Cayuga Dog Rescue

12/17/2024

He is currently being fostered with a gentle big brother dog, and an older cat. Ben has bonded in just a few days with the foster parent and the other dog in the home. He takes cues from the other dog and finds much comfort in following him around. The two dogs play together much of the day and it’s wonderful for his socialization and also to help him burn that pup energy! We think he will be happiest and most successful in a home that has at least 1 other friendly, young(ish) playful dog. He shares toys really well and loves to play nonstop!

He also needs a home where he can take his time warming up, and would thrive in a situation in which he gets some good outdoor time (fenced yard is best!), and has plenty of daily attention and stimulation. He would LOVE to learn new things with positive reinforcement techniques, and would be terrific at dog sports like Agility.
He is very cat friendly! He does try to play with the cat in his home, he is respectful of boundaries when the cat lets him know that he’s not interested.

Ben can be nervous at initial meetings with people or other animals, but with appropriate reassurance, and letting him take things at his own pace, he gains confidence. Being passed off to several different homes in his very short young life leaves a dog a bit unsure and nervous. This should get much better once he is in a safe, loving, stable home.

He is completely child friendly, however since he in still in the stage of playfully nipping, he will need monitoring and kind, gentle guidance with younger children. He has been great with the children he has been around.

Summary
If you are interested in adopting Ben, please fill out an online adoption application and live close to Ithaca, Syracuse, Binghamton, Rochester, or Elmira. We do home visits on every applicant, and can’t do home visits where we don’t have local volunteers.Ben is all love! He is sweet, bouncy, and brilliantly smart! He is emblematic of his breed with a keen, curious intelligence. He adorably c***s his head and looks with a questioning expression when he encounters new things! He is a fast learner, which is wonderful and makes working with him so much fun, but because he is so smart, he can get easily bored, so he needs people who really like to interact and with whom he will get both mental and physical stimulation.

http://cayugadogrescue.org/wp/2024/12/ben/

12/13/2024

Introducing Ben!

Quick Facts:
Breed: Blue Heeler mix
Gender: Male
Age: 4 months old
Size: ? pounds
Good with…
Dogs? Yes!
Cats? Yes!
Kids? Yes!
Ben is a completely adorable four month-old, very friendly, very lovable Blue Heeler mix.

Personality
He is sweet, bouncy, and brilliantly smart! He is emblematic of his breed with a keen, curious intelligence. He adorably c***s his head and looks with a questioning expression when he encounters new things! He is a fast learner, which is wonderful and makes working with him so much fun, but because he is so smart, he can get easily bored, so he needs people who really like to interact and with whom he will get both mental and physical stimulation.

History
He was passed between a few well-meaning but inexperienced people, and that was tough on him. He needs stability, patience, gentleness, and love. He would be so over the moon to be adopted into a home with kind, loving, experienced cattle dog lovers who will help him rebuild his trust and with whom he can bond forever. He so wants to be an important part of someone’s family, where he gets to stay forever, and share all the love and joy and adventure that is part of that.

He is being crate-trained now, and is doing well with his housebreaking, though will continue to need some loving help with this as he works to get to 100% on that. His current foster person is helping him with this by having a clear routine of bathroom, play, bathroom, crate rest, bathroom, meals, etc. When he needs to go out, he will give a whine from in his crate.

Cohabitation
He is currently being fostered with a gentle big brother dog, and an older cat. Ben has bonded in just a few days with the foster parent and the other dog in the home. He takes cues from the other dog and finds much comfort in following him around. The two dogs play together much of the day and it’s wonderful for his socialization and also to help him burn that pup energy! We think he will be happiest and most successful in a home that has at least 1 other friendly, young(ish) playful dog. He shares toys really well and loves to play nonstop!

He also needs a home where he can take his time warming up, and would thrive in a situation in which he gets some good outdoor time (fenced yard is best!), and has plenty of daily attention and stimulation. He would LOVE to learn new things with positive reinforcement techniques, and would be terrific at dog sports like Agility.
He is very cat friendly! He does try to play with the cat in his home, he is respectful of boundaries when the cat lets him know that he’s not interested.

