Puppies and dogs in Stratford, Ontario

Ranger is the tallest of the males in his litter of 10. He is vocal and loves to tell you about his day and then tell you again! He loves to be pet and looks at a gate as a challenge, not a barrier. He is a typical busy puppy, who loves to play, run, and wrestle. He will be a large dog, as both mom and dad are over 75 pounds. He is looking for a forever home that has some experience with the food motivated lab and stubborn mastiff. It is recommended that he attend a puppy socialization class to become comfortable with friends who are not his siblings. He will be visiting the vet this week for his vaccines, flea and tick treatment, microchip, and wellness screening. He will come with a voucher for his neuter at 6 months of age at our vet in Woodstock. His adoption fee is $500. You must be 21 years old to adopt and provide vet and personal references. An application to adopt him can be found on our website www.oxfordcountyanimalrescue.com. Click on Adopt, then Dogs for Adoption and scroll to the bottom of the page. All applications are reviewed, and if we feel you might be a good fit for him, you will be contacted to arrange a home visit as well as for permission to speak with your vet. Repeated phone calls and emails with not advance your application. We are a volunteer, foster based rescue and there is no opportunity to meet him before an application has been approved. We thankyou for respecting these guidelines.

Reese is the second largest male of this litter of 10 puppies. He's a typical puppy, living in the moment and making fun anyway he can! He thinks the water bowl is a toboggan and loves to ride it around the room.He is smart, very attentive and always looking for approval. He will be a large dog, as both mom and dad are over 75 pounds. He is looking for a forever home that has some experience with the food motivated lab and stubborn mastiff. It is recommended that he attend a puppy socialization class to become comfortable with friends who are not his siblings. He will be visiting the vet this week for his vaccines, flea and tick treatment, microchip, and wellness screening. He will come with a voucher for his neuter at 6 months of age at our vet in Woodstock. His adoption fee is $500. You must be 21 years old to adopt and provide vet and personal references. An application to adopt him can be found on our website www.oxfordcountyanimalrescue.com. Click on Adopt, then Dogs for Adoption and scroll to the bottom of the page. All applications are reviewed, and if we feel you might be a good fit for him, you will be contacted to arrange a home visit as well as for permission to speak with your vet. Repeated phone calls and emails with not advance your application. We are a volunteer, foster based rescue and there is no opportunity to meet him before an application has been approved. We thankyou for respecting these guidelines.

Rocky is one of the smaller male pups from a litter of 10. He is a challenging pup who pushes every limit he can! He will need a firm, patient owner who sets boundaries and stand by them. Like his brothers, he is a typical little boy who loves to run and chase and wrestle until it's time to eat. He will be a large dog, as both mom and dad are over 75 pounds. He is looking for a forever home that has some experience with the food motivated lab and stubborn mastiff. It is recommended that he attend a puppy socialization class to become comfortable with friends who are not his siblings. He will be visiting the vet this week for his vaccines, flea and tick treatment, microchip, and wellness screening. He will come with a voucher for his neuter at 6 months of age at our vet in Woodstock. His adoption fee is $500. You must be 21 years old to adopt and provide vet and personal references. An application to adopt him can be found on our website www.oxfordcountyanimalrescue.com. Click on Adopt, then Dogs for Adoption and scroll to the bottom of the page. All applications are reviewed, and if we feel you might be a good fit for him, you will be contacted to arrange a home visit as well as for permission to speak with your vet. Repeated phone calls and emails with not advance your application. We are a volunteer, foster based rescue and there is no opportunity to meet him before an application has been approved. We thankyou for respecting these guidelines.

