Cocker Spaniel puppies and dogs in Elmira, Ontario

Zinnia-American Cocker Spaniel female's Story Meet Zinnia: Your Future Shadow, Cuddle Bug, and Best Friend. If you are looking for a gentle soul who will fill your home with quiet devotion, look no further than Zinnia (lovingly called Zinni). This 6-years-young American Cocker Spaniel has the most soulful eyes that will absolutely melt your heart! Zinni was recently rescued from a commercial breeding facility, where she spent her life as a commercial breeding dog and is now celebrating her "rebirthday" as a beloved indoor dog enjoying all of the comforts of beds and gentle TLC Zinni is learning what it means to be a cherished family pet, and she is embracing her new life with incredible resilience and grace. View Zinnia's full album of photos and videos here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.927363186580975&type=3 Fully Vetted & Ready for Her Forever Home Zinni is completely healthy and ready to go! She has completed all of her vetting, including: Up-to-date vaccinations Bloodwork excellent and heartworm/tick disease tested Negative Heartworm/flea/tick preventatives Microchip implant Spay surgery Full dental surgery Gaining Confidence Every Day Because of her past, Zinni is very shy and timid around new people. However, in just a few short weeks in her foster home, she has been steadily gaining confidence, thanks to having another dog in her foster home who is teaching her how wonderful life can be. She has officially discovered that love, safety, and pampering are wonderful things! Here is a glimpse into her sweet personality: Morning Rituals: When the morning alarm goes off, she happily wags her tail and waits patiently for her morning neck massage. She has even recently trusted her fosters enough to roll over for belly rubs! The Ultimate Cuddle Bug: It took some time, but Zinni is now comfortable jumping up on the sofa to enjoy evening cuddle time while her foster family watches TV. Cozy Bedtime Partner: While she loves the security of her crate and will happily go in and out of it throughout the day for naps, night-time is a different story. She has discovered that jumping up into bed with her foster is the best thing ever, sleeping contently all night. Quiet as a mouse: Zinni has not yet made a single peep! She does not bark or whine, making her a truly peaceful presence. This may change of course as her confidence grows. House-Training Superstar: She was quickly house-trained! She only has occasional accidents inside if she is feeling particularly nervous or stressed. Things We Are Working On: Zinni is trying her best and learning new things every day! Her perfect adopter will need to help her continue working on: Hand-Feeding Confidence: She loves tasty treats, but she is still too timid to take them directly from your hand. For now, she will happily enjoy them if you gently toss them in her direction. Leash Training: Zinni has not yet learned to go for walks on a leash as she is still too timid. It will take her some time to get familiar with the hustle and bustle of the outside world and unfamiliar street noises. She thrives in a fully fenced yard for exploring. Her Ideal Forever Home: Because the big wide world can still be intimidating to her, Zinni is looking for a patient, quiet environment where she can continue to blossom at her own pace. Her ideal home: People Home Often: Because she loves her humans and is still learning to settle into domestic life, she would thrive in a home where people are home often to continue working on her socialization and training. A suitable canine companion: She requires a home with a gentle companion dog. Having a canine sibling for companionship and confidence, to watch and mimic, will continue to help her build confidence and learn how to navigate the world. No Young Children: Due to her timid nature, a home without young children is necessary to keep her environment safe, peaceful and stress-free. Zinni is a nervous flight risk and children coming and going through doors pose a serious escape risk as well Cats: Zinnia is very respectful of cats. Understanding Transitions: Her new family should be prepared to give her grace during her first week or two in a new environment, as stress can cause temporary potty accidents. Watching a resilient dog like Zinni discover the joy of a soft bed, a belly rub, and the gentle touch of a loving hand is the most rewarding experience in the world. She is so ready for her true happily-ever-after. Does Zinni sound like your new best friend? To apply to adopt this sweet girl, please submit an adoption application at this link https://hobohavenrescue.ca/dog-adoption-application Adoption fee $850 To help guide you through our application process, we have outlined our standard adoption criteria and procedures below. Reviewing the Profile Before submitting an application, we kindly ask that you thoroughly review the dog's entire profile. Each of our rescues has unique needs, and we prioritize matching them with families that meet the specific criteria outlined for their "ideal forever home." Adoption Requirements: Inground pools must be fully fenced (no exceptions) No dog doors- we believe in fully supervised outdoor time for all dogs Commitment to approved, positive reinforcement training classes The Application Process To maintain the highest standard of care for our dogs, we follow a structured screening process. 1. Vet Quality of Care Check 2. Zoom Home Inspection & Interview 3. In-Person Meeting in St. Jacobs Please note that an approved adoption application is required prior to scheduling any meetings. 4. Training Commitment 5. Educational Requirement: "Petfooled" As part of our commitment to "know better/do better," we ask all serious applicants to watch the documentary "Petfooled" (available for free on YouTube or Amazon Prime). We believe quality nutrition is just as important as love. This documentary explores the pet food industry and the importance of species-appropriate nutrition. It is purely educational and helps ensure our adoptive families are equipped to provide the best long-term health for our dogs. Please reach out to us again after your family has viewed the documentary to share your feedback or ask any questions you may have. Meet-and-Greet Policy All of our dogs reside in private, volunteer foster homes. To respect the privacy and schedules of our foster families—and due to the high volume of inquiries we receive—meetings are only scheduled for applicants who have been fully approved through our screening process.

