26/03/2024
UPDATE 4/1: ADOPTED!!
Our family currently has three dogs at home. They are all rescues, and they are all different breeds/mixes. Much like humans, each one of our dogs has different needs, personalities and behaviors. Two of ours are what I would consider “easy” and one is “high maintenance”. It is important that as humans, we remember, that dogs don’t come in one size fits all. Even dogs of the same breed will have differences. It is important to allow each dog to be their unique self AND to expect they will be unique. It is also important to understand that different breeds do have different characteristics. For example, huskies are high energy and can escape just about anything. Rottweilers have a Rottie grumble that can sound like a growl. Labradors typically love the water. Chihuahuas love to bark 😉
Reginald , is a German Shepherd. Remember how I said one of our dogs was “high maintenance”? Well, our high maintenance dog is a German Shepherd. Because I have a lifetime of experience with dogs (mainly large breed), I was naïve enough to believe that rescuing a German Shepherd would be easy. I was wrong. I can admit that we did not use due diligence prior to bringing him home. He has taught our family so much about dog behavior and about special needs eating. We love him so much, but it has not been “easy”. However, our family committed and therefore, we chose training, special veterinary care, education, etc. It is so important to research and educate yourself prior to bringing a new dog into your life. If that dog happens to be a purebred, research their characteristics and needs.
Back to Reginald, this guy will need someone that can commit to him the same way we committed to our dogs (the easy and the high maintenance). He is 5 years old and around 70lbs. He is hw+, but his treatment is sponsored. We met him over the weekend and juts fell in love. I understand that the staff and volunteers love him as well. He is super easy to love…Reginald is an incredibly affectionate dog. He absolutely loves humans. He loves to lean on you and just relax. It goes without saying that he is showstopper in the looks department. This guy is everything you would want in a big, beautiful Shepherd. However, he does have some quirks that are often associated with the breed. Though Reginald was found as a stray running with another dog, he has been dog reactive in the shelter environment. When he is on a leash or behind a barrier, he likes to assert his dominance/protective instincts through reactivity. Back to our Shepherd, he does the same thing! Those behaviors are some of the things we have had to work on and be aware of. The person who decides to adopt Reginald will also need to be aware of these behaviors and seek guidance/training. The person who decides to adopt Reginald will need to commit. This guy deserves someone that can see through his quirks and commit to standing by him and helping him work through them. It will take time, patience, commitment and love.
Please help us share Reginald to find that person. He needs to get out of the shelter environment and into a place he can thrive. SHARE! FOSTER? ADOPT! PLEDGE!
http://orangecountyanimalservicesfl.net/Adopt/AnimalsinShelter.aspx?animalid=A542106
