Jet ~ Cocker Spaniel x Shih Tzu (On Trial 6/12/15)

Jet is a beautiful, friendly 4.5 year old Cocker Spaniel x Shih Tzu. He is small in size, very quiet and loves to be inside with his family getting pats and being your shadow. Jet is very friendly when visitors come over - he enjoys meeting other people and will sit for pats and treats.

Jet is a little rotund (round in the belly!) so he isn't overly active or boisterous. He enjoys a daily 30 minute walk and then is content to chill out or sleep through the day recharging his batteries. He is excited on the lead to start and then settles in and enjoys the stroll.

Jet gets on very well with other dogs of all sizes and ages. He enjoys meeting them on his walks. He has been in foster care with chickens and birds and shows no aggression with them - he's lived in harmony with chickens after being introduced correctly with them. He can chase brush turkeys out of the yard as he finds them very pesky (don't we all?). We are unsure about cats, but if introduced correctly he may be fine in a household with cats or pocket pets.

Jet is not a digger or jumper so low fencing is fine for him, he's not destructive either - you can safely leave him indoors when you go out and he won't get up to mischief. For this reason he would suit a townhouse or apartment living as long as he received a daily walk and lots of love and affection. He is used to having someone at home a lot so is not used to being left alone for long periods. He does like to pinch your clothes out of your room or laundry but he just likes to curl up to sleep on them!

Jet does like to be very protective of his "space" - if he feels that you are invading his space (eg his bed) he will growl and nip. Using positive training methods like throwing treats on the ground nearby and tempting him into another area with treats and praise is a good way to train him out of this resource guarding. He is being surrendered for this reason so we are looking for a committed, experienced new family who will continue his training to overcome this issue. Other than his current resource guarding he is low maintenance friendly little fellow. For this reason he is not suitable to a family with toddlers or small children who are too young to understand that he needs his own space whilst his training continues. He is suitable to a single or couple of any age who will commit to his training, or a family with older teenagers. We have a volunteer trainer who can assist Jet's new family in positive training advice over the phone or email.

Jet has a coat that does not shed so he will need to be regularly brushed, bathed, and clipped to keep his coat beautiful. Jet is totally house-trained and will always go outside to the toilet - he will also let you know when he needs to go. He is mostly an indoor dog but he's content to spend some time chilling out in the yard too. Jet sleeps inside on a dog bed in the lounge room - due to his current resource guarding his boundaries need to include not sleeping on your bed or being up on the lounge where he could "guard" it.

Jet is a darling boy who is a diamond in the rough, he will make a committed family very happy with the love he gives in return for positive training, routine and boundaries.

For more information or to meet Jet, please contact Jo on Jo.payne.aus@hotmail.com or 0427 695 104 (after business hours). Jet is in foster care near Gosford, NSW (Central Coast) and is not available for adoption interstate.

Jet's adoption fee is $450 and includes his desexing, vaccinations, flea and worm treatments, microchipping, and lifetime registration. You can see all our available dogs at www.dogrescuenewcastle.com.au