My name is LJ!

Little John, who goes by LJ is a happy, silly 2-year-old mantle boy.
When he first came to our little “rehab farmette”, he was very shut down from tragic experiences, and needed careful patience to coax him out of his shell and figure out what makes him happy.
Initially, he trusted pretty much no one, and was very fearful and suspicious. To everyone’s surprise, it took very little time to earn his trust...just 2-3 weeks or so! It was almost like he was relieved to be in a quiet, stable place where he could “stretch out” so to speak and be himself. Our structured environment and predictable schedule have been very beneficial for him. Since then, he has shown himself to be pretty much a normal young dude!
Let’s address the less-positive things about him first before you get your hopes up over this devastatingly handsome fella. 😉
Kids are pretty much a no. We have not had him around small children just yet but will be testing this out soon.
But he has been living with a teenage boy and does not really appreciate the fluctuating moods of a teenager. He prefers quiet, confident energy - or happy easygoing energy.
It’s important to mention the “energy” thing because he’s incredibly sensitive to the energy/moods of the humans around him. The more relaxed they are, the more relaxed he is...he can be suspicious of tension, fear, and especially anger. He is a brilliant mirror of the energy/mood/vibe of the people around him, which is one of the many things that makes him fascinating to watch and know.
The other “potential limitation” is that he is a bit “funky” with alpha type large male dogs within his current personal pack. Seriously nothing outside of any typical 2-year-old self-assured dude, though. Overall, he’s a very confident boy with other dogs, and clearly communicates his personality to them. He pretty much ignores the small old male dog in his foster home, but the older male Cane Corso - a dominant guardian breed - he is in constant “conversation” with. Subtle moves, like standing tall and still with a raised tail while sniffing one another, posturing, etc. The resident dominant male is seasoned with fosters and balanced, so gives him little to no feedback for his efforts - but a more reactive male could be a problem, because there’s no real “backup” in LJ. He’s quite full of himself.
BUT!! Let’s move on to the things that make him a rad dude!
He is actually very balanced in his foster pack, with a 7-year-old male Cane Corso, a 7 year old female Neapolitan Mastiff, and a 13 year old mini Doxie. He really needs little intervention with the male Corso (a lot of that is the balance of that dog for sure, however), and although he will give a proper correction to a dog getting too close to his food or a bone (nothing over the top), he is not jealous of affection, treats being given out, and so on. He’s super respectful of other dogs (or cats) on a bed or space, even if it’s “his” space...he’ll just make himself comfortable elsewhere. He also does not redirect on to his packmates when everyone is escalated & barking at the FedEx guy, a new visitor, or competing for affection from the same. He really is delightfully compatible in a pack - and he meets new dogs well, also! He is confident and curious but doesn’t take much offense if someone snaps at him. He’s keenly aware of the energy of the humans around him when encountering new dogs, though - so staying calm and “indifferent” guides the interaction. We feel he would absolutely be compatible with going to a doggy daycare a few times a week if wanted.
He ignores the farmette’s chickens...he sort of gets a kick of harassing the goats from a distance LOL, as he learned very quickly that one of them is very quick with those long horns. 😉 He also coexists with 2 inside/outside kitties, and 3 barn kitties, quite peacefully. (He’s a really good boy with them, truly.)
Energy wise, he’s generally content to do whatever his people and pack are doing. He’s in a less active, quieter home, so he spends much of his day relaxing. But boy does he love to play outside with his people! He gets silly zoomies and rushes past his person, mouth open, tongue flapping, body hunched up and running like a bunny. He is a lot of fun...and he also loves his walks. He absolutely could be your “go anywhere” dog - he’s a little nervous but settles quickly in the car, and he also has amazing recall when he’s bolting through a wide-open field like WOOOOHHOOOO!!!...he will actually stop and race back to you. He is polite and very calm meeting strangers on leash, as well - as long as you are.
He’s a very, very sweet boy - and also incredibly polite. Many dogs who will ask for affection, press in as hard as they can and sort of end up in your lap somehow - LJ will press his head tightly into your lap, but does not get on the furniture (even if you ask him to) to smother you, and when you say “enough” and indicate you’re done, he backs off and goes to lay down. 😳 ♥️ We admit we don’t see that sort of respect in Danes often!
LJ walks well on leash for his “pack leader” but can be a bit of a puller for others. He has an Easy Walk harness that addresses this well. Interesting side note - his foster mom is disabled and walks rather slowly with a cane. Occasionally he gets excited and will pull just a bit, but an exclamation or stumble will bring him right back into check, and he will continue the walk in a loose heel, with few gentle reminders. His responsiveness lets us know that he would be very compatible in a variety of training options - maybe even as a balance dog.
He really is a delightful fella. He is absolutely trustworthy in the house & does not need to be crated. (I’m sure he would steal food if left out, but we’re a dog house and know better than to leave food out LOL!) Although he’s gotten used to the dog door now in his foster home, he doesn’t need it - he is cool with a regular “I go out 3x/day” thing (he didn’t start actually using the dog door until the second month - before that, it was the typical outside schedule, after meals or after being inside for X amount of hours).
He’s a bright, eager, sweet, affectionate dude who’s just looking for some safe, stable people to call his own. His initial acclimation to a new home will need to go at HIS pace, but other than that, once he settles in, he’s just a silly, fun, happy dude who will do just about anything for you. He’s a wonderful companion and a favorite of all visitors - he needs just a minute to explore the new person and gauge if they’re “safe”, but once that’s established, he’s pretty excited to have guests.
LJ would continue to grow and thrive in a balanced household. We don’t really think the activity level of the household is all that important, outside of the kid factor (that’s a bit much for him). Regular adult guests? He’s down. Somebody brought their doggy to visit? If they are friendly, he is!
He really is quite the awesome DaneDude! Once he settled in, he’s really been one of the easiest fosters his foster home has ever worked with. He is just ...🤙 awesome!

