SKYE'S PICS

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Skye is available for adoption. She is looking for a specific kind of home. Skye has spent more time with her foster family than most of our dogs, giving her time to come out of her shell. Applicants who meet all the following criteria will be considered.

• Another friendly and outgoing resident dog. They can show Skye she’s safe and be a playmate. Skye is more comfortable around dogs than people. Other dogs show Skye that people are safe.
• Household with experience and patience with fearful dogs.
• Household with everyone 16+ years old. Loud, fast-moving and grabby kids are not the best kind of companions for Skye.
• Ability to meet Skye in her foster home (Nepean) multiple times and have Skye visit your home multiple times. It will take time to gain Skye’s trust. You may not get to pet her the first time you meet her.
• Quiet and stable household with private entrance and fenced-in yard in a quiet neighbourhood. Not a shared entrance like an apartment, where she would be forced to meet a lot of new strangers in close quarters. Low foot traffic, meaning there are not many parties or large gatherings. If there are get-togethers or parties at home, Skye will need a room or a safe spot, such as a pen or crate, to retreat to and decompress. 
• Must accept that she will take a longer time to decompress than most dogs. Her new family will play a significant role in finding the right balance of engaging her to experience new things and people safely, without overwhelming her.

Age? Three years old, turns four on November 28.

Breed? 45 lb Shepherd-Lab.

Suitable for which type of housing (house, townhome, apartment)? Any calm and quiet home with a private entrance and a fenced-in yard. No unfenced properties or shared entrances, such as apartments. Must be in a quiet neighbourhood. She takes time to adjust to new noises.

Is your dog good with other dogs? YES! Good with all. A walk together helps Skye get acquainted. She was previously fostered with multiple dogs and they helped her feel safe and come out of her shell. Skye was playful and snuggly with other dogs. Skye is more comfortable with people when other dogs show her that those people are safe.

Is your dog good with cats? YES!

Is your dog good with kids?: 16+ who are quiet, will not bother her and respect her space. Raised voices, even if they are fun, alarm Skye.

Is your dog house-trained? Yes! 

Where is your dog when alone in the house? She is left loose in the house when she is home alone.

Is your dog crate-trained? Yes! Her safe space.

Where does your dog sleep? She is loose in the house at night. She chooses to sleep on the bed between her foster parents, curled into them. Sometimes on one of their pillows. She is most snuggly in bed.

Does your dog have any special needs? As listed above. Also, to avoid startling Skye, her foster family (all adults) moved at half-speed and spoke in an extra-calm manner for the first two to three weeks she lived with them. Skye gradually got used to the household people and noises and then everyone could move at their normal pace. Speaking gently to Skye helps her feel reassured through situations she finds stressful.

Does your dog have any or display any aggression (toys, food or people)? None noted with people or dogs, with any resources. She has been tested by many. Skye’s response is flight, not fight.

Is your dog playful? Once she is out of her shell, yes! Especially with other dogs. She’s quick and springy.

Does your dog like to snuggle? Yes, once she is out of her shell. Within days of arriving at her foster home, she started sleeping on the bed with her foster parents and snuggling in between them. Skye feels safer when people are lying down. She is most snuggly in bed.

Does your dog know basic commands (sit, stay, etc.)? She knows “sit” well and can use a dog door to the backyard. She’s learning “paw”.

Does your dog know any special tricks? NA

Does your dog enjoy going on walks? Skye gets excited when her harness comes out for a walk. She finds the outside world overwhelming and is afraid of new people and noises. Counter conditioning (with cheese) is helping with this. Skye gets excited when she sees another dog and wants to meet them. She is slowly learning to enjoy walks and be more comfortable. She pulls when on leash and is improving with practice. Walking with another dog helps Skye feel safe. Skye must be leashed with two connection points (e.g. martingale collar and harness) on a walk, because she can back out of a regular collar when scared. Skye loves being in the backyard with her people. Once she knows the yard and her people, she loves being out there with them—lying in the sun, sniffing and looking for squirrels and chipmunks.

Does your dog have any fears? In the house, Skye is initially afraid of new noises, raised voices (even happy ones), new things, new people, and movement. She is also brave and will hesitantly investigate. Over the course of two to three weeks, Skye adjusted to the regular movements and sounds at her foster home, from the hum of a blender to the whirr of a coffee grinder. On walks, she’s fearful of new people and noises. Counter conditioning (with cheese) is helping with this and she’s making progress.

Does your dog have any unique traits that you have noticed, whether in personality or physically? Sweet soulful eyes, one white paw.

What are the first three words that come to mind when you think of your dog? Sweet, sensitive, shy.

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

Sweet, shy Skye is a medium-sized three-year-old pup. Skye is scared and shy around new people in the house and outside, and her reaction is to bark and run away from the things and people that stress her out. Flight, not fight. Skye is also brave and will tentatively investigate new things. It helps when new strangers have a handful of treats to reward her when she bravely approaches.

Skye will adapt to you, your household and backyard long before she’s comfortable with the outside world. Your patience with her will be well rewarded.

With her foster family, it took Skye a couple of weeks to feel safe. They moved at half-speed and used quiet voices for two to three weeks to help Skye adjust. Once Skye felt safe with them, she became a lovely little shadow. Skye is sweet and loves to snuggle and play with her fur siblings. She loves butt scratches and becomes more vocal and expressive as she becomes more comfortable. Her sweet personality shines through. She particularly loves cheese, tuna and chewing on her bones (antlers, cheese, bully sticks, etc.). She leaves her bones around the house for future enjoyment. She’s a bright girl who enjoys playing puzzle games to earn food. She is house-trained and crate-trained, can use a dog door to the backyard, and doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. 

Again, to ensure a successful rehoming process, Skye is looking for ALL of the following.

• Another friendly and outgoing resident dog. They can show Skye she’s safe and be a playmate. Skye is more comfortable around dogs than people. Dogs show Skye that people are safe.
• Households with experience and patience with fearful dogs.
• Household with everyone 16+ years old. Loud, fast-moving and grabby kids are not the best kind of companions for Skye.
• Ability to meet Skye in her foster home (Nepean) multiple times and have Skye visit your home multiple times. It will take time to gain Skye’s trust. You may not get to pet her the first time you meet her.
• Quiet and stable household with private entrance and fenced-in yard in a quiet neighbourhood. Not a shared entrance like an apartment, where she would be forced to meet a lot of new strangers in close quarters. Low foot traffic, meaning there are not many parties or large gatherings. If there are get-togethers or parties at home, Skye will need a room or a safe spot, such as a pen or crate, to retreat to and decompress. 
• Must accept that she will take a longer time to decompress than most dogs. Her new family will play a significant role in finding the right balance of engaging her to experience new things and people safely, without overwhelming her.

If you think you are the right family for her, please apply online or email adoptions@freedomdogresue.ca.