Gunner Shepherd & Hound Mix Bowie, MD

Look at this hunka-hunka-burning LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! Gunner had us at hello with his handsome good looks and happy smile! Gunner hails from Louisiana where he had the same owner for his first 3 years of life, and sadly that owner did not provide him with complete medical care, neglected to put him on heartworm prevention which he ended up getting, and declined surgery when Gunner was hit by a car and his leg badly broken. All that ails him has healed and/or been treated, and while he could develop some arthritis in his back leg later in life, he doesn't let it slow him down currently.

Gunner recently turned 4 years old, is neutered, microchipped, de-wormed, and has completed treatment for heartworms and is on heartworm prevention as well as flea/tick prevention. Our vet has given him a clean bill of health! We aren't entirely sure what breed mix Gunner is (and we make NO guarantees!), unless cute, adorable, and incredibly handsome are breeds! We do know he was fostered for several months in a home where there were 5 young kids and he adored them all! We also know he couldn't be trusted with the cats in that home as he did like to chase them, but he has not been around cats since we have brought him to Maryland. We also know that during his stint in his Louisiana foster, he could be dog-selective. He prefers larger dogs and females, but has done very well seeing other dogs at a distance since he came to us. We believe it would be really great for him to find a home with a laid back female dog that was not too tiny to play with.

Gunner has had a rough road, and we don't even know most of what he endured before he came to us. Since he has been in Maryland he has undergone treatment for heartworms, so his activity level was restricted, and so he didn't have opportunities to run and play yet. We are looking for someone who is looking to include Gunner in their daily activities where he will be treated like a member of the family. Gunner is a people-dog - he loves his people, and he is a snuggler and will expect snuggles in h is forever family.

Gunner is now healthy enough to live a fully active lifestyle, so we hope whomever adopts him plans to teach him all the great parts of being part of a family, as well as how to be a good friend to others he meets. He has done well as an onlooker at horse trials where other people, dogs, etc. have been around him, and none of it has phased him. Gunner is working on his social skills and can be a bit mouthy when playing, although he is working on that with his foster mom. In a dog his size, that can be scary for children, so we are only considering homes where there are no children under the age of 8 years.

Gunner's foster mom says this about him: "Gunner (a.k.a Gunny) would be a foster fail if there was any possible way for me to keep him after the pandemic. He is a charmer, a confident boy who is also super sweet and snuggly. He likes and expects to be the center of attention but is secure enough to go upstairs and crawl into bed by himself. He is quiet for the most but will bark when he hears someone at the door, the next-door neighbor, or those horrible people who come every Thursday and steal our garbage and recycling. He does have an intimidating bark but has shown no aggression. He sometimes howls when his person leaves the house without him; he probably has some hound in his family tree. He enjoys walks and is good on the leash. He has been playful and friendly to other dogs (both small and large) that we’ve meet on walks or that he meets across the fence, but due to the pandemic and heartworm treatment he hasn’t been in very many social situations. He has been to a few horse trials and was very well behaved around new people, strange dogs, and horses galloping past. He loves the car but needs some work on boundaries and staying in the back seat; he desperately wants to ride up front (I think he’d actually prefer to drive). He’s good in the yard by himself. He is usually good off leash but if he picks up a scent or sees a squirrel, he’s off and not interested in anything else (such as coming when called). He like his toys and is not destructive, but if the door is open his toys may find themselves in a shallow grave in the backyard (his blue stuffed puppy hasn’t been seen for some time)."

Interested adopters please email MJsAnimalSanctuary@Gmail.com to request the most updated version of our adoption application. We will not accept any outdated versions you may find online. Adopters are subject to reference check, home visit(s), and meet and greet(s). Adoption fee is $400.00.