Angel, a beagle/boxer mix, was born on 8/22/06, and was originally adopted from a local animal control by a family. We got her almost exactly one year later when someone found her roaming down a main street in a large city and brought her to us. She was thin, had a scar on her head above her right eye. She was microchipped, so we contacted her owners, but they didn't want her back.
Angel soon showed herself to be a dumpster diving diva with tremendous energy much like that of a whippet or greyhound - a love to run, and because of her energy level, and maybe because of the old head injury, she became our "special ed" dog. She didn't respond to her name for a couple of months. We gave her structure and routine, and she learned what to do very well. We did teach her not to go through the trash and counter surf. She looks, but she doesn't touch. She learned to walk politely on a leash.
Angel did get adopted last year right before Christmas. An older couple with a fenced yard and plenty of love to give, but they tried to contain her in the house with only very brief outings to potty, and she got herself into trouble. She was great with her crate and would go there voluntarily. She was housebroken - no problem there. She did start her dumpster diving habit in their trash can, and since no one told her to quit, but rather gave her a snack since they thought she was hungry, she got away with that. However, she did get bored and one day chewed on a family heirloom afghan, and that got her returned to us.
Angel has been turned out with other dogs for exercise, but if a toy comes into the picture or the other dog challenges her, she will stick up for herself and if it escalates, she won't
back off. I have been working for months on "sit", and we finally have it. She knows to sit before her kennel door opens, before she walks out of any gate or door, and she now sits on command for a treat.
My wish for her for Christmas is to find a person who would take her running with them, allow her to play outside in a fenced yard as long as she wanted and play fetch with her, then let her curl up in the house with them as a companion - with rules for staying out of the trash. If someone wanted an agility dog, she would probably make a great candidate.
Angel soon showed herself to be a dumpster diving diva with tremendous energy much like that of a whippet or greyhound - a love to run, and because of her energy level, and maybe because of the old head injury, she became our "special ed" dog. She didn't respond to her name for a couple of months. We gave her structure and routine, and she learned what to do very well. We did teach her not to go through the trash and counter surf. She looks, but she doesn't touch. She learned to walk politely on a leash.
Angel did get adopted last year right before Christmas. An older couple with a fenced yard and plenty of love to give, but they tried to contain her in the house with only very brief outings to potty, and she got herself into trouble. She was great with her crate and would go there voluntarily. She was housebroken - no problem there. She did start her dumpster diving habit in their trash can, and since no one told her to quit, but rather gave her a snack since they thought she was hungry, she got away with that. However, she did get bored and one day chewed on a family heirloom afghan, and that got her returned to us.
Angel has been turned out with other dogs for exercise, but if a toy comes into the picture or the other dog challenges her, she will stick up for herself and if it escalates, she won't
back off. I have been working for months on "sit", and we finally have it. She knows to sit before her kennel door opens, before she walks out of any gate or door, and she now sits on command for a treat.My wish for her for Christmas is to find a person who would take her running with them, allow her to play outside in a fenced yard as long as she wanted and play fetch with her, then let her curl up in the house with them as a companion - with rules for staying out of the trash. If someone wanted an agility dog, she would probably make a great candidate.
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