Spud

Quick Facts:

  • Breed: Great Pyrenees mix
  • Gender: Male, neutered
  • Age: 10 years old
  • Size: 66 pounds
  • Good with…
    • Dogs? No!
    • Cats? No!
    • Kids? Unknown

***Spud is not a CDR dog, all decisions will be made by his current owner.***

Urgent foster or adopter needed for Spud—an amazing, wonderful, sweet, and silly 10-year-old, 66 lb. neutered male, Great Pyrenees mix!

Spud is a super healthy boy, his last veterinary exam was on June 19th, 2024; he had comprehensive blood work and an exam and all looked terrific.

Spud is a very sweet and affectionate boy who lost his person & the only home he had ever known suddenly due to an unfortunate circumstance unrelated to Spud. He was then adopted but returned to the shelter after his new owner became too sick to take care of him. He was in the shelter for months and had also been in two different foster homes, where he did better in the quieter foster home. Losing his first & only home so suddenly, and then losing another home so soon after, has left Spud uncertain of the world around him, so it takes a little while for his happy, playful, joyful side to show.

Let me tell you things that Spud really, really loves, that start to show themselves once he knows and feels safe with you!

  • Belly rubs! And playful butt pats! And giving sweet little kisses (when he’s really happy)!
  • Going for walks (especially nature walks)! He gets SO excited when he sees you take out his harness!
  • To play with and toss in the air all of his favorite toys! He prances back and forth with a toy in his mouth when he’s really excited–sometimes even carrying one with him on a walk!!
  • Yummy food & treats of all kinds! He does a little happy dance as you remind him to sit & wait while you put his food down, which he does so well!
  • Getting brushed & pampered & loved on!
  • Sniffing the groceries & deliveries like a little TSA agent, haha!!
  • Being close to his person – laying on the floor anywhere where he can gaze at you lovingly while resting his head on his paws. He’s also content to spend time on his own with a bully stick or a Woof Pupsicle or taking a good nap.
  • Taking long naps (& chasing squirrels in his dreams!) & getting comfy just about anywhere—a cozy dog bed, laying by your feet on the floor, or curled up next to you on the couch, sometimes laying his head in your lap or against your leg, which is truly the absolute sweetest thing.

Spud is also:

  • Completely house-trained!
  • Non-destructive! Though he’ll get into a little bit of mischief if given the opportunity (like moving your shoes from one location to another), but he’s mostly very well behaved inside the house
  • Incredibly soft and it feels so good to snuggle with him!
  • And he knows how to sit, wait, and lay down! He sometimes has his own opinions (don’t we all?) and can at times get a bit excitable, but he’s shown great potential to learn & improve in a safe, supportive, and loving home where positive reinforcement is the name of the game!

So why is Spud urgently looking for a new foster or adoptive home? He sounds amazing! What gives?

Well, first, Spud needs a home with no other dogs or pets and he was adopted into his current home where there is another dog (female). They fight. It can get serious, they must be separated at all times. The current owner’s dog is bunking at a daycare/boarding facility to keep everyone safe; this cannot go on for too long, it’s not fair at all.

Second, the current adopter made clear in her adoption application to the shelter in SC from which Spud was transported, that she has health issues/physical limitations that meant that a strong dog with any reactivity issues would not be a fit for her. Unfortunately, Spud is reactive towards people who he doesn’t know, in most situations. This manifests as lunging/pulling, growling, and sometimes barking, as well as the potential to nip if not managed correctly. His reactivity is more easily managed with enough distance between him and his trigger (unknown humans, other dogs, cats or other small animals), but requires careful vigilance while out on walks, and a human who has no physical impairments. Unfortunately, this is not his current person.

Spud needs a dedicated fosterer or adopter to work with him on his reactivity with positive reinforcement training. Introducing him to new people will take some patience and consistent help, and should be done slowly and with trainer guidance. It was reported that he nipped at visitors in his prior two homes, but then interacted peacefully with both people after the initial nipping.

NOTE THAT Spud has never shown any signs of aggression or resource guarding towards me, his current person, or to any of his previous owners or fosterers. He can be a bit mouthy-playful at times, but it is gentle and very playful, and he responds to a calm “no” or “stop” if he gets a little carried away. Spud also has some anxiety when his person is away from home (understandable with his history), which manifests as whining if left alone for too long. It also sometimes shows itself in that he follows his person from room to room & really wants to be right near you. When he is more relaxed, he is content with a bit more space and does fine on his own for a bit. He would love to be able to sleep in the same room or bed with his person!!!

Spud would do best in a home with no other pets, no kids, and ideally with a person who is home much of the time. He also needs a calm & quiet environment, preferably in a quiet neighborhood, away from loud traffic sounds or noisy neighbors. A securely fenced-in yard would be ideal, although is not required.

NOTE THIS SPECIAL ASSISTANCE IF YOU ARE WILLING TO FOSTER OR ADOPT SPUD:
1) Any potential foster or adoptive home will have the opportunity to (free of charge) work with a certified dog behaviorist through Jet’s Rehab Rescue, a nonprofit organization in NY committed to providing support to shelter/rescues to help rehabilitate & rehome dogs with behavioral issues.
2) In addition, Spud’s current owner would be happy to pay for two months of online classes for reactivity training through SpiritDog Training, which equals a total of three months of access with the free trial.

Spud will come with medical records and is fully UTD on his vaccinations & preventive medications. He will also come with all of his favorite things from his current home to help make the transition as smooth as possible for him and his new foster or adoptive home.

If you have the space in your home and your heart, and the ability to help this sweet boy, please fill out an application to foster or adopt Spud at the links below.

To apply to foster spud:  http://cayugadogrescue.org/wp/fostering/
NOTE: Fostering Spud will be for his current owner, NOT for Cayuga Dog Rescue.

To apply to adopt spud:  http://cayugadogrescue.org/wp/adoption-application/

If you are interested in adopting or fostering Spud, please fill out an online adoption application and live close to Ithaca, Syracuse, Binghamton, Rochester, or Elmira. We do home visits on every applicant, and can’t do home visits where we don’t have local volunteers.

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