Barley

This sweet older gentleman goes by the name of Barley and whoever is lucky enough to make him a permanent member of their family will wish they got to experience his love for the past 12 years of his life. This gorgeous old man doesn’t ask for much, but in return gives the most amazing snuggles and is very loyal to his people. He is currently sitting at 4kg, making him a perfect lap dog size!

Barley came to us from a rural NSW pound where he was surrendered by his previous family. We just feel so sad that at his age, he was left in a scary pound kennel matted and in terrible shape. His loving foster carer slowly removed all of the mats from his fur which were horrifically painful for poor Barley. He let his carer do this without a fuss and showed such gratitude for her care. He was then off to the vets to see what sort of shape he was in under all those mats. Thankfully, blood work is great for his age! Unfortunately, his teeth were in terrible shape and he had to have them all removed, but don’t think that this slowed him down. Barney was also found to have a heart murmur which is suspected to be very early stage heart failure so he has been put on medication to slow its progression. This medication is cheap and he takes it easily. Thankfully Barley’s recovered really well from surgery and is finally able to enjoy food without pain and is even now showing some interest in toys!

Barley’s love language is touch. He has the most affectionate nature and his little tail wags all the time. He is so gentle and absolutely loves snuggling up to his foster carer and enjoys nothing more than lying on your lap or stomach for a good cuddle. He is friendly with everyone he meets and excitedly greets all people including children out on his walks. He can get a little shy if you rush up to him too quickly, but he recovers quickly. Coming into the cooler months, Barley has shown a love for being tucked under the blankets which is where you’ll find him for most of the day unless you want him to engage with you and then he’s right by your side and ready for some love.

This boy has too many positives to list in a short profile, but a main takeaway is how low maintenance he is. He will happily lie on a bed next to you while you work (or on your lap if you let him!), he sleeps in his crate or bed happily overnight and is happy to stay home alone while you pop out. He loves his daily walks and while initially a bit nervous of the big smoke, he is now more confident and loves a good walk about town. He is low energy, but would love a home where he can still get out daily to get some fresh air and stretch his legs. Although he is a very chilled out older gent, don’t let that make you think he’s a boring dog who just sits in the corner doing nothing. He LOVES interacting with his humans and once you experience being on the receiving end of Barley’s love you will fall head over heels in love with him. His foster carer has said she is going to miss the way he stares into her eyes so lovingly when he finds his perfect forever home.

Barley is social with everyone. He is currently living with another small breed dog who he loves and often snuggles up to. They have a visiting larger dog who he is often very fond of, but put her in her place when she was being too much for him. He isn’t aggressive at all, just gave her a warning enough was enough. He loves meeting with other small dogs, but can be a little nervous of larger dogs. Again, never aggressive just a little shy upon first meetings. He would absolutely love a home with another small breed dog for company, but should be ok as an only dog. While he is fine home alone, we think this boy in his twilight years deserves a home where people are home most of the time to make the most out of his retirement years. While he has been fine with children, we are looking for an adult only home for Barley to enjoy a peaceful life in. He can get a bit shaky when the foster carer has big dinner parties and the noise escalates, but he is easily reassured with a cuddle or two. He will be fine in a house or unit as he is not a barker at all - in fact the foster carer has only heard him bark 3 times the entire time she has had him!

Barley has been working on some basic training while in care. He is toilet trained and travels perfectly in the car. His foster carers have described him as the easiest dog they have ever cared for! He would be the perfect work from home buddy or for a retired family looking to give love back to a deserving older pooch. He loves his food, his people, his friends and his sleep- what a winning combo! He will likely be a little reserved when settling into his new family, but it won’t take long for his amazing personality to shine through with a couple weeks of patience and understanding.

We understand adopting a senior dog isn’t for everyone, but anyone that does have the place in their heart for this sweet and gentle older man will be blessed with a dog who wants nothing more than to shower his people in love and cause no trouble around the house. He really is such a gorgeous dog and we can’t wait for him to finally find his forever home and get the family he deserved from the beginning. Barley will require a home where he is allowed inside as part of the family and given a comfy bed to sleep on inside of a night. He will need a good quality diet and 6 monthly vet checks to ensure he stays as healthy as he can for as long as he can.

If you think you have room on your lap for our boy Barley, please fill out a Dog Adoption Enquiry form on the Fetching Dogs Website and include some details about the type of home you can offer our senior boy.