My name is Jack Sparrow!

This cutie is Jack Sparrow and he is a 10mth old Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix. His name came to us immediately when we met him, as with his eye markings that look line liner and with his feathery plumed tail he reminded us of Jack Sparrow, the pirate from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The name fit and Jack Sparrow, or Sparrow as we call him, came to be. He is a fun, playful and happy dog that has been such a good boy during his stay with us. He is fully vetted now and settled so is ready to find his forever home now. His previous family never claimed him when he was a stray at a rural pound so we are looking for a family for him that will appreciate the great dog he is and will love him and care for him for the rest of his life, and never let him roam stray or be abandoned again.

Sparrow is approximately 40 lbs and a nice, medium sized dog. He has long fur that needs to be brushed regularly or it will mat up. He had terrible mats behind his ears and in the fringe hair behind his legs when we got him. It took a lot of brushing and trimming to de mat him so his new family is best to keep on the brushing and not let him mat up again. He doesn’t love the brushing but he is learning to tolerate it. He has to because his fur seems to catch all kinds of leaves, twigs, grasses…its like Velcro, you never know what hes going to bring in from the yard in his coat! What he does love is belly rubs, pets, and affection. Sparrow is a very affectionate dog and when not getting pets, or playing fetch with you, you will find him lying at your feet, wanting to be close. Sparrow is a very devoted dog who adores his people and will be your most loyal companion.

Sparrow is a very energetic dog and needs a very active family. He loves walks, especially wooded trail walks, and running and playing fetch in the yard. He has shown a real interest in Frisbee and while he still needs practice catching it in the air, and we still need practice with throwing it properly, in time he should be a great Frisbee dog. He is even getting good at returning it, most times anyway, and will trade off the Frisbee for a belly rub and then he’s off to catch it again. He also enjoys playing fetch with a ball, and in the house we play fetch with his stuffies. He will play this until you get tired of it, he never tires of it! When you aren’t able to play with him he will often amuse himself playing with his toys himself and will toss them in the air and catch them and run around with them. It is really cute to watch! Although he is very active outdoors, and can be playful with his toys indoors he is generally calm and well behaved indoors. He is not a hyper active dog, he is just a young and active dog. He does settle down and rest at your feet when play time is done. Because he is a mix of 2 herding breeds he needs work and activity to be a happy dog. If you are not already an active person/family then he won’t be the dog for you. Sparrow needs to be taken out for walks and adventures every day, twice a day optimally, and needs play time in the yard as well to be happy. He is a fun dog to play with and he’s a great companion on hikes and trail walks. He needs more work on his short leash walking as he is all about running ahead, but we are working on that in his foster home. When out on trails or country walks we use a flexi lead for him which gives him the space he likes for running ahead, sniffing stuff, and moving along. But on town walks he is on a short leash for safety and he is working on walking at our side. We are introducing a Gentle Leader head halter to him for controlled walks and he is doing well. He will need continued work with controlled walks but as he is a young and very smart dog he will master this in no time.

Sparrow is great in the car and is a good travel companion. He likes to have his nose out the window for good smells and he also likes to peer straight ahead and see where we are going. Every car ride is an adventure for him and he hops in eagerly. Sparrow also seems to like water as the water he had been introduced to, puddles and streams, he eagerly wades in. This dog has no fear when it comes to fun times and adventure! Sparrow also greatly enjoys the company of other dogs. He is being fostered with a variety of sizes of dogs from very small to very large and he acts appropriately with all of them. He is very eager to play with other dogs and would be a great match for another young and playful dog. He should not go to a home though with a senior dog or one that doesn’t enjoy running and wrestling as this won’t be a good match for Sparrow. Sparrow LOVES running and wrestling with good dog friends, and if he can grab a toy and play keep away, all the better. Should he not go to a home with another dog he will need regular interaction and play time with like-minded friends to keep up his socialization and need for dog play. He is also being fostered with cats and for the most part ignores them. He would be fine in a home with a cat that is accepting of dogs.

Sparrow is not being fostered in a home with kids. With his good nature and love of play we feel he would be fine in a family with kids over 10 years of age at this point in his life. Sparrow came to us with little training and as such he still can jump up when excited and he can be mouthy (especially when being brushed). We are working on correcting these behaviours but for now we wouldn’t feel comfortable sending him to a home with younger kids. He is just such a “kid” himself right now and needs more training and some maturity before he would be a good match with younger children. For a couple considering kids in a few years he would be a good match as he is a lovely natured dog and he is not possessive of his food bowl or toys, and he would have the time to mature and continue his training to have better manners.

Sparrow is house trained and crate trained and sleeps soundly through the night in his crate. He enjoys the treat he gets every time he goes into his crate. He will need to continue being crated in his adoptive home as this is his routine, and we wouldn’t want to trust an active, energetic young dog to his own devices loose in the house unattended. He doesn’t have a tell to let you know that he has to go outside so we are in the habit of letting him out regularly and he is good about getting his business done when let out. Sparrow will require a home with a decent sized fenced back yard where he can run after a Frisbee or a ball and get some good exercise in. He loves to be outdoors and rarely barks, except if friends pop by and he sees them pull up into the driveway. Everyone is a friend for Sparrow, he quite likes meeting new people. Sparrow will need to attend dog school to continue his learning and socialization. Because he is a working breed we are looking for a family that will take him through multiple levels of obedience school, not just the basic course. This is not a basic dog…he’s got the potential to do so much and we want him to have all the training potential he can have. Sparrow is so smart and so outgoing, he will excel at school and make you so proud. He will also excel at dog sports so if you are looking to try your hand at agility, flyball, or who knows, disc dog even, then Sparrow will be a great choice.

Sparrow is an outdoorsy, active, up for anything type dog that loves a good cuddle session as well, looking for the same qualities in his adopters. If you are looking for a happy, friendly and active dog to share in your love of the outdoors then this is your guy. He will make you smile everyday with his joy for life and funny antics. He is such a good dog that just needs continued training to bring out the best in this handsome guy.

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.