Charlie Maltese & Poodle Mix Raleigh, NC

PLEASE READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH BEFORE APPLYING!

Charlie is a 6 year old Maltese-Poodle mix who had a very sad start to life. He came from a home where the humans treated him very poorly, and because of this, he has had to learn what being a normal dog is actually like, which is a long term process. Charlie has been with the rescue for 2 years and has shown immense progress in that time. Charlie understandably has trust issues, which leads to fearful and anxious responses in stressful situations, including biting in the past. Charlie does very well around other dogs and small children. It's adult humans that Charlie is skeptical of, but he tends to be excited and happy to meet new people these days, and readily accepts pets and scritches from strangers. At his core, Charlie is a happy-go-lucky circus dog. He is vibrant, outgoing, and he has responded well to his etiquette training and knows to wait for permission to approach his food or go out an open door. He loves going for walks, and does well on a leash when in familiar surroundings, but he can get anxious around new people and in new places, and may start pulling and not responding to voice commands and corrections, but this is improving as he gains exposure to the world at large. Charlie is also completely house trained and crate trained. The crate has been where Charlie seeks out safety and comfort, but as time passes and his confidence grows, he quite often leaves the safety of the crate and seeks out the company of humans. He wants to cuddle as much as any good dog does, but he still feels awkward about it at times. These days, he is happy to curl up next to his favorite human and snooze away. One consideration with Charlie is his need to be groomed regularly. Charlie can be a very fluffy boy, so grooming is essential, and should be done every 3 to 6 months. Charlie does not enjoy the experience at present, so it is best to have him sedated and groomed by a professional. At present, he won't allow me to cut his nails or brush his teeth. Strangely enough, he does just fine with baths. Charlie absolutely has to go to a home with someone who is knowledgeable and comfortable with fearful dogs and the behaviors that come with that. He needs a home where everyone is committed to helping him learn that humans won't hurt him. This forever family has to be patient with him and let him have his time to decompress and slowly come to them when he is ready. His owners will have to be committed to getting Charlie the training and support he needs to feel confident and safe again. Because of how fearful he is, training should focus on positive reinforcement and building trust and not punishment.

If you are interested in this animal please start by filling out an adoption application at http://www.CFP-NC.org/adoptions and we will get in touch with you.