**IF THIS LISTING IS STILL POSTED THIS DOG IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. NO NEED TO EMAIL ASKING IF THE DOG IS AVAILABLE. PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS BIO THOROUGHLY AS INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY IS CONTAINED IN THIS LISTING** For Adoption: Rhonda! Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process. To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/. Meet Rhonda! This little sweetheart has been building confidence and slowly coming out of her shell since joining the PDR family. Rhonda is a discarded breeding mom who spent her first chapter in a puppy mill. Although she was quite shut down and nervous when entering her foster home, with patience and guidance she has been slowly opening up day by day and seeing how great life can be. Rhonda has been learning to appreciate having a penned-in area as her own secure space where she can hang out and relax. She's learned the routines of going in her crate for mealtimes and when she needs some physical space away from her furry foster hosts. Rhonda is crated at nighttime and during the day whenever she is alone in the house. It is crucial that Rhonda’s forever family continues to work on her confidence with being solo both for her own development, and to prevent the onset of any separation anxiety. Rhonda has done very well with her potty training, although she is still learning to let us know it is time for a bathroom break. When getting used to her new home she should be given the option to go out frequently until she develops a routine and a way to show her new family she needs to be let out. Her forever family should also be prepared that it may take her a bit of time to feel comfortable and safe when relieving herself. This can mean that she goes long periods of time where she may not do anything outside. Patience is key! Because of her nervousness Rhonda would do best in a home with direct access to a yard rather than an apartment setup. She is not yet confident enough to go to the bathroom on walks. Knowing that she will also need lots of trips outside when she first goes to her new home Rhonda would do best with her own quiet fenced yard to do her thing. Rhonda has been on a trip to the PDR vets and has been given a clean bill of health. She has been treated for fleas, ticks, and internal parasites, and has been given all of her age appropriate vaccinations and spayed. This little lady has done an excellent job of learning to walk on leash. She gets very excited and will spin around and bark when it's time to go for her walks. That being said her foster family has been trying to give her a mix of walks alone and with her foster siblings, and she is definitely more confident when she has a buddy. Knowing this, her new family should be ready to help her explore the world with lots of patience. She has also appointed herself chief squirrel observation officer while relaxing out in the yard. She is ready to defend her new backyard from all tiny intruders! Rhonda has only just started her journey of learning commands, and is beginning to learn to sit when told. Rhonda is a dog who aims to please, and has done great with positive reinforcement training. Her foster family believes she will pick up on training cues fast. She’s a smart cookie who picks up on routines quickly! Rhonda has done well making new friends, both human and canine, though she is still quite nervous with first meetings and particularly with men. With a bit of time she warms up and will come looking for scratches. She likes to press her body against peoples legs and have her ears and sides scratched, she is also quick to let you know you have stopped too soon and will scoop your hand back with her paws and ask for more! While she continues to build her confidence, introductions should be done in a controlled manner to keep her from being overwhelmed. Rhonda has become quite comfortable with her foster siblings. She enjoys having them around, and is more confident following their lead. She has not engaged in any type of direct play with them at this time, but she has discovered the joy of toys! She loves to carry around soft stuffed toys, and has been known to steal the occasional sock. Her foster parents have been working on reinforcing good behaviour around other dogs when it comes to toy time. We do not believe she has any true resource guardian tendencies, more so that she is learning how to share. Having someone to help guide her through new experiences does wonders for her confidence and really lets her delightful personality shine. Rhonda has not met any small children yet, so it’s hard to predict exactly how she would react. Because she is still learning to find her confidence, we think she would not be a good fit for a family with younger children. Quick sudden movements, and loud noises frighten her. Older children 12 and up who will behave in predictable ways would be a better fit. She also hasn’t met any cats, though her foster family thinks she could be taught how to coexist in a house with cat siblings. As mentioned, Rhonda enjoys the companionship of her foster siblings, and looks to them for cues when she is unsure. We think she would do well in a home with another calm mature dog, but would also be okay being on her own. Rhonda has come so far in a few short weeks! Everyday she surprises her foster family with how sweet and silly she can be. With the right