Meet Shelby, a cute, sweet, cuddly, energetic girl looking for her furever home. We believe she is about 1-1.5 years old. She was found all alone at a hiking lookout, probably waiting for her people to come back for her. She had no collar or chip, and no-one came to look for her. She was extremely shy, nervous, and hungry and a bit worse for wear when she was found, but she is finding her groove now! She is very eager to please, and a quick study as she is very food motivated. She is currently working on crate training, loose leash walking, sit, down and leave it. She is house trained as long as she is let outside regularly, but she does not ask to go out. She seems to warm up to females quicker than men, but is becoming more confident with time. She doesn't like to be left alone, and is still a bit nervous of new people and places . She is currently being fostered with an older female lab/shepherd/ mastiff mix and is learning the ropes from her. She has learned to swim, fetch, chase sticks, play tug of war, wrestle and is learning to play with toys instead of shoes. She does like to chew! She likes to go for car rides and is developing a fascination for chasing squirrels. We are working on redirecting this new hobby. She has met a few other dogs and cats, but has not spent a lot of time with cats so she may be a bit too interested in them as they resemble squirrels. She has done well with the few older kids she has met . She is looking for a family who can give her lots of love and continue to work with her to help her continue to become more secure and confident. She is up to date on vaccines, heartworm negative, flea and tick treated and has been spayed. Her adoption fee is $500. You must be 21 years old to adopt and provide vet and personal references. An application to adopt her can be found on our website www.oxfordcountyanimalrescue.com. Click on Adopt, then Dogs for Adoption and scroll to the bottom of the page.

**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: Pesci! 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/. Hey World, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Pesci, named after ‘Joe Pesci’ for my small size but mighty personality and sometimes loud mouth and opinions. I am a long haired Chihuahua, I’m going on 10.5 years old, I weigh around 8lbs and I am gorgeous if I do say so myself. Let’s get the ugly stuff out of the way. I was turned into a pound with limited options and I was on the chopping block. I was apparently growling at people now ok my old home and was peeing all over the house. I hadn’t seen a vet since I was a puppy and as it turned out I was a senior dog with a lot of medical issues, no friends or family that cared and let me tell you, i was hurting. See, my jaw was broken in half, I had a raging bladder infection, big stones in my bladder, one of which got stuck in my urethra, and my mouth was rotting out. In fact I had a hole rotted into my sinus cavity and my teeth literally fell out…one even on the way to the vet! Can you believe that? I mean, no wonder I was cranky and peeing everywhere, I needed help but no one was listening. My foster Mom and Pound Dog Rescue saw me and despite my less than stellar video performance, they wanted to give me a chance. They believed I needed it and although I will only ever publicly admit this once, man, I was desperate. They found me when I really needed it most. My medical issues are all cleared up and I am a healthy guy. My jaw healed in its broken state but it doesn’t cause me any pain, my mouth is just a bit wonky but I call it ‘character’. I have to eat special food because of the stones in my bladder I had before, we really want to keep that from happening again…it sucks! But the good news is, I love the food…so much so that I know exactly when meal time should be and I voice my grievances if it is not delivered on time. Due to the damage done to my urinary tract, I can sometimes still dribble a little (it’s not often, but it occasionally happens) and I need regular bathroom breaks. There is not a lot of time between when I need to go and when you get me outside, so “chop chop! No dilly dallying!”. I stay in my crate when I am left alone and overnight, and I don’t mind it one bit. I actually really like my crate. You’ll just need to make sure that I get plenty of trips outside before I go to hang out in it for an extended period of time. Let me fill you in on what makes me a unique kind of guy looking for just the right match. Due to my previous experiences, I did not like to be touched by hands. Like I said, they have not been good to me and I do not forget that. It took many months to trust my foster Mom but I am now at this place with her that I am actually really affectionate and often seek out physical touch. I like to groom her head, snuggle into her neck and face for cuddles, crawl up onto her chest during morning coffee time and am now ok with her petting me and even rubbing my belly. Of course this is all on my terms because I am very much like a cat; affection when I want it, not clingy, leave me alone when I am not in the mood for it. I won’t be suited to a family with kids or people who don’t understand this as I will get snappy. I give you plenty of warning, so if you push me to the point of losing