Size
(when grown) Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg)
Details
Not good with kids,
Needs experienced adopter,
House-trained,
Spayed or Neutered,
Shots are up-to-date,
Story
To fully understand Romeo, it’s important to know where he began, and how far he’s come. His bio consists of three parts that outline his background, characteristics as we’ve gotten to know him, and his best suited home, providing a full picture to any potential family.Romeo’s Story:We first met Romeo when Animal Control responded to an emaciated dog report. What we encountered upon arrival at the vet’s office was one of the worst starvation cases our team had witnessed. Romeo was little more than skin and bones, yet he gave slow tail wags of appreciation to anyone who spent time with him. Once Romeo was healthy enough to leave hospitalization, the long road of extensive rehabilitation began – involving medical treatment, behavioral training, and emotional healing.As Romeo’s recovery progressed, we recognized that his past included little to no training; he had to learn nearly every life skill from the beginning. Romeo is a rare, special dog who’s helped teach us just as much as we’ve taught him.Romeo’s Personality:Romeo’s resilience shines through as one of his strongest qualities. He recovered from his experience and bonds deeply with the people he trusts, sharing his true self with us. He’s equal parts goofy, sweet, loyal, and playful; a big personality in a big body. He loves carrying around and showing people his babies (stuffed animals), also using them for support when overstimulated. When indoors, Romeo’s a content, low energy couch potato. When outdoors, he activates his athlete mode, ready to go all the time. Exploring is a favorite hobby, especially when it involves water time, and he’s usually the first to investigate something new (but he appreciates when he can process before jumping into a new experience). Romeo thrives with calm, confident leadership and looks to his person for direction. He catches on quickly to having a task, structure, consistency, and routine. We’re continuing to work with Romeo on impulse control and emotional regulation, two skills which have been challenges for him. Thankfully he enjoys learning and thrives when expectations are made clear. His food motivation greatly assists these training sessions, too.Romeo’s Ideal Home:And now, on to the best part – finding Romeo’s best fit person to continue his journey! His home setting will be very specific to set him up for long-term success.An experienced owner is best suited for Romeo; someone prepared to provide clear expectations, positive reinforcement training, daily mental enrichment, and close observation. It’s important Romeo finds a trusted guide who can read the room and remind him to slow down and think before reacting, particularly during rough play where he’s prone to overstimulation.Romeo’s ideal home is adults only (no kids for him) where he could thrive as an only pet. A fenced yard is a super bonus! Although he’s been around dogs in the past, those experiences were likely without healthy boundaries so he may lack appropriate dog-to-dog social skills. Cats are unknown, but we’d suggest a cat-free environment for this boy.Above all, Romeo needs someone both fun and consistent. A trusted caretaker willing and able to provide him the safe space he deserves, with all the happiness and personalized care that he missed out on in early life. Someone who appreciates Romeo, understands him right where he’s at, and guides him through his successful future.
