Size
(when grown) Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg)
Details
Good with kids,
Good with dogs,
Needs special attention,
House-trained,
Spayed or Neutered,
Shots are up-to-date,
Story
For Adoption: Avro!
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 adorable wiggle bum is Avro. He’s a 4.5 month old Bully/ Weimaraner breed mix, with possibly some Labrador as well. He was rescued by PDR from a shelter in Quebec, and made his way into foster care in Kitchener. One look at this sweet boy easily melts your heart. Avro is a seriously gorgeous pup, with very unique fur and eye colouring. His fur is grey-blue with a tinge of tawny brown in the sun, and his eyes are a dazzling ice blue and vibrant yellow-green. His looks literally stop people in the street. Avro will be a big boy once fully grown, likely over 80lbs. He’s currently about 40lbs.
His physique is incredible, muscular and strong. He has the adorable, perky ears from the bully breed, but they’re larger like a Weimaraner. He has the broad head and muscular figure of the bully, but with the longer legs and more sporty look of the Weimaraner. He’s truly stunning.
Avro is an absolute sweetheart and a very fun dog to have around the home. He also has a big personality. He’s super playful and cuddly, making him a great mix for people who want a dog to play games with, but also a dog who enjoys napping and cuddling on the couch with you. He’s supremely confident, goofy, determined, openly affectionate, and very sweet.
Avro the entertainer will fill your days with laughter. From his puppy zoomies around the yard to the way he talks to his toys, he’s always entertaining. Avro likes to practice his Weimaraner stalking techniques on our family dog when they play. He slowly creeps up to her, in full view by the way, until the last moment when they’re almost touching noses. Then a playful game of chase begins, he's hilarious.
Avro has been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition called Severe Valvular Pulmonic Stenosis, with reduced right ventricular systolic function. It means that his life will be shorter than most dogs, but Avro has no idea his heart isn’t strong! Avro’s happiness and goofy, affectionate personality will bring you lots of laughter and cuddles each day. His condition requires a bit of extra care from his human, like supervising his exercise to ensure he remains safe, and taking his daily beta blocker medication to help reduce his heart rate. Avro really likes taking his medication with chicken, but he’s not a picky boy. Avro is on a top quality kibble diet that he will need to stay on, and doesn’t require anything specific beyond the high quality diet while avoiding overly salty foods like deli meat or table food that has salt. It’s very important though, that Avro not be fed any grain free or raw diets. His food is available at any quality pet food store and anyone interested in Avro needs to be committed to continuing to feed him this quality diet.
Avro is a puppy, and he loves life. He doesn’t care how much time he has, as long as it’s fun! Avro’s current routine involves lots of play and exercise, like pack walks, training sessions, and playtime with his human and doggy friends alike. He’s looking for a home that can give him constructive outlets that let him be his playful, goofy self, with a family that will help him live comfortably and happily.
Avro had a full cardiac workup as well as balloon valvuloplasty surgery, and there are no further surgical options for Avro’s condition. Anyone interested in Avro needs to read up on severe valvular pulmonic stenosis and be fully aware of the needs of dogs with this condition. The full report from the specialist will be given to his adopter and their veterinarian. He is on daily medication, a beta blocker called Atenolol, which he will need for life. The bad news is that this condition will shorten his life. The specialist cannot say for how long he will live, it could be years, but Avro will not be a dog that reaches his senior years. This is something that needs to be seriously considered. Anyone adopting Avro needs to be fully aware that they won’t have decades with him, but he can have some very good years. We need to ensure that the time he has will be spent with a family who adores him and will give him the very best life.
The good news is that Avro doesn’t know he has this condition, and currently it doesn’t affect his energy or ability to be himself. He is a very happy and affectionate puppy who is in no pain or discomfort. He's a playful boy who just wants to have fun. Avro will not be able to do very active things like going for runs with you, nor would he really want to anyway, however Avro loves doing zoomies around the yard and can be very excitable and play motivated. He simply needs to be supervised to keep him safe.
Due to his condition, any other dogs in the home need to be a good companion for Avro. He loves to play and wrestle and do all the excitable things a puppy does. Any running in the yard or wrestle playing should be supervised to ensure Avro’s safety, but playing is great! Avro’s life should be a happy one filled with fun activities and lots of interaction with his family.