family we are confident that she will continue to grow and her sweet little personality will really blossom. #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #rescuedog #adoptdontshop #pounddogs #pdr14years #pounddogrescue14yearsstrong Name: Rhonda ID # PDR1553 Age: 6yrs Gender: female Spayed: yes UTD vaccines: yes Breed: Cocker Spaniel Colours: red Coat length: med House trained: yes Special needs: no OK with kids: older OK with cats: yes Ok with dogs: yes Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: med Location: Kitchener, Ont Adoption fee: $700

**IF THIS LISTING IS STILL POSTED THIS DOG IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. NO NEED TO EMAIL ASKING IF THE DOG IS AVAILABLE. PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS BIO THOROUGHLY AS INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY IS CONTAINED IN THIS LISTING** For Adoption: Madelyn! Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process. To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/. Meet Madelyn a sweet, gentle and resilient little Cocker Spaniel. Madelyn has a cute stubby little tail that when she wags it her whole little butt end wiggles. Madelyn is a beautiful mostly black and white girl. She has lovely silky ears and the uniqueness of two different colour eyes, known as heterochromia. This is because there is some blue merle in her, which can be seen in her face and legs. She is estimated to be about 5 years old. She weighs approximately 9.5kg (21 lbs). She has reached an ideal weight after coming to our rescue underweight. Madelyn came to us as a retired mill momma. We realized immediately that she was not well when she came to our home and within 24 hours she was at the vets having emergency spay surgery to remove an infected uterus. This condition is known as pyometra and is life threatening. She spent the weekend at the emergency clinic. Thankfully she rallied and made a full recovery after a couple weeks. Once she was on the road to recovery it was time to try and get her to put on some weight. Her appetite rallied and she became a typical cocker spaniel that loves her food and treats. She will try and steal food from your plate if she could. We have been working with her to teach her she can’t just help herself to whatever she wants. This is something her forever family will need to continue working on. Madelyn also had the typical trust issues of a mill momma around people since interactions with people were not always the most positive in her former situation. She was very frightened of loud noises and quick movements. Since her time with us in foster care she has become less skittish and not as easily startled. However loud noises and quick movements still cause a reaction from Madelyn though she recovers quicker now. Despite Madelyn’s trust issues she loves people and will seek out affection and petting. Madelyn has shown no interest in toys of any kind. Although she will occasionally pick up a chew bone and chew on it. Due to Madelyn’s start in life she will need a quiet home without young children or young children visiting regularly. The noise and chaos would not be good for her. Quiet respectful teenagers would be ok but an adult only home would be best. Madelyn is a very quiet dog who rarely barks and when she does it is not very loud so any type of home situation would be fine as long as it isn’t a busy high rise apartment building. She should live in a quiet neighbourhood because a lot of traffic noise and the hustle and bustle of a busy downtown would be too much for her to cope with. A rural setting or quiet suburb would suit her best. Madelyn enjoys a short walk once or twice a day of about 20 minutes. She is very good on the leash and is not a puller. If she lags or moves ahead she will check herself as soon as she feels the leash tighten and will speed up or slow down to get back to a loose leash situation. Madelyn is a low to medium energy dog. It has taken her some time to build up stamina after her health issues. Madelyn also likes to wander around our securely fenced yard at a leisurely pace. Due to her being easily startled and therefore a flight risk, Madelyn needs to be securely leashed when outdoors or in a securely fenced yard. Madelyn is fully house trained with no accidents in quite a while. She is not great at signalling that she needs to go out although she will go to the back door and look at you. We let her out regularly and she always does her business outside. Madelyn is crate trained. She sleeps in her crate at night and is quiet all night. She is also crated when we need to leave the house. She will go into her crate with some coaxing but does not go in of her own accord. Her meals are also provided to her in her crate. This is mainly because she feels more secure eating away from the other dogs. She prefers the quiet and safety of eating in her crate. At mealtime she runs into her crate and waits for her food. Madelyn is a very good car rider. She normally rides seat belted in with a harness. Once she is securely fastened in she will lay down and sleep for the car ride. She has been on numerous car rides of up to 1.5 hours and has had no issues with car sickness. Madelyn has travelled to go camping and has adapted well to her camping trips. She loves camping and the numerous walks and chilling on the campsite watching the activity around her. Madelyn is a very curious dog who prefers to observe until she is comfortable