My name is WREN - LOCAL! (Victoria)!

Hi! My name is WREN, and here is some info about me:

PHYSICAL INFO:

• Breed: Mixed Lab


• Age: approx. 11 months old


• Gender: Female


• Weight: 48 lbs (22 kgs) 


• Height: 52 cm (paws to top of my head), 41 cm (paws to shoulders)


• Length: 71 cm (head to butt)


• Neck Circumference: 33 cm


• Chest Circumference: 53 cm


• Current Location: VICTORIA (I arrived from Mexico on Oct. 22)

RESCUE STORY - I was rescued in April near Cuauteoec prison, an area where people dump unwanted dogs and cats. I was probably part of a litter that no one wanted, so I was abandoned. A rescue group had planned to do a TNR (trap, neuter, release) program with me, but thankfully they found some room at La Casa del Meztiso, a shelter her in Mexico. I stayed there until I got my opportunity to be adopted.

I flew to Vancouver on October 22nd, so this whole Canadian life is very new to me. I thought I had found my forever home, but unfortunately, my fosters don't feel like I'm the best fit for their city lifestyle. I am now in the amazing care of Taylor with Penny's Pals in Victoria. She is going to be my foster mom / trainer for the forseeable while I decompress and am given the time, patience, love, and training I need in order to truly blossom into the best doggo I can be! 

TEMPERAMENT IN MEXICO: I was a bit of a conflicted introvert! I liked to look for attention from people, but I sometimes felt nervous about it. I always loved it when people said hi to me at my pace, nice and slow. I was also a bit wary of loud noises, although I grew quite a bit more confident during my last few months in Mexico. Whenever scared, my initial reaction would be to retract or hide. I was slower to warm up to new people, but once I warmed up, I was an absolute love bug (check out this video here!)! In 'fight or flight', I would always choose flight. I was pretty indifferent to other doggos at the shelter, generally being neutral and just enjoying my space. Fun fact about me: I LOVED stuffed toys (video)!!

TEMPERAMENT IN VANCOUVER (Oct 22 - Nov 8): I have only been on Canadian soil for a very short amount of time, so understandably, I'm pretty spooked being here! I bonded hard and fast with my two foster parents (video), wanting love but having a hard time settling into my new temporary home (restless, pacing, anxious at the beginning). I can be unsure of the noises in the apartment and have been pretty darn scared when going on walks or meeting new people or dogs. As a result, I have shown some fear-based reactivity towards dogs and new people. I am simply scared and don't know what to do! I am looking for a patient adopter who is happy to work at my pace to help me grow some confidence. I am the bestest girl and have so much love to give; but I need an adopter who can confidently work with me and show me the ropes. With dedicated training and lots of love, I absolutely know I will flourish!

In my first week in Vancouver, I greatly improved with my housetraining, crate training comfortability, and my ability to settle at home. I am learning to love stuffed toys again (video) and am being brave on walks (video), although you can see I'm still quite uncomfortable in the busy city. My fosters say I am a very gentle girl and they never have to worry about swapping toys or treats from me. I have not shown any resource guarding tendencies, yay!

TEMPERAMENT IN VICTORIA (Nov 9 onwards): updates coming soon! My new foster mom/trainer, Taylor, is waiting for me to get a bit more settled before truly assessing my temperament. I will officially be available for adoption once I'm ready :)

ENERGY LEVEL - Medium - I am a young pup who needs a sufficient amount of daily exercise (both physical and mental). Once I'm tuckered out, I am more than happy to snooze and cuddle! Currently, I'm too scared to go on long walks, so I think I'm also feeling unsettled because I can't get all that energy out and it is manifesting as anxiety. If I could live in a quieter area with a backyard or near a quiet park, I think it would REALLY help me!!

GETS ALONG WITH:

• Kids – Unknown.


• Dogs –  I am pretty indifferent (video)! I will say hi if I have to, but I prefer to be alone or with hoomans. Here I am at the shelter with other doggos (video)! I could likely live in a home with a calm, neutral older dog who could show me the ropes (with proper, gradual introductions, of course). I am currently not saying hi to new dogs on my walks because of my fear reactivity. Advocating for my space right now is really important.


• Cats – Unknown.

PREY DRIVE - Unknown. I’m not too sure how I’ll react around cats/squirrels/rabbits etc., so my adopter needs to be prepared and willing to train me through these behaviours, should they arise.

TRAINING:

• Leash skills – Work in progress but I am pretty dang good for a young pup!! Check out my video of me in Mexico. I am quite timid on leash in Vancouver right now (tail is very tucked on walks), but with patience and time I'm sure I will get better!


• Car Rides - I was pretty chill on my car rides in Mexico - check out my video. I was also a good, quiet girl in the car on my way from the airport to my foster home in Vancouver.


• House trained – Work in progress, but my foster mama says I'm like 85% there with very few accidents lately! I am getting good at using the quiet turf doggy-bathroom area on the roof of our building (although I'm still a bit too scared to do my business out on walks). Frequent potty breaks and positive reinforcement will help me continue to learn housetraining in my new home :)


• Crate trained - Work in progress. I am working on creating a positive association with the crate I flew from Mexico in. I am doing well with short stints in the crate (< 3 hours) and am learning for it to be my safe space. I whine a little for the first 5-10 minutes, but then I settle down and have a snooze. Continued positive, slow exposure to my crate will help set me up for success in my forever home!

Please Note: WCP highly encourages adopters to do some research and training on their own before their dog arrives. 

HEALTH NOTES:

• I am spayed, vaccinated, and microchipped. I came to Canada with proof of all my vaccines and test records.


• I was tested for Heartworm, Distemper, Parvo, and Brucellosis before flying North. All tests came back negative - yay!

NOTE: It is not uncommon for rescue dogs to require dental work/cleaning after they are adopted. West Coast Paws does not cover the costs of dental work and/or vet visits. These costs are the financial responsibility of the adopter.

ADOPTION FEE:

My adoption fee is $840.00 CAD (including 5% GST & 7% PST).

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DISCLAIMER:

Please visit wcpdogrescue.com to read about West Coast Paws Dog Rescue and its adoption process.

The info included in each WCP bio is provided to us from the international rescuer. WCP does not have in-person access to overseas dogs and cannot always verify the accuracy of their descriptions, although we ask for video proof of a dog's attributes wherever possible. Every dog is an individual and can act differently in different situations based on the person(s) adopting them and the environment in which they live. 

WCP is unable to guarantee the accuracy of a dogs age and/or breed. These are strictly "best guesses" based on veterinary exams and their educated estimates.