Size
(when grown) Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg)
Details
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
Are you looking for a smart, active, playful dog, one you can jog/ run with and one who is also a good house guardian?
Meet Maggie. Some dogs need time to find the right person and that is the case with this beautiful dog. This poor girl has been bounced around quite a bit in her short life, but despite all of the flux she’s experienced, she remains happy. We know she would thrive in the right environment and would be a wonderful companion for someone looking for a smart and active young dog.
Maggie is definitely a people dog – she bonds quickly and is smart and eager to listen and learn. She would do best with people willing to train her, give her lots of exercise, and possibly even a “job” to keep her occupied. Maggie enjoys snuggling on the couch and will nose your hand to receive more pets. In fact, she loves her people so much she can get jealous if there is another dog in the house who approaches when Maggie is getting love. Her family should be aware of this and work with her on sharing. Praise and attention are her favorite rewards – even more than food. She is very loving and eases nicely at night – she would love nothing more than to cuddle in bed with her person. There’s never a shortage of kisses when she’s around!
This girl is small (#40) but STRONG. We think she is a Dutch Shepherd (or mix) and she'll turn 2 yr in July. She needs someone able to hold on to her during a walk or use a gentle leader. While she is good with older kids, she might easily pull them over on a walk depending on their size, so we recommend a strong adult walks her. We also recommend kids in the home are older (10 years and up) since she is unsettled around the fast and unpredictable movements of toddlers. Maggie is very playful but can scare other dogs with her rough play. She’s not aggressive, she’s just the kind of dog who thinks it’s good fun to body slam. We have only found one dog that will keep up with her and reciprocate her rough play – most dogs tend to get intimidated or tired quickly. Maggie doesn’t always respond to cues from other dogs and she will often continue to initiate play, often stressing other dogs that aren’t interested. We think she might do best as the only dog in the home or paired with a large active, playful,submissive dog.
Maggie is a little timid on walks and unsure of new experiences while out on a walk – understandably so! She needs someone that will gently encourage her to explore things she is hesitant to approach in order to instill confidence in her. Heavy traffic is particularly scary, but she does well as long as she is reassured. We feel that this will lessen over time as she gets more exposure to new situations. One thing that doesn’t frighten her is squirrels! She loves to try to catch them and being so strong, she needs someone able to hold on to her when she gives chase.
A fence is no challenge to Maggie, nor is a loosely installed tie-out. Given the chance, she will easily jump a 4-ft fence, sometimes with the tie out trailing behind! She never goes far, but clearly this is a dangerous situation for her. She will need a home that has a high privacy fence, or a secure tie-out.
We cannot stress enough – Maggie needs to RUN. She can run for 30-45 minutes without a break, and she loves it! If she does not get enough exercise, her pent-up energy shows! It is very important she has an active family or a large yard where she can run and play.
Maggie LOVES to play. She does a good job of entertaining herself when no one is interested in playing with her. She enjoys plush toys, rope toys, filled bones, and Kong toys. It’s adorable when she throws a rope toy in the air then rushes over to retrieve it. She would be a great candidate for any games or toys that she has to figure out – she’s incredibly smart (OK, and sometimes stubborn). Maggie also loves car rides. Riding in the car might be her favorite activity. Given the chance she will jump in the car anytime – even if you just got back from a trip and haven’t had a chance to close the car door yet!
Maggie is reliably housetrained. She will tolerate being kenneled when left during the day but has to be encouraged with a treat or filled Kong. Being so smart, Maggie knows a handful of commands and we are sure she could easily learn more! Right now, she knows sit, stay, come, down, wait, off, and paw (shake).
Maggie is an excellent alert dog. She is very aware of her surroundings and will make her people aware of someone on or near the property. Maggie makes sure to reminder her family someone is close and remains alert until the person leaves.
Maggie was a stray, so we don’t know a lot about her beginnings, but have amassed a lot of information from her foster homes. She’s a great girl and we think the right home is out there – it just might take some time to find it. She deserves the chance to have a permanent family that can teach her, keep her challenged, and most importantly, love her. Because she plays so rough, it’s probably best if she lived in a home without cats. She is spayed, vaccinated, and Heartworm negative. Her microchip is registered to Second Chance. Maggie's adoption fee is $300. Call 651-771-5662 if you have questions, or would like to meet her.