my…mind…it’s not my fault. I am crystal clear about my boundaries and you have plenty of opportunity to leave me alone. I don’t have teeth so I can’t hurt you, I don’t even want to, I just don’t want you to touch me when I am not in that trusting, affectionate mood. Generally speaking, though, I can handle you putting on a leash, taking me for a walk, but don’t be stroking my gorgeous coat (it’s beautiful, am I right?) when I say ‘no thanks’. I am also super quirky and love cuddling with your feet. I know it’s weird, but feet never hurt me, feet are good. I love snuggling up to them, pulling them in close to me with a paw and showering them with kisses if you let me. You know what else I am? So smart! I come when called, I have learned to sit, lie down and sit pretty. I really do want to be loved and be part of a family, I want to be a good guy. I live with a few other small dogs and I do well and am getting better all the time. I like them, but I have awkward social skills at times. My cues are all mixed up and I can leave dogs so confused about what I really mean or want from them. I am worse than a pre-teen at a grade 8 school dance…trying, but woefully socially unskilled! I am getting better and wouldn’t mind a canine companion, but if I am going to be around other dogs they have to be so patient with a guy like me and not react to every dumb move I make…because I make a lot. I never really left my home for all my years with my other people and I don’t know how to ‘dog’; for 9 years I basically lived without other positive doggy or people friends. Thankfully my foster siblings here are really kind and gentle and they take me in stride. But, they also give me fair corrections when I cross their line and you know what? I respect that…I’m not a fighter no matter what my blustering might tell you. I have grown to love car rides, sometimes I like walks and sometimes I don’t. But you know what I do love? My backyard kingdom. I feel good there, I feel safe and I like to explore all the little hiding spots. So, this is really a must for me as it is one of my big sources of joy. My kingdom needs to be fully secure so I can’t wander out of it because if I do, let me tell you, I’m likely not coming back. This boy is an independent man and he will go where he wants to, no amount of bribing is going to get me back. When it comes to meeting people, ‘no thank you’ to people I don’t know wanting to touch me. I want my space. If I come up to sniff them, it’s because I want to and not on anyone else’s agenda. I will take food from them sometimes, sometimes I won’t. Let’s be honest here, I don’t let my walks down easily and it’s going to take time and understanding for me to feel safe and open up. Random Joe Schmoes are going to have to appreciate me from afar until I am ready. Affection from me must be earned through patience and a history of kindness from you. Maybe I will change my mind about that one day, I have already made so much progress. Please don’t think this is going to be a quick process for me to learn to trust you or anyone else, because it won’t be…but I promise, I can get there. In fact, my foster Mon said I have become such a loving guy that it surprises even her. Apparently I am supposed to tell you other good things. As you know, I can now be quite cuddly when I trust you and feel so inclined. I love to lay down on the couch near you to watch Netflix at night, I am comical and do excited little hops when I am happy. I have started playing social distancing tag with my foster Mike, I play hide and seek, I love Puppacinos and my local Starbucks thinks I am awesome and should have my own social media team. But please, don’t be someone that wants to exploit my sassy mess for internet videos because that is actually pretty stressing for me…not cool. I know I’m quirky, I try every day to do better and I take steps forward all the time. I don’t know if I can ever let all of my walls down, but I try harder every day. And please, don’t apply for me if you think you are saving me. My foster Mom is awesome and she thinks I am super endearing in the weirdest ways, and I don’t need to leave here for someone who thinks they are doing me a favour. I am only going to leave here if someone truly wants to bring me home and love me just as I am. I have had enough of humans letting me down, I need the real deal, unconditional kind of love. I need you to love me knowing I am trying really hard and I do want to be better every day. It’s not an easy road, but I wouldn’t mind a chauffeur to take me down it and show me the good life. If you think you can do that, swipe right…or email Pound Dog…whatever it is the kids do these days. Name: Pesci ID # PDR918 Age: 10.5yrs Gender: male Neutered: yes UTD vaccines: yes Breed: Long Hair Chihuahua Colours: blonde Coat length: long House trained: yes Special needs: yes- read bio OK with kids: no OK with cats: yes Ok with dogs: yes (small, mature dogs) Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: X Small Location: Kitchener Adoption fee: $600

**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** Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. At Pound Dog Rescue, we believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, and 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/. For Adoption: Sloane! 