My name is
Flint!

UPDATE 2/22/22:

After fostering Flint for about a week, I can say that he is a certified Good Boy. His gentle and easy-going nature, eagerness to please, adaptability, and trainability makes him a great companion for a wide range of potential adopters. He is a beautiful dog, not too big - at only 20 inches tall at the nape of his neck (up to my knee) and about 30 inches shoulders to tail. He is “a solid little nugget” at about 50 pounds, muscular, well-proportioned, with a shiny silver coat that can go from deep black to auburn depending on the light (and it barely sheds). His compact size and gentle nature makes him an easy companion for most dog lovers. Most of all, he is a world class snuggler. Folks not interested in snuggling a velvety pup, need not apply.  

Flint is the type of dog who wants to go everywhere with you and is well behaved enough to do it. He is fun to play with, able to do long walks and hikes, but is also content to go off to his spot and chew on a toy while you work. He is quite strong, but is naturally good on a leash never pulling too hard. On hikes, he rarely went more than 20 feet away from me without stopping and checking in. He is polite with kids and strangers, is not dog reactive, and is great in the car. While his recall (coming when you call him) is generally very good, he can lose focus if something exciting is going on. So this is something you will need to reinforce constantly. After a good walk or hike he will nap for a few hours. In general, he loves just hanging out with people. 

With all that said, he isn’t a perfect dog yet. Primarily, he lacks “experiences”, and he needs more training. For instance, while he is a great passenger in a car, he doesn’t understand that he can’t just jump into the front passenger seat and is downright offended if you put him in the trunk area (of an SUV). I took him to a downtown pedestrian mall and he was totally overwhelmed by all the people, noises, dogs and smells (and responded really well, by staying very close to me). He reacts to the TV, so you will have to keep an eye on him. He doesn’t understand reflections and will growl and huff at himself for a good 30 minutes each night. The biggest issue is he doesn’t know the difference between a chew toy from a controller, or a plush toy from a small pillow. Life before and in the shelter, this just wasn’t something he had to learn. Any cheap plastic kid’s toy left on the floor won't last too long. You will want to work with a trainer to help him figure out these boundaries or condition some preferences because he is a chewer. In the meantime, you will need to keep things tidy and make sure he has access to a couple chew toys.   

You can leave him alone. Over the week I fostered him, I worked up to leaving him alone for over an hour and he did well. I think that once he is totally settled in and confident in your return, he will be a dog you can leave unattended for most of a day.  He is "housetrained".  That said, you will either need to have a very tidy house or you will want to have him crate trained because he will look for things to chew on when bored. He isn’t compulsive or overly destructive, rather he is an opportunist who just doesn’t know what is or isn’t a chew toy.  

That said, he is an eager student, and takes great pride in making you happy. When working on his recall, sit, and stay, I found that praise and pets were more important to him than treats. This quality makes him the type of dog that will be quick to adapt to your life. 

Overall, he is a wonderful dog. He would do well in almost any environment whether you live in a small urban apartment or in a country home with lots of land. With a good routine and the normal amount of exercise (at least 2 - 30 min walks a day, something longer on weekends), he is calm and content.  Some caveats would be: 

1)      He should not be placed with cats or livestock. He is a terrier and acts like one. 

2)      He should not be placed with small children. Toddlers can be difficult for most dogs, and Flint simply hasn’t had that exposure.  Older children (middle school and older) would probably be fine, but I would strongly recommend training for both in order to establish boundaries.   

3)      It is unknown whether he can be placed in a home with other dogs. While he shows a lot of patience with most dogs at the shelter and those he meets on walks, there are a few that he doesn’t like. He is never the instigator, doesn’t overreact, and gives plenty of warning if he isn’t happy. Still, I could see him getting in a tussle over some toys (he hasn’t had much in his life, so toys are very important to him).  

4)      He should also be placed in a home with a physically able handler. With his gentle nature and leash manners, it is easy to overlook how strong this guy is. But he is powerful and with his low center of gravity, an unaware walker might find themselves pulled to the ground if he gets startled by a cat or something. I have been walking Flint weekly for almost 2 years and I have never had a situation like this arise. But the potential is there. 

Finally, he really needs to go to a home where someone is willing to give him the love and attention he needs. He bonds hard and strong. He is incredibly trusting. He will look to you for every cue, will expect you to protect him, and tries very hard to make you happy. Each night, sleeping next to his human is the single greatest pleasure in his life. He deserves it.