This week we’d like to feature Grandpa! Grandpa - Oregon Humane Society. Grandpa is a sweet, sensitive boy, and you’ll see there’s a video and a bunch of photos in his profile.
Grandpa is a graduate of our Behavior Modification Program and is looking for a special home. Don’t let the name fool you, Grandpa is an active young dog who is ready to be someone’s adventure buddy! He’s a shepard/husky who is just over two years old and weighs about 67 pounds.
He is a big, squishy sweetheart who wants nothing more than to melt into your arms after a nice long walk. His overbite just adds to the charm, and he loves to give awkward smooches that bump you with his nose.
Grandpa had a bumpy start to life; he was a backyard dog who was found as a stray with a collar embedded in his neck and entropion eyelids. He’s since had surgery to correct both these issues. Growing up this way was counterintuitive for Grandpa’s socialization, and as a result, he has missed out on having positive experiences with the world around him. Grandpa has a hard time settling, being alone, and having people leave him, which developed into separation anxiety. We’ve had success with providing Grandpa enrichment, training, and increasing his exercise needs paired with medication, to help soothe his anxiety. Future adopters will need to be ready to continue this plan to help Grandpa be successful long term. We don’t think he will do well in an apartment setting due to his barking, whining, and behavior when experiencing a separation anxiety episode.
Grandpa will also need help learning how to calmly watch the world around him. He’s easily excited about new people/dogs, new environments, and will bounce around erratically with enthusiasm on leash. On occasion, he’s also redirected that excitement back at his handlers, excitedly jumping up towards them. Off leash, Grandpa’s over exuberance to play tends to be overwhelming for most dogs. He is overtly friendly without a clue on what other dogs are trying to communicate, which can leave many dogs overwhelmed and Grandpa not picking up on obvious communication signals. This isn’t fair to other dogs, even if Grandpa has the best intentions, so Grandpa will need continued training in dog interactions. We’ve been successful engaging with Grandpa using treats and praise for remaining calm during these heightened moments of excitement. Grandpa loves to learn, and it has been a key component in helping him find productive outlets for his nerves and building trust in us.
The ideal home will need to be someone that’s ready for a lot of adventures and snuggle time. His future home will also need to be free of any cats or small animals as he will chase them.
He’s just the sweetest boy and loves being with his people. Does Grandpa sound like he might be the dog for you? If so, fill out the questionnaire at the top of his profile and schedule some time to come on down to Oregon Humane Society to meet him.