Zeus was rescued from BARC in Houston on April 9, 2024, just moments before he was to be killed. He'd been taken to the shelter by his previous owner, who gave no reason for leaving this ridiculously sweet young dog in a shelter where he had little chance of leaving alive. The truth is, people surrendering their dogs often lie anyway, or give such lame excuses that all you can do is hang your head and cry for the many thousands of wasted lives of good, loving dogs rejected by jerks. Just means we don't know anything about his life before April 9.
But since April 9, Zeus has been living in a wonderful foster home in Texas, where he's been getting the love, support and basic training a shelter dog needs to build his confidence and bloom into his full potential as a fabulous domestic companion. Zeus is in heaven in his suburban foster home, where he can sunbathe on the patio, get the zoomies in a big fenced-in yard, and bask in the sweet fragrances of the flowerbeds. Exploring and inspecting the veggie beds has become a favourite pastime -- don't be surprised if you catch him sampling the strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, carrots, celery and yellow peppers, right from the garden. As much as he likes snacking, he takes treats very gently, and there's no issue about taking things out of his mouth. This languid lifestyle seems to suit Zeus perfectly. He's calm and maybe even a little lazy, spending his days listening to music on his bed, always camped out right next to his foster dad, who works from home.
Nevertheless, like most dogs, he does get a bit excited when it's time for walks! He's a strong boy, but he's been working on his leash skills and is doing great. He listens beautifully, is eager to please and quick to learn. He calms down on command. He's also learned to sit, stay, leave it, and come here, and while he is quite treat-motivated, he also loves just being told that he's a good boy! Lately he's been discovering how much fun it is to chase after a ball and run around with it in his mouth. He hasn't quite figured out the part about bringing it back yet, but it's still a new game to him so give him some time!
He currently lives with a cat, a smaller dog and a dog a little bigger than him. He pretty much ignores them all, but has given the bigger dog the side eye and even jumped on her once when she decided to try n]his bed for a nap. He didn't bite her and his foster mom says he didn't seem vicious, more just rambunctious. The 2 dogs are being kept separated just in case. His caregivers think he'll be best in a home with smaller dogs and/or cats, or on his own, but recommend that he not live with other dogs his size or larger.
So far it seems Zeus's kryptonite in water. He does NOT like getting wet AT ALL. He is NOT going to insist you take him on walks in the rain...matter of fact he'll probably refuse to join you. He dislikes getting wet so much that he doesn't even like to stand out in the rain long enough to pee! Doesn't seem surprising that he's also terrified of thunder and lightning. If a storm is coming, Zeus wants to be held and cuddled under a soft cozy blanket. Actually it seems Zeus usually wants to be cuddled under a soft cozy blanket!
This calm, affectionate, certified Velcro dog is eagerly awaiting a family of his own. He's available to be adopted nearly anywhere in the US or Ontario or the Maritimes. Please go to our Facebook page or our website, lastminutedogrescue.com, to fill out an application!
Name: Zeus
Weight: ~70 Pounds
Gender: Male, Neutered
Breed: American Bulldog/Lab mix?
Colour: Fawn with some white
Medical (past and present) & HW Status: UTD; in treatment for HW; otherwise healthy
Good with adults: Yes
Good with kids: Not sure!
Good with dogs: Yes, with dogs smaller than himself
Good with cats: Yes
House trained: Yes
Crate trained: Yes
Crate aggressive: No
Food aggressive: No
Leash trained: Mostly!
Energy level: Low to medium
Suitable for an apartment: Probably!
Can be handled: Yes please!
Barker: Only when someone comes to the door!
