Josh

Breed: Newfoundland/Labrador Retriever Mix
Sex: Male

Birthday: February 23, 2017
Rescued: April 23, 2021
Re-Homed: November 19, 2021

Status: Adopted

Temperament

• Josh is a sweet and loving guy that enjoys the company of people.
• He loves the outdoors and prefers the comfort of cooler weather and shady areas. Josh lived most of his first 4 years on a chain at a farm and is loving his new-found freedom at our facility.
• Having been primarily an outdoor dog, Josh is getting used to the idea of spending time indoors. He is not used to living life as a full-time indoor dog, so things like kitchen counters, laundry hampers, garbage cans and storage bins have a tendency to draw his attention. He does not always understand indoor boundaries and may grab things he shouldn’t have.
• In his past life, Josh has exhibited an instance of resource guarding when a leather glove was removed from him. He has not demonstrated any of these behaviours since arriving in our care, but we are careful not to allow him access to things he can grab and guard. If he gets a chewy bone or toy, care is taken to lure him away from the item with a high-value treat and the item is removed safely.
• Being recently neutered has reduced his “hormonal intent”. He did very well recovering from surgery. He has been known to mount people and is doing well to understand our boundaries and the cue ‘off”.
• He has a low-moderate energy level. He is fairly laid back, likes to trot around as opposed to running.
• Josh is a big dude and is still learning leash manners. He has seen some improvement but needs a handler that won’t let him pull so intently. Hold on tight, this guy will take you wherever he wants to go!
• Due to some mobility issues yet to be identified, we haven’t been able to socialize Josh with other dogs. Although he would occasionally go on walks with another family-owned dog, he wasn’t regularly socialized in his last home. He will definitely let you know when he doesn’t like one dog in particular and will bark and pull intensely.
• Josh gets vocal when he wants something, but you rarely hear him otherwise.
• He is honestly just a big, happy, affectionate, pushy, headstrong, slobbery guy that has totally won our hearts!

Owner Suitability

• Josh absolutely needs a country home with a fenced in area, ideally with lots of space for him to roam, as regular leash walking would be difficult.
• He is still learning leash skills, and will need these skills enforced regularly as his size can become difficult to manage without reinforcement.
• His ideal home won’t have any small kids, due to the possibility of resource guarding, but a home with dog savvy kids over 12 would be considered.
• Josh’s new home will need to be with a family who respects Josh’s space when eating and when he has things of value to him, because once he’s comfortable, resource guarding tendencies could reappear.
• Josh hasn’t experienced cats, so unfortunately we aren’t going to consider a home with cats.
• Large breed experience would be an asset and being consistent with rules for him will be important.

If you feel you are a good candidate to provide Josh with a forever home, please submit an Adoption Application which you can find in the side bar.