enough to participate. Currently Madelyn lives with three male dogs, a couple cats and a couple parrots. She shows no interest in the parrots. She will sniff the cats but shows no prey drive to chase them. She lives peacefully with the dogs but has no interest in interacting with them. My mothers female dog stayed with us for a while and Madelyn was not thrilled with having another girl around the house. For this reason Madelyn would do best as the only dog in the house or a quiet, gentle, mature male dog that she can learn dog behaviour from. On our walks Madelyn shows no interest in people or other dogs. Squirrels will occasionally peek her interest and she will move towards them but is easily brought back to walking calmly beside you. To this point Madelyn has not learned any formal commands. We have been working on getting her comfortable with the household routine. She does however come into the house when her name is called and she has mastered the routine of the house. She knows when it is time to go out, time to go for a walk, time to go to bed and of course time to eat. She loves the evening routine of jumping on the couch and snoozing next to you while you watch TV. She will also roll around on the couch and loves when you give her a nice belly rub. Madelyn’s grooming needs consist of weekly brushings and a groom every 6 weeks or so to keep her fur neatly trimmed. Her fur does not grow very quickly. She will also need to have her ears cleaned regularly as she has the typical cocker ears that are prone to infection. As noted earlier Madelyn had to have an emergency spay due to pyometra. She is up to date on her vaccinations, has been tested for heartworm and internal parasites both of which were negative. She has been treated for external parasites as well. Madelyn has also been treated for an ear infection. Madelyn also had a dental and a couple masses removed from her mammary glands. The masses were tested and the majority were benign. However one was an adenocarcinoma (grade1). This means that it did not involve the lymph nodes nor had it spread and it’s removal was curative. YAY! After recovery from her surgery a couple additional lumps were discovered in her mammary tissue and in an abundance of caution the rear two mammaries were removed. At this time Madelyn has had all her medical needs addressed and she is ready to find her forever home. Madelyn is a sweet and lovely dog that is very easy to live with. She enjoys being around her people without being clingy. If you are looking for a sweet, gentle, smaller cocker spaniel to fill your home with love and affection Madelyn may just be your girl. Name: Madelyn ID # PDR1540 Age: 5yrs Gender: female Spayed: yes UTD vaccines: yes Breed: Cocker Spaniel Colours: black merle, white Coat length: med House trained: yes Special needs: no OK with kids: teens OK with cats: yes Ok with dogs: yes Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: medium Location: Listowel, Ont Adoption fee: $700

**IF THIS LISTING IS STILL POSTED THIS DOG IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. NO NEED TO EMAIL ASKING IF THE DOG IS AVAILABLE. PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS BIO THOROUGHLY AS INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY IS CONTAINED IN THIS LISTING** For Adoption: Tootsie! Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process. To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/. Meet Tootsie! If you're looking for a sweet, loyal companion who is discovering the joys of being a beloved family dog, then Tootsie may be the perfect match for you. Tootsie is a beautiful 4-year-old Parti-Coloured Cocker Spaniel weighing approximately 9 kg (20 lbs). As a former mill dog, she is still learning that life can be full of comfort, love, and fun. Watching her gain confidence and experience new things is one of the most rewarding parts of having her around. Tootsie is a happy, loveable dog who has a resting “sad” face but is in fact a very joyful dog!! So don’t let her photos fool you, this dog loves her new life outside of a puppy mill! Tootsie forms a deep bond with her primary caregiver and is incredibly loyal, but she is also gentle and kind with other people. She is wonderful with children and has a calm, affectionate nature. She would do well in a home with quieter children over the age of 8yrs. While she may be a little reserved at first, her sweet personality quickly shines through. She is a very happy dog who greets her foster mom with pure excitement every morning and every time she comes home. Nothing makes Tootsie happier than being close to the people she loves. She is an exceptionally cuddly girl who enjoys snuggling on the couch and absolutely adores full-body scratches. One of her favourite ways to ask for affection is by rubbing herself along the couch while waiting for pets. Tootsie enjoys a predictable routine and has settled beautifully into foster care. She sleeps soundly from approximately 10:00 p.m. until 6:00-7:00 a.m. and is taken outside for her final potty break between 9:00 and 9:30 p.m. She eats kibble twice daily, at breakfast and dinner, along with a few treats used for training and crate rewards. One of Tootsie's favourite activities is her daily walk around the block. She walks well on leash and enjoys exploring, although she could use a bit more practice to reduce her occasional zig-zagging. As she gains more confidence we expect her activity