Ben can be nervous at initial meetings with people or other animals, but with appropriate reassurance, and letting him take things at his own pace, he gains confidence. Being passed off to several different homes in his very short young life leaves a dog a bit unsure and nervous. This should get much better once he is in a safe, loving, stable home.

He is completely child friendly, however since he in still in the stage of playfully nipping, he will need monitoring and kind, gentle guidance with younger children. He has been great with the children he has been around.

Summary
If you are interested in adopting Ben, please fill out an online adoption application and live close to Ithaca, Syracuse, Binghamton, Rochester, or Elmira. We do home visits on every applicant, and can’t do home visits where we don’t have local volunteers.

http://cayugadogrescue.org/wp/2024/12/ben/

12/12/2024

Balu says" Before joining my foster family, I was a Pennsylvania farm dog who loved to run around and play alongside other dogs. Due to an employment shift with my first loving owner, though, I ended up living tethered in a barn with few opportunities for activity and socialization. This has not stopped me from being a big sweetie who loves to romp and cuddle! Now, with my foster family, I am constantly wrestling with my cattle dog foster brother and curling up in the laps of my foster pawrents

"My absolute favorite thing to do is play! I am very friendly, good-natured, and social…I love people and other dogs! And while I am good at reading other dogs non-verbal cues, and can leave a dog alone if they don’t want to interact, I LOVE a dog who wants to play chase and run-run-run around with me in a fenced yard! I am also ecstatic to roll around and wrestle with dogs! When doing so, I have good impulse control and take breaks often to check in on my doggy friends’ comfortability. I like one-on-one play but also enjoy playing with multiple dogs at a time!

When I play on my own, I love to chew! If you show me a Nylabone or Bark chew toy, I need to get at it right away! But I am also a sweetie and a nurturer–I often carry around a stuffed green bear, whom I just nuzzle with and take good care of.

I am such a sweetie! When I am not gallivanting with other pups, I am cuddling with my humans! After a bout of play, I like to rest my head in the lap of my foster pawrents and snooze. They tell me that I have a cute, quiet snore. If I am awake, though, I am constantly asking for hugs and kisses (I will even wrap my arms around you). I cannot stress enough that I love to give hugs, kisses and little ear nibbles!

I have plenty to learn but am quick to pick up new skills (they tell me I am SMART)! This is the first time that I am living indoors, so we’re working on potty training. I still have the occasional accident indoors, but am doing great. Having a consistent schedule really helps and I have already mastered holding it in overnight and when I am napping!

I am also learning some human requests! I am doing well with “sit” and “down,” and often (haha, not always!) come when my name is called. I do a good job listening to “no” and “leave it”, but those depend on how excited I am in a given moment. I am working on crate training with my foster family and am comfortable lounging in my “den.”

My foster pawrents say that I do a great job being respectful around the house, especially given my outdoor history. While I love to nibble on soft things like blankets and pillows, I have not chewed or torn anything up. My foster pawrents often redirect my nibbles to dog toys, which helps a lot! While my humans are at work, I am given a room to stay in. During the day, I prefer to sleep or “patrol the neighborhood” from the window rather than be destructive."

http://cayugadogrescue.org/wp/2024/11/balu/

12/09/2024

https://katv.com/news/local/from-near-death-to-family-central-arkansas-couple-uses-wedding-fund-to-save-goldendoodle-conway-greenbrier

Arkansas couple uses their wedding fund to pay for surgery on an injured dog they found on the side of the road.

A central Arkansas man, performing a selfless act of service and rescuing a Goldendoodle that was stranded and on the brink of death, acted on an inclination to

12/05/2024

Hello! My name is Groot, I am very handsome and I love lots of fun activity and attention!

Quick Facts:
o St Bernard/rottweiler/chinook/mastiff/shepherd mix (large athletic breed mix!)
o Male, neutered
o 4.5 years old
o 100+pounds
o Good with dogs!
o Good with dog-saavy cats!
o Good with Kids 6+!

History
I was adopted in Jan 2021 as a 1 yr-old after being surrendered by previous owner who was a bit aggressive with correcting me, which made me uneasy around large men. In my new adoptive home, I spent the next 1.5 years inside the house sleeping on my personal couch while waiting for mom to take me walking, hiking, or to the dog park. For the last 2 years, I’ve shared our home with another mastiff type dog and we are the best of friends! We spend our days in our outdoor shed and dog yard, and evenings inside with Mom and Dad.

