Gilligan Standard Poodle & Mastiff Mix Bancroft, ON

Yes, this dog is available.

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If you want to adopt Gilligan, please read about HART's screening process and download an application to submit from the website: www.hartdogrescue.ca/adopt. Do not simply send us an email from this Petfinder bio. You need to submit a completed application from our website to be considered for him. We will only consider homes within a day's drive of his foster home location.

If you're looking for a dog who is cute as can be, well mannered, well trained, gets along with everyone and is totally hilarious, Gilligan might be the boy for you! He's one of the cutest, most adorable fellows around.

A few important things to know:
He's a high energy boy that will need lots of stimulation and exercise to keep him happy. We're talking hours of exercise every single day, rain or shine, sleet or snow - he is athletic and loves to run, run, run! A perfect partner for rally-o, agility or obedience, he's a quick study and loves to learn. So, although it's not exactly a bad thing, Gilligan's mental and physical stimulation needs are important.

The other thing to consider is his fluffy coat. As fun as it must be to go through life looking like a muppet, Gilligan requires a LOT of grooming when his coat is longer in the cooler weather. His coat is very fine and requires daily brushing or it becomes matted very quickly. Some people absolutely love to groom their dogs every day. If you don't, stop reading now. In the warm weather a nice short cut will keep him neat and tidy and is much easier to maintain. That's a lucky thing since he loves to play in water, mud and generally romp through everything filthy he can find in the woods! Even with his summer hair-cut, he still manages to get burrs, sticks, and an assortment of other random forest finds stuck in his mustache and ears, so a good comb out after his romp in the woods is needed every day. Check out photo 3 to see him with his summer hairdo.

If you are looking for a hypoallergenic dog this is not the dog for you. Gilligan is a mix. Certainly Poodles are considered hypoallergenic but Poodle/Mastiff/Shepherds certainly are not, therefore there is no way we can bill him as hypoallergenic.

Okay, on to the rest of the good stuff. Gilligan is an 11 month old Standard Poodle and Mastiff mix cross. He is friendly to everyone and loves to cuddle. He is fine with kids, but given his high energy and need to be busy, he's probably not suited to a home with small children. He loves attention and is a real cuddler. Gilligan's friendly nature extends to other dogs and he absolutely loves burning off steam with his dog buddies. He would be perfectly suited to a home with another playful dog (he's happy to share his toys with them!) - homes without a four footed pal will not be considered. He's even fine with cats. Once he's exercised, this guy likes nothing more than a snooze by the fire.

Gilligan was an owner surrender. While his needs as a young, active dog couldn't be fully met, he did receive a solid foundation of socialization and some training. As a result he is a well mannered boy and is quick to respond to all of the basic commands. He is crate trained, but given the right amount of regular exercise, Gilligan is a champ when he's loose in the house and isn't one to get into mischief. He has been used to having someone at home most of the time so a family member home during the day is preferable. He is not suited to spending an entire day on his own, he'd be bored, lonely and possibly destructive.

If you think you're up for lots of outdoor exercise, keeping a young dog challenged, and lots of grooming, adorable, charming and shaggy Gilligan might be for you.

An adoption donation of $350 applies and a securely fenced yard is required. He is neutered, up to date with his vaccines and currently weighs 70 lbs. He is in great health and his birthday is May 5, 2016.

Pet listings are updated daily. Unless it says otherwise at the top of this bio, this dog is still available for adoption.