My name is Charm - puppymill survivor!

Charm, as her name indicates, is a charmer! She was one of the 14 Shelties rescued from a North Dakota breeding facility. She needs to learn about life in a kind, loving home. Charm is very curious but doesn’t trust humans yet. She is very slow to warm up but is not fearful, aggressive or pushy, just cautious. She is making progress in her foster home, and is such a darling.

AGE: Estimated to be 1-2 years old.
SIZE: Charm is about 16 inches tall. She has lost some weight and is about 26 lbs now, an ideal weight for her.
TEMPERAMENT: Charm is so sweet, and it warms the heart to watch her wag her tail when you talk to her and jump for joy when you let her out in the sunshine to run and play. She wants to learn to love and be near her person, but just is so unsure yet. Her adopter should plan for a long adjustment period, and progress will continue over the course of months and in coming years. She loves to be outside and seems to smile on her way out the door! She likes when her foster mom stays outside with her, too, and will bark at the door if foster mom goes inside without her. She is a curious girl and explores every area of the yard. Recently, Charm has begun to ask for petting, nudging her foster mom with her nose!
FENCE: A secure wood or chain link fence with direct access from the house is a must. Her foster mom still uses a long line within the fenced area, because Charm will not come to people and if she is loose she is difficult to catch. After 3 months in her foster home, she will sometimes allow her foster mom to approach to attach the leash, and has been coming back into the house on her own.
DOGS: Charm likes the other dogs and cats here in her foster home. She likes to run and play with Sadie, one of the resident Shelties. Charm may be o.k. by herself also, if her adopter is extremely patient and willing to help Charm progress at her own pace, but a social canine companion would be ideal.
CATS: Charm likes the cats in her foster home.
KIDS: Unknown - Charm has not been introduced to children. With time and patience she may do o.k. with older, kind and gentle children. She is a high flight risk, so children would have to understand the need to be careful when opening doors.
CRATE-TRAINED: Charm is crate-trained but doesn’t like the small space. She lived her former life in a confined space and doesn’t want to repeat that experience. There is a crate in her enclosure, but she prefers to sleep on a blanket outside her crate. Her foster home uses a 3 foot high exercise pen around her crate in a breezeway. She seems comfortable with that and doesn’t soil her area. If the X pen is not secured, she has learned how to push it aside and get out. She is a smarty!
HOUSETRAINED: Charm is housetrained in her area, but when her area is expanded to include the kitchen or the rest of the house she will make a mistake because of nerves. She is uncomfortable and nervous outside her area. Her level of comfort right now includes the fenced in backyard and the breezeway. We are working on the kitchen and the living room. She will come into the house by herself but paces and pants from stress.
OBEDIENCE TRAINING: Charm has not yet had any formal training and does not respond to commands at this time. Her foster family’s focus has been on helping her to adjust to living inside a home as part of a family.
LEASH MANNERS: Charm walks well on a leash and feels safer when the other Sheltie in her foster home comes along on the walk. Charm's adopter will need to build trust with her before taking her for walks.
CAR RIDES: Charm rides well in the car in her crate (a must - she will panic if not in a crate, and is at high risk of escape when a car door opens).
ACTIVITY LEVEL: Charm is a mellow sheltie. She likes to watch the happenings in the house and enjoys being outside. She isn’t demanding in any way.
BARKING: Charm has started to bark if she sees someone out the window and she will bark a little when her foster mom leaves for work. She barks if she gets tangled in the yard or when she wants foster mom to come outside to play. She isn’t an excessive barker. She usually has a good reason to bark.
HEALTH ISSUES: No known health issues.
EXPERIENCED HOME: Charm needs a home that is experienced with cautious dogs and training/socializing a dog that comes from a mill-type environment. Charm needs time and lots of it to adjust to any new situation. If you have the time, love and patience to work with her, you will experience great joy seeing her growth. She has the potential to become a best buddy to someone or a family. She will be eternally grateful to someone who gives her time, patience and love, to grow into the dog she was meant to be. Could you be the special person that can help this charming sweetheart feel safe and secure so she can continue to progress?

For more information on our adoption process (which includes an application, references and a home visit prior to meeting dogs) or to see other Shelties available for adoption, please visit our http://www.mnsheltierescue.org. Charm's adoption fee is $300.00, and she is spayed, current on vaccinations, heartworm tested and on heartworm preventative (during heartworm season), microchipped, has been bathed and brushed, etc. All of our dogs are indoor dogs and are not to be left outside unattended (not even in a fenced yard, if the adopter is not at home).

Not ready to adopt, but you still would like to help a Sheltie in need? Sponsor a Sheltie! We gratefully accept donations of any size, and donations to MNSR are tax-deductible since we are a 501(c)3 not for profit organization. Click here for a secure online donation via GiveMN.org: http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Minnesota-Sheltie-Rescue

If you are interested in fostering a Sheltie and have a secure fenced yard, please email foster@mnsheltierescue.org. Please note that we are an all-volunteer organization, and we respond to inquiries as quickly as we can.