Douglas

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO FLY OUR ANIMALS WITHIN WA OR INTERSTATE.

NAME: Douglas

BEFORE SAFE ESPERANCE: Came to SAFE Esperance after being surrendered.

BREED: On surrender we were informed that mum was a Boxer X Mastiff X Staffy and dad was a Chihuahua X Terrier. We don't know which of these breed traits will be dominant in Douglas, so new owners will need to have some knowledge of each of the breeds and be able to understand and work with his specific traits. At the moment he has shown a little of the 'small dog syndrome' trait, and can be a little possessive of his bed. Once he's settled he doesn't want to move! He is also showing terrier tendencies in that he does a little 'patrol' of the garden when he's out there and LOVES to sniff new things! We believe he will be around middle sized when fully grown.
General breed traits are: BOXERS are intelligent with a high need for companionship and exercise - not happy when regularly left home alone. MASTIFFS are good-natured and affectionate towards their family - being bred as a guardian means early socialisation and obedience training is essential. STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIERS are gentle and loving - they need close human contact and plenty of playtime. Obedience training through play and structured exposure to other dogs from a young age are essential requirements. CHIHUAHUAS are loyal, active companion dogs - they like attention but can try to dominate their owners and larger dogs if feeling threatened. TERRIERS generally are working dogs that were bred to dig and hunt - they require a lot of exercise, are highly intelligent and training is essential.
We can therefore glean from the above that Douglas will require training and socialising from the start, he will be energetic and require good regular exercise with lots of play. He will need human companionship in a home where he is not left for long periods.

ASSETS: Easygoing, affectionate, friendly, sweet and very playful! He looks like a large breed dog but with little legs, and prances when he runs!

FAVOURITE THINGS: He's a typical puppy and is on a constant voyage of discovery at the moment. He loves all people he meets, and is learning the basics of lead training, housetraining etc. He loves to play tug of war and enjoys chasing a ball and his other toys. He also loves a snuggle with his human.

OTHER ANIMALS: He loves everyone he meets at the moment, typical puppy! He hasn't been introduced to cats as yet, so any introductions would need to be gentle.

DISLIKES: Nothing, he's a great all-rounder!

HOME ESSENTIALS:
* Stability. A home where someone is home for a good part of the day on a permanent basis (not just through Covid 19)
* Time. Douglas needs an owner who will put in the time to train and socialize him (puppy school is a must). 2 good walks a day are essential to keep him happy.
* Space. Douglas needs a good sized yard with a lawn and lots of things for him to sniff, and space to run around to burn off his playful energy. He would go well with another dog but would be equally happy as an only dog in the right home.
* Love. Douglas needs to be allowed to be inside or out as he chooses, and to be included as part of the family.
* Experience. Douglas can be a little dominant with other puppies, so his owner will need to have the experience to gently correct this behaviour.

If our little pocket rocket Douglas sounds like the boy for you, please send an enquiry and we'll be in touch soon. APPLICATIONS WILL CLOSE AT MIDDAY ON TUESDAY 23RD OF JUNE.