Odie

Profile

I would like you to meet Odie. He is a 3-year old mix, but he looks mostly golden, probably a little lab.  He came to us on Saturday and rode beautifully all the way home. You could tell he was excited by all the kisses I received!  When we arrived home, Odie met our resident dog without incident.  We immediately took them outside to play.  It didn't take long to figure out what Odie really wants to do...play fetch.  He loves a ball (it doesn't not matter what kind).  He wants you to throw and throw. He knows the game well since he will bring the ball back and drop it at my feet...ready to go again!  I will say that even though I'm sure he's super disappointed when I say "we are done for a while", he will follow directions back into the house. Once in the house, he does what any dog that has just had a big game of fetch would do...drink and drink and drink. Since he came from a shelter, he wasn't house broken.  So this water he was drinking...you guessed it. Gotta go, gotta go right now!  He had a few accidents but it was really my fault.  After a couple days of taking him out often, he has done MUCH better.  He hasn't had an accident in the house since Sunday and has really gotten the hang of going to the door when he needs to go out. I wouldn't say we are 100% yet, but we are well on our way.

Odie is crate trained and doesn't make noise when in there.  He stays in the crate while we are at work and has lasted 9 hours for the past 3 days (and counting).  When I get home, he does need to go.  I would say 9 hours in about his limit.  Odie has figured out the toy bucket and likes ALL of them, including the resident dog's.  Even though he takes them from her (and she let's him), he will allow me to take it out of his mouth without ever growling.  He does not resource guard against these toys or his food.  He also doesn't attempt to eat the resident dog's food either.

Odie acts like a puppy in many ways which means he just needs someone that is willing to put in the time to train him.  He knew "sit" and "drop it", but not many other commands.  We are practicing every day on some others like "down" and "come".  He is very responsive to the learning, especially when food is involved.  Wouldn't you?  He needs a family that will be willing to take him to obedience training.
Odie got his first bath on Sunday and passed with flying colors.  He was really calm while I wet him down, shapooed him, then rinsed him off.  In fact, at one point he just sat down in the bathtub!  My resident dog would never do that.  He was just very laid back and it was well worth it.  He came out smelling super sweet!  Ready to cuddle...

While we relax in the family room, he will entertain himself with a toy or rawhide.  Of course, if you choose to throw a tennis ball, he will partake!  We use baby gates to block him into the areas with us so we can keep an eye on him.  Since he acts so much like a puppy, he can't be trusted with free roam...yet.

The first night, we put Odie in the crate and he did quite well.  The second night (and beyond), we didn't have the heart to put him in the crate at night, play ball with him for 15 minutes in the morning, and send him right back to the crate for 9 hours while we went to work.  Instead, we tried leaving him out during the night, even though we knew he wasn't completely house trained and may attempt some puppy chewing.  To our surprise, he laid down on the bathroom floor and went to bed.  He hasn't had an accident or chewed on anything inappropriate.  In the morning, I invite him onto the bed and he's a wonderful snuggler.  He's going to make a really great dog for a family.
 
Some things that should be considered if looking at Odie to join your family:
-A fence would be great.  Right now he's on a tie out and it's just not enough room for him to run and get all of his energy out.
-An active family.  Odie needs to "do and do" whether that's going for runs/walks, dog parks, or trips to the cabin.  He is an active dog, so he needs an active family.
-Children are unknown, but I think he would do fine with them.  Due to his excited nature, maybe 8-10+ years old.
-Cats have not been tested.
 
Odie has a vet appointment on Friday to get updated on all of his shots.
I can tell you that he is neutered, so if all goes well on Friday, he will be ready for adoption. I will update more this weekend on what the vet tells us. If you would like to meet Odie, please contact your placement advisor. Talk to you soon.