Size
(when grown) -
Details
Good with dogs,
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
Walker is living in a foster home. Please submit an application and email dogs@heartlandanimalshelter.org to see if you're a match.
Scroll through his pictures to see his adorable videos!
Walker is a true southern gentleman. He came to us from our shelter partner in rural Alabama. Back in February, he was found in a zip-tied crate on an abandoned property and brought to the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. With more than 20,000 animals in their care and far fewer adopters than animals who need homes, their staff knows that sweet, friendly dogs like Walker have a much better chance of finding their people here in the Chicago area. So Walker hitched a ride to Heartland!
We know it can sometimes be hard to get a sense of a dog's personality from photos alone. That is definitely not the case with Walker. He is exactly what he looks like: easygoing, gentle, and warm.
And then there are his videos. Walker comes off reserved at first, with humans. But dogs are his people. He can hang with dogs of all sizes, personalities, and play styles, and he is what we affectionately call a "helper dog." That's the rare dog who seems to speak fluent canine and can roll with just about anyone. We can pair him with dogs who need a little help learning how to interact appropriately because Walker isn't interested in escalating anything. If another dog tells him to back off, he doesn't take it personally. He simply moves along, confident that they'll come around eventually.
They always do.
While Walker speaks fluent dog, his people skills are still... intermediate. He does genuinely enjoy human companionship and will seek out affection once he's had a little time to warm up to someone new.
Walker doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He is, however, a sensitive and somewhat skittish guy. Fast movements, lots of noise, or a busy environment can send him looking for the nearest escape route. When he first arrived, if we approached his kennel with a leash in hand, he would retreat to his bed, curl himself into a little ball, and tremble.
After only a couple of days he would come to the front of his kennel with a wagging tail because he knows it's time for a walk, or playgroup. He loves our volunteers, and staff.
We know it can be hard to reconcile the timid dog you will meet in a room at the shelter with the Walker we see in the play yard every day—running, jumping, playing, and wearing the biggest smile imaginable on that adorable head.
Thankfully, Walker found the perfect foster home in which to blossom into his truest self. He lives with a couple and their three dogs. He had a couple of accidents the first two days, but none since. His foster mom writes, "He's doing so well! He's such a sweet & easy guy. He's so sweet with our pups, gives them space if they want space, and plays with them if they want to interact.
His safe space is a particular dog bed in our bedroom so if he's overwhelmed by a new noise or something (this morning, grinding coffee), he heads to the bed. But even though he's cautious and nervous at times, he's also very curious & brave!
He's still unsure about Matt, but he will often follow me around the house. It's really fun to see his little bursts of energy, sprinting as best he can with his baked potato bod or getting excited with toys!
If I can't find a shoe, I know to look at the dog beds because he likes to sneak things away to a dog bed and hoard them there!
As long as someone is patient and understand he needs a bit of time to build trust, he will be the perfect companion! He is such a sweet dude. I love him."
Walker’s adoption fee is $300. This animal is neutered and up to date on core vaccines.
Like many dogs who come to us from the South, Walker tested positive for heartworm disease. The good news is that heartworm is treatable, and he will receive her treatment through us.
Heartworm disease is common in dogs throughout the United States. It is a mosquito-borne disease and is not contagious to humans or other pets.
Heartworm disease is both preventable and curable. Once cured, a normal quality of life can be expected.
Walker will receive three injections to treat his Heartworm (the first one will be on 9/22/26, with the next two on 10/20 and 10/21). All treatments will take place at our shelter with our veterinarian.
That will complete the treatment, but he will need a quick retest at the adopter's vet 9 months post-treatment to make sure that he is Heartworm-free.
