Size
(when grown) Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg)
Details
Good with dogs,
Not good with cats,
Needs special attention,
House-trained,
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
You can fill out an adoption application online on our official website. Meet Barbara! Barbara is a small girl with a big personality. She loves to snuggle, chew on bones, and hear about how adorable she is. Barbara does well with other dogs in the home but does not do well with cats. She seems to have a prey drive so small dogs and cats are not ideal for Barb. She's small for her breed, currently only about 20lbs at 9mo old and it isn't anticipated that she'll get too much bigger. It would be a surprise if she reaches 30lbs (although size cannot be guaranteed). **She does need to be lifted and carried quite a bit, so a home where that is available is a must.** Barb does have mobility challenges. She has a congenital deformity in her spine- a "kink" in between her shoulders, that compresses her spinal cord. For her, this means that her hind legs have a mind of their own and there isn't a ton of communication/delayed communication from her brain to her back legs. She is potty trained and does really well going potty outside on a schedule. She doesn't really "tell" us when she has to go outside- truthfully, I don't know if she knows when she has to go. But we take her out every 4-5 hours during the day and that seems to work for her! She does great overnight in her kennel, although she LOVES to snuggle in bed. When going to the bathroom, we use a sling under her tummy or her Help 'em Up harness to support her back end as she doesn't have the control in her hind end to squat. If unsupported, she often falls into her potty and it can get messy. Other than supporting her hind end- there isn't anything extra as far as her care goes. When she gets excited, her back legs run her in circles and zig-zags, and we tell her "Woah, Barb, you're spinnin' out! Watch out!" :D Sometimes her face looks annoyed as her back legs run her around- usually this is for treats outside. Barbara does enjoy the fresh air and views of a walk from her wagon with a fluffy blanket. She's gone to the farmer's market in her wagon and she has a blast! She's really great with new people, kids, adults of all kinds. Inside the house, she does best with carpet or rugs. In her foster home, she has rugs scattered throughout the home to help her get around and she runs from rug to rug, and will lean against furniture for support. When her hind legs get wild, she does often fall down, or bump into things while moving around the home. Barbara currently only has to deal with 3 steps going in/out of the home. She does the stairs with the support of her hind end (sling under her tummy or her special harness) and she often tries to do the stairs even without support, usually unsuccessfully. She is a confident little thing, and very brave. Barb continues to try to jump on the furniture (which I don't know if she'll ever actually be successful at that...) and she's not afraid to try new things. She does have a wheelchair to help support her hind end so she can run independently in the yard to burn some energy, which we do a few times a week. She's really a couch potato and just wants to cuddle, play with squeaky toys and chew on bones Over the past few weeks, her body has gotten taller and longer and it seems like she has a little more control over her back end, but she'll never move like a normal dog. Her medical needs for the future are unknown at this point, but as far as the kink in her spine, there isn't really anything that can be done and there's a chance that as she finishes developing, there may be some more improvements in her mobillity. A normal day for Barb is that of any other dog- napping, chewing, napping some more. Half of the week she stays home with her foster dad while he works from home. And the other days, she goes to the vet clinic that her foster mom works at. She watches the work day from the comfort of her cozy bed in her kennel. Barb is quiet almost always unless there is a cat that she can see or hear or a small dog being treated on the table outside of her kennel. Her prey drive is something that has developed as she has gotten older. For a short time, she lived with a dog-savvy cat and did just fine, but a home without cats is what is ideal for her now. Barbara has a lot of personality packed into that little body of hers and she knows how to enjoy life to the fullest. Even if she doesn't move normally, she has a blast running around like a little goblin- and it's pretty adorable too! :) Barbara is from an owner surrender. If you are interested in getting to know this animal better, please fill out an adoption application. An adoption application is the best way to show your interest in an animal and is not a binding contract. To learn more about Ruff Start’s adoption process and the care our foster animals receive, please visit our How to Adopt page. *Rescue puppies are notorious for losing their birth certificates before entering our rescue. We cannot guarantee the breed or size they will be full grown.* If you are unable to adopt but want to help this animal and others in our care, you can  donate  to support the medical and veterinary needs of all Ruff Start Rescue animals.   Visit this organization's web site to see any additional information available about this pet.September 15, 2024, 10:31 am