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/. This pretty girl is Sloane! Sloane is a 4 year old Cocker Spaniel weighing just under 25lbs. She has a soft creamy coat and the most beautiful brown eyes. Now I know some of you are already filling out your application for Sloane but please read this bio first as we are looking for a very special family for Sloane. Our sweet and sensitive girl was discarded from a large scale breeding organization after 4 years and she has been slow to adapt to the world outside that facility. 4 years without love or socialization have put some hurdles up for Sloane but good luck found Sloane when Pound Dog Rescue decided to pull her into their care and give her a chance. Now she needs one more dose of good luck to help her find the family who can support her through the rest of her life. If you cannot handle a dog that is afraid of you to start and does not want to be touched initially then Sloane will not be a good match for you. I know when we find her family that they will get to see her transform over the next few years but please be honest about what you can handle and what you are looking for. Sloane is safe and loved in her foster home and we will take as long as we need to find the right forever home for her. Sloane has taken many huge steps during her time in foster care but she still has a journey ahead of her. She is looking for a family with experience dealing with timid dogs, shut down dogs and/or dogs retired from large scale breeding operations. She needs a home that is quiet and patient where she can be given the time and space she needs to get comfortable. Sloane’s family needs to have experience balancing this space with encouragement forward. We don’t want her to become stagnant so she needs to be shown the way forward on a daily basis. It is easy to want to coddle and protect her but this will not help her adapt or evolve. Outside of these needs, Sloane is a sweet and easy dog to have around. In the home she is crate trained and her crate is where she feels safest when we aren’t around and at night. She also has a dog bed in a wooded frame that is in the corner of our living room. This is where she likes to spend her time. She wants to be in the room with us, but likes the security of having her bed against the wall where she can watch the goings on from a safe spot. She is a social dog at heart and can often be seen wiggling her little nubby tail when we are around, she just isn’t comfortable with a lot of hands on attention yet. She is quite content in her bed and will quietly lie there, on the comfy pillow, either napping or just monitoring. We know in more time she will be a dog who wants more physical interaction with her people, but this is a long term goal, for now we take it as a huge win that she actively wants to be in the room with us and to be a part of the family. Sloane lives with several other dogs right now and gets along with everyone although there is not much playing interaction. She did not enjoy the energy of recent foster puppies; she is a dog that appreciates peace and calmness. She would be best with another mature dog in the home as long as they were calm and quiet and did not pester her to socialize or play. She likes the companionship and another dog to be a role model for her in her forever home would be best for her. She finds comfort in the presence of the other dogs so another appropriate dog in the home would be helpful and what we would be looking for in Sloane’s forever home. She readily accepts other dogs in her bed area and will cuddle with them. She has been a calming presence for our latest foster dog that chose Sloane as the dog she wanted to lie with and Sloane happily took on this role of security blanket. Sloane would be fine with dog savvy cats as she has shown no interest in the cats in her foster home. Sloane has learned the routine of our home and she seems to find comfort in the schedule. She will come to the kitchen with the other dogs to see about dinner, although she is quick to run back to her bed once we notice her. It still makes us smile because this is relatively new behavior and signals real change in her confidence. She will also follow along with the other dogs when it is time to go outside to the yard or for a walk. Sloane loves her walks and it is the only place we see her breed characteristics come to life. She will be nose to the ground taking in all the sniffs around her and her little nub tail will be wiggling. Occasionally she looks to us to interact but other times it frightens her so we just let her have her fun, encouraging her when she is happily walking along and sniffing and bursting with pride. She is a wonderful walking companion but this took months of work and we do expect that there will be some regression on this in her forever home. Sloane will need a rural area, quiet town, or secluded subdivision to be happy on her walks. She will not do well in an area where there is a lot of traffic noises, a lot of people, or in an area busy with bikes, skateboards etc. Her foster home is a rural area and our walks are nature filled and quiet and this is what suits Sloane best. When it’s time to go for a walk she will come out to the mudroom close enough for us to attach her