Chance

Profile

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:Entered Foster CareFenceKid FriendlyAnother DogCat Friendly5/18/2014
Not required
Age 10+
Prefers to be the only dog
Yes
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

Meet Chance! This handsome, well-behaved boy was surrendered to RAGOM from a compassionate owner who recognized his need to be in home without excitable co-pets or young children. Chance had a hard time relaxing around the high energy of the other dogs in the house who insisted on playing after he was attacked by a Pitbull several years ago.

He’s a 7-year-old big boy, weighing about 94 pounds, with dark red fur and a sweet, whitening face. He appears to be a purebred. He is neutered and up-to-date on his vaccines. He’s a bit overweight (by as much as 20 lbs), so since he’s been in foster care, his brand of food has changed and he’s getting lots of exercise. When Chance went to the vet for his general wellness visit, the vet observed Chance has some pain in his hips (hip dysplasia), which is common for the breed and his size. He’s currently not undergoing any further testing or treatment for his hips other than trying to lose weight and stay active.

He’s a sweet boy. He listens really well and knows “sit,” “down,” “no,” “toy,” “come” and sometimes he listens to “stay,” but we’ll work on that one a little. He LOVES people and insists on being near a person at all times. Recently, we had a family party with 20 guests, and Chance was a model dog. He was even gentle and calm around the kids that were present. There’s no question he’s a people-oriented dog. He’ll lovingly paw you or nudge you with his strong snout for attention. Chance would let you pet him for hours if you wanted, but once you say, “That’s enough,” or “No more,” he listens and lies down.

He has great manners: doesn’t mouth at anything he shouldn’t, doesn’t beg, doesn’t bark much at all, and he’s totally housebroken. He loves to be brushed, hasn’t shown any resource guarding in his current foster home, and he is very respectful of baby gates to keep him away from “no dog” rooms.

Chance isn’t kenneled trained, but given his great manners with baby gates, we haven’t observed a need to train him to use a crate. When we leave, we keep him in the kitchen using a gate. He’s never tried jumping over it or escaping in any way; he’s always right where we left him upon arriving home. We have another gate to keep him out of the cats’ room, and he’s respected that one perfectly as well – even with the added temptation of cat “friends” on the other side.

Our cats have not welcomed him warmly despite his overly excited advances to introduce himself. We’re still monitoring the interaction between Chance and the cats closely, but his surrendering owner reported that Chance got along with their cat. Whether Chance will get along with other cats will likely be very dependent on the cat(s). He’s shown great interest in ours – maybe a little too much. He charges at them in excitement and that scares them, so they have yet to learn to be friends.

Chance loves to be outside. When we are out in the yard with him, we let the leash drag behind him and he stays near us and comes back when we call/whistle if he’s getting too far. He doesn’t mind being put on a tie-out when we’re doing lawn work; he’ll just close his eyes and bask in the sun. But when we’re out for walks, we’ll always have two leashes on him and a Gentle Leader because he pulls and struggles with all his might to get to an approaching dog (could be anxiety or excitement). We’ve been using a Gentle Leader to keep him from pulling too much and maintain some control over him.

Although Chance would prefer not to be a wrestling partner, he would love to be your best friend and sidekick in your no-other-pets-or-small-children home. And he wouldn’t mind the occasional tummy rub in exchange.

If you’re interested in this handsome, loving boy, please complete an application or contact your placement advisor if you’re already an approved adopter.