Personality
I love a lot of attention! I get excited and want to play whenever someone pets me, that is THE BEST! Truth be told, in that situation, it can be hard to relax, my whole being is joyfully feeling “YES!!! THIS IS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD!!! I’m very loyal to my parents and want to be at their side whenever possible. I love to play hard with other dogs and I loved the cat I used to live with. Tug-of-war and wrestling are my favorite things to do! Even though I am almost 5 years old, I still really like to play and I need an active lifestyle with my person and very much would love other dogs to play with.

I love my daily walks and I am very food motivated! I’ll walk by your side all day, especially for treats. Sometimes I want to pull ahead, but mostly I’m not allowed to. I do well using an around-the-snout (aka Gentle Leader) type of walking harness, but I’m not too bad on just a regular leash/harness. I LOVE learning new tricks and engaging with people! I’m smart! Mom taught me to roll over really quickly when I was bored one night, haha!. I respond to my name and to commands such as sit, stay, down (point at ground), and come (or whistle). My recall is *often* good, except sometimes I don’t want to, so best to keep me on leash unless I am in a safely fenced area. At the dog park I learned to come when Mom whistled because she had such yummy treats…even when other dogs were very exciting! Treats pretty much always win the day with me!

Sometimes I bark a lot when I’m excited. Mom has to hold my collar and we have a little quiet time- out and then I’ll calm down and go play again. I love cat food and am on opportunist for human foods left on the counter. I am smart about it too…I will act like, “no big deal, food on the counter, I could care less,” until Mom leaves the room and then…YUM! In my belly! So, clever humans will not leave food on the counters when I am in the house!

I have learned that the best way to get treats from Mom is to lay on the kitchen floor on my own accord. She quietly reinforces the behaviors she likes and rewards me with treats. I love to lie at her feet whenever she cooks. She is careful not to just tell me “down” and give me a treat, because then I just jump right back up and hope she tells me “down” again so I get more!

I enjoy travel! I love to ride in the car with my head resting on Mom’s shoulder or between the two front seats. We drove across the country for 6 days like that and hiked and went to dog-friendly café’s and stayed in hotels. I’ve been camping with her too. I love adventures although sometimes I’m whiney in new places when I’m not sure what’s going on, until I get comfortable. The more things we do though, the more at ease I am. I love having a predictable routine but I can adapt to change if you give me a bit of time and reassurance.

I alert-bark when someone comes to the door and mom tells me to lie down and I wait for treats while someone else answers the door. When all is calm I like to go sniff everyone and make sure I approve! Sometimes certain larger men, especially if they are wearing a hat, sets off alarm bells in me from my past and I’m more guarded and may give a little growl warning. It helps me if you ask men to take their hats off around me, and also to let me approach them when I am ready. If they approach me first, it makes me more scared. Even if they are being friendly about it. But truly, mostly I just LOVE people, especially when I’m at the dog park in play mode. I would definitely defend my Mom though if I ever thought she needed it!

Cohabitation
I love people! A little scared of large men and men with hats so please be thoughtful and help me in these situations!

I love friendly dogs! Love playing with them, love hanging around with them! Would be a great fit for a medium-to-large dog (if they like large dogs!), but probably would be “too much” for a small or elderly dog.

I’m great with dog-savvy cats!

I’ve never lived with children, but I seem happy and playful when I have met elementary school aged-children. Since I am big and excitable, I should not live in a home with kids under 6— I could accidentally knock them over, my play style might be too rough-n-tumble and that usually scares and upset littler kids.

Favorite Activities
Getting attention! Interacting with people! Learning tricks! GETTING TREATS!!!

Walks and hiking with you!

Tug-of-war and rough-and-tumble wresting with another friendly dog!

Playing chase at dog park!

Car rides!

Naps at my person’s feet or with my dog/cat siblings!

Why I am looking for a new home
Sadly, my family situation has changed. Mom has separated from her partner and she now needs to travel quite frequently for work, which isn’t working out for either of us. She loves me to bits, but knows that she needs to find a new home for me, because her travel schedule doesn’t allow her to take care of me the way I deserve.

