Josey Australian Cattle Dog / Blue Heeler Mix Stafford, VA

TO CONTACT THE FOSTER HOME, email myacdrafosters@gmail.com. DO NOT use the Petfinder form. Inquiries don't reach us.

Josey (aka the Outlaw Josey Notails) is a 40lb. ACD mix with an adorable nubbin tail. She’s about 2 years old,spayed, up to date on vaccines and microchipped. She has two weeks of restricted activity left on her heartworm protocol. She is housebroken and asks to go outside though she had a couple of accidents while she was still heavily medicated after treatment. Josey is soooo ready to get back to cattle dog-normal activity levels. Adopting her as she comes off restriction and helping her get the activity wants will be a great bonding opportunity for her new people.

Josey is an amazing, quirky, super-smart, mercurial girl full of interesting contradictions. She swoons like the most dramatic Jane Austin lady to get a cuddle and yet she’ll bulldoze through whatever is in her way to get to a toy or a treat. She’s completely good and wonderful until the second she’s not. She’s bold, confident and sure of herself until she isn’t. She’ll do absolutely anything for you until the moment she doesn’t. She’s beautiful, she’s charming, and very interesting. She responds well to positive reinforcement and manages to learn even when you think she’s not paying you any mind.

Josey is full of energy and would love being running/biking/hiking companion. She knows a number of cues and has great leash manners though she will forget and bolt if she sees a squirrel or other critter. Josey LOVES crittering and can be single minded about it. She’s also great with her nose. She might make an excellent barn hunt buddy.

Josey is okay-ish with dog savvy cats and requires some management at first. She’s done very well with her canine foster brother and sister but her play is sometimes rough. She would not be a good companion for a little dog or an older one, or children for the same reason. She requires slow introductions to other dogs and long parallel walks. She does not like being approached by strange dogs but once she believes that her handler has the situation covered she will ignore a dog only a few feet away provided they ignore her back. If the dog comes in for a sniff she will snap at the offending dog.

Josey is crate trained and kennels easily. She is crated when we leave the house. She enjoys her crate time especially with a frozen, stuffed Kong. She does not like any dog approaching her while crated.

Josey does not do well in a shelter/kennel type setting. She cannot be left at the vet’s or a groomers for hours on end. She can’t be boarded in a facility with an institutional-shelter style setup. We don’t know much about what happened to Josey before coming to the ACDRA but she is utterly terrified in that kind of environment. Josey also doesn’t care much for car rides but she will load up and ride very politely. We’ve been working on changing her associations and feelings about cars and she’s getting better. If you want her as a travel companion, she loves being other places. With time, encouragement and positive associations, she’ll learn to like getting there too.

Josey loves to stay right by her person’s side. She is devoted, loving and loyal. She will accompany you from room to room; you never need pee by yourself again! MOST important of all, every day Josey requires at least 15 minutes on your lap, rolled over on her back, being held like a baby and getting belly rubs. It’s her favorite thing in the world, she completely melts and it’s THE thing to do if you want to bond with this dog.

Josey is being fostered in Northern Virginia and will be able to leave foster care July 24th. She will require a follow up heartworm test in 6 months. If you have questions about her please contact her foster mom at myacdrafosters@gmail.com. I

f you are interested in adopting Josey please fill out an application here: https://www.acdra.org/adoption-application.