level to rise and she will need longer and more frequent walks. She will always be a moderated energy dog though. She has also mastered going up and down stairs and travels wonderfully in the car. Tootsie is making excellent progress with her training. She understands: • "Go Potty" • "Into your crate" • "Go to bed" • Gentle corrections such as "No" and "Ah-ah" • “Leave it” and “sit” are gaining consistency When outside, she responds to the command "Go Potty," although she can sometimes become distracted by wanting cuddles from her caregiver. A little patience and consistency help her stay focused on the task at hand. She is curious and likes to investigate her surroundings, but she responds well to gentle boundaries and redirection. Tootsie had the usual medical issues you expect with Cockers: when we got her both ears had infections in them so we got that treated. She will need weekly ear cleaning and maintenance to ensure she doesn’t get an infection again. Her anal glands were full so we had those expressed. She was spayed without issue and our vet team had a good look at her teeth while she was under and although she has tartar, there was not a need for a dentistry at this time. Our vet team wants to give her body time to adjust to her now premium diet and the introduction of chew toys and have her adopters veterinarian reassess at next years check up appointment. Her adopter needs to be prepared to do a dental on her though in coming year of years. Mature Cockers are almost always in need of a dental at some point. Like many Cocker Spaniels, she enjoys treats, but she is not fed from the dinner table. If she tries begging or jumps up for attention, ignoring the behaviour and redirecting her helps her quickly settle down and lie quietly. Tootsie lives with a cat in her foster home and is fine with him. She would also be fine with a mature, calm natured dog in the home that doesn’t wish to wrestle play, but would be a good companion. She would also do just as well with being the only dog in the home and getting all the attention. A quiet dog, she would do well in most living situations although is not a dog for a high rise, busy apartment building or a downtown city environment. She needs a calm and quiet environment in which to build confidence. We need to always keep in mind that up until a short while ago she lived solely in a kennel in a barn so hasn’t had exposure to the world outside until entering foster care. A small town, rural environment, or quiet subdivision will suit her best. Tootsie is wonderfully crate trained and actually enjoys having her own safe spaces. She is crated while her foster mom is at work and overnight, and she settles without complaint. When asked to "Into your crate," she happily enters her daytime crate. At bedtime, she responds to "Go to bed" and heads to her nighttime crate located in the bedroom. During her free time, she often wanders in and out of both crates on her own, showing just how comfortable she is with them. As a former mill dog, Tootsie is still learning how to play. Her confidence grows a little every day, and it's a joy to watch her discover new things. She is beginning to enjoy toys, and her absolute favourite is her Kong, especially when it's filled with peanut butter. She also has a quirky habit of stealing socks and carefully gnawing on them until they are thoroughly soggy! Tootsie loves spending time outdoors and enjoys roaming around a fenced backyard. Because she is closely bonded to her primary caregiver, she prefers to keep that person in sight and may need an escort outdoors to feel secure. Potential adopters should know that Tootsie is quite the little Houdini. She is quick and clever and can easily slip through an open door if given the opportunity. For her safety, she should be crated or securely leashed whenever exterior doors are being opened. This is also why she is only suited to a home with older children, and even at that, any children in the home need to be responsible enough to always close doors right away and never leave a gate or door open. Tootsie would thrive in a patient, loving home that understands she is still learning what it means to simply be a dog. She offers endless affection, loyalty, and companionship in return. While she has moments of curiosity and occasional mischief, she is eager to please, responsive to gentle guidance, and continues to blossom every day. She is usually very quiet, though she has recently started giving a few barks when strangers arrive at the front door. She settles quickly when reassured and is otherwise a calm, peaceful housemate. Tootsie is a delightful little dog with a huge heart. Watching her discover toys, cuddles, routines, and the simple pleasures of family life is truly special. She is ready to write the next chapter of her story with a forever family who will cherish her gentle spirit and continue helping her grow into the confident, happy dog she was always meant to be. Name: Tootsie ID # PDR Age: 4yrs Gender: female Spayed: yes UTD vaccines: yes Breed: Cocker Spaniel Colours: red and cream Coat length: med House trained: yes Special needs: no OK with kids: older OK with cats: yes Ok with dogs: yes Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: medium Location: Kitchener, Ont Adoption fee: $700

**IF THIS LISTING IS STILL POSTED THIS DOG IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. NO NEED TO EMAIL ASKING IF THE DOG IS AVAILABLE. PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS BIO THOROUGHLY AS INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY IS CONTAINED IN THIS LISTING** For Adoption: North! Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process. To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/. Are you looking for a medium sized dog to fill your home with gentle affection and quiet companionship? Well, look no further, because North might just be the dog you’ve been looking for! He is approximately 35 pounds, with weight needed to be lost still, and is 5 years old. He should be closer to 30lbs at an ideal weight. He came to us quite chubby and is on a slow weight loss and exercise program. North is a Cavalier King Charles and Cocker Spaniel mix that is looking for a family with patience to help build his confidence in a safe and loving environment. Having lived his whole life as a puppy mill stud dog, North has not had the opportunity to experience much of the outside world which can sometimes be overwhelming. Despite being somewhat shy and timid, North has an undeniably sweet personality and happily welcomes affection once he’s warmed up to you. North was seen by our vet where he was thoroughly examined and received all the necessary services including his vaccinations and was microchipped. Additionally, North was neutered and had his teeth cleaned. He has been given a clean bill of health and is all ready to for his new family. His black, white and brown coat more closely resembles the colours of a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, while his build is more like that of a Cocker spaniel. This mix of breed does shed, but with regular brushing and seasonal grooming appointments it will help to reduce excessive shedding and keep his coat manageable. When North first arrived from a puppy mill, it was clear he hadn't received the proper nutrition or exercise he deserved. Thankfully, those days are far behind him! He is currently thriving on a high-quality weight management diet and absolutely loves his newfound active lifestyle, which includes walks and hikes and fun play sessions in the backyard. North is already showing incredible improvements, and his happy spirit is shining through more with each passing day. North currently shares his foster home with two other canine companions and gets along beautifully with them. In fact, having the other dogs around has proven to be a big help for North learning to just be a ‘regular dog’ by watching his foster siblings. This has helped North see firsthand that humans are safe, kind, and trustworthy. While it’s not mandatory for North to live with another dog, he would happily welcome living with another friendly dog. North hasn't had the chance to meet any cats yet, but he hasn’t shown a strong prey drive and would likely do well sharing a home with a dog-savvy feline friend. North has done very well with crate training and is happy to go into his crate to sleep at night or during the day if left home alone. He has also learned how to walk on a leash and enjoys going for walks and hikes. As a former puppy mill dog he is still getting used to all the things in the world outside. Sudden noises, groups of new people or fast-moving things like bikes can sometime startle him. Thankfully he generally remains calm in most situations, but he will sometimes freeze in place if he is unexpectedly triggered by something. When this happens, he may refuse to continue walking for a few minutes until he feels it’s safe to continue. The ideal home would be a calm household with someone who has prior experience owning a dog. While North is an easy-going dog, he needs a family able to dedicate the time to continue building his trust and confidence. Older children, over 10yrs old, would be okay provided they understand how to respect a dog’s boundaries. He enjoys having a backyard to sniff around in, so a home with a yard would be best the best fit, and apartments wouldn’t suit his needs. North has shown he is a fast learner in the right environment and has quickly picked up house training. It’s important his new family be consistent with his house training and allow for repeated and regular outside time for bathroom breaks. This is especially important in the early days when coming to a new home environment. Having lived much of his life in a barn he can easily revert to old habits if consistent bathroom breaks are not provided. An accident or two is likely to be expected in the early days, but once he learns the correct places to go outside to do his business, he will quickly master the routine. As previously mentioned, post-adoption training is a requirement for all dogs adopted from PDR. This training will be a huge asset for North’s journey to continue building on his confidence and the progress he has already made. While his past may have been difficult, his future is bright, and he is ready to take the next step with a patient and loving family. If you have the time and heart to help North continue his transformation, apply to adopt him today and discover the unmatched loyalty and love he has to offer. Name: North ID # PDR1564 Age: 5yrs Gender: male Neutered: yes UTD vaccines: yes Breed: Cavalier King Charles/Cocker Spaniel Colours: tri Coat length: med House trained: yes Special needs: no OK with kids: older OK with cats: Unknown Ok with dogs: yes Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: med Location: Kitchener, Ont Adoption fee: $700