leash and then we are off! Her confidence is more pronounced out on a walk and she will even venture out front at times, tail wiggling away. Walks are where Sloane’s inner happy dog really shines through. She’s happy to walk wherever we lead, for as long as we lead and pays little attention to anything else. She is not bothered by other animals or the weather, although she would prefer to NOT have a stranger get too close or pass behind her. It’s on our walks that Sloane seems to enjoy receiving some affection so we spend some time petting her at every pause. At the best of times Sloane remains a flight risk so she wears a martingale collar at all times and her new family must be ready to adhere to this same rule. When we get home she can climb back up the steps and into the home where this task used to take up to 5 minutes. We are so proud of how far she has come on her walks. When we first got her Sloane would panic on leash and it took months of slowly acclimatising her to the feel of a leash before a walk was successfully initiated. Then it took another few weeks of very short walks where we would carry her a bit down the way and then let her walk with us home, so to now have a dog that loves her walks and has discovered the joy of the sights and sounds of the world around her is such a sense of pride for us. Sloane can do the full flight of stairs up and down now, with encouragement. She would be fine in a home where she can spend most of her time on the main floor, but is able to navigate the stairs if necessary. but she prefers to not. The stairs outside on the deck have never been an issue for her. A very secure fenced yard is mandatory for her as this is where she is most comfortable going to the bathroom. She only recently started to go to the bathroom out on a walk but this can’t be relied on as her only option, so a safe, fenced yard where she can get her business done is needed. She also really enjoys her outdoor time and loves the smells associated with outside. Sloane is completely house trained at this point although she does not know how to signal she has to go out. We let her out regularly throughout the day and crate her when we aren’t home and this works for her. Her people just need to be proactive and let her out, rather than wait for her to let you know she has to go. She loves to get treats for good behavior if they are set down in front of her in her bed, and we can pet her a bit in the house as long as she sees it coming and you approach slowly. We also lift her and sit with her on our laps for a bit and she tolerates this interaction but is not fully comfortable with it yet. Sloane is not a dog who seeks out affection at this point. If we touch her without her seeing us coming she will flinch and even run. When it comes to other things in life, Sloane handles them as we would expect from a terrified dog. She is cooperative at the vet and the groomer because she is scared and shuts down so she needs a family who will understand this and advocate for her in these areas. She has a coat that requires regular grooming so her new family must be ready to commit to an appropriate grooming schedule and seek out a qualified groomer who is experienced in working with a very shut down dog. She is starting to get used to the car but still finds it scary so she needs to be secured in either a crate for everyone’s safety. Sloane has a healthy dose of ‘stranger danger’ so care must be taken when unknown people are around to give her a chance to adapt. Again, we don’t want to keep her away from everything new but we do want to be respectful of her fear so she can learn to handle new experiences with confidence. And that’s really what it comes down to – confidence. Sloane needs a family committed to helping her find hers. Sloane will do best in an adult only home as the action and noise of children will be too much for his sensitive girl. A home with teenage children would be considered. A home where children visit often would not be suitable either, but for a home where children visit occasionally Sloane would be just fine being in her crate when the kids visit. The growth we have seen in Sloane in the time she has been with us makes us incredibly proud and we can’t wait to see how far she goes. The right family for Sloane has experience dealing with frightened dogs and understands the need to support her while encouraging her through the scary things. They have a quiet, adult only home that is full of love and patience for this sweet girl. Her family needs to be committed to investing in her future even if it takes time to see the results. At the same time her new family needs to love accept her for the dog that he is today. She is a sweet, sensitive girl who deserves this next chapter of her life to be full of patience, love and support. If you think you could give our beautiful girl what he needs to be successful and confident then please fill out an application and we would love to talk to you about her. Name: Sloane ID # PDR1137 Age: 4yrs Gender: female UTD vaccines: yes Breed: Cocker Spaniel Colours: gold Coat length: med House trained: yes Special needs: no OK with kids: no OK with cats: yes Ok with dogs: yes Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: medium Location: Drumbo Adoption fee: $700