My name is Pirate!

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.



We would love to introduce you to Pirate who is a 1yr old Beagle boy who weighs 26lbs and is a happy, energetic and affectionate little boy. Pirate lives up to his name as he only has one eye, but this is not a disability for him. He runs fast, manoeuvres great, and gets into all the mischief a young dog with both eyes gets into. He just does it while winking at you!

Pirate came to us from a rural pound where he was an unclaimed stray. We believe he was abandoned because of his damaged eye. When we took Pirate into rescue he had his right eye but it was severely damaged and had been left untreated. We had the vet examine him right away and discovered that he had had trauma to his eye that was left untreated. This caused an ulcer in his eye that was left untreated. This then caused glaucoma in his eye which again was left untreated. Our vet told us that he was in a lot of pain, and had been in a lot of pain for quite a while, as the build-up of damage in his eye was not recent. The decision was made to remove the eye and give Pirate a pain free life. This was an easy decision to make and we know Pirate agrees with it. He has recovered very nicely and the lack of an eye doesn’t affect him at all. He’s been coping for a while now with no vision in his right eye that he doesn’t miss having it.

Pirate’s favourite things are being underfoot, going for walks and car rides, following you around the house, and throwing his toys high in the air and jumping on them when they land. He is a dog that will follow you around and be completely in the way with whatever task you are doing. He loves to be a part of things and investigate what you are doing very closely. Putting on our shoes and tying the laces is now a practice in getting them on around the Beagle head and nose in the way. He thinks he’s helping. He’s a very good help, just ask him. He also loves running into the room and launching himself onto your lap from 4ft away if you are sitting on the couch. The look of glee on his face when he’s flying through the air to land on you is hilarious, you just have to be prepared for the landing which is almost always a disaster of Beagle legs everywhere and him tumbling off your lap onto the couch beside you. Maybe now that he has his cone off he will be able to perfect the landing. Pirate is a very fun dog who makes us laugh a lot. He is playful and can entertain himself with his toys. He is very talented at picking them up and whipping them into the air to watch them land. Then he pounces and repeats. He also loves chew toys, and particularly loves balls and will play fetch.

Pirate is house trained and crate trained. He sleeps in his crate. He sleeps through the night and will rest quietly until he hears you stir in the morning. But if your first priority isn’t letting him out then you will hear about it. If he knows you are up, he wants to be up with you….so he can “help” with your morning routine. Pirate is an active dog and will need daily walks and play time in the yard to be happy. He likes a fast paced walk where he can sniff the smells along the path. He is a true hound and lives for smells, but he moves along well, unlike his foster brother Beagle who likes to deeply investigate smells and can slow us down. We walk Pirate with a harness and a flexi lead as we live out in the country, so he can have the freedom to wander while still being secure. He loves to investigate in all kinds of terrain and has no problem tromping through a puddle and getting all muddy. He is not a dainty dog! Because he is a hound dog he cannot ever be trusted off leash outside of a fenced in yard. Hounds will get on a scent trail and will take off if not properly confined. Anyone considering Pirate needs to understand the importance of a secure fenced yard and a good leash whenever he is outside.

Pirate is being fostered with other dogs and he really enjoys running and playing with them. He will need to have dog friends to play with regularly in order to be a happy dog and keep up his socialization. He would probably be best as the only dog in the home though as he can be bossy about toys with the other dogs. He would be a fine companion for a mature dog who wouldn’t try and take his toys away from him though as he really makes a nice walking companion with the other dogs in his foster home. It would really depend on the personality of the other dog and his families experience level with dogs. Pirate is being fostered with cats and for the most part ignores them. Our cats are used to dogs though and don’t run from them. He would be fine in a home with a cat that is seasoned around dogs and knows how to act around them. But a reactive cat or one who runs will entice Pirate to chase. Our one cat encourages the chase game and they have a great time, but we know that this is in play and the cat is initiating the game.

Pirate is not being fostered with children and because he has some quirks we feel he would be best in an adult only home. Pirate does not enjoy being picked up or having his neck and head area restrained. We feel that this is as a result of his past and may have initiated from whatever the trauma was to his eye. We know this about him now and respect that and work around it, but children often try and pick up smaller dogs or give hugs around the dog’s neck area and Pirate will not do well with that at all. In an adult home this can be acknowledged and worked with so we feel that this will be best for everyone. We are working with Pirate to associate picking up with food treats and making it a positive experience but this will be a long process and won’t resolve overnight. Something has happened to him to cause him such an aversion; we can’t even imagine what happened to him with his eye or what type of life he had prior.

Pirate is a smart dog who has already learned “sit”, “shake a paw” and “down” while in foster care. He is still working on not jumping up. He gets so excited to greet people that he often forgets that he is supposed to have all 4 feet on the floor. He is food motivated so food treats and praise are used to reward him for good behaviour. He will do well in obedience school and he will love the social aspect of it, and the car ride to and from, so we are expecting that his future family will take him to school and bring out the best in this eager little guy. He will surprise you with his capacity for learning; he isn’t just all good looks, there’s a brain in that little head too!

Pirate would not be suitable for apartment or condo living as he does occasionally bark, usually in his crate when he hears you get up in the morning. He is not a problem barker and certainly doesn’t bark or howl like a Beagle can, but when he does his voice is loud. He is generally quiet though which is very nice. Until a doorbell rings or dogs are barking on the TV….then he must investigate and a few barks will ring out. We have caught him watching TV when there’s a dog program on and it’s so cute to watch him try and figure out how those dogs got there and how can he get to them. He would love a backyard to sniff around in but it must have a secure fenced yard, and that means one with no holes, gaps or loose boards or wire at the bottom where he could squeeze under. Pirate requires a cozy dog bed in the main living area as he likes to curl up on his bed. He also loves the woodstove in his foster home and can often be seen sleeping in front of it after his walks and play time. This is not a requirement, it’s just a “nice to have” on to his forever home wish list. What are musts on this list though are:
• people who will love him and never abandon him again
• people who like to go for walks and will take him out every single day preferably twice a day, as the world is a vast array of smells for a Beagle to investigate
• good meals twice a day with the top quality food he is now on that he really likes and makes his fur shine
• people who will care for him and ensure he gets regular vet care and will never be left to suffer in pain again
• lots of treats…he loves treats!
• But most importantly, people who will give him a full life and be patient with him as he settles into a life of security and love and let him trust again.
If you have love in your heart for a little hound dog, find silly antics amusing, and would like a great “helper” around the house then Pirate may just be the perfect dog for you. He would really like to meet you and see if it’s a love match!