It’s that time again for a monthly segment of our long-term residents. A long-term resident is someone who has been here at least thirty days or longer, and I try to narrow it down to some who have been here even longer. Last month, we focused on Bert and Marla, and I have good news. Marla found her forever home a week ago! This week, we are going to talk about Dutch and Rhett!
This handsome boy is Dutch, and he has been here for a grand total of one hundred and ten days. Dutch came to us in April as a stray, and he came in on a bite hold. A bite hold is a mandatory ten-day hold an animal has to be put on if they bite someone, and the length of time is determined because that’s when rabies could start showing symptoms if he had it. Thankfully, he was cleared medically and from his hold and he could start interacting with our staff. Behaviorally, we noticed he had a lot of energy, so we put him on Peace Academy.
Peace Academy is a program we have where our dogs that are super energetic can learn to harness their energy. We have trained staff and volunteers that work with the dogs daily, and each dog has their own training specific to their needs. Dutch’s program consisted of learning to “look” and “wait” because he is so energetic and can knock someone over. He also can get really mouthy and go over threshold, meaning he could bite just from being worked up. Some positive things were noted as well, like he already knew many commands and walked well on a harness.
Even though he is a big boy, sudden movements and noises can spook him. He recovers very quickly though! He also deals with restraint, but he will try and back out of it if he thinks he can beat you. When we tested him with dogs, he showed dominant and high-energy play style, so that was something else he needed to work on. On top of his behavior training, he was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection and was promptly treated. After that, he was made available!
As with any long-termer, he has become a staff favorite. Our Canine Care/Behavior Manager Jess Miller had many nice things to say about him.
“I LOVE HIM! He is such a big sweetheart, and he deserves a great home. He does need work and consistent behavior training, but if you stick with it he will thrive! He needs mental and physical stimulation otherwise he will get bored and start getting mouthy. Someone take a chance on him!”
A member of our Canine Care team also had nice things to say about Dutch. Sarah McGuire works with him whenever she can, and she enjoys his play style. She also compared him to Chance from Homeward Bound!
“Honestly, he’s like a big toddler. He doesn’t know how strong he is, so he will try and hug you but it ends up almost knocking you down. As long as someone is consistent with him, he will be a good boy!”
He has been available for a little over two months now, and he is thriving as much as he can here. He does have a few restrictions, such as he cannot go to a home with children under the age of five due to his excessive play and energy. He also needs an experienced owner, because he is a big, strong boy, and he needs someone who will stay committed to working with him on his behaviors. He is also obsessed with water so you can always have a pool buddy! Dutch would like to present his bio to you himself, so here you go!
“Hey there, I’m Dutch! I’m a handsome guy who’s looking for my fur-ever home. I’m a 1 year old American Pit Bull Terrier and I can’t wait to find my new peeps! I’m a fur-iendly guy who loves people but I’ll do best in a home without small children. Sometimes I can get really excited and wouldn’t want to knock anyone over! I’d love to meet all furry friends before heading home, too. I’m a strong guy with a big brain and I love to learn new things. I’m eager to learn the ropes in my new home. I’ll be extra motivated by praise and yummy treats! I love to get active and make sure I get plenty of exercise. Boys my size need to play! Walking on my easy walk harness and exploring the world is my favorite thing. I’m a sweet guy with a big heart and I’m ready to give you all of my love! Come by soon to see if we were meant to be!”
Love,
Dutch
You can learn more about him here. He also has a video, which you can view here.
We were going to feature our Feline Friend Rhett, but Rhett recently got adopted, so congratulations! But here’s a picture of her anyway!
You can visit Dutch and all of our other furry friends at Wayside Waifs. Here are our adoption hours;
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: CLOSED
Wednesday: Noon-8pm
Thursday: Noon-8pm
Friday: Noon-8pm
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 1pm-6pm
Written by Teryn