Size
(when grown) Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg)
Details
Not good with cats,
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
Raven is energetic, driven, and needs a person who can guide that energy & and drive in a productive direction. She is intelligent & once you have her trust & respect, she will work for you at whatever you train her and ask her to do. She has the drive of both the husky & the shepherd in her; teach her to do something well, she will do it for you for the rest of her life. She's a bit shy at first and likes to take her time warming up to new people & situations. But once she feels safe & trusts you, she's a sweet & affectionate companion. She will also protect you & your property from animals that shouldn't be there including strange dogs, cats, coyotes, porcupines, skunks, raccoons, & foxes. Oh, & she loves her routines and will be vocal about it if you aren't awake at the usual time to let her out to potty or to give her her breakfast or take her on a walk or have some playtime or to get to bed because she has a bedtime even if you don't. She's not typically a barker, but she will let you know when a stranger is approaching the property or if she sees anything "suspicious" outside. As long as she can watch out a window for when you come back after you've been gone for anywhere between 30 minutes and 8 hours, she will not whine or howl or destroy anything, but if you try to leave her shut in a room where she can't see you leave and then come back, she will start whining and digging at the bottom of the door and leave paint and woodchips everywhere.
Raven already knows commands like “sit,” “stay,” “lay down,” and “kennel." She LOVES snow & winter so much! When Raven gets excited or wants something really bad, she'll snap her jaws together. This isn't aggression, it's never close to skin, & is just her expressing that there's something she wants or needs. Also, she's a very affectionate girl, but really isn't a cuddler & thinks a hug means you want to play. She has a distinct play growl/yell when she folds herself in half against your legs & loves it if you join in the noise with her & scratch her sides and tickle her nose with her tail. Belly rubs are her weakness. Pepperoni is her favorite treat as well as the occasional frozen carrot. Introductions to anyone new, dog or person, should be done slowly, so that she can take time to get to know them. The ways to gain her acceptance the quickest is by using either food (since she is very food motivated) or by using play as she's also quite play motivated. She is not a super independent dog. She will still go do her own thing, but only with her person nearby & usually within her line of sight. She might not always want to be involved in what you're doing, but she definitely wants to be where you are. She would do best in a home with older kids who understand she needs space, or with a single female owner, as she tends to bond closely with one person & can be a bit protective of them. She's definitely more comfortable around women than men. Most of the issues she has are related to her breeds, both of them being protective and rather territorial, but they are issues that can be worked on by someone who understands those behaviors & has worked with similar breeds before. Her former owner wants to make it clear that she wasn't surrendered because she was unwanted or because of breed-related behaviors, but because of her declining health that has prevented her from exercising & training her properly. She also wanted any future owner to know that if you can put in the time & energy to socialize her & to train her well, she'll be the best dog, companion, protector, partner, and friend you could ever ask for.
