Socialization/training: Jovie is a super sweet dog who adores human attention, especially cuddles. She has been great with everyone she meets. She has had limited interaction with children but has been friendly with the few she has met while at the park. Jovie is housebroken, knows “sit”, “down”, “come”, “stay” and is working on “paw”. She is smart and seems to enjoy training, especially nosework. However, all knowledge of any commands go out the door the minute we are on a walk. Then, her hunting instincts take over and she is completely focused on searching for squirrels and rabbits. Jovie is not currently fostered with other dogs, but spent two weeks in a temporary foster with other dogs, and reportedly did well other than some resource guarding. While with me, Jovie has shown little interest in other dogs and prefers to ignore them. She will calmly walk side-by-side or hang out in the same room with other dogs, but is not really interested in playing. She will correct energetic dogs who get in her face. Once they give her space, she is happy to coexist and may eventually show interest in play. Jovie has shown resource guarding towards other dogs who approach her food, bed, toys or me, but has never guarded from humans. Jovie lives with a senior cat in her current foster home. She gets along great with the cat, other than a couple of instances of growling when the cat approached her food or treats. This behavior has virtually stopped with time spent near each other understanding the cat will not take her food. Otherwise, she respects and ignores the cat and they are very sweet together.
Crate trained: Jovie is crate trained on command of “kennel up” and goes in with little problem. She has not once made a noise overnight. She now sleeps with the crate door open and has free roam of the house, as she is completely trustworthy. However, she often chooses to sleep in her crate. She has been left in the crate overnight and during the day with no problem.
Leash trained: Jovie LOVES her walks and runs. She typically pulls on the leash as she is excited to explore and hunt. She is interested in squirrels and will point out each one. She will only lunge if they run right in front of her. I have not made a large effort for loose-leash training, but I think if you find the right treat/reward, it may be possible.
Activity Level: Jovie has the perfect energy level. She is calm in the house, happy to just watch squirrels out the window, but will also hike, run and walk daily. We run approximately 3-4 miles a few days per week and walk the other days. If she’s had her exercise, she’s happy to curl up indoors or just follow you from room to room. She enjoys short bursts of play (fetch or tug) in the house or yard. These play sessions typically only last a few minutes and then she’s ready to cuddle again.
Fence: Jovie did not have a fenced yard for the first 6 weeks she was with me. She seemed to receive enough exercise with the daily runs/walks. Now that we do have a fenced yard (4ft physical fence), she absolutely loves it and will run around throwing the toy for herself or playing fetch with me for a few minutes. She loves sitting on the deck watching squirrels and the neighbor dogs. She has not tried to climb the fence but has chased a squirrel under a hole in the fence. I do not know how she would do with an invisible fence. She would prefer a yard with space to run and explore.
Behavior: Every person who meets Jovie has said what a sweetheart she is. The only time she barks is when we are playing tug or fetch and she gets excited. She is a major cuddler and tries to get chin scratches from everyone she meets. She has never once been destructive, countersurfed, or done anything she is not supposed to. She is left alone for several hours per day while I am at work and has not shown any signs of separation anxiety. She loves crinkly toys the most and it is very cute when she gets the zoomies and tosses them around the house or yard. She loves being with people and will follow me around the house, but is also happy sitting on the deck gazing out at the world while I work inside. Jovie did need 3-4 weeks to feel comfortable with touch. Initially, she would growl if you touched her paws or hindquarters. She is now much more comfortable and will roll over for full-body massages. She can also be sensitive when being brushed or having her ears cleaned. Adopters should be patient with touch and grooming as she learns to trust in a new environment, but I expect she will quickly warm up to her new family.
Medical History: Jovie is spayed and up to date on her vaccinations. She is on monthly heartworm prevention. She tested positive for Lyme disease and completed 30 days of antibiotic treatment. She has no problem taking oral medication with a little bit of peanut butter. She has not reacted well to shots or blood draws at the vet. She has needed to be muzzled and treated with trazodone prior to vet visits. The vet has suggested sedation for any other needle-procedures in the future. Due to her touch sensitivity in stressful situations, I do not feel she would be the best choice for a family with very young children.
Foster Comments: Jovie is an excellent dog and such a sweetheart. She is very easy to care for and it was a difficult decision not to keep her. She was picked up as a stray in rural Kansas, but I feel she must have lived in a home previously. She is so well-behaved and calm in the house - she’s a dream! She is a great adventure buddy for anyone who likes running or hiking, but would also be fine with daily walks and running around the yard. I think she’d also enjoy scentwork training. Due to her resource guarding, it is best for Jovie to either be the solo dog or to go to a home willing to work on this behavior. Any dog she may be living with should be calm and respectful to other dogs. I would not recommend a home with very young children who may not understand or respect her boundaries.
Foster Location: Ypsilanti, MI
Volunteer transport can be arranged in the Continental US within a 1,000-mile distance between adopters & foster home. If interstate transport is provided for your adopted dog, there will be an additional charge of $50.00 for the required Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (“Health Certificate”). Typically, we are able to transport your adopted dog to within 2 hours of your home. *Dogs can be adopted outside the 1000-mile transport distance; however, adopters must be willing to either fly their adopted dog, drive to a location within the 1000-mile transport range, or make independent transport arrangements for their adopted dog. Transports to far Western states, from Eastern states, may have additional restrictions.
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