Happy Heart Day Everyone!!
Song of Solomon 3:4 …I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go.
HELLO HANDSOME!!! Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Beowulf to Haven 12:10 Animal Sanctuary This big FLUFFY dog is approximately a year old and already 80+ lbs. We THINK he may be a Kuvasz/Anatolian Shepherd mix – anyway he comes from the BIG mostly White Fluffy variety (Kuvasz/Anatolian/Great Pyrenees). This is a really cool dog, folks. He is playful and smart – and the best description I can give is that it’s like petting a cloud! And for some WEIRD reason he does not shed as much as one would expect. Who knew?
We do not have a lot of his background. He was rescued by a WONDERFUL couple on Ft Campbell (we love y’all Cullen and Rebecca!!!) from being turned over to a shelter and they found us after contacting multiple full rescues – we were full too but as we have a special place in our hearts for big fluffies so we made room. His background is not all sweetness and light for sure – he has definitely been mistreated at some point as certain movements will elicit a strong aversion/fear reaction (cowering, etc) and he VERY sadly has DEFINITELY been teased by young children (maybe toddlers/young grade school age). He actually loves kids but if they pull back or move quickly toward him he reacts FAST and with a snap. While we are confident this behavior can be overcome we ARE going to restrict his placement to a home without young children. This is also NOT a dog for the faint of heart, or for anyone not experienced in training and leadership with large canines. He needs to be WALKED on leash “properly” (meaning not just meandering on the leash; he needs to be by your side no pulling, etc) to establish his place in the world (ie accept his human’s authority). He needs time to process certain situations and needs his human to establish firm boundaries and understand how to handle him – he does always not respond well to commands if he does not feel safe or in control – for example grabbing his collar to physically have him come forward when he is unsure or unwilling is not an option right now. He responds to firm command but not physical leading/correction/urging – you need a leash/positive encouragement. It sometimes takes him a minute to process what exactly his human wants. He has already improved greatly as he is learning to trust me; at first getting him into his indoor pen area (he is too big for an actual crate so we set up an indoor larger x-pen area) took treats/going in first. Now he goes happily in and out at my command but it will take the same bonding/authority process for each human. The walks will have to continue – it’s a common way that canines accept their leaders.
Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
Beowulf – “Wulfie” – is learning fast that he is safe and loved. He knows his name already. He is a playful, curious guy who LOVES LOVES LOVES his human’s attention. His demeanor is markedly more relaxed after less than a week at Haven.. He likes playing with Emerson the wonder-dachshund, Lydia the blind Aussie pup and KJ’s Blessing (Great Pyrenees). He is very good in the pack with all the animals – dogs and cats. While he enjoys a good outside romp his heart remains inside – where his human is! He has exhibited signs of separation anxiety but is improving each day as he learns the routines and more importantly continues to build trust and bond to me. He knows basic commands, walks well on leash and has not messed in his indoor pen area (despite my 12 hr shifts at dispatch!) He has attempted to mark in the house (he was just neutered less than a week ago) but a verbal correction stopped him immediately. Beowulf is a WONDERFUL dog and his behavior will only continue to improve as his trust in humans continues to grow. He is not for an inexperienced owner and we recommend he go to an active person/family – again older children only – this boy needs both exercise under control (leash walks,etc) and romp/play time.
We are so enjoying and rejoicing as we watch his insecurity and mistrust of humans already starting to fade away. Beowulf is a truly noble creature and I anticipate he will bond very tightly to his family, as he already is bonding with me. At the same time we are happy to report he is friendly to our visitors. We went to our local feed store and he was wonderfully well behaved and happy to receive attention from anyone who wanted to pet him! And no denying he is an absolutely stunning dog.
So Gentle Reader – have you found YOUR Valentine in Beowulf? If so, contact us to inquire further about adopting this amazing gentle hearted giant!
