Frisco Australian Cattle Dog / Blue Heeler Mix Greenwich, OH

Frisco has been working hard on being brave in this big scary world we live in. He does best when he has a confident and social dog friend to observe and take social cues from, so his ideal home will have at least one welcoming canine companion, though he could do fine on his own. He is up to date on his vetting and is in perfect health.

Frisco has not displayed any resource guarding issues with humans or animals, and he takes treats gently. He does well when alone and has not shown any separation, isolation or confinement distress. He is house and crate trained, and even defaults to his “safe space” when he needs extra comfort or gets overwhelmed. He’s always happy to keep himself busy with a lickable toy and then a nap while you’re away. He can be left for a full work day without issue.

This fun boy definitely knows he’s a herder mix, and it comes out in his play style with other animals. He is cat safe, however he does love to give them a nose nudge now and then to see if he can get them to run. (It’s all about the chase!) When he plays with dogs, he does incorporate a lot of chasing and circling, which his current friends tolerate very well. He also does enjoy some neck directed play with certain playmates. He means no harm, and takes appropriate correction from his dog friends in stride, but he’d be best suited for dogs and cats that don’t mind being chased and snoot booped a bit.

Frisco can be vocal at times - he might let you know when someone’s at the door, when he hears something unexpected or that he needs to go outside. Normal dog stuff. Because he is occasionally still spooked as he continues building his trust bank with new people/places, he’s best suited for a single family home type of environment where there is less outside noise (unlike an apartment would have, with people coming and going more often, closing doors and whatnot) and their own private yard to enjoy. This boy LOVES to be outside, even in the rain and snow!

Frisky has really opened up and has learned to love his foster family, but he can still be shy with new people at first and will need a bit of time to adjust when you have a visitor. He is a big fan of snacks though, and makes positive associations really quickly, so that makes making new friends less daunting!

Because he prefers a quieter environment with less noise and more predictability, he’d do best in a home that doesn’t have young kids permanently residing there. He is incredibly polite out and about and would likely be fine with them occasionally visiting, but he does deserve to be free of that big stressor in his happy place at home. He can still be a bit hesitant or jumpy with certain touching from strangers (more so when it’s fast and unexpected, like kids tend to do) but once you’re in his circle, he will request pets often and will even give some gentle kisses!

Frisco is a big fan of routine and order and is incredibly bright. He will be sure to keep you on schedule with potty breaks and meal times. Our smarty pants does need his fair share of mental stimulation (like all dogs!) and loves working for his food in puzzle toys where he can use his nose and paws to dispense it.

Anyone interested in adopting our sweet Frisky B should understand that he will require a few meetings before he’ll feel comfortable going home with you. He’s been with us since he was a baby so he, understandably, orients back to us as his safe place when in new situations. We are confident that with the right person or couple with realistic goals, he will do great! He has all the makings to be someone’s best buddy and will enjoy walks in quiet parks, Yappy Hour at the winery and playing fetch in the backyard.

If you have experience helping fearful dogs find their way, and think a sweet, mild mannered boy like Frisco Bay will complete your family - apply to adopt him at www.mercysdoorpetrescue.org. He has grown into an amazing dog, and we can wait to see who he chooses to be his forever person!

Medical care note - The vet he goes to currently is Fear Free certified, and he is also a patient of The Behavior Clinic (a Veterinary Behaviorist). We have taken his emotional and behavioral development very seriously to get him this far. Our goal is to find an adopter that will have seen post adoption to ensure he is progressing as he should be in a new environment. He does take daily medications that will need to be continued until otherwise instructed by his veterinary behaviorist.