Update 6/20/2021

Hey, I’m LJ!
I’m 2, and as you can see, quite a handsome fella.
I’m a really awesome housemate…I don’t have accidents, tear anything up, or counter surf (within reason, you know. I can reach those suckers). Foster mom doesn’t even have to crate me when she’s gone, but I do kinda need my crate as a “safe space” I can go to at will and not be bothered if I feel overwhelmed (and I’ll put myself there - I love my crate). I have really nice manners also, and I listen really well to my foster mom & dad 99.9% of the time.
I’m pretty low key overall, but man do I love to go on a good walk or hike with you! I’m a confident fella, and strut along with my tail held high.
Although I walk really nicely with other dogs, and play decently with random dogs, I don’t care to live with them. BUT! Guess what I do respect and coexist peacefully with? KITTIES! That’s right. I have five kitty friends here…they’re pretty okay. I also respect the goats on the farm (actually, they’re kinda scary, and I’d rather avoid them). I’m okay with chickens, too…just a reminder here and there (sorry, but they’re really fun and flappy).
My new mom and dad need to be leaders - I can be strong willed sometimes and foster mom says I don’t always make the best decisions on my own…but when I have people who let me know they’ve got it handled, I’m freeeee to be the silliest boy EVER. I’ll make you laugh all the time!
So, I don’t care to live with younger humans all that much, either. The energy’s just too chaotic and it makes me edgy.
I would love to find an active couple who want a dude that’ll go anywhere with them! I’m nice on leash, LOVE to explore countryside, but I’m still working on my off leash recall (I mean…there’s so much to explore, what if I’m not done yet?)…and I settle down pretty quickly in car rides. Did I mention I love to explore?? I also love to play with you, get belly rubs, work for treats (I’m very gentle) and bark at passerby.
Any campers or hikers out there want to adopt me? That would be so cool! I love seeing new stuff!
Hope to meet you soon!
~ Little John (LJ)
Although LJ knows his basic commands & many extras, a basic or intermediate obedience course will be a requirement of adoption, for socialization and bonding. LJ really enjoys working/learning, and a formal class would be great fun for all!

