My name is Socks!

Let me introduce you to Socks. He is a 1 yr old mixed breed, with traits of German Shepherd, Border Collie and Cattle Dog. He is about 48 lbs, 2 ft tall to the shoulder: a medium size dog for any living situation and can handle anything you want to do with him. He has the German Shepherd black and tan colouring with some Collie and Cattle Dog features and white sock feet!

He’s an energetic dog who seeks to please, to join in all activities, to run and play; yet Socks is also great in his crate, sleeps all night long and is content with chewing on bones and chasing balls. He loves the company of people and other dogs.

Socks came to us from a rural pound where he had been for over a month! He was originally a stray who was found roaming free with another dog. He’s such a fun and friendly boy we don’t know how someone didn’t come looking for him. He’s now looking forward to a forever home where he will be loved and cared for and never let to be a lonely stray again.

Socks is a high energy adolescent dog who needs activity, walks, and lots of play. He recovers quickly after exercise and is always ready for the next adventure. As such he would do very well in an athletic family who regularly enjoys the great outdoors. He has done very well with a medium energy, older dog who’s mind is still ready to play but who needs more recovery time after strenuous activity. Socks is learning how to settle down, following the lead of the older dog-mentor who clearly remembers being an active youth.

He thrives with rules and boundaries. When meeting people and animals who set limits for him he visibly relaxes and quickly settles into routine.

When his satellite ears detect something new he barks to alert the pack. He is attune to a changes outside, to visitors at the door and any new noises he picks up on. That said, he does quickly learn the regular sounds of his environment and is not a problem barker.

Socks has a strong chase drive, especially regarding squirrels, chipmunks and the like. Other small animals in the house would best beware until they’ve had some time to get acquainted. Ever curious, Socks wants to investigate them and they may not appreciate that! He is currently living with an experienced cat who has no trouble standing his ground. Socks wasn’t sure what to do when he barked and the cat didn’t run; now he is mostly content to watch and learn the Zen practices of his older in-house statesmen.

He is very receptive to training and has come a long way in walking politely. He gets distracted by nature and still needs to be reminded not to pull, but that speaks more to his energy level than anything else. Birds and squirrels are running targets and he drools over the chance to chase after them. Again, with rules and boundaries he relaxes so once he knows that he doesn’t have to protect the pack he settles in.

Socks has learned sit, stay, wait, down, shake a paw, though after short practices he wants to move on to other things. He still jumps up from time to time when he’s overexcited but a quick correction is all he needs to settle back down. Formal obedience training is something we are suggesting his new family partake in, though he’s learning very quickly in his foster home and will have a head start.

Car rides have been a new experience for him, as he wants to see and investigate constantly, but he’s learning to sit during the ride. He has travelled well with his dog-mentor in foster care and following the example with little difficulty.

Socks loves to meet new people; he licks and greets and loves attention, will play ball and shake a paw. He did exceptionally well at a family function, meeting over 30 new people at once. He was very social and polite!

A member of the fostering network brought him into work and reported, “He has been just super in following me around, learning the rules and staying quiet.”

Socks enjoys a good hug, has never shown any concern about being touched anywhere and is almost as submissive to the pack as he is curious to explore the world. To be inadvertently stepped on is no big deal. He doesn’t love the bath but stood quietly and put up with it. Brushing is also not a favourite pastime, however with some patience and calm he withstood it and came out quite dapper!

He has some endearing quirks that we are working on to ensure they do not become annoying idiosyncrasies: New household noises, like vacuums, coffee grinders and bathroom fans set him to alert and barking. Ceiling fans fascinate him. However, when he sees the other animals relaxed around these sounds and the 2-legged animals not freaking out, his alert turns to curiosity and he quickly moves on.

As this update is being typed Socks is checking in on his current pack, visiting in the office, looking to follow the lead of the older animals and happy to stop for a quick a back massage and belly rub. He prefers everyone to be in the same room but has stopped trying to herd us all, settling for periodic room checks.

The forever home for Socks could be quite far ranging provided there are rules and boundaries set; from a single person to a family full of older children, so long as he is active and loved he will give back. He needs someone with the patience and time to train him well and to exercise and play with him. He can be rough in play so someone in the mix needs some energy and authority. He will be your best and most loyal friend. To be exercised, coddled, loved, petted, rubbed and cared for is his wish come true! Socks makes a great companion and is looking for a family to love him and care for him.

An adoption donation of $400 is required. This helps cover our costs for veterinary care including spay/neuter, vaccines, microchip, heartworm test, deworming and whatever else the dog may require.

For information on our adoption procedures and for an adoption application please refer to the Pound Dog Rescue website at www.pounddog.ca.