Cotton Tail ****ADOPTED*****
Cottontail D2022-47
****PLEASE READ THE FULL WRITE UP BEFORE APPLYING****
NEEDS A RESIDENT DOG OF A SIMILAR SIZE
OLDER DOG SAVVY CHILDREN
OWNERS WITH OES EXPERIENCE
PATIENT PAWRENTS WHO WILL HELP HER BECOME THE DOG SHE WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE
TO BE ADOPTED ON A NEUTERING AND TRAINING AGREEMENT
Cottontail is an 18 week old, Old English Sheepdog who came to us as unsold puppy. She arrived shut down and scared having never known anything about the outside world, everything is new to this sensitive and affectionate girl and she has made remarkable progress in her foster home. However, she still has a long way to go before the world stops being such a scary place and she can become the confident, happy dog she was always meant to be.
Cottontail absolutely loves meeting people, men, women and teens and she is incredibly affectionate with everyone. She can be a little nervous and skittish at first but when you crouch down and speak to her gently then she will come over and smother you with love. Given her background it’s pretty remarkable how much she adores her people.
Cottontail has only met teenagers and above, as she isn’t brave enough to go out walking on a lead yet she only meets visitors to her foster home and she hasn’t had a chance to see any younger children. My guess is Cottontail would adore children but she might be nervous of, and startled by any sudden noise or movement at first, over time this would improve. However, I wouldn’t recommend her being homed with very young children as she is big and clumsy and would easily knock them over. We recommend gentle dog savvy kids 12 and up would be best for her.
Not tested with cats or small furries
She was frightened of everything and reluctant to interact at first but she has made remarkable progress and is beginning to show us the mischievous, bouncy, affectionate and sometimes naughty puppy that was hidden under the scared layers. New experiences and sudden noises still startle her and she may cower, bark or run to her safe space but over time and with patience and kindness from her forever home these incidences should become less and less.
House training has been incredible, she seemed to get the concept in just a couple of days which is remarkable for her age and background, there is still the odd accident and she’s still just a baby so may regress or forget sometimes in a new home with new routines but this clever girl should catch up again in no time.
She currently sleeps through the night on a sofa in her own room, my feeling however is that she wouldn’t mind sleeping with a dog buddy to cuddle up to or her people nearby, she is so loving and affectionate she just loves company. She is obviously still just a pup so hasn’t been left by herself for long, an occasional hour at most, she does fuss and cry at first but does eventually settle. She has just learnt what toys are and is now the proud owner of her own stuffed monkey and a ball which she loves to pounce on in the garden as you kick it for her. She now has a very healthy appetite she loves her treats and is putting on weight slowly. She has also experienced her first bath which she wasn’t fond of but tolerated it well and she has quickly got used to a regular brushing of her very thick coat.
Cottontail has had a lot to learn since arriving in foster and has made amazing progress, however she isn’t ready yet to take that step of going out into the big wide world for walks although we are working on it very slowly by getting her used to a harness, collar and lead around the garden. The area around the foster home is very busy with lots of traffic and people and the feeling is she would do a lot better and probably be braver in a much quieter location-edge of town/rural/semi-rural. She is a dog who would benefit from wide open spaces. Her new people will need to encourage her into exploring the world outside her home by being patient, kind and using reward-based training.
Cottontail is looking for a kind, patient home with new parents who will understand that she hasn’t had the best start in life and still has lots of catching up to do. They will need to be committed to her ongoing training using only positive methods that will benefit this sensitive dog and help her learn to be the best canine citizen she can be. She will need people experienced with Old English Sheepdogs who already have a kind and tolerant resident dog of a similar size who can help teach this young lady about the wonders of being a dog in a home where she is adored. She will need a good size garden to bounce around in with her ball and she would benefit from living in a fairly quiet area with lots of open space for walks and fun.
NEUTERING AGREEMENT
VACCINATED, MICROCHIPPED AND UP TO DATE FLEA AND WORMER
FOSTERED IN NEWPORT AREA OF SOUTH WALES
COMES WITH 5 WEEKS FREE AGRIA PET INSURANCE