Tina

Meet Tina 🐾

Please read before applying:
Tina is a very special girl who has been through a lot and has some very clear needs for her future home. Tina was used for breeding in her previous life and is only just starting to learn to be part of a family. She will take months to settle into her new home. To respect her wellbeing and to save everyone time, please do not apply unless you meet the requirements below.

What Tina needs:
- a local/semi local home to Coffs Harbour
- a home away from busy cities/suburbs on acreage
- a home with a confident dog
- a dog savvy home with working breed experience

Tina is a sweet, gentle Australian Shepherd who is learning what it means to be a beloved companion for the first time. With patience and understanding, she rewards her people with an affectionate, loyal nature and adorable moments like when you find just the right scratch spot and her leg starts going!

Background: Tina came into care scared and shut down, having likely been used for breeding her entire life. She is only now learning how to be a dog and what it means to be part of a family. In the time she has been with her foster carer, she has made wonderful progress and continues to grow more confident each day.

Personality: Tina is wary of new people initially, but once she gets to know you, her affectionate nature shines through. She loves a good scratch and will melt under your attention. She is still working through some general anxiety as she adjusts to her new life. She would best fit with a primary female owner. She does bark when meeting new things and unfamiliar comings and goings, but she is becoming more confident and comfortable in her foster environment.

With Other Animals and Children: Tina is currently in care with another female dog and has met other dogs on walks, being friendly with them and often taking the lead from her human. She has shown a beautiful and patient nature around the young children at her current home who are under five. There are also chickens on the property - she does not harass them along the fence, but it is preferable to have the chickens secured away.

Home Behaviour: Tina is fine when left at home. Currently she has space to roam in the backyard and has not shown any intention to escape. She is slowly getting used to the idea of coming into the house, so it is hard to determine whether she is house trained yet. She is getting used to the crate as a safe place to rest at night and does calm down in the crate. She does jump when excited, particularly around food time. She is learning how to interact with toys and discover the joy of play.

Training: Tina is an intelligent breed, but she is still quite anxious and hasn't yet shown much focus during training sessions. She is good at sit. She goes well on the lead and loves her walks. She is not an aggressive puller and is a pleasant walking companion who will sit when you stop and check in with you. To be the best dog she can be, she will need plenty of time dedicated to patient, positive training to help her build confidence, discover the joy of toys, and develop her focus and general obedience.

Energy Level: Tina is a moderate energy dog who enjoys her daily walks and will happily trot along for a jog. She has been great in the car.

Perfect Home: Tina is not appropriate for a first-time dog owner. She would benefit from someone who is dog-savvy with working breed experience who can go at her pace and help her build her confidence. Someone who has the time to put into training would get so much joy and pleasure out of Tina. A house on acreage away from the hustle and bustle of a busy city or suburbs would be perfect. She is not a jumper but will need secure fencing while she's settling into her new home.