Avro is a social butterfly who enjoys greeting everyone he meets on his journeys. We nicknamed him Mr. Wiggles because he gets full body wiggles when he greets someone, and especially with kids. He would have tons of fun playing with kids who are comfortable around a large breed dog, and he really loves attention. Avro rarely nips, but he is still learning in this area and can nip when he gets very excited. He’s matured a lot here already, but should have ongoing training to make sure he continues to be a good boy. While Avro is incredibly fond of all children, he will not suit a home with infants or very young kids, as he could nip or knock them over when excited.
Avro loves to play with our family dog and would do well in a home with other dogs that are of a similar size and well socialized, to help him continue learning to be a well behaved boy. They should also be comfortable with a sometimes exuberant puppy. Avro would also suit a home as an only dog too. Avro does show occasional interest in chasing squirrels, and given the hunting nature of the Weimaraner we don’t recommend Avro go to a home with cats.
Avro is a very cuddly boy, who despite his size (and still growing) loves some quality lap time while he chews, snuggles, or even falls right asleep. He is generally a quiet dog but with bursts of vocalizations when he gets excited. He’s regularly quiet throughout the day, and doesn’t bark at people or other dogs unless he’s playing. When he plays he can get loud, often talking to himself or others with all sorts of noises ranging from chirps and high pitched yips, to play growls or barks, and even groans. He often talks in his sleep too, and will occasionally bark when he’s trying to get attention. Due to his playful vocal nature, Avro would do best in a detached home, or at least a home where his antics won’t disturb anyone sensitive to these infrequent but fairly loud vocalizations.
Avro is not a sporty dog, which is good given his heart condition, but he can be fairly energetic. He loves to play, and while he isn’t super motivated for walks, he enjoys being out to sniff and greet people. He requires a bit of motivation to ensure he gets the regular exercise and exposure he needs to be healthy and fulfilled. Avro should go for regular walks to keep his weight down and for some healthy physical and mental stimulation.
Avro is a determined boy, and not one to give up easily! His motto is try your best, and if you don’t succeed, try again only harder! This is great for training because Avro has a great attention span for a puppy, and is not easily deterred by mistakes or failures. He’s learning patience and focus too, meaning training with Avro is a very rewarding experience. His determination also means that he will try new ways of achieving his goals. So if his goal is to steal your shoe or get on the furniture he’s not allowed on, he’ll come up with all sorts of new ways to try, until he’s exhausted all possible tactics. He has yet to do so here. ;)
Avro will require basic obedience training and will greatly benefit from the bond it creates between him and his family. It also helps teach him patience, gives his brain and body a low key, constructive outlet, and will help him learn what your rules and boundaries are. He will love training classes and is already ahead of the game as he is learning obedience skills while in his foster home.
Avro is excellent at being handled. You can pick him up, touch him anywhere, put his outdoor gear on, handle his ears and feet, check his teeth, and trim his nails without issue. He’s not excited about getting geared up for his winter walks but he tolerates it well, even his booties. He’s a good boy who will put on an impressively sulky face when getting ready. He’s also exceptionally good in the car, and will happily snooze for both short and long trips. He’s fully crate trained, house trained, and knows quite a few basic obedience commands too.
We need to stress that Avro’s story isn’t one of sadness. It’s actually a story of good luck and hope. Luck, because Avro was rescued and a lot of dogs can’t even say that much. Also, if Avro’s heart condition wasn’t so severe, it likely would have gone undiagnosed, as it often does, until later on when something serious happened to him. And hope, because with the right match, Avro will get to have a truly happy new life.
Avro survived some very difficult circumstances early on, and despite his heart condition he constantly proves that your physical condition doesn’t define you! His heart may not be strong, but it’s big and it has enough room to love everybody!
Avro doesn’t know he’s different from any other puppy. He wakes each morning eager to start the day, have breakfast, play with his toys, and share in a good cuddle. He has a lot of love to give, and we hope to find him someone extraordinary—a compassionate soul who believes the measure of a life isn’t in how long you have, but how much fun you have! Avro simply wants a chance to love big and have lots of fun along the way.
Name: Avro
ID # PDR1426
Age: 4.5mths
Gender: male
Neutered: yes
UTD vaccines: yes
Breed: American Bulldog/Weimaraner
Colours: blue
Coat length: short
House trained: yes
Special needs: Yes
OK with kids: yes
OK with cats: U/K
Ok with dogs: yes
Status: adoptable
Microchip: yes
Size: large
Location: Kitchener
Adoption fee: $900
