Tilt is slightly visually impaired, but has some sight.
Tilt is a Halloween baby! He was born around October 31st, making him about 10 months old now. Tilt weighs in at about 45lbs and he’s been microchipped, vaccinated and neutered.
Now for Tilt’s story:
Tilt and his brother were born on a farm, and when they were appx 6 weeks old their owner brought them into the local vet to be euthanized, for no reason other than they didn’t want puppies. Luckily the vet saved them and both boys were adopted into great homes.
One of the two puppies had an eye that wouldn’t open and could only see and hear well on one side – so he was always ’tilting’ his head to one side. So that sweet little pup, who had never been named by the farm owners, received his cute and fitting name!
Unfortunately for Tilt, his adoptive owner became terminally ill and she gave him to ASRM to ensure he found the best home.
Tilt is a very loving dog who bonds very quickly with his new people. He loves toys and belly rubs, and he demonstrates typical a Aussie drive to protect his family and have a job to do. He is low-medium energy for the breed, but he is smart enough to get into trouble if just left to his own devices!
He currently is fostering with a family with an adult male and female, as well as two children under age 5. He gets along with everyone in the family very well, and is very tolerant of the children. His foster family has another female dog and two cats, and his former home also had other dogs and cats, so he is very used to other animals. We recommend that Tilt be the only male dog in the home! While he is fine with other animals and copes well in pack situations, he really loves his people and would do best with an owner who has a lot of time to devote to him.
Tilt does seem to have a harder time seeing in low light conditions, or adjusting from light to dark. These conditions can make him a little afraid of new people, especially men. His instinct to protect and guard is strong.
Tilt appears to be at least partially blind in one eye, and may have some minor distortion in his good eye, as well. One of his eyes has an irregularly shaped pupil, called “starburst”, and the other unusually small (microphthalmia). He may also have some minor hearing loss, though he compensates for all of these things very well. In familiar surroundings and open spaces, he gets around as well as any other dog except for occasionally bumping into things and tripping sometimes on stairs. He does get nervous in new situations and easily overstimulated in crowds, this may partially be due to his eyesight and partially because he is still very much a puppy learning about the world. Tilt has not had formal obedience training, and had limited socialization outside the home with his former owner. He needs a patient, understanding owner who is empathetic of his eye condition (not changing around furniture too much, keeping his crate in the same place if possible) and who is also willing to be a firm leader and work on obedience training with him. Consistent rules and obedience training will help boost his confidence and make sure he is safe when exploring the world and meeting new people, and would also help him in his quest to have a job and take care of his family.
Tilt is fostering in St Joseph, Illinois. You will be required to travel to his foster home to meet him prior to adopting him. Please make sure you are prepared to work with Tilt on obedience training and helping him deal with his vision impairments. If you are committed to Tilt's future, you may apply to adopt him by filling out the
ADOPTION APPLICATION and reference ASRM 0122 Tilt.
