Location: Jay, ME
Do you like the stumpy-rump boys? Check out this salt & pepper nugget! Handsome Bogey is a 40lb Cattle Dog mix. Only a DNA test will reveal his true genetic blend, but if you ask me, Bogey is 50% kangaroo, 50% land shark, 50% lovebug, and 100% hooligan. (My math doesn’t math? It’s Cattle Dog math. Trust me, it’s accurate!)
To be fair, Bogey is a Kangaroo-shark-hooligan in all of the breed standard, juvenile Heeler ways: he jumps on people. He’s mouthy. He counter surfs. To be even more fair, I suspect that he is a bit younger than the shelter estimate of 1 year. He’s really just an overgrown puppy: a puppy who was running loose in Georgia and has clearly had very little in the way of consistency or security.
Given his history, we really can’t blame this goofball for his lack of manners, or for seeking attention in impolite ways. And here’s the good news: this diamond may be a little rough, but he is SHARP. Bogey is smart - blazingly smart, and SO eager to learn. He has a very snappy “sit” already! More good news: he is insanely food motivated. With love, positive training and time to mature, this whiz kid will blossom! He has the potential to do advanced trick training, and with his high energy and streamlined build, he may also be an excellent candidate for Agility. But whether you are looking for a sport dog or just a happy adventurer, Bo will require an adopter who understands that he’ll need lots of physical exercise and mental stimulation to be his best, most balanced self.
Bogey is house and crate trained, and walks quite nicely on a leash. He loves toys of all kinds - especially Benebones and antlers. He has done very well meeting other dogs, and I think he’d love a confident canine friend, though he’d also be great as an only pup. He has not been cat tested.
Life experience so far has left Bo with some initial stranger-danger skittishness. He is not shut down or fearful - he is merely wary at first, and probably has had good reason. Despite his reservations, he desperately wants to connect, to love, and to please. Within an hour of our meeting, he was giving kisses and offering his belly for rubs. Within two days he had transformed into a velcro snuggle bug. He was a bit slower to warm to his foster dad and is generally more wary around men. Male adopters will need to be calm, understanding and patient. It will pay off in a big way. With each day that he spends in his foster home, he relaxes a little more into the security of routine and the luxury of kindness, and he is showing us the Very Good Boy inside the Kangaroo-shark-hooligan. I believe that trust, confidence building, and socialization opportunities will overcome his current distrust of new people.
For now, given his initial nervousness and tendency to jump and nip during play, he is not a good match for children.
Bogey is neutered, microchipped, and up to date on vaccines and preventatives. He is being fostered in Maine. To facilitate meet-and-greets and transportation to his new home, preference will be given to New England adopters. Breed experience is a definite plus. Questions about our handsome Bo can be addressed to headoverheelers207@gmail.com.
Adoption applications can be submitted at https://www.acdra.org/adoption-application
December 15, 2024, 6:15 pm
