Ratatouille

Name: Ratatouille   

 Age? ~2
Breed? Boxer x Dane

Is your dog good with other dogs? Dog selective. He is rude on introductions with other dogs and can be too pushy for many dogs. It is possible that he could have dog friends IF they were very patient and multiple slow introductions were conducted.
Is your dog good with cats? No
Is your dog good with kids? Yes but not to live with. He is ok with calm children but too much excitement overstimulates him.
Is your dog house trained? Yes
Is your dog crate trained? Prefers a pen set up, or left loose.
Does your dog have any special needs? High arousal and possession aggression/resource guarding with other dogs. He can be very excitable and may mouth on handler in very stimulating environments/situations. However, he LOVES to work and responds well to redirection. As such, it is required that he be matched with an adopter who will devote time to training him so that he can continue to build on his existing redirection tools and training strategies. He cannot live with other dogs due to his resource guarding. He does not show any resource guarding with humans.
Does your dog have any or display any aggression? (Toys, food or people?) If overly stimulated, he displays agitated behavior (lunging, strong mouthing) that can sometimes be difficult for him to recover from. We have been working on impulse control exercises and lots of training, which is improving his ability to stay focused and keep calm, even during play. Cannot live with other dogs as he will guard high value items.
Is your dog playful? Yes!!
Does your dog like to snuggle? Yes
Does your dog know basic commands? (Sit, stay...) Yes - sit, down, pattern games (1-2-3), working on leave it
Does your dog know any special tricks? No, but he is learning a lot of coping tools and doing really well. It is required that these be maintained and improved upon in his new home.
Does your dog like to go on walks? Yes and needs adequate exercise to continue to improve his training
Does your dog have any fears? No
Does your dog have any unique traits that you have noticed whether in personality or physically? He is extremely trainable and LOVES to work with you, especially if you have tasty treats. If he is left to his own devices in new environments, can mouth your hands/arms so he needs a handler that will keep his mind busy in these environments When inside his home, he sleeps very well and is much calmer. He also may haves mild environmental/seasonal allergies which cause him itching and he chews his paws.
What are the three first words that come to mind when you think of your dog? Cuddly, eager, playful

In a short paragraph, please provide any other details or a brief overview of your foster dog.
Ratatouille had a rough start in life, and is still learning how to manage his puppy-like and adolescent behaviors. For this reason, Ratatouille can become easily over stimulated. When he does, he pulls and bounces around, and can also mouth his handler.. It’s difficult for him to regain focus from these situations, but this is greatly improving with ongoing training at his foster home. If the handler engages Ratatouille in training using positive reinforcement, he can be redirected to more constructive behavior (sit, down, etc.).

Ratatouille is extremely toy-driven and food motivated, making him a fantastic candidate for training classes and dog sports.
He has made really good progress with distractions on leash and can pass squirrels, rabbits and even other dogs (with some distance) while on leash. He has shown really promising adaptability and they key seems to be gradual exposure.
He is very excited to meet other dogs, however, he can be a lot for some dogs as he lacks manners and it results in him not being a good match with every dog. Select, very tolerant, strong and playful dogs are a good match for him, and not dogs who exhibit fear or resource guarding behavior. He cannot be with other dogs when toys and food are present. However, he will need a home with no dogs.

He doesn’t exhibit any destructive behaviors in the house and can be left loose with his foster mate without issue. As long as his physical activity needs are met, he loves to cuddle on the couch.

He requires a family who will commit to ongoing training to help him overcome his overstimulation so that he can enjoy a variety of experiences for the rest of his life. Potential adopters will participate in a virtual meeting before meeting Ratatouille, so that questions can be answered and a first meeting can be planned with consideration. Ratatouille has already worked a few sessions with a trainer who understands him well, and she is willing to provide one or two sessions with the new adopter (provided they are in the Ottawa area). 

