ODIN

**PLEASE READ FULL BIO. PARKER HAS VERY SPECIFIC TRAINING NEEDS**

Parker is a very special dog. He had a hard start to life and has proven he needs a very patient family who are very committed to his training needs. Parker came to Freedom Dog Rescue from Northern Manitoba, where he spent most of his life chained to a dog house and was not always treated well by people walking by his dog house.

Parker is very settled in his foster home and loves his people, snuggles and walks. However, he does struggle when new people are arriving and leaving the house. He will lunge and fear bite, hence needs to be placed in a separate room and/or kept on leash during these times. Once new people are sitting down in the house and leave Parker to come to them, Parker settles in and is no longer reactive.

Parker has similar fears and reactions when being introduced to new people outside of the home. He is very accepting of some people and takes to them right away, while others he will show increased reaction when he feels there is not enough space between himself and strangers. Parker is not very food motivated, but loves to be praised and shown affection from his foster parents, which works well with redirecting Parker when he is stressed.

Over the last month, we slowed down Parker’s adoption process to allow for more decompression time and training. During this time, Parker has demonstrated he can and wants to learn, but will need consistent and long term training. Most recently, we are starting muzzle training with Parker as part of his behaviour modification training. The muzzle is a piece of safety equipment while working on creating good behaviours and building confidence. We expect a muzzle will be part of Parker’s meet and greets with potential adoptive families.

With time, patience and training, Parker can make a wonderful family dog. When he feels safe, he is so loving and a truly happy guy. Parker is a completely different dog when he is settled versus when he is stressed - but this shows his incredible potential with the right family.

Parker LOVES to be outdoors - either to lay in the sun or take a walk. For this reason, a backyard is a must, along with multiple daily walks. Parker is not recommended for a family with kids. Parker also needs a quiet home without a lot of activity and/or new people coming and going from the home.

Parker is not good with male dogs or cats, and likely selective with female dogs, so a home with no other pets is best.

Parker will need a home with a separate and distinct space for him to escape when he wants to to be alone and decompress.

Lastly, Parker will need multiple visits with potential adoptive families so they must be in the Ottawa area to ensure frequent meets are feasible.

Dog’s Name: Parker
Age: 3
Breed: Lab mix
Is your dog good with other dogs: Can be selective, especially with larger male dogs, so he will be best in a home with no other pets
Is your dog good with cats: Chases cats, not recommended
Is your dog good with kids: No. Parker can be anxious and reactive around new people so is not recommended for families with kids of any age
Is your dog house trained: Yes
Is your dog crate trained: No, but is using a baby gate. Has been left alone for 6 hours and is non-destructive.
Does your dog have any special needs:
● Separate and distinct space in his home to escape when he wants to to be alone and decompress
● A very dog experienced family
● A family who maintains a quiet and routine lifestyle without a lot of new people coming and going from the home
Does your dog have any or display any aggression (toys, food, people): Yes. With new people, particularly those who are anxious arounds dogs and / or kids, Parker can be unpredictable. Parker will provide some physical signs (I.e. barking, stance, stare) but while wagging his tail so when he reacts negatively it can be a surprise. Parker has nipped so will require very slow introductions and on his own terms. Will resource guard with male dogs. May also resource guard with female dogs but not tested.
Once comfortable with his people, Parker does not show any resource guarding of food or toys and can be physically manipulated with no issues. He is very cuddly and loving once he trusts his people, especially adult women.
Is your dog playful: Becoming more playful everyday as he gets used to his new environment (balls)
Does your dog like to snuggle: Yes, but on his own terms. He will come to you when he wants to cuddle and go back to his safe space when he has had enough
Does your dog know basic commands: Work in progress. Learning to sit, and lay down.
Does your dog know any special tricks: No
Does your dog like to go on walks: YES. He walks very well on a leash and is easy to correct if he does pull. Parker loves walks and tippy taps with excitement when getting ready to leave.
Parker does react to certain cars and trucks and will pull hard to try to chase and protect his person from them so will require a physically strong owner.
Does your dog have any fears: Parker is still learning about how to live in a house, so he has been spooked by vacuums, plastic bags and other "new" experiences. With positive reinforcement training he is learning that these items aren't so scary.
Does your dog have any unique traits you have noticed in personality or physically: Parker is so happy when his people come home, he does little tippy taps in excitement. It's adorable!
What are the first 3 words that come to mind when you think of your dog: Loving, loyal, cautious
In a short paragraph, please provide any other details or a brief overview of your foster dog: See above