What My Ideal Home Would Be
I would love to be in a home with another other friendly, playful dog (or two!) but will be fine as an only dog if you don’t mind doing a good amount of playing and activity with me, and I get regular playtime with other dogs at the dog park or with your friends’ dogs. A fenced yard would be great, but isn’t required. An hour a day of physical exercise would be best for me! I do need positive reinforcement for any training you want to do with me, especially since I was given some harsh punishment in the past which left me scared. Joyful people who love big dogs and lots of fun activity would be wonderful for me! I also will do fine with one active person who I can attach myself to, and I will bond quickly!

To apply for Groot, fill out an online adoption application at http://cayugadogrescue.org/wp/adoption-application/ and the rescue will forward it to my current mom who will be in touch with you!

12/02/2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbo291mpsK8&list=PLvCC6_Hx3tp2Lj4zuUof7zWRXX20huijl

Balu says "My absolute favorite thing to do is play! I am very friendly, good-natured, and social…I love people and other dogs! And while I am good at reading other dogs non-verbal cues, and can leave a dog alone if they don’t want to interact, I LOVE a dog who wants to play chase and run-run-run around with me in a fenced yard! I am also ecstatic to roll around and wrestle with dogs! When doing so, I have good impulse control and take breaks often to check in on my doggy friends’ comfortability. I like one-on-one play but also enjoy playing with multiple dogs at a time!"

http://cayugadogrescue.org/wp/2024/11/balu/

Hello! My name is Balu, and I am a playful and affectionate goof!

11/29/2024

Balu says "Altogether, I am a loving, playful, exuberant and loyal pupper! I love everyone and especially appreciate humans that can keep up with my cattle dog energy. As I am still developing my potty and obedience skills, I would also be grateful for a family who is patient and active in my learning. While I would be fine as an only dog (if you are active and can spend plenty of time with me), I would LOVE a doggy brother or sister who likes to play and romp and chase around! I do well sharing attention, I am not bossy or pushy at all! If you are up for lots of playing and cuddling, I will be a happy pup!

If you are interested in adopting me, please fill out an online adoption application and live close to Ithaca, Syracuse, Binghamton, Rochester, or Elmira. We do home visits on every applicant, and can’t do home visits where we don’t have local volunteers."

http://cayugadogrescue.org/wp/2024/11/balu/

11/27/2024

Our favorite dog coat company is having a Black Friday sale!

Shop now to save 30% sitewide. No code is needed - the discount is automatically applied in the cart even on previously marked down items.

https://www.hurtta247.com,

11/25/2024

11/21/2024

https://www.the-scientist.com/what-drives-the-wet-dog-shakes-reflex-in-furry-animals-72317

Scientists discovered a mechanoreceptor that triggers the distinctive shake-off behavior observed in mice when they become wet.

11/18/2024

Hello! My name is Balu, and I am a playful and affectionate goof!

Quick Facts:
Breed: Australian cattle dog mix
Gender: Male, neutered
Age: 2 years old
Size: 44 pounds
Good with…
Dogs? Yes, I absolutely love other dogs!
Cats? Not totally sure, but I have had neutral interactions with cats so far.
Kids? 8+! I like kids but can be rambunctious saying hello.

History
Before joining my foster family, I was a Pennsylvania farm dog who loved to run around and play alongside other dogs. Due to an employment shift with my first loving owner, though, I ended up living tethered in a barn with few opportunities for activity and socialization. This has not stopped me from being a big sweetie who loves to romp and cuddle! Now, with my foster family, I am constantly wrestling with my cattle dog foster brother and curling up in the laps of my foster pawrents!

Personality
My absolute favorite thing to do is play! I am very friendly, good-natured, and social…I love people and other dogs! And while I am good at reading other dogs non-verbal cues, and can leave a dog alone if they don’t want to interact, I LOVE a dog who wants to play chase and run-run-run around with me in a fenced yard! I am also ecstatic to roll around and wrestle with dogs! When doing so, I have good impulse control and take breaks often to check in on my doggy friends’ comfortability. I like one-on-one play but also enjoy playing with multiple dogs at a time!

When I play on my own, I love to chew! If you show me a Nylabone or Bark chew toy, I need to get at it right away! But I am also a sweetie and a nurturer--I often carry around a stuffed green bear, whom I just nuzzle with and take good care of.

