Size
(when grown) -
Details
Not good with kids,
Not good with dogs,
Not good with cats,
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
Marky finally got his chance to get out of the shelter and into a foster home! Here is what his foster mom has to say about this 30 lb, 1 year old Pointer mix.
"Get comfy. This is a long one... But he has really been an interesting combination of traits to dissect. But this guy has been nothing but pleasant surprise after pleasant surprise!
Marky is the perfect example of how drastically different a dog's behavior IN the shelter is, versus their personality OUT of the shelter.
Our last half a dozen foster pups had been so easy, that we decided we were due for one that staff felt was more challenging. Marky was that pup. He wasn't aggressive or anything, just did A LOT of jumping and barking in his kennel... A LOT!!
So they happily gave Marky a bath and sent him off to our house. :D This is when the magic happened...
From the moment he arrived, Marky was a perfect angel in the kennel. Like SHOCKINGLY perfect, even without knowing how he had been in his run at the shelter. He would happily (and quietly) curl up on a soft blanket and just lay there, watching what was happening around him. When that happens the first day, you are not surprised. It's often the first peace and quiet they have had in a long time, and they rest the stress away. But Marky has now been with us a week, and he has continued to be a perfect angel in his kennel. Even sleeping quietly in there all night. Sometimes he will even go in to lay in his kennel when the door is open, just because he likes that space.
It quickly became evident that Marky had never been in a house before. He was unsure of what to do in regards to the sofa. He was afraid to walk through doorways (this is something we often seen in puppy mill dogs.) He had definitely never seen a TV before and was pretty bewildered on that first encounter. All of that being said, he has not had a single accident in the house. Using the crate and frequent trips outside with our pack, he quickly figured out that is where he needs to do his business. He has even begun vocalizing (standing at the door and giving a quick bark) to let you know he needs to go out.
Though we believe Marky was not in a house, we do believe he has had plenty of human encounter. We are pretty sure that it has not been kind encounters, which breaks my heart. He didn't really know what to do with snuggles or pets when he got here. He is learning, but you can just tell that humans have not shown him love or affection. He is still startled by sudden movement and does a half-cower if your hands raise quickly (making us think he has likely been hit), but he has also quickly understood that belly rubs and pets are the greatest thing on earth. He has been a very interesting pup to try to figure out.
Even though he still seems skittish of somethings, he is also REALLY trusting with others. For example, this dog...he didn't fight me at all about trimming his nails. The dremel freaked him out for a second when I first turned it. But he smelled it, touched it, then let me go right ahead and trim down all of his nails. His quicks are pretty grown out, so we will have plenty of opportunity to continue building on this, as we gradually work them back through frequent trims.
Next....Marky's interactions with the other animals our home... We have other dogs (from 9lbs to 90) as well as a cat. Marky gets VERY excited to meet new friends, but is excellent at taking ques from them, as well as corrections from humans. His meeting with our large dogs went off without a hitch. He enjoys appropriate canine play and chasing games in the yard. He is also REALLY cute when he is trying to entice another dog to play. He has an adorable play bow and "fake out"!!
When he met our 9 pound pup, he again was very excited, and I got nervous about the exuberance with which he approached her. I gave out a firm warning sound as he barreled towards her. He immediately hit the brakes, looked at me, then proceeded towards Lucy more calmly. The two of them then proceeded to take turns chasing each other around the yard. They were insta-pals!
Now for the cat intro... When Marky would see our cat, Blue, from the kennel that first night, he would jump up and kind of stomp, in a very over-excited fashion. This made me a little nervous about their introduction outside of the kennel. But, just like his first encounter with little Lucy, it was just his excitement over meeting a new friend. He rushed over to meet Blue, I gave a verbal que, he stopped, then proceeded gently. Since then you can often find him hanging out with the cat, even grooming him. Yet another fast friend for Marky. (They are actually completely adorable together!!)
This small (perfect size at 30ish pounds) dog is exactly what you would expect from a young pointer.
He runs his zoomies out at lightning speed in the yard. He is a young dog, and is very playful, so he would LOVE another playful pup to tear around with! And he will happily expend that energy outside, then come in and chill on the couch (once he figured out what the sofa was meant for, it quickly became his favorite place to curl up). He will need to be taught manners, but with his excellent response to correction, all this will need is consistency.
Marky is going to make a wonderful addition to a pack. I do believe he would do best acclimating to a home if there are other dogs there to help build his confidence, and that would certainly be helpful in expending his energy. (I know I have mentioned his energy level a lot - but it truly has been completely manageable because of his preference to "run it out" when he is outside, which he literally does at every potty break - you will not believe how fast this dude is!)
If you are interested in adopting this pup, please fill out an application, using the link below. Please specify which dog you are interested in. Applications without a specific dog, or otherwise incomplete, will not be considered. Adoption Fee is $225. Includes spay/neuter, current vaccines, and microchipping.
https://www.shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/ITAV/Dog
For more pictures and information on this pup, please visit our website at https://www.ittakesavillage.dog/adopt
