My name is
Pikachu!

PUPDATE: 12/30/21: Pikachu spent a few days with a friend at his home. Here is what we learned about Pikachu when he's in a home environment.

First and foremost, he is simply an easy dog. He listens, is eager to please, is very intuitive (point to the couch and he jumps on it; pat his bed and he lays down on it; gesture through an open door and he walks through it) and his recall (i.e., comes when you call him) is amazing. He has true herding instincts and will make sure you are always in line of sight. If my wife and I separate on a walk, he will stop to make sure things are good and will only continue after he is assured it's fine. While he may lack some training and handling (more on that later), he is very trainable – motivated as much by pleasing you as he is by treats.  He started to pick up on “touch” and “down” after only a very brief training session.  While we allow dogs on our furniture, we understand that many people don’t, so this would be something to work with Pika on (teaching “off”) since he hopped up on the furniture with us without an invitation.  He is also curious and has a little bit of escape artistry (squeezed through a small gap in our fence, and through a partially open car window) which adopters should be aware of.

He is also easy in some other practical ways. He was completely house trained with us (we are conscientious about offering potty breaks, especially with new dogs in new environments). In fact, he prefers flower beds and tall grass over manicured yard which is always nice. He is fine in the car – showing no signs of nervousness. When driving I mostly kept him in the cargo area of my SUV, but I also saw how he reacted in the back seat – where he just laid down and didn’t try to crawl up to the front. He is good on a leash and doesn’t pull much and is excellent off leash. While he may dart after a squirrel, he quickly comes back. He isn’t scared of water. He did a very good job handling our very reactive dog, by mostly ignoring him, and was never the provocateur. He did have one very limited interaction with another dog at a park. He did not show any aggression and was ready to play before being separated.

I would describe him as a medium energy-level dog. He is playful, a very able hiker and walker, but he “turns off” afterwards and is content lying near you (preferably touching).

Finally, he is just a very sweet dog. While he knew me from my dog walking, he quickly bonded to my wife – listening to her, obeying commands, seeking affection, and giving gentle kisses. He simply soaks up love and attention.  Though he is a bit of a “Velcro Dog”, he did not display any signs of serious separation anxiety and calmed down the longer he was in our home. He did enjoy having a “space” to go to that was his and may benefit from crate training and learning “place” or “go to your bed.”  He does like to be near people though and wants to be part of the pack.

While Pika gets pretty close, no dog is perfect. Like all dogs, he will need training and to get more comfortable with some basic handling and living in a home. While he sits and comes very well – that’s about all he knows other than his name. He was uncomfortable being brushed, found collars and harnesses itchy, and wasn’t a fan of having his paws touched or being picked up. He does jump when he gets excited.  All this is easily remedied by standard training and handling.  Of greater concern is that he can get stressed out in “strange” situations. He got very anxious watching me play at the jungle gym with my nephews – picking up squealing kids and such. However, while on leash he greeted them politely and was never aggressive.  I took him to the trash transfer station, and he was completely overwhelmed. Standard household noises were also new for him (the pressure cooker, the toilet flushing, etc.) I don’t think he will be a good mix with children under 10 or 12 - the rough-housing, yelling, and general monkeying around is too much for him and his herding instincts.

Beyond that, I have no other concerns, especially if someone was willing to do some basic training and was in an adult-only, or household with older/calmer kids.  Pika would make an excellent companion for people with dog experience and should be a delight for someone experienced with intelligent, trainable, or herding dogs.

UPDATE 5/5/21:  Pikachu is a 2-year-old Heeler who weighs 35 pounds. If you walk by his room, his expectant eyes plead for attention.  This guy’s idea of a perfect day would include lots of stuff to see, chasing balls, being petted, running, running, running, and problem-solving games. In the right hands, he would do great as an agility dog, or as a participant in other dog sports. The right hands would be a person who understands the energy needs of herding breeds and their desire to do a job, and what happens if they are left to boredom.

This boy is brilliant and can learn any task if you can translate what you want and provide a reasonable incentive. Pikachu adores activity of almost any kind, but he has an aversion to water, so swimming sports might be a no-go.  And though he likes kids, he tends to be protective of them. Pikachu may feel a need to intervene if someone interacts with the child he is focused on. Because of this, small or unattended kids are not a good idea. Sometimes, when people hug each other, it upsets him and causes a barking frenzy. He needs a firm (not harsh) person to give him direction. He has been known to bite when something concerns him too much.

Pikachu has a high prey drive and has decided that cats are fair game as quarry (merely another varmint to rid the world of).  And though he seems friendly towards most dogs at our facility, his surrenderer told us he was a bully with their other very submissive dog. We were also informed that if left alone and unconfined, Pikachu demonstrated mild separation anxiety by barking and chewing personal items left out. At our facility, Pika has adjusted well to his room, only chews on dog bones, and is cooperative and loving.

Pikachu is playful as a puppy, takes treats gently from fingers, enjoys being petted, and has good house manners when not experiencing anxiety, and he was trained to stay off furniture.  His eager-boy plaintively calls ring-out out in typical Heeler squeals when folks pass his room as if he is saying “Come play with me. I promise it will be worth it.”  Anyone who loves a cattle dog personality will quickly recognize how worth it he is.

The ideal person(s) for Pikachu would be experienced with herding breeds, would have a fenced area, would have an understanding of training through incentive methods, would be able to offer lots of physical and mental stimulation, would not have cats, and would want an interactive companion.