I am such a sweetie! When I am not galivanting with other pups, I am cuddling with my humans! After a bout of play, I like to rest my head in the lap of my foster pawrents and snooze. They tell me that I have a cute, quiet snore. If I am awake, though, I am constantly asking for hugs and kisses (I will even wrap my arms around you). I cannot stress enough that I love to give hugs, kisses and little ear nibbles!

I have plenty to learn but am quick to pick up new skills (they tell me I am SMART)! This is the first time that I am living indoors, so we’re working on potty training. I still have the occasional accident indoors, but am doing great. Having a consistent schedule really helps and I have already mastered holding it in overnight and when I am napping!

I am also learning some human requests! I am doing well with “sit” and “down,” and often (haha, not always!) come when my name is called. I do a good job listening to “no” and “leave it”, but those depend on how excited I am in a given moment. I am working on crate training with my foster family and am comfortable lounging in my “den.”

My foster pawrents say that I do a great job being respectful around the house, especially given my outdoor history. While I love to nibble on soft things like blankets and pillows, I have not chewed or torn anything up. My foster pawrents often redirect my nibbles to dog toys, which helps a lot! While my humans are at work, I am given a room to stay in. During the day, I prefer to sleep or “patrol the neighborhood” from the window rather than be destructive.

Cohabitation
I absolutely love people! So much that I am learning how to contain my exuberance when meeting new human friends! In my foster home, I am a huge cuddle-bug and I love sleeping with my foster pawrents and cattle dog brother at night!

I have not had much experience with kids yet. One time, I met a toddler and was quite elated, putting my paws on their shoulders to get closer for a kiss. Given that little’uns might not all understand the friendliness of this, we think that kids 8+ would be best (or 6+ if sturdy and experienced with dogs).

I cannot wait to meet every dog I come across! My foster dog sibling and I are constantly playing and roughhousing inside and snuggling together when we get tired. On walks, whenever I pass a known canine friend or a future buddy, I want to say hello. However, I will move on when asked. I am quick to make new canine friends and get everyone playing!

I am untested with cats. When I do see neighborhood cats, though, my reactions are typically uninterested and neutral.

Favorite Activities
Wrestling with canine friends!
Chasing and being chased by other dogs!
Covering my humans with kisses! Nibbling their ears! Giving hugs!
Chewing on Nylabones and appropriate toys!
Cuddling up with my foster pawrents!
Snuggling up with my green stuffed bear!
Exploring new scents around the neighborhood!
Meeting new people and dogs!

Medical
I am a healthy pup and up to date on vaccines! I take Sentinel Spectrum to prevent heartworms and intestinal parasites and Bravecto Canine to prevent fleas and ticks!

I tested positive for Anaplasma, but since I am healthy and have no symptoms or signs of an active infection, no treatment is needed.

Summary
Altogether, I am a loving, playful, exuberant and loyal pupper! I love everyone and especially appreciate humans that can keep up with my cattle dog energy. As I am still developing my potty and obedience skills, I would also be grateful for a family who is patient and active in my learning. While I would be fine as an only dog (if you are active and can spend plenty of time with me), I would LOVE a doggy brother or sister who likes to play and romp and chase around! I do well sharing attention, I am not bossy or pushy at all! If you are up for lots of playing and cuddling, I will be a happy pup!

11/12/2024

Today we are sharing this lovely girl, who is with Browncoat Cat Rescue!

It's time to embrace the Darkness!

Darkness is an amazingly affectionate pup who is smart as a whip.
She loves learning new things and is ~super~ treat motivated.

She has a great recall, can sit, lay down, wait, drop and leave it, shake, give high fives, and touch. She'll probably have some more tricks and treats under her belt by the time she's adopted!

Darkness LOVES playing with other dogs, and tends towards a more boisterous play style. She absolutely mauls her 90 pound foster brother, but is very respectful of her smaller (and more cantakerous) foster sibling. That being said, while she would be a wonderful companion pup for someone of equal size and energy, she might be a bit enthusiastic for an older dog who wants to enjoy their golden years.