Age? About 5 years old
Breed? Large GSD x
Is your dog good with other dogs? He is good with the dog he is living with, 40 lbs female husky x gsd. Barks at unknown dogs. Not tested with any face to face.
Is your dog good with cats? Not tested, but not recommended
Is your dog good with kids? 15 years +
Is your dog house trained? Yes
Is your dog crate trained? Yes, sleeps in crate at night
Does your dog have any special needs? Pablo needs an experienced owner who can devote the time to help him become more confident and less anxious around new situations. Would suggest at least one woman in the home.
Does your dog have any or display any aggression? (Toys, food or people?) No aggression just anxious.
Is your dog playful? Yes very playful with the medium female dog he lives with.
Does your dog like to snuggle? Yes
Does your dog know basic commands? (Sit, stay...) He knows his name, come, sit, paw and partially knows down.
Does your dog know any special tricks? No
Does your dog like to go on walks? Yes, not recommended off leash
Does your dog have any fears? Yes he is working on his fear reactivity of other dogs/animals, people, pickup trucks.
Does your dog have any unique traits that you have noticed whether in personality or physically? He loves belly rubs and makes lots of grunts when he rolls over for you.
What are the three first words that come to mind when you think of your dog? Loving, smart, gentle but anxious
In a short paragraph, please provide any other details or a brief overview of your foster dog.

Pablo is a very sweet and loving dog learning to relax and to be less anxious. He would happily sleep at your feet when you work, love to go on long walks every day or run around in the yard. He is great with the dog he is living with currently, medium female dog and has not shown any form of dominance. The dogs love to play and run in the backyard together. He would do great in a single detached home with a large fenced-in yard. Pablo came to us as a stray who had not had much socialization. Due to his lack of socialization Pablo can be quite anxious on walks, occasionally reacting to dogs, small animals, and unknown people. He is learning to trust people and gain confidence in himself. In the short amount of time that we have fostered him, he is already gained a lot of confidence and is able to relax. Pablo finds comfort in his crate which is left open all day for him to enter at his own will whenever he feels the need. He is such a sweet boy who just needs some guidance and reassurance that he is loved and safe. Pablo needs a dedicated owner that is ready to continue working with him and showing him all the great things that come with being a family member.

Age? 6

Breed? Shepherd/Husky mix (?)

Is your dog good with other dogs? No

Is your dog good with cats? No

Is your dog good with kids? No

Is your dog house trained? Yes

Is your dog crate trained? Somewhat. When left alone, barks and gets upset in the crate. When sleeping in the same room as humans overnight, she is calm and quiet in the crate.

Does your dog have any special needs? High energy, we give her marrow bones and kongs daily. She is sedated to go to the groomer and vet. She does not like being brushed or having her nails clipped. She is trained to scratch her nails down on a scratch board (wooden cutting board with heavy duty sandpaper). She tolerates finger combing in short intervals.

Does your dog have any or display any aggression? (Toys, food or people?) When clipping her nails, trying to muzzle her, grabbing her collar, or brushing her. She gives escalating warnings - snarl, growl, snapping. She can bark loudly (out of jealousy or being upset) when humans hug, touch or make noises at each other (like baby talk).

Is your dog playful? Yes - loves to play tug, chase, hide and seek, puzzle games, burrowing in Snow banks or dipping feet in kiddie pool. 

Does your dog like to snuggle? On her own terms, when she’s in the mood, she likes belly scratches.

Does your dog know basic commands? (Sit, stay...) Yes 

Does your dog know any special tricks? No but she’s highly food motivated and trainable. Starting to learn ‘left’ and ‘right’ paws. 

Does your dog like to go on walks? Yes, at least twice a day for 30 mins each. 

Does your dog have any fears? Clipping nails, brushing, sudden collar grabs. 

Does your dog have any unique traits that you have noticed whether in personality or physically? Loud with a wide range of sounds

What are the three first words that come to mind when you think of your dog? High energy, intelligent and independent

In a short paragraph, please provide any other details or a brief overview of your foster dog.

Tigger  is calm and well behaved most of the time, and has moments of bad behaviours and issues, but is mostly a very good girl. She loves her belly scratched and eagerly will show you her commands for treats, once she gets to know you. She loves sunbathing and sleeping.

Tigger is reactive on leash to other dogs (barking, lunging, growling). She loves doggy day care and socializes well off leash in a moderated environment. She has mixed reactions to visitors to the house depending on their energy, she can jump and be excited or be calm and well mannered. She can get jealous or upset when we talk to the baby or hug each other. She barks when she sees dogs walk by.  She can also bark and paw at her humans when they are busy, like on a call.