit to relax in his foster home and let his true nature shine. Boy does he ever shine now!! Darby is perpetually happy and bouncy and always has a silly grin on his face. He has the Pug underbite so often times his bottom teeth get stuck on his upper lip in the cutest way. Darby finds joy in everything he does and is a dog that will make you smile and laugh every day.

Darby was very shy when we first got him but he is getting over that and is now at the point where he rarely has a shy moment. The more he is exposed to in life the more he enjoys it and gets confidence. He is greeting strangers now with ease and squeezes into their legs for cuddles. He has done so well that we actually took him to a huge dog walk fundraiser we recently had and he was a hit with the crowd, winning fans everywhere he went. Darby relished the spotlight that day and had a great time with all the new doggie friends and people friends.

Darby is being raised in a foster home with dogs and cats. He adores dogs and loves to wrestle and run and play. His best friend ever is his foster sister Tippy and he is constantly bugging her to play. Darby would love to go to a home with another young and energetic, playful dog that can be his best buddy. Should Darby not have a dog sibling he will need regular play dates with appropriate dog friends to keep his socialization up and give him an outlet for his need of doggie play. He will be too energetic though for a senior dog sibling or one that doesn’t enjoy running play. Darby is very much that little brother that bugs to play and he can be quite insistent and will pester a dog that isn’t a good match. Darby is also quite good with our cats and doesn’t bother them much. Our cats are used to dog though and know not to run from them. Darby would be fine to go to a home with a dog savvy cat, but we wouldn’t want to match him to a home with a skittish cat or one that will run from him as Darby will want to chase and consider it a game. Darby is not being fostered with children. We feel that he would be fine with kids that are older than 7yrs of age and are used to dogs and know how to kindly treat dogs. Because Darby is very much a kid himself he can get very excited at times and be bouncy and will be too much for younger children. Should Darby go to a home with kids we would want the adults to be experienced dog owners and leaders and can continue the training we are putting into him to teach him not to jump up or race around in the house.

Darby is super playful and loves to chase after any toy you throw for him. He enjoys toys of all kinds and will entertain himself tossing the toys around and chasing them if you aren’t able to throw them for him. He plays tug with the other dogs with the toys and plays appropriately. Darby also enjoys running around the yard and chasing toys. We are looking for a home for Darby with a fenced in yard as he really needs to run around and play in a safe area. Darby is energetic outdoors and is up for any activity you want to do with him. He would be an excellent running or biking companion but is equally happy going for long walks or hikes. He also loves car rides and is a great travel companion. He will need an active family that will commit to getting him out every day for his exercise. He didn’t have any leash manners when we took him in and he is learning to walk properly. He will need continued training with this as he does like to race back and forth in his desire to sniff and see everything on his walk. We don’t feel that his previous people walked Darby as he was terribly thin when we got him and had no muscle tone, so now every walk he goes on is a wondrous adventure for him. As energetic as he is outside, Darby settles nicely in the house and will content himself with this toys or chews. He is an easy dog to live with as long as his exercise needs are met.

Darby is housetrained and crate trained. He is good about his food bowl and doesn’t guard his food or toys. He has learned “sit” in his foster home and he is working on “off” and “stay” but these are works in progress. Darby is very food motivated so will do well in an obedience school that uses food as an initial reward. He will be an ideal agility dog as he can move and bounce and jump with ease. When he gets excited for his walk he bounces straight up and his legs are at the window of the door!!! Quite a vertical leap for a smaller dog!!! He is very affectionate and loves nothing more than cuddles on the couch if allowed. He has a way of slowing inching his way up onto the couch beside you, and into your lap as well if he can. He would love to be a lap dog, although as a medium sized dog, he takes up your entire lap! Darby will take all pets and cuddles given to him, he is a real suck!

If you are looking for an active, playful, and comical dog to be your best friend and companion and like the look of a Pug but were hoping for a more athletic dog than Darby is your guy. He has all the charming characteristics of both of his breeds and brings a ton of fun into your day. He needs a family that will commit to him for his life and never let him be abandoned again. Darby will be your loyal companion and friend. Will you be his?

All Pound Dog Rescue dogs are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, heartworm tested, de-wormed (if required), and micro-chipped prior to adoption. The adoption donation of $400 is applied to assist in the costs of veterinary care and the overall care of the dog. For more information and adoption applications please consult our website at www.pounddog.ca.