She is currently enrolled in doggie daycare and making friends beautifully. She is wonderfully behaved at the vet, and loves all the positive attention she gets there. She's great with the dogs, cats, and chickens in her foster home, as well as the elementary aged kiddo. If she had her way, they'd sleep together in bed every night...but she is also crate trained for when shared bedtime isn't an option.

That being said, this is Browncoat Cat ~Rescue~ and not all of our crew members have happy beginnings.

Because of trauma and abuse in her early puppyhood, Darkness is highly leash reactive to strange dogs. She walks well with her foster brother, but new dogs barking at her, or off leash dogs on trail set her off. She also had an absolute terror response to a school aged child running at her with a backpack on. We assume it was just the weird turtle silloutte, combined with being on leash, but we want anyone who is interested in adding this amazing pup to their life to have all her quirks laid out!

If you are looking for a smart and snuggly pup to learn and grow with, we cannot say enough good things about how wonderful Darkness is. So go ahead! Embrace the Darkness already!

https://www.browncoatcatrescue.org/adopt
Estimated Birthday: March 4, 2024

11/11/2024

When Bees came into rescue, she was traumatized and didn't trust people at all, would try to bite anyone she didn't know. In addition to several foster homes, she was also fostered at the Bed and Biscuit of Ithaca - Country Club for Dogs and Cats.

Look at her now! She is a nosework champion and LOVES people and other dogs and cats! The sweetest dog you could ever hope to know!!

Her mom reports "Bees just had a spectacular nosework trial weekend, earning her fourth nosework Summit title, most dogs competing at her level in nosework never earn a single summit title and she has earned 4, she sure is a special girl. This weekend she was 2nd place overall and won two of her searches, including being one of the few dogs to find the bonus hide (it was on the ceiling, so cool!). Here are her two winning searches, the first is the one with the bonus (below-ground search), isn’t she so cute figuring out that ceiling hide, she had never experienced that kind of hide before and thought that it was a super fun puzzle. The second search (field search) was pretty straightforward, but unusual in that the search area was just an empty field. In both searches we did not know how many hides there were (she found them all in both)."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV-dZ-TH53k

11/06/2024

http://cayugadogrescue.org/wp/about-us/

Mission Statement
The mission of Cayuga Dog Rescue (CDR) is to rescue stray, abandoned, neglected, and abused dogs as well as dogs that are deteriorating in regional shelters or are scheduled for euthanasia due to shelter overcrowding.

What We Do
We place rescued dogs into foster homes where they receive needed veterinary care, and emotional, physical, and social rehabilitation on their way to carefully screened permanent adoptive homes.

We provide ongoing consultation and support to foster homes and permanent adopters for the life of the rescued dog. We promote compassionate dog guardianship through our public education efforts.

11/04/2024

Balu is settling into his foster home! A full bio is coming soon.

10/31/2024

Looking to add another athlete to the family? This active guy won't need shuttled to any sporting events, but is up for all the family activities.

Hello! My name is Groot, I am very handsome and I love lots of fun activity and attention!

Quick Facts:
o St Bernard/rottweiler/chinook/mastiff/shepherd mix (large athletic breed mix!)
o Male, neutered
o 4.5 years old
o 100+pounds
o Good with dogs!
o Good with dog-saavy cats!
o Good with Kids 6+!

History
I was adopted in Jan 2021 as a 1 yr-old after being surrendered by previous owner who was a bit aggressive with correcting me, which made me uneasy around large men. In my new adoptive home, I spent the next 1.5 years inside the house sleeping on my personal couch while waiting for mom to take me walking, hiking, or to the dog park. For the last 2 years, I’ve shared our home with another mastiff type dog and we are the best of friends! We spend our days in our outdoor shed and dog yard, and evenings inside with Mom and Dad.

Personality
I love a lot of attention! I get excited and want to play whenever someone pets me, that is THE BEST! Truth be told, in that situation, it can be hard to relax, my whole being is joyfully feeling “YES!!! THIS IS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD!!! I’m very loyal to my parents and want to be at their side whenever possible. I love to play hard with other dogs and I loved the cat I used to live with. Tug-of-war and wrestling are my favorite things to do! Even though I am almost 5 years old, I still really like to play and I need an active lifestyle with my person and very much would love other dogs to play with.

