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Adopted

Paddington Australian Cattle Dog / Blue Heeler Pittsfield, MA

  • Young
  • Male
  • Medium
  • Gray / Blue / Silver

About

Characteristics
Friendly, Affectionate
Coat length
Short
House-trained
Yes
Health
Vaccinations up to date, spayed / neutered.
Good in a home with
Other dogs.

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Meet Paddington

Paddington is a 3-year-old cattle dog mix, likely some dachshund or small terrier in the mix as he only weighs 17 pounds and stands just 12 inches tall at the shoulders. Even with his short little legs, this dog can run!

Paddington is a sensitive soul. He loves people and wants them all to himself so a home without other dogs may be best for this cuddlebug; I'm willing to make individual assessments, however, as Paddington has done well in my home with 4 other dogs.

Although calm in the house, Paddington can be active outdoors; he is currently enrolled in a Beginner Agility class which he loves. He especially likes to climb, traversing a low dog walk and A-frame with ease. Indoors, he likes to climb as well and can easily jump onto any chair, bed or table. With his lovely handler focus, Paddington would also be a fantastic partner for obedience, Rally-O or freestyle for someone who enjoys those sports. Whatever your pleasure, Paddington just wants to be your best pal. If you've got food for him, that's even better as he's highly food motivated!

Little Paddington is neutered, heartworm negative, up-to-date on shots, and microchipped. He is crate trained and mostly housetrained; he understands that outdoors is where he should potty but since coming into rescue he has marked several times, each time when in a new household. In his foster home, he is on a schedule that includes supervision, regular outings and judicious use of a crate and leash to prevent accidents and marking. At this point, he's earned quite a bit of freedom in the house and has not marked in weeks, but I'd expect some backsliding in a new environment. Paddington wants you to know that he tries very hard to be a good boy!

Adopted out once already and returned, Paddington developed a habit of resource guarding in his adoptive home possibly in response to the move; the adopter was concerned for the safety of her smaller dogs. For this reason, Paddington would do best as the only dog in the home or perhaps with a larger, calm, non-snuggler. He will hard stare, lift his lip and growl if another dog comes close when he is sharing love and a lap with his special someone; he wants all the attention for himself. He can, however, share a doggie bed with a canine friend he knows and trusts. A program of counterconditioning to address the resource guarding has been started by Paddington's foster mother (with professional guidance), and it will be important for his new family to follow through with this. He's done well with his training: he can now lie next to me on my bed and not react when other dogs are also sharing the space. It's likely, however, that he will regress in response to the stress of rehoming so it's important that his new owner(s) understand and follow the protocol.

Equally important, Paddington needs confidence building. In training sessions, he is worried about making mistakes and stops trying if he thinks the lesson is too hard or if reinforcement/rewards are too infrequent. Purely positive training is essential for this sensitive dog. His adoption contract will include a requirement for ongoing training particularly with regard to the resource guarding. Dog parks and doggy day care are not good options for Paddington although he can play nicely with a special friend. He has done well with all the dogs in his foster home but needs to understand (with your help) that there is no competition for the attention and affection he craves.

Although Paddington does well with older children (his handler for agility classes is a 10-year-old!), he will not be placed with youngsters who need or want access to a parental lap. Paddington just does not want to share your affections!

Despite these struggles, Paddington really is a gem. In a committed and understanding home, he can be delightful, smart, and truly special. His short coat is easy to care for and he is very good about having his nails trimmed. For stress relief, Paddington enjoys a good chew or scatterfeed; nylabones are his favorites. With ongoing follow-up and plenty of enrichment, Paddington will be a lot of fun for the right family.

Paddington will come with one free training session to teach you the techniques that are proving most effective with him. Preference will be given to homes within an easy drive of Pittsfield, MA in order to continue his specialized training. His adoption will also include a collar, food sample, a favorite nylabone, a winter coat, and his crate.

For questions please contact teampizazz@gmail.com.

If you think sweet Paddington would be a good fit for you, please fill out an application at www.acdra.org.

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

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Paddington

Paddington

  • Australian Cattle Dog / Blue Heeler
  • Young
  • Male