Adopt Chai *Courtesy Post* a Dutch Shepherd dog in Aurora, CO (38735089)

This listing was posted on Adopt-a-Pet.com.

Adopt Chai Courtesy Post a Dutch Shepherd dog in Aurora, CO (38735089)

Location:

Aurora, CO

Description:

History—Originally from a shelter in New Mexico, Chai was transferred to the Front Range in 2022 from where he was adopted. In 2023, Chai returned to the shelter as a stray. After a few months of being available for adoption, Chai was deemed not an adoption candidate. Shelter staff shared that it was due to his stressed behavior and much of this behavior can be attributed to a prolonged stay in the shelter environment. As a volunteer who had previously met with Chai on multiple occasions, I disagreed with the assessment and advocated for his return to available for adoption status. Without a suitable alternative, I adopted Chai to give him another chance.Behavior in the home—Chai’s behavior instantly improved upon being removed from the shelter environment, and he assimilated into the home within a few short days. He’ll often be found lounging eitheron his bed or on the hardwood floor after a long walk. Ultimately, he’s a snuggler. Want a pal on the couch? Call over Chai! He absolutely loves belly rubs and pets, often asking for bothwhen in your presence. Always the gentleman, Chai will not climb counters or beg for food from the dinner table. Rarely does he jump up on people and usually it's from them getting him too excited . A simple “down” command with a finger pointing towards the ground works like a charm. For enrichment, Chai loves his preferred toys. These include elongated squeaky toys andrope toys. He’ll often want to play tug-a-war, which is encouraged to provide entertainment. He is also fully potty trained and hasn't had a single accident with us.Tricks!—Especially when indoors, Chai is eager to show off his knowledge of tricks. On command, Chai understands: “sit”, “shake”, and “lay down”. Additionally, Chai responds well if told to go to a certain area of a room when accompanied with a point and a “go over there”.Behavior outside—Despite his larger size, Chai is often relaxed on a leash, only tugging when he really has to go or wants to meet a person or dog. We find he is best walked using a Weiss Walkie orSensation Harness for better control. Chai cannot be walked off leash. Instead, Chai absolutely loves play yards so that he can roam off leash in a controlled environment.He is accustomed to 3-4 walks a day, varying in length from 15-45 minutes with an emphasis on shorter walks during hot days. Chai does display prey drive towards small animals,specifically rabbits and squirrels. To redirect Chai, it is highly recommended to have one of his preferred rope or squeaky toys available. Additionally, high value treats like lunch meat havesuccessfully shifted his attention.Chai Quirks—While in times of adjustment, Chai likes to try to eat grass, which can cause him to vomit. We try to redirect him to avoid this as much as possible. Additionally, when excited Chai can become very playful which can sometimes result in tug of war with his leash. Likewise, he may get mouthy in the home, though playfully so (not aggressively). In these circumstances, it is easy to redirect him to chew on and play with his toys. Again, this rarely occurs and he’s been transitioning to recognize that toys are a better way to direct his energy.Diet—While Chai’s primary diet is Purina One dry food, he often prefers Purina One wet food. More information can be found here: https://www.purina.com/purina-one/productsTo provide balance, wet food is often used to stimulate his appetite or mixed with dry food. Training treats and lunch meat also stimulate his appetite. Chai can often undergo periods of low appetite when stressed, so it’s encouraged to engage him in performing tricks while providing treats as a way to get him started before directing him to his food bowl.Around Others—Chai quickly assimilated into the household. Chai has performed well with the few dogs he’s encountered on leash (curious sniffing), and ismost comfortable with dogs smaller than heis. We try to give other dogs space, and let him into play yards when he’ll be the only dog present. Around meeting new people, Chai’s behavior ranges from playful to reserved. Due tohis size and age we would recommend older kids so he doesn't knock them down and get mouthy. Chai has been introduced to one cat through a glass door and displayed loose body language with interest. He was easy to distract and call away. No further introductions have been made though (the cat is very old).—Chai is an absolutely incredible dog with a big heart who will make for a great companion. Find more photos & videos of Chai here (available until Dec. 31, 2023): https://photos.app.goo.gl/enC3XzpC8nW65A2E6 ** This is a courtesty posting for a community member. Please reach out to Alex at XXXX@gmail.com f you are interested in more information or adopting! ** ##1779156##

Breed:

Dutch Shepherd Dog

Category:

Dogs

Sex:

Male

Posted:

April 21 on Adopt-a-Pet.com