I love my daily walks and I am very food motivated! I’ll walk by your side all day, especially for treats. Sometimes I want to pull ahead, but mostly I’m not allowed to. I do well using an around-the-snout (aka Gentle Leader) type of walking harness, but I’m not too bad on just a regular leash/harness. I LOVE learning new tricks and engaging with people! I’m smart! Mom taught me to roll over really quickly when I was bored one night, haha!. I respond to my name and to commands such as sit, stay, down (point at ground), and come (or whistle). My recall is *often* good, except sometimes I don’t want to, so best to keep me on leash unless I am in a safely fenced area. At the dog park I learned to come when Mom whistled because she had such yummy treats…even when other dogs were very exciting! Treats pretty much always win the day with me!

Sometimes I bark a lot when I’m excited. Mom has to hold my collar and we have a little quiet time- out and then I’ll calm down and go play again. I love cat food and am on opportunist for human foods left on the counter. I am smart about it too…I will act like, “no big deal, food on the counter, I could care less,” until Mom leaves the room and then…YUM! In my belly! So, clever humans will not leave food on the counters when I am in the house!

I have learned that the best way to get treats from Mom is to lay on the kitchen floor on my own accord. She quietly reinforces the behaviors she likes and rewards me with treats. I love to lie at her feet whenever she cooks. She is careful not to just tell me “down” and give me a treat, because then I just jump right back up and hope she tells me “down” again so I get more!

I enjoy travel! I love to ride in the car with my head resting on Mom’s shoulder or between the two front seats. We drove across the country for 6 days like that and hiked and went to dog-friendly café’s and stayed in hotels. I’ve been camping with her too. I love adventures although sometimes I’m whiney in new places when I’m not sure what’s going on, until I get comfortable. The more things we do though, the more at ease I am. I love having a predictable routine but I can adapt to change if you give me a bit of time and reassurance.

I alert-bark when someone comes to the door and mom tells me to lie down and I wait for treats while someone else answers the door. When all is calm I like to go sniff everyone and make sure I approve! Sometimes certain larger men, especially if they are wearing a hat, sets off alarm bells in me from my past and I’m more guarded and may give a little growl warning. It helps me if you ask men to take their hats off around me, and also to let me approach them when I am ready. If they approach me first, it makes me more scared. Even if they are being friendly about it. But truly, mostly I just LOVE people, especially when I’m at the dog park in play mode. I would definitely defend my Mom though if I ever thought she needed it!

Cohabitation
I love people! A little scared of large men and men with hats so please be thoughtful and help me in these situations!

I love friendly dogs! Love playing with them, love hanging around with them! Would be a great fit for a medium-to-large dog (if they like large dogs!), but probably would be “too much” for a small or elderly dog.

I’m great with dog-savvy cats!

I’ve never lived with children, but I seem happy and playful when I have met elementary school aged-children. Since I am big and excitable, I should not live in a home with kids under 6— I could accidentally knock them over, my play style might be too rough-n-tumble and that usually scares and upset littler kids.

Favorite Activities
Getting attention! Interacting with people! Learning tricks! GETTING TREATS!!!

Walks and hiking with you!

Tug-of-war and rough-and-tumble wresting with another friendly dog!

Playing chase at dog park!

Car rides!

Naps at my person’s feet or with my dog/cat siblings!

Why I am looking for a new home
Sadly, my family situation has changed. Mom has separated from her partner and she now needs to travel quite frequently for work, which isn’t working out for either of us. She loves me to bits, but knows that she needs to find a new home for me, because her travel schedule doesn’t allow her to take care of me the way I deserve.

What My Ideal Home Would Be
I would love to be in a home with another other friendly, playful dog (or two!) but will be fine as an only dog if you don’t mind doing a good amount of playing and activity with me, and I get regular playtime with other dogs at the dog park or with your friends’ dogs. A fenced yard would be great, but isn’t required. An hour a day of physical exercise would be best for me! I do need positive reinforcement for any training you want to do with me, especially since I was given some harsh punishment in the past which left me scared. Joyful people who love big dogs and lots of fun activity would be wonderful for me! I also will do fine with one active person who I can attach myself to, and I will bond quickly!

To apply for Groot, fill out an online adoption application at http://cayugadogrescue.org/wp/adoption-application/ and the rescue will forward it to my current mom who will be in touch with you!