My name is Newman!

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.

We at PDR firmly believe in the importance of obedience training, regardless of breed or size of dog, and have a clause in our adoption contract requiring adopters to attend and complete a basic obedience course at a facility of their choosing. Only in certain circumstances will we waive this clause, so please be prepared to attend dog school should you wish to apply for a dog through our program.

For more information and adoption applications please consult our website at www.pounddog.ca.

This sweet guy is Newman. Newman is 2 yrs old, and is a very unique Great Dane/Border Collie Cross. He currently weighs approximately 75lbs but won’t be as large as the typical Dane. He has the look and solid body of a Dane but in a shorter frame thanks to the Border Collie part of him. He is still a very big and solid dog for all of you big dog lovers out there!

Newman was adopted out to a family a year ago but when we discovered that things had changed in his family and he wasn’t getting the time needed to be exercised, socialized and played with we took him back. They were too busy outside the home and this wasn’t fair to Newman. Newman is very much a people dog and he loves being with his people so his family being away so much was hard for him and he was no longer living his ideal life.

Newman arrived a few weeks ago, and right away remembered his foster home. Mostly he remembered the other dogs he played with while in foster care. He took a few days to settle in, but after a week or so, with us, he is back to his old self.

We had been told that while in his adoptive home, they had 2 cats of which Newman would chase and antagonize on a regular basis. Since moving to foster care we have worked to correct this behavior with great success. All Newman needed was some direction and to understand the rules. When Newman makes a move to give chase, we are there with immediate verbal correction. If his new home has a cat you will need to continue to monitor this behavior. The work we have done can be undone quite quickly if rules are lax. We recently snapped a photo of our cat and Newman side by side looking outside the back door. So they can live happily together! Quite rewarding! We will only adopt Newman out to a home with a cat if the cat is relaxed around dogs and the people are experienced dog handlers who can be assertive and can correct any chasing behavior.

Newman is such a character; he needs to know where you are at all times, and doesn’t like it when he is more than 5 feet away from one of his family members. When he naps he needs to be next to you/on you or at least on your feet, and will often steal your seat when you get up. And of course, being a large boy he thinks he is the perfect lap dog! But he is quite content to cuddle up next to you while you rest or read a book. Newman loves his family and needs to be around them.

Once Newman is established in his new home he will need daily exercise and play time. He has a lot of energy and loves going for a good run in the yard. He is more energetic and athletic than a typical Great Dane. Newman really enjoys his walks. He gets excited when he sees you put your shoes on, he knows something great is about to happen. He is ok on leash, but requires the use of a gentle leader to provide better handling, as he will pull while walking. If he sees a squirrel he is quick to pull and bark at it, he gets quite excitable around other dogs as well. We have been really working with him to gain control and change his focus. As he is a large dog, it is important to establish good control with Newman on walks. We make sure we have treats with us to help with changing focus and we keep him on a short leash for better control. He is going to need continued work after he is adopted. But he has shown that with a gentle leader, he corrects quite well. He is such a smart guy, his continued training will pay off quickly. Consistency is key. We have Newman attending obedience school and he is doing quite well. Taking Newman to dog school to continue his training is an absolute must for anyone considering adopting him. He is coming along so well and we want to ensure that he continues on his path of good behavior.

We have had no issues getting Newman out the door to go do his business. He has been learning wait/stay and to come when called. He is quite good. So keeping up with training will only ensure an obedient boy. We have noticed however, that he is a little shy about a few things. If he is being corrected, he is almost afraid to look you in the eye for some time afterward. He most time retreats to his crate and thinks things over for a bit. We give him constant reassurance that he is a good boy to work on his confidence. We have had no issues getting Newman out the door to go do his business. He has been learning wait/stay and to come when called. He is quite good. So keeping up with training will only ensure an obedient boy. We have noticed however, that he is a little shy about a few things. If he is being corrected, he is almost afraid to look you in the eye for some time afterward. He most time retreats to his crate and thinks things over for a bit. We give him constant reassurance to help build his confidence. He’s a sensitive boy! To further help with this, we again recommend getting him into some good training classes where he can continue to regain his confidence and build better rewarding relationship for both him and you.