Updated 7-14-21
Hey there, it’s LJ again!!
So I knowwwww my whole “no kids no dogs” thing is…sigh…limiting.
That probably doesn’t mean like, ever. I’m not a mean guy. Maybe once I’m settled in somewhere really well, a puppy might be ok, you know? I am really playful. If I had a chance to do some socialization classes or go to a doggy daycare a couple times a week where they match me up with friends, I might get better about stuff (I’m actually pretty darn good with play dates).
I mean I live with a bunch of dogs now. I prefer to be kept separate. Sometimes I’m with the female Neo here, and the old little wiener dog (actually he and I stay in the same room when foster mom’s gone, she just -grrr- doesn’t leave us any bones)…I just don’t like him close when I’ve got a bone, or I’m in my crate, or if he tries to “cleanershrimp” around my bowl…
(Foster mom voice: in other words, to make other dogs work in the home, you have to constantly supervise and manage, and this is a bit much for the typical dog owner. But LJ is not inherently dog aggressive, at all! Most of his issue is resource guarding, whether that’s food, a toy, a bone, his space, etc. He has made progress with this, so we know it can continue to improve. He also typically sticks to an actual appropriate correction, like a snap/bark, a quiet show of teeth, or rarely a light nip that doesn’t bruise or break skin. He is more appropriate with his corrections with small animals than with dogs close to his size, particularly other males - the large dominant male in the home is the only dog he has actually sought conflict with. He does seek to intimidate and dominate the large dogs, male or female, and most of the reason why he’s fine with the little old guy is because that one ignores him & tends to just sleep somewhere out of the way. They have a fairly clear understanding of leaving each other be, now.)
So anyway, LJ here again…like I was saying.
Even though I like to be kept separate, I don’t like that I have to be away from my people sometimes. Foster mom has started increasing the contact with the rest of the pack lately, hoping she can “bring me around” again. 🙄 Look, that’s fine and all? But I really am so so content when it’s just me & the people, and I guess the little old dog is ok, because he mostly just sleeps, and we prefer to ignore each other anyway. But my absolute ideal home doesn’t have any doggy roommates that I have to actually live with. (I mean…some humans who don’t get to pick their roommates don’t like that setup either, amirite??)
If you think you might want to start a family in a year or two, ask about me though…foster mom says I’m really a good boy, and since I’ve adapted to a lot here, she says she I can likely adapt to other stuff once I’m good and settled somewhere and have had some formal training/social work. (And foster mom thinks that I could totally adapt to a newborn, once I’m good and settled, and maybe a little older.)
I’m looking forward to finding my people and showing you all the things I can do!
Oh oh real quick let me tell you about my human best friend.
He’s my foster mom’s brother. He’s not in a position to be able to make me his, but BOY do we both wish! So he comes over to visit me a lot, and we have the best time. MAN I get so excited to see him. I don’t like to get on furniture (foster mom says I’m the only Dane she knows where the furniture training actually worked haha), BUT when he’s on the porch and invites me up to sit next to him?? Heck yeah buddy!! I prop myself in his lap and we just hang out. Then sometimes he will play bow at me and then lay on the floor in the living room, and I get the (most hilarious) zoomies, where I run from one end of the room to the other and jump over him. He laughs and laughs…and says I have the goofiest grin he’s ever seen.
Foster mom wanted me to tell you about that because she thinks I’d make a great best friend for a single dude looking for a pal. (And…if I do say so myself, I am a chick magnet for sure. 😉 But, ladies…I might not have been a ladies’ man before coming here, but ahem these strong willed women kinda melt me & I’ll do aaaanything for them - almost. 😉 So if you’re kind of a Boss…I’ll be your truly devoted!)
Anyway, it would be nice if I could find my For Really Real home. This place is cool and all, but it’s not my ideal. (Ugh there are a LOT of animals here, and I get so tired of sharing!! I mean the cats aren’t so bad I guess.) I just want to find my friend who can take advantage of the fact that I’m young but pretty laid back, friendly (I’ve enjoyed all the visitors here!), you can take me pretty much anywhere, I love to play with you, and I’ll keep you laughing. Oh and I am VERY sweet, thankyouverymuch.
Where are my people?
Xoxo,
LJ

Resident dogs: No
Children: No
Cats: Yes
Farm animals: Yes