Diego Terrier Mix Cincinnati, OH

UPDATE 5/13. Several months and a few home visits later, we have better insight on Diego and what he needs in a home. After spending time in the home of one of his favorite volunteers, we have this glowing review: “He is excellent in the house, no accidents, no getting into things, lays at my feet in whatever room I am in. He would LOVE to be on the couch snuggling or sleeping at the foot of the bed. He loves his tennis ball but it's a slow-motion leisure toss and retrieve game. He's also great in the yard, going potty on command, minimal barking at neighbors just to let them know he's there. He's good on leash, can pull a bit but falls into step when corrected. He knows basic commands.”

Diego loves meeting new people, other dogs and cats, going to doggie daycare. Diego’s main issue is he has been bounced around a lot in his life and connects quickly and deeply with his person. Because of this, he becomes protective at home. He has been in homes with other dogs and cats and is fine for the first couple days but as he bonds with his human, he becomes more possessive. He became reactive the other dog or cat in the house out of jealousy and/or protectiveness. We are in search of a family with prior dog history and training experience. Diego needs humans with a practical understanding of how to be strong, fair leaders so that he doesn’t so much feel the need to slip into the role of protector. An only-pet home will be the best fit for him. He is a low energy adult dog who does not require a fence, just daily walks will keep this guy happy and healthy. He would also love to continue to visit his friends at doggie daycare but this is not a requirement. Because of his territorial tendencies, we think Diego will do best in a home where he is the only child.

UPDATE 2/18 ... See pic of Diego in the car, eager and ready for his first day of daycare! He made lots of friends.

***
Diego was found wandering the streets, lost and lonely, on New Years Day. His microchip tells us he was adopted from a county shelter, but the addresses associated with that chip came up dead ends. We can't find his previous family, and they don't appear to be looking for him.

New year, new beginnings ... at around nine years old, Diego is more than ready to settle into a warm and comfy home of his own. This cutie is a 65-pound love sponge! He is thrilled when volunteers give him pettings and attention. And the occasional spoonful of peanut butter! We're looking forward to getting to know this sweet and friendly guy ... but looking forward even more to the day he finds his forever family.

• All of our animals are spayed/neutered and current on shots.
• We do not do same-day adoptions; we ask that you return for a follow-up visit before taking an animal home.
• You must be 21 years or older to adopt from STAF.
• We require a 4-foot-tall physical fence for homes with children under the age of 11. We also may require a physical fence for specific dogs on a case-by-case basis, depending on each dog’s behavior and exercise needs.
• Due in part to increasing coyote activity/incidents in the area and the difficulty of predicting how a dog will respond to invisible fence training, we can not adopt to homes with invisible fences.
• We do request vet and personal references.
• We can facilitate adoptions within a 75-mile radius of our Cincinnati-based shelter.

Please visit www.STAF.org for visiting hours, a downloadable application, and additional information.