Benji B

You’ve just got to meet the adorable and very lovable Benji-B! Such a spunk, it is love at first sight as evidenced by everyone who meets him.
With a mix of Heeler x Jack Russell we believe Benji B will be a med size boy at full growth

Benji-B is all charm! You will be surprised by his gentle well-behaved manner for such a young boy. He is an affectionate little guy who loves his cuddles and will lie in your arms like a baby while you scratch his tummy.

Benji-B is currently being fostered in a family with 3 children, the youngest being 4 years old and is very friendly and fun loving. He adores all children, especially if they give him an ounce of attention where Benji-B is sure to show off his sitting and dropping skills. He can sometimes forget his size and may accidentally knock over smaller children. So we think if his new family has children in the home too, they’d need to be dog savvy and understand this young dog is still learning.

Favourite Things:
Benji-B loves everything; food, cuddles, toys, walks, dogs. He chases the ball or rope toys thrown for him, plays tug o war, enjoys a splash in the small pool or down the creek to cool off and oh if you have food or treats he loves those too.

Interactions with other animals:
After slow introductions, Benji-B has gotten on well with many other dogs.

Even though he is a young dog, we’ve found that he is quite dominant when first meeting another dog and he can be determined to stand his ground in his own little way which may include barking and snapping until he realises the other dog is friendly and means no harm. Once the formalities are out of the way and he befriends another playful dog, you’ll find all he wants to do is run around with them and play chase. His chunky little legs try to carry him as fast as they can whilst he tries to keep up with his faster buddies.

Benji-B loves to run, puppy wrestle, and may be a little rough at times and gives lots of face licks to his furry buddies. He has enjoyed the company of a big active dog and also an 11 month old cattle dog x too as they were both very happy to have puppy playtime with Benji-B. He’s an active little dude who likes to explore, play and have fun in daily life. A cheeky little munchkin, we think anyone would be lucky to have him!

The little fella had briefly met a cat and didn’t seem too fussed with it. He may be okay in a home with a cat that is robust and dog savvy. With his Jack Russell genes we don’t think he’d be suited to a home with pocket pets.

Human Interaction:
Benji-B is such an affectionate cuddly boy. Thrives on pats and attention but not in a needy clingy kind of way, as he happily spends his days outside whilst his foster family is busy at work and school. As he is still young in age, he can be a little mouthy but understands what a firm ‘No’ means.

Obedience:
Benji-B knows how to sit and drop extremely well, which he must have learnt before coming into foster care. We think he has had some basic training as he is a clever boy! When he drops, he has a very unique little bounce that is just adorable. One of his many little cute traits, that you will just fall in love with.
He is currently being taught to wait for dinner, treats and when you arrive home. Benji-B can get a little over excited when his foster family arrive home and get a little jumpy, this is short lived with a firm ‘No’ and he will settle for a loving pat.
Benji-B’s recall is outstanding especially with a treat reward when playing off lead, not that he will be too far from his foster family, unless that is if there is another dog he is playing with, in which case he has selective hearing.
He does like a good game of chase and can be a bit rough and barky in this type of play. He is put back on lead if he’s too over the top. Group dog obedience would be an excellent way to continue this boy’s training.

Hygiene and toileting:
Benji-B has a soft, easy to care for coat and is very relaxed when being washed. He even likes to invite himself in for a shower with his foster family.
He arrived into foster care not fully toilet trained. We can now proudly say that he is pretty much fully toilet trained with the very occasional wee accident if he hasn’t been given an opportunity to go to the toilet before coming inside after a nap.

Sleeping:
Benji-B sleeps in his crate at night outside on the deck with the door open so that he can go to the toilet if needed. Once in bed he doesn’t make a sound. He will be happy to sleep anywhere. During the day he still has frequent naps and will do that mostly outside.

Independence:
Benji-B is a very independent little guy for his age. He spends most of his days outside on his own with bursts of energy chasing his ball around and jumping on the trampoline. You will often see him carrying his blanket in his mouth around the yard with an occasional stop to do his quirky little blanket sucking, whilst retiring to his bed for a few Z’s.
Inside he is never far from your side. When let inside he will often explore and suss out who is home with a quick visit to each family member before making himself comfy with his blanket on the couch or on his inside bed. He isn’t an overly needy boy but very much enjoys cuddles from anyone willing. We do seek a home where he will be an inside/ outside dog to interact with his family.

Exercise:
Benji-B is walked most days for at least an hour and he really enjoys his walks and would suit an active family. He also loves to play ball with his foster family along with tug o war.

Travel:
Benji-B eagerly jumps in and out of the car for short or long trips. He happily sleeps on the longer trips with regular check-ins.

Food:
Benji is fed puppy #Savourlife twice a day. Enjoys his dry food. He has shown no reactivity to other dogs when eating but will try and steal their food, so he should be fed separately. His favourite chew is a cow hoof which is a great boredom buster for him.

Inside the home:
Benji is well behaved inside. He will jump on the couch for a sleep and is learning the word mat. He has not been destructive inside but will chew his toys apart like most young dogs do. So we still make sure things are put away out of his reach just in case, including laundry as he does like fabric/material things. This leads me to Benji’s very quirky habit and that is sucking his blanket ❤️.

Ideal home;
Dog experience essential; A family who will ensure that Benji-B continues being trained and interacts with other dogs
Secure backyard that has grass and enough room for Benji-B to run around and play (not suited to tiny terrace or little unit yards)
Outdoor area that has enough shade and shelter
Active family; would love to have dog savvy children (over 8 years old) to run, play and have cuddles with but who can handle a young dog that is still trying to learn
We recommend children in the home to have prior dog / puppy exposure before your family applies
Can be an only dog home or a home with a submissive, desexed FEMALE who also enjoys puppy wrestling, chase, playful behaviour and must be well socialised with other dogs
A home where Benji-B will be loved, treated kindly and will always be part of the family!

THE LINK TO HIS ADOPTION APPLICATION IS HERE

https://forms.gle/4xMyjsPosAggKu8D7