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- Dreaming of a forever home.
Hi! My name is Chester and I am the happiest, most good-natured dog ever!!
Quick Facts:
- Breed: Australian Shepherd mix
- Gender: Male, neutered
- Age: 7 years old
- Size: 52 pounds (stout)
- Good with…
- Dogs? Yes!
- Cats? Yes!
- Kids? Yes! 6+
History
I was found as a stray and landed in a rough, dismal shelter in Kentucky. Very hard for any dog, but especially for a blind dog who can’t see what’s going on. One of the volunteers there felt so badly for me and so he bought me a special Halo device to help me navigate better which was terrific! And the staff saw that I was the sweetest, nicest, most deserving dog possible, so they worked hard to find rescue for me. And it worked! I was driven all the way up here by the two nicest KY rescue workers and have been having a fabulous time in my Ithaca CDR foster home since!
Personality
I am a very smiley, very happy, very friendly, easygoing fuzzyhead! I really love people, and am extra happy when my people are around, when I get to meet new people, or get to visit with human friends! My foster mom says that I am “quite the charmer” with people and also that I am surprisingly trusting and relaxed for a blind dog—even when strangers crowd around me petting me, I don’t get nervous or anything! I’m just happy to meet everyone and have their attention!
I think I’m a lap dog! I LOVE sitting on the couch with you and especially love sitting right in your lap! I do this adorable thing where I roll over on my back while sitting in your lap, and beg for belly rubs, which of course I always get because….who could resist? I also love having my ears rubbed, and either make this incredibly cute moaning sound while you rub my ears, or I use both paws and rub my own face while you rub my ears which I hear is the cutest thing imaginable. I am always happy to get kisses, and like to give kisses sometimes, but not all the time (this keeps them extra special, don’t you think?).
I am wonderfully affectionate and people focused yet I don’t need to be right next to you 24/7. I prefer to be on the same floor in the house as are you, and I do keep tabs on where you are, but while I sometimes join you in whatever room you’re in, at other times I am content to be chilling on the couch or on a dog bed in another room. I sleep on a dog bed in my foster mom’s bedroom next to her bed, but would probably be happy to be invited into your bed if that is your preference!
I like stuffed animal toys, but my favorite is my Kong which gets filled with delicious things like peanut butter and canned dog food. I’m not a chaser or retriever or pouncer of toys–I like to bring them onto my dog bed, chew on them or roll around on my back, moving the toy around with my head as I roll. Pretty cute! We’re trying to get video of that for you!
I mostly have calm, moderate energy. I am getting 3 walks per day, totally about an hour or so per day of walking (plus a few other trips outside for bathroom needs), and this is fine for me, though I could do more if you wanted. I have a small fenced yard, but am not interested unless you are out there with me, and I don’t do my business out there. I do my business while we are out on a leashed walk. I need you to always keep me on a short leash so you can help me navigate around things because I will trip over or walk right into anything in my way (curbs, poles, people) since I can’t see them! For that reason, I cannot be off-leash on trails or on your land– I would hurt myself stumbling over roots and logs and rocks and such. I’m very chill in general, but do get quite excited when a) you tell me we are going to go out for a walk, or b) when it’s mealtime! In those situations, I run around the house in delighted, ecstatic circles, jump up on the couch (or on your if you are on the couch), and bump into things (which doesn’t phase me)!
I use my Halo when I am in a new place, but once I get the lay of the place (which can take a few weeks), I don’t need to use it much.
I am totally housebroken, ok in the bath, and great in the car. I do not need to be crated. I do have some mild separation anxiety when left alone for the day, in which I scratch at the front door a bit or tangle in the venetian blinds at the front door (if they are left down). The only time I seemed very upset was he time that I was home alone during a thunderstorm—that time I scratched at the door quite a bit more and pulled out some of the weather stripping around the door. The rescue is using some calming herbal medicine and the ICalm classical music device to ease my anxiety, and we expect that it will lessen as I feel more secure and stable with my people and in my forever home.
Cohabitation
I love all people! Since I am blind, I shouldn’t be in a home with little kids, as I would hate to accidentally step on a crawling toddler or be confused by a young child who wanted to chase me or didn’t understand that I am blind and can’t see them. Kids 6 and over should be terrific!
I am fine with all dogs. I don’t have much of a reaction to other dogs, often just sniffing them and then moving on in a very chill way. It’s possible that I might feel more secure being left home alone if there was another dog in the house, but we’re not sure as we haven’t been able to test that yet.
I am great with cats. Mostly disinterested and calm. Occasionally I decide to go sniff around for the cat, but after I find her and we “look” at each other a little bit, I get bored and go back to my bed or my toys or my person!
Favorite Activities
- Sitting on your lap on the couch!
- Your attention and cuddles and kisses and petting!
- Going for leashed walks!
- Food and treats! My Kong stuffed with yummy things!
Medical
I am in terrific health other than my blindness. It seems likely due to cataracts, and we are trying hard to get into Cornell Opthalmology for an evaluation. Right now they are booking many months out, but we’re working on it! Cataracts are typically surgically fixable, it’s just that it costs a bunch to do it.
Summary
I am just a fantastic sweetheart of a dog. Loving, friendly, affectionate, and a gorgeous companion!
If you are interested in adopting me, 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.