When letting Newman out to do his business, he would prefer you go right outside with him. He will most of the time go out and then when he notices you aren’t there, he comes right back for the door. He likes to be talked to while he is out (I think it is so he knows you are still there and haven’t left him)…I know, it’s a thing. He generally does his business and then is right back at your side. He is hugely food motivated guy which makes it is easy to teach him. He is pretty good at coming when called, but can get distracted easily if those pesky rodents are in the backyard ready to be chased. So continued training will be necessary to improve his recall. Newman is great in the car and is a welcome travel companion. He likes long or short drives and will be your co-pilot whenever you want to go for a ride.

He is a very curious guy in the house, if he hears a noise that is strange to him he stops what he is doing, his ears go up (well, as up as they will go), he evaluates whether it is worthy of to be investigated and then either concedes or is off to see what it is. Once it has been investigated and he has turned up nothing, he is satisfied and returns to his spot. His curiosity isn’t just for noises, he needs to know what you are doing outside in the yard/or in the house. We find as long as you talk to him and just tell him what you are doing he seems to be satisfied with that. But will supervise you on your task and keep watch.

Some of Newman’s favourite things are tennis balls, ice cubes (will wait at the freezer for these), bones to chew, treats of any sort. We have discovered recently that he can be a little toy possessive with other dogs if playing fetch. He is best to play fetch without other dogs around. He doesn’t like running for the ball and having another dog take it from him. He is excellent at playing fetch! He generally picks the toy to throw and the game ensues. He is great at it; quite entertaining really. Newman will need monitoring when playing and he will need to be redirected if he gets too focused and not relaxed during play. He quite likes other dogs but is very much a big rambunctious teenager at times and sometimes oversteps his boundaries with his foster dog sisters. So he needs to be monitored and redirected if he gets over bearing. Getting Newman adequately exercised is essential to helping release his energy levels. As he will play fetch for hours, you will have to make sure that he isn’t over doing it as he isn’t good at monitoring himself. He would play fetch til he dropped! He would also be a suitable running partner for anyone that runs. He loves to run and it’s an excellent way to keep him fit and meet his energy requirements.

At bedtime we started with him in his crate downstairs but found that he barked all night. So, as stated above he needs to be near you, we moved his crate upstairs. Even that wasn’t the solution, he barked for a good portion of the night. We decided to bring the dog bed upstairs and he could sleep with the other dogs on the floor of our room…voila! That was what he wanted just to be in our space. The family space. We are all sleeping through the night. Phew!! He is crated when we leave the house though to keep him out of mischief and he is ok with this.

We are certain that Newman will be an amazing addition to a family looking for a great family friend and loyal companion. Our recommendations for him are a home where there are no small children. Newman is far too gangly and big for us to be comfortable with him living with small children at this point. Even though he is 2yrs old, he is still very much a puppy mentally and needs time to mature and settle. He would be fine in a home with kids over 12yrs of age. Newman enjoys other dogs but is still learning that not all dogs enjoy a big puppy bugging them to play. Newman is working on his social skills with other dogs as he expects all dogs to want to wrestle with him or run and play. He has played with dogs of all sizes and his best buddy is a little Boston Terrier puppy who enjoys rough housing as well. Newman would do well being the only dog in the home so that his family could focus on him and his training, but he would require regular play dates with doggie friends. Alternatively, Newman would do well in a home with a well- trained, playful, submissive dog that wouldn’t challenge him or get upset with him if he makes a rookie dog social interaction mistake like placing a paw on their back. A well- mannered dog sibling would be a great mentor for Newman and playmate. Newman requires a home with a large, fenced back yard that he can run and play fetch in. He also requires experienced dog people who can handle a big dog and have the authority needed to establish themselves as his leader. Newman is very responsive to confident leadership and needs to have rules outlined clearly so that he knows what is expected of him.

Newman still has a lot to learn; he is a happy, enthusiastic pup in a big dog body. But he is so loyal and sweet and such a love bug that we know he is going to mature into a wonderful dog. If you are a fan of big dogs and were looking for one that can accompany you on adventures and have the stamina to keep up on long hikes and runs, then this may just be the ideal big dog for you!