Maui Australian Cattle Dog / Blue Heeler Manassas, VA

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

Hi! I want to introduce my foster dog, Maui. She is a stunningly beautiful little girl, but please read her bio carefully and in its entirety, as Maui will need to go to a very specific home.
The basics: Maui is around one year old, she weighs roughly 30 pounds, she is spayed, UTD on all shots and preventatives, she is heart worm negative. She is currently located in Colonial Beach, VA.

Maui came to me from Georgia as a stray and was never claimed. When she was found she had a pretty nasty neck wound that we have been working to make sure it is healed nicely. We are unsure what had caused it, but some of her behavior since being in my home has lead me to some suspicions that it was caused by another dog. Maui does NOT do well with other dogs, therefore her perfect home will be one without other dogs and with a person who will be respectful of that and not throw her in with another dog later in life. Dog parks/dog play dates are an ABSOLUTE NO for this little girl. She seems to have an alpha personality with other dogs and she does not shy away from asserting her dominance even if she is going up against another alpha personality, and she does not back down. I don’t know if this behavior is because of her previous life where she had to compete fiercely for resources or if she just needs to be the boss.

This “bossiness” does not extend to people. With people she is an absolute doll! She is so stinkin’ sweet and affectionate. She is incredibly smart, as she has picked up basic commands quickly and her house training is going marvelously. Maui is also extremely athletic and playful. The play can be rough and exuberant, she likes to zoomie around the yard and will crash into things including me. Included in this rough play is the typical cattle dog nipping and herding attempts. She is gentle and just open mouths my heels but she does do it frequently.
She is cautions while meeting someone new, but when she realizes that person is friendly she is their new best friend. She is also very protective and has no problem inserting herself between her person and the perceived “threat”.

Maui also seems to have a very high pretty drive. She will NOT be adopted to anyone with cats or other small animals. I know this because she actively tries to eat my parrots.
Due to Maui’s rough play, mouthiness, herding tendencies and behavior with other dogs, she will also not be adopted to anyone with young children.
I know there seems to be a lot of restrictions and barriers to adopting Maui, but I will absolutely not adopt her to anything but the perfect home. If you are looking for a dog to take off leash at the park, Maui is not for you. If you are looking for a dog to bring to dog parks and go on doggy play dates, Maui is not for you. If you are looking for a dog for your family with young kids, Maui is absolutely not for you. If you want a dog that’s good with cats, Maui is not for you.

I cannot express this enough, with people (especially her people) Maui is a dream. She is good in the home, she is so very loving and sweet. She does exhibit some separation anxiety that we are working on and she is getting better with kennel training. She might be an ok candidate for apartment living, but she would really do best in a large back yard that can accommodate her love of running and leaping around like a little deer!
I know this is long, and I will reiterate, I will not consider anyone who does not meet her specifications and her needs, she deserves a dream forever home that will not be threatened because people did not completely and fully understand her needs and be able to commit to them. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, thank you for taking the time to read and thank you for understanding!

For questions, please contact nicole.boole@gmail.com.

COMPLETE AN APPLICATION
http://www.acdra.org/adoption-application