My name is Pretzel!

Pretzel (F) is a 4yo Mastiff X St. Bernard. She is currently living with her foster mom, and canine foster sister in a detached home. 


Pretzel is house and crate trained. She is generally quite well behaved inside and calmly coexists with her canine foster sister, although when she's feeling mischievous sometimes she tries to initiate play while her mom is trying to work! Pretzel will bark at strangers approaching her home, and through the front window if she can see them on the sidewalk. 

Pretzel is selective with other dogs, and does not do well with most dogs. She plays well with her foster sister, although she can get carried away while playing and needs a human to step in to take breaks and calm down. Pretzel will often stop playing to bark, at which point her foster sister disengages to teach her nobody enjoys that.  Pretzel does not do well with small animals and is reactive to them on walks. Pretzel was surrendered to us due to a fence fighting incident which turned into a real fight when she broke through the fence. She cannot live in a home with dog neighbours.

​Pretzel does not want to make dog friends and needs very slow introductions to calmly coexist with new dogs. Pretzel has had a few intakes at her house, and been babysat in a different home with other dogs, and was ok calmly coexisting in the same room without other dogs moving after one week, and could pass them in hallways, but did not get freedom to interact with them. After a few days she walked well with calm and balanced dogs on leash, although did try to redirect once on their first walk together (redirect = react at different dog, then lunge at the dog she was with) - luckily the sitter expected this and was able to prevent Pretzel making contact with her friend-to-be! 

Pretzel loves her people and is very affectionate with them, but can be wary with strangers. She needs an advocate that can properly introduce new people slowly, rather than let them rush up to her. She did very well with her foster sitter, and has been good with visitors when her foster mom properly advocates for her. She can be jealous of affection given to others, and pushy for affection herself.  She can be groomed, although she doesn't love her feet being touched. She is good in the car unless passing dogs, then can react. Pretzel loves all adventures and LOVES playing with toys, independently and with her people or canine foster sister. 

Pretzel is good on leash wearing her transitional leash, but can pull on a normal flat collar. She can get anxious at times, such as if it is dark out or in a busy environment, and can be leash reactive to dogs. Usually she ignores passing people or passing well behaved dogs. She is easily overstimulated and would benefit from a furever home that can continue to work on training and build her confidence. 

Here is what her foster mom has to say about her:

"Pretzel is a good girl and has come a long way in foster care. It took a few weeks for her personality to come out but she is a very loving, affectionate, and goofy dog. She will need a handler who is patient with her and goes slowly to build her trust. Once she knows you she would love some pets and bum scratches or to play tug!

Pretzel is doing well at her training and knows sit, down, place, paw, and crate. She would benefit from continued training in her forever home to build confidence and a good relationship with her handler.

Pretzel is not good with most dogs, she can be selective and too vocal when playing for some dogs. She would not do well in a home with small dogs or cats as she can be reactive towards them. With a larger and well balanced dog she could coexist and is learning, with some coaching, how to properly play!

Pretzel is a sweet girl and if you give her your patience, love, and leadership she will give you cuddles and love right back! Overall a very good dog but anxious. Will need a owner who advocates for her and knows she will never be a dog park/ long line hike/ confident adventure dog. Medium energy. Would love attention and affection. Pretty good on leash but needs some work on reactivity."

BITE HISTORY
Pretzel has bitten people on two occasions. Once when a stranger was pulling her out of a dog fight, and once when her foster mom grabbed her collar leading her away from a stranger at the door while she was in a stressed mindset. 

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS (upon intake):
-Selective with dogs, needs super slow introductions to integrate to a house with a dog. She would do best avoiding strange dogs not in her household.
-Unknown with cats
-Unknown with kids, likely okay with older kids
-Gentle giant, loves people and just wants affection
-Great in crate, will settle quickly and lay down. She wants to be where her people are and is excited by commotion and will stand up and whine
-Needs work on leash, pulls a bit. Walks well on transitional.
-Medium energy
-Curious and loves to sniff and explore
-Great in car! Settles and is quiet in the back seat and willingly jumps in and out
-Takes food gently
-Hesitant with handling paws
-Will mouth if overstimulated or uncomfortable with pressure on her (i.e. nail trims).
-Good food drive, enjoys training, wants to please, smart and picks up things quickly
-Loves water! Drinking water & playing in water!
-Vocal when playing with other dogs, will require an owner who can help her learn social cues and step in when she is too excited and overstimulated
-Favorite activity: pets!
-First morning impulse: say hello to people and sniff things!
-Outdoor behavior: sniffs, observes world, over stimulated when a lot of people and cars are around
-Best traits: calm, affectionate
-Needs work: weight loss! Right now she is very over weight and will need a family dedicated to weight loss and training.

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*Pretzel can be protective of her yard and had a 2 incidents of fence fighting a neighbour dog in her previous home that ended up in a dog fight. The neighbour who broke up the fight was understandably unhappy with Pretzel, and she did not respond well to their body language after the incident. She will be looking for a home that can advocate for her and manage her environment so something like this doesn't happen again. She has also broken through a fence and fought a dog passing by.

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Adoption Fee: $500.00 (Includes mandatory training program fee)*

Training fee: Pretzel requires a home that can commit to his training with a professional trainer. We have included the training fee for our training program in her adoption fee, Training Dogs Online.
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Vetting:  Pretzel is fully vetted and spayed. She has no other known health concerns.

Pretzel is being fostered in London, ON.

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