My name is Koga!

Koga is not in our program. We are listing him as a courtesy to his owner. A minimum 6' fenced yard will be required to adopt Koga and an invisible fence is NOT acceptable. If you are interested in adopting, please send us e-mail requesting an Application Form. Vet and personal references will be checked and a home visit is required.


From Koga's owner:


What is the dog’s name? Koga


How old is the dog?
Just over 5 years old (turned 5 at end of September 2014)


How much does the dog weigh?
Around 65 pounds.

Is the dog spayed/neutered?
He is neutered.

Are vaccinations up to date? As of what date?
All vaccinations up to date as of June 2014, nothing due until June 2015 at earliest.

What is the date of the last heartworm test?
June 2014.

Has the dog been kept on monthly heartworm preventative? If yes, what kind.
Yes, Iverhart.

Does the dog have any health condition(s) which require regular medication, supplements, or testing?
No, Koga has always been healthy.

How long have you had the dog?
Since December 2009. I got him when he was nearly 3 months old.

Why are you trying to find a new home for the dog? Provide details.
Koga needs a fenced-in yard to run around in freely. We recently moved to a farm, and have no funds to build the kind of fence needed to keep him safely contained. He cannot be allowed off-leash, and a trolley system dog run doesn’t work for him. He either rips the cable (actual steel cable, not rope) out from its moorings if we put him in a harness, or nearly breaks his neck in a collar trying to get free. Bad idea all around! He is extremely unhappy being confined to a leash and the house. We have no dog parks nearby to allow him to run. We have tried everything we can think of – including a wireless fence system – to ensure he is happy and healthy and we have run out of ideas that are financially feasible. As much as I don’t want to give up Koga, I need to think of what’s best for him. He will only go to a family that is educated on the needs of a husky and has a fenced in yard.

How long can you keep the dog in his/her current location?
We can keep him as long as necessary to find him a better situation.

Please describe the dog’s general personality/demeanor:
Koga is playful, stubborn but willing to listen and obey commands if you’re firm. He is not very dominant, and plays well with other dogs.

How does the dog interact with adults?
Koga does just fine with adults. No issues outside of a little shyness if there’s too many people around.

Has the dog been around children? What ages? How does the dog do with children?
Koga has been around my 15-month old son his entire life. He has been around older children as well. No issues – my son uses him as a jungle gym sometimes and Koga lets him crawl all over him!

How does the dog react to strangers?
Koga is either very excited because obviously the new person came just to play with him, or can be a little shy if there are too many people. Never aggressive!

Have you ever seen aggression (or warning signs) toward a person? (This includes nipping, growling, snapping, etc.) Provide details.
Never.

What kinds of toys/games does the dog enjoy?
Koga likes to be chased! He will also chase after a ball, but he won’t bring it back. He loves playing chase with other dogs too. He also loves chewing on a bone (nylabone).

What kind of activities have you shared with your dog? (Trips to the dog park, camping, etc.)
Koga has been hiking, camping and loves going to dog parks.

Does the dog live with any other pets now? Please give age/gender/breed/size of each pet:
Koga has two other companions. Hannah is a 13 year old Belgian Malinois and practically raised Koga when I brought him home as a puppy. She is about 70 pounds. We also have Dargo, another Belgian, 2.5 years old and 80 pounds.

How does the dog do with other dogs? Any restrictions? (For example, larger dogs, smaller dogs, dominant dogs, dogs of the same sex, etc.)
Koga has done well with medium to large dogs. I would be cautious with really small dogs the size of cats. They may trigger his prey drive.

Has the dog been around cats? If so, how does he/she do with cats?
No cats! Koga will chase, he considers them prey animals.

Does the dog chase other small animals?
Yes, if given the opportunity. Koga is a hunter by nature, not a lapdog.

Have you ever seen aggression toward other dogs, or toward cats? Provide details.
Toward cats yes, never toward other dogs. As stated above, I would be cautious with small dogs just in case.

Does the dog currently live indoors or outdoors? How many hours per day are spent outside?
He is currently indoors. In the past, when we had a fenced-in yard, he would spend most of the day outstide.

Where does the dog sleep?
In the bedroom with us.

Is the dog housebroken?
Yes, he can be trusted alone for up to 12 hours.

Is the dog crate-trained?
Yes, though we haven’t needed to use one since he was being house-trained as a puppy.

Where does the dog stay when you are at home?
He has free range of the house.

Where does the dog stay when you are NOT at home?
He has free range of the house.

Has the dog been destructive in the past? Provide details.
No, not since he was a teething puppy has he chewed anything that wasn’t his.

What type of fence do you have? (Please describe – chain link, privacy, 4’, 6’, etc.)
Our last fence was 6’ and wood, with a strand of electric pet wire strung along the bottom to keep him from digging out. He can easily clear a 4’ fence, and possibly a 5’ fence if he’s motivated enough!

If there is no fence, how do you keep the dog contained? (How is the dog kept in the yard?)
He isn’t kept in the yard at all now. Just walked on a leash.

Does the dog try to escape? If so, please explain – jumping, climbing, digging, etc.
Koga can jump over 4’ and will dig escape tunnels. He’s a regular Harry Houdini!

Has the dog had any training, either formal or informal? Does the dog know any commands?
Koga is basic obedience trained. He attended a formal training class. He knows sit, stay, lie down, paw (shake), paws, speak, and roll over (that one is a bit iffy).

How does the dog behave on a leash?
Koga has good leash manners. He only needs a gentle correction if he gets too excited and the occasional training walk on a pinch collar.

How does the dog do in the car?
He’s got excellent car manners. He loves looking out the window at first, but will settle down after a few minutes and curl up and enjoy the ride.


Does the dog have any known phobias, such as thunderstorms, fireworks, strangers, trips to the vet, etc.?
Koga is terrified of fireworks. Not destructive, just gets scared and tries to hide. He also doesn’t like the vacuum cleaner! He was complemented on how much a gentleman he was the last time we were at the vet.


Please add any additional comments here:
Koga is a great dog! But he needs room to run, and a fenced in yard, neither of which I can currently provide for him. I will be very picky about who gets to take him home. They need to understand how much of an escape artist he can be and be prepared to take the necessary steps to keep him safe. Koga is a clown and can be stubborn like any husky, but he deserves to be happy and have a family that understands what it means to love a husky!