Josie
Boxer Mix | Female | 3 Year Old | 37 Lbs
QUICK FACTS: ✔️ Good with other dogs! ✔️ Crate trained! ✔️ Can free roam when alone! ✔️ Good in car! ✔️ Walks well on leash! ✔️ Great running buddy! ❌ No cats! ❌ Needs a quiet home with dog experience!
Updates
Happily ever after for our Josie on December 10, 2020!
PUPDATE 3:
Josie joined a pack walk today with some other Fetch foster dogs. She did very well maintaining a relaxed state and checking in frequently with her handler. It’s pretty evident now that Josie does very well with her reactivity if people and dogs maintain proper “social distancing”. Sometimes she prefers a little more than 6 feet but 10 feet is usually plenty. The only moments she appeared anxious today were when dogs were surrounding her from multiple directions. She’s totally content to stick around the perimeter of group.
PUPDATE 2:
After allowing a few weeks to settle in, Josie has become such a loving and sweet girl. Josie is so happy to get under blankets and snuggle with her humans, even in the heat of summer. She likes to be near her people and gets excited to see you when you’ve been away. She gets the biggest doggy smile and her little stumpy tail wags like crazy during the reunion. Josie does well free roaming in the home; she doesn’t get into anything or chew. I only allow this if the cats are locked away (she shouldn’t live with cats).
Josie has had some good practice opportunities with strangers visiting the home. She continues to bark at new strangers in the home but she has done great with controlled meetings. I don’t allow her to rush the door or have free will when new people arrive. Josie is friends with anyone that will give her a treat and the space she needs to feel safe. Her behavior is very predictable now that she has lived with us for about 6 weeks. Several times, when I’ve had two new visitors, Josie would be interacting with one person and the second person surprised her by petting her from behind. Josie did not like this and barked nervously at the petter. Josie, like many dogs, also gets nervous about eye contact from strangers. In the dog world, eye contact from strangers is scary and rude. Josie needs an adopter that understands dog body language (or is dedicated to learning) and is willing to advocate for her so she can know she’s safe. When Josie feels safe she’s a relaxed, fun, and charming pupper.
PUPDATE 1:
Josie is a beautiful brindle lady looking for her Goldilocks family. Josie excels with a predictable routine in a quieter setting; she is happy and relaxed when chilling at home with family. She is extremely loving and loyal to her people.
Exercise: Josie is a medium energy pup; she enjoys daily leash walks and running zoomies in a fenced yard but is happy to lay around after play time is over. She also very much enjoyed running on leash the handful of times we tried it.
Training: Josie knows all basic commands like sit, stay, down, come, wait, off, and heeling on walks. She’s very food motivated. She’s fully housebroken with zero indoor potty accidents. She doesn’t chew inappropriately but loves chew toys and chasing balls or chasing anything that moves quickly. She’s crate trained and sleeps in the crate at night without a peep.
Josie has been professionally trained to wait for permission to walk through doorways, exit her kennel, stay on her place mat when asked, and lay down for car rides. Josie is e-collar trained for stranger reactively. It is critical for her training to continue so she can live her best life as a more confident pup.
Humans: Josie’s perfect forever people will have dog experience and a quiet living environment. Strangers make Josie nervous and reactive so city and/or apartment living would not be a good match. Josie does great with teenagers she knows and adults she knows. New people are scary. Young kids would not be a good match because of her anxiety and reactivity with new situations.
When strangers visit our home, Josie sits on her place mat until given a command that it’s okay to get up. I ask new people to ignore her. Josie typically hesitantly sniffs hands, walks away, and repeats this until she feels comfortable with the new human. When people try to greet her or pet her too soon, she barks and/or lunges at the person. This is a work in progress. Josie has a definite preference for strangers who offer treats.
Josie is very nervous for vet visits. It was recommended that she be given anxiety medication for vet visits in the future.
Other Animals: Josie does great with my larger dog but her play style with my smaller dog can be intense. I set clear boundaries with what types of play are allowed. Slow introductions with other dogs in the home are a must. Josie currently lives with cats but is not good with them because of a strong prey drive i.e. loves to chase.
It might take a little while to find Josie’s “just right” Goldilocks people but we know they are out there. Maybe in a house in the forest?...but without three bears.