Jack

Jack's potential adopters had barely come into the yard before he enthusiastically greeted them, feet dancing and tail wagging. A session of chase-the--tennis-ball and scratch-my-belly sealed the deal. He's found a young couple with time to devote to him and lots of to-do plans with him. We're thrilled he's found his forever home!

Jack makes a great playtime buddy!

Jack loves a good game of fetch!

This boy is full of energy!

Foster Mom Update: Life with Jack!

It’s hard to talk about Jack in terms of “progress” because, truthfully, he didn’t need much adjusting—he fit into our home like he’d always been a part of it. From day one, Jack has been a natural: fully housetrained, walks like a pro on a gentle leader, and exudes confidence and curiosity wherever he goes. He’s the kind of dog who makes you wonder how you ever lived without him.

Jack isn't just sweet—he's a social glue. Last week we welcomed a second foster, a pup close to his age but a bit shy at first. Jack stepped right in as her gentle guide and playful partner. Tonight, I watched them chase each other across the yard in wide, joyful loops, wrestling and tumbling like lifelong friends. He’s truly helped her come out of her shell.

One of my favorite things about Jack? You’re never really alone when he’s around. Whether you're cooking, reading, or just relaxing, Jack’s quiet presence is always nearby, ready to nudge in for a cuddle or flash you one of his soulful looks.

Fostering Jack has been an absolute joy. He’s playful, affectionate, and ready to give his whole heart to his forever family. Whoever gets to adopt this boy is going to be very, very lucky.

Jack is back to tell you more about himself and how he is a Certified Good Boy!

• He loves humans. His theme song, instead of "Lean on Me," would be "Let Me Lean on You." He loves nothing more than to sit on your feet while being petted. Or cuddle up with you on the sofa. Or lie in the middle of the kitchen floor just to hang out while you cook. He thought the houseful of people over Easter weekend was just THE BEST. The humans, in turn, all wanted to take him home with them.

• He loves to play. He will endlessly chase a ball outside, as far as you can throw it. Now, he may not always immediately return it to you but eventually you can get it back to throw again. 
• He loves other dogs and his love of play extends to playing with them too. But like a human two-year-old, he does not really like to share his toys.
• He loves cats. Well, that might be a stretch--mostly he's just curious and wants to check them out.
• He loves food. We switched to a slow feeder dog dish so he would actually chew before he swallowed (and breathe). He likes to sit on the floor across from you at the table and gaze longingly into your eyes as you eat. Human food is just so good, maybe even better than treats, or frozen peanut butter in a Kong.

He really is the whole package!

I am happy to introduce you all to Jack, a dog whose perky ears, inquisitive nose, and sharp eyes means he misses very little going on and is always ready to be part of it!

Jack was adopted as a puppy from a shelter in Iowa (his estimated age is around 18 months), but was brought back recently when his elderly owner couldn't care for him anymore. He was quickly adopted, but brought back again when their resident dog was not a fan; after that he came into RAGOM's care.

When he arrived two weeks ago, it took him about five minutes to find a tennis ball in the yard to play with and, after about two days, it felt like he'd always lived here. He's fully house trained, knows a few commands, sleeps in his crate at night without a peep, and has full run of the house during the day. If we left cheeseburgers on the counter, they'd be gone when we got back, but he is pretty well behaved.

Sometimes when he's playing really hard with the resident dogs, he can start to get a little worked up, but he's easily redirected and calms down. He adores going for walks, and at 64 pounds he's a lot to handle, but with a gentle leader he doesn’t pull (although he's not a huge fan of it!).

He doesn't bother the outside cats too much and he had a great time when his doggie cousin came to visit. They were both exhausted by the end of the weekend! He loves being outside in the yard and if his forever home doesn't have a fence, there definitely needs to be a plan to keep him safe while letting him burn off some energy. 

But let me list a few reasons why you may NOT want to adopt Jack:

• You value your personal space and privacy. Food may be the only thing Jack loves more than his humans. And he's not content to just be in the same room, or close by. He wants to be touching you--either with his head on your lap, his paw on you, or his entire body leaning on you or sitting on your feet. You might not be in the bathroom alone again, and glute bridges are a lot harder with his body draped over you.
• You don't have the time or energy to continue training him, exercising him, or giving him the attention he craves. He's well on his way to being a fantastic family pet, but he needs to continue working on manners (like not jumping up on people when he's excited).
• You're annoyed by squeaky toys. Those might be his third love. They're just so satisfying to squeak. Over and over.
• You're gone for 10 hours a day and he'd be home all alone. As social as he is, I think he'd be a very unhappy, lonely dog. He'd love a canine or human sibling; at the very least outings where he can interact with dogs and humans.
• You have a resident dog who may not appreciate his exuberant personality. Jack isn't afraid to take a stuffy or chew toy right out of our resident dogs' mouths, which doesn't bother them, but it might upset a different dog. He also has no shame eating from a bowl that's not his or a treat that wasn't meant for him. 

To sum up, he's a pretty awesome dog that we've quickly grown to love and his forever family is going to be very lucky to have him be part of their lives!