My name is Mumford!

This handsome fellow is Mumford. He is the sweetest guy you could ever meet. He is a yellow Lab x German Shepherd, with the personality of a Retriever, and is about a year old. He is a lovely blond with red eyelashes, yellow eyes (very stunning), a pink nose and a tiny white tip on his tail. You will fall in love with his silky soft ears, one of which is often flopped over in a jaunty pose as he prances about looking for some fun. He is about 24 kg (53 lbs), so he is a bit light. His head is a bit large for his body, which will fill out as he gets older. He is the happiest guy without a care in the world. Life for Mumford is all about adventure, play and love.

Mumford was found at the side of a road, abandoned by his owners. He has embraced his new circumstance and, with his outlook, is moving on to something far better. If dogs can be optimistic, Mumford is the epitome of optimism and hope.

Labs and Shepherds are very intelligent working dogs that need to be active both physically and mentally. He needs to be in a home where he will get lots of exercise and things to do. He is well suited to running with you. He would be a fantastic agility dog. At a minimum, he needs several long walks a day. He also needs a big back yard to play and race around in to burn off some of that energy… after all, he is still a puppy.

He is super smart and very trainable. He sits beautifully and often offers you his paw. He knows how to do a down and wait. His rollover usually ends with him on his back waiting for a belly rub. He is getting better on leash, but needs a gentle leader training halter to slow him down and keep you on your feet. Going for a walk is one of the best things in his life. He sits beautifully with his nose held up so you can put his gentle leader on. Once you head out, the race is on to see everything as quickly as possible and find all the squirrels, bunnies, cats, birds and other furry or feathered creatures that may be out there. Every one of them needs to be chased. I never knew how many bunnies were out there in the dark, but Mumford points every single one of them out as he darts after them. He likes a fast paced walk so he’s going to be a great motivator for power walks through the neighbourhood. He is not a dog that could be trusted off leash at this point as he is just so intent on chasing all the little neighbourhood critters. With training and maturity we know he will get there, but right now he’s too much of a goofy pup for off leash activity outside of a fenced in area.

Mumford does sometimes bark, especially when he is bored or wants your attention, but he is not a problem barker. Initially, he may bark when you leave the room, but that will taper off with time and as he settles into your routine and the fact that you will come back. If you aren’t paying attention to him, or he needs you to get one of his toys out from under the sofa, he will bark. He uses his bark as a way to communicate to you and let you know he needs something. If you don’t respond quickly enough, he may grab something of yours to get your attention. Shoes or slippers are usually his favourite attention getting device. He will chew if you don’t respond quickly enough.

If you want a Mumford-free zone in your home, don’t bother with baby gates. He jumps the extra high ones with ease and grace. He just wants to be with you. He is very athletic and would be an excellent dog for anyone interested in dog sports.

He gets along with other dogs, but because he is still a big puppy, shouldn’t be with a more senior dog that isn’t up for a good rough play session. He and his foster dog sister have the best times romping and wrestling and he would love another young, energetic dog sibling in his forever home. If not, he will need regular access to suitable dog friends to keep his socialization up and fulfill his need for dog play. He enjoys meeting people and is good with kids, but is a bit too fast and rough around young kids (under 10). He may try and steal toys or nice soft cushy blankets (he loves soft materials and chews towels). We would consider a home with kids if the kids are over 10yrs of age and the family has experience with large, active dogs.

He loves to wrestle and play rough. He instigates play sessions with people and other dogs. He could spend hours playing tug or fetch or chewing on something. He is a big fan of balls, ropes, rubber bones, sticks, logs, anything that he considers a toy. He goes into the toy pile and roots through to find the one he wants, then entertains himself by tossing it around or tries to get us involved by bringing it to us or his doggie roommate.

He isn’t a piggish eater. He often leaves his food until he is ready to eat, which is a bit of a challenge if there is another dog in the house. He has the German Shepherd sensible appetite unlike the Lab’s voracious appetite. His skinny physique is partially due to his disinterest in his food and partially to his activity level and young age. He will fill out as he matures. Nicely though, he won’t eat you out of house and home. He does love bananas and cantaloupe though. He needs supervision when in the house because he will try and steal food off of counters or tables if you leave the room. But this is typical of most dogs his age. Supervision is key to living with Mumford. He can get into trouble if left up to his own devices.

He isn’t afraid of anything, including thunderstorms. He loves car rides and going to new places. Even though he is a busy puppy, he does settle down and loves to lie where you are, especially under your chair or next to your feet beside the sofa. He also likes to nap in patches of sun or on the dog bed. He is house and crate trained. He must continue to be crated in his adoptive home. He is used to this routine and it keeps him out of trouble when you aren’t home.

You can do anything with him – take his food away, put your hand in his food dish, clean his ears, check his gums and teeth. He offers his paws to be wiped after you come in from outside and stands patiently while you dry them. He loves baths and being toweled off.

　

Mumford is a delight to live with. His tail is always wagging and his love of life makes you smile and just feel good. He is a happy, energetic fellow, who needs a fenced yard (the fence needs to be at least 4 feet high). He needs to be in a home that can keep him busy and give him lots of exercise. If there are other dogs in the home, they need to be good with his boundless energy and rough play. He will expect to interact with them but does respect when another dog has had enough. He also needs a cat-free home. He is good with kids, but probably shouldn’t go to a home with kids under 10. He needs to mature a bit. If you are planning on having kids in about 2 years, he will probably have settled enough by that time to be around babies. He’s just not quite there yet. He is good at entertaining himself, and at the end of a long day, will lie down at your feet or under your chair. He just wants to be with you.

All Pound Dog Rescue dogs are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, heartworm tested, de-wormed (if required), and micro-chipped prior to adoption. The adoption donation of $400 is applied to assist in the costs of veterinary care and the overall care of the dog. For more information and adoption applications please consult our website at www.pounddog.ca.