Nico

Pet's Name: Nico

Dog: Primary Breed: Australian Shepherd Dog

Birthdate (an estimate is okay): July 15, 2023

Age Category: Young

Where did you get your pet?: A breeder

Adoption Day (when did you adopt your pet? An estimate is okay.): September 8, 2023

Gender: Male

Size (at full-grown): Small

Weight (in pounds, at full-grown size): 15

Primary Color: Red/Golden/Orange

What are your pet's favorite toys and activities?: Nico loves all toys, and especially loves playing fetch!

Has your dog received any formal obedience training?: Yes

What commands does your dog know?: Sit, down, stay, come, and heel.

How does your dog react to being left alone for short periods?: He has been crate trained and is fine in the crate as long as he is put in when mentally and/or physically tired. If he is "amped," he tends to whine.

Are there any specific triggers that cause your dog anxiety or stress?: People walking outside the door (I currently live in an apartment, and seeing people enter the building causes him to bark). He is also fearful of loud noises, large things he doesn't understand (e.g., large boxes, baby carriages), vacuum cleaners, and manhole covers on sidewalks.

Is there a daily routine that works well for your dog (feeding, walking, sleep)?: I feed him twice a day, walk him 3-4 times/day, and have him sleep in his crate 2-3 hours at a time while I am at work.

Medical History and Care:

Has your dog ever shown any challenging behaviors, such as biting a person or another pet? If so, please share some context.: Nico does tend to bite (not especially hard) hands when you try to get something out of his mouth or when practicing "drop-it" with a fetch toy. He has never drawn blood. He is confident in play but fearful in other ways (of noises, big dogs) and so he sometimes barks and growls at other dogs and people. There was one incident at daycare in which he got aggressive with another dog and then re-directed to the trainer who tried to intervene. He has undergone e-collar training for reactivity.

Personality:

What's the most endearing thing about your dog?: Nico wears his emotions on his sleeve - he shows love to almost everyone he meets!

What criteria are important to you when considering an adoptive family or home for your pet?: Nico still has a ways to go to overcome his fears and associated reactivity, so it is important that the adoptive family be prepared to put in time and effort into training.

Is there anything else you'd like your pet's new family to know?: Nico has done 36 sessions of basic obedience training and a 4-week board & train on a prong collar. As a working dog, he simply needed a firmer approach to training. He now receives balanced training in which we are focusing on limiting the hand-nipping and barking out of fear.

Why are you rehoming your pet (primary reason)?: Housing is Inadequate for Pet

Details about rehoming reason (if needed): Nico needs to live in a house rather than an apartment at exacerbates his fear response, and multiple caregivers to keep up with his energy.

How long will you be able to keep your pet before you may need to consider surrendering him or her to a rescue?: Not an option, my pet will stay with me for as long as it takes

Who is your veterinarian?: VCA Santa Monica Main Street Animal Hospital

What do you feed your pet, and does he/she have any feeding quirks or preferences?: Hill's Gastrointestinal Biome - Gastrointestinal Biome Food

Do you currently have pet insurance?: Yes

Would you consider a long-distance adoption?:

City, State: Santa Monica, CA

Zip Code: 90405

Service Level: Courtesy Listing: Self-Managed (Free)