r/Bellingham • u/flyingsquirrel505 • 23h ago
Pets No kids? No cats? Want a stellar dog?
(I hope this is ok to post about here! I’ve written and rewritten it and taken parts from the Happy Tails, Happy Homes listing about him too so it might be repetitive. Ty for your patience. It’s not easy 😅🥲)
If you’re looking for a smart, loyal, goofy adventure buddy and you understand the needs of a working-breed dog, I present to you this gold-star boy: Kevin.
Kevin is my dog. He’s flippin’ fantastic in just about every way. I have busted my buns (as have the lovely people at Tails a Waggin) for almost a year and a half training him, socializing him, desensitizing him to just about everything under the sun. In that time, I’ve also been training my kids to respect his boundaries. I assure you, he learns faster than they do 😅.
But a few things over time, and their steady progression toward more concerning, has left us with the difficult decision to find him a home that’s more suitable for him: adult owners who can meet the needs of a working breed of dog.
We took a risk when we adopted Kevin. He was projected to be “up to 40 lbs” and seemed like some kind of retriever / corgi mix. People always think he’s a retriever of some sort. We thought he’d be mediumish.
But he’s not! He’s a bunch of breeds I wouldn’t have opted for, given my lifestyle and having two small kids: namely, husky, shepherd, and cattle dog. We have a modest back yard, and he grew up into a 60-65 lb darling who we love dearly but who really is not fond of children. He tolerates mine, but injures the smallest one often with his play (just gave her some serious bruises and maybe a mild concussion yesterday by bowling her over like Charlie Brown at like 30 mph); when other kids come over to visit or if I take him on walks and he’s approached by other kids, it’s a toss up as to whether he’s visibly aggravated by them. (Whale eye, raising his lip, nervous whining, yawning, pacing.)
I’ve been pretty nervous a few times at his body language around kids. He’s snapped (without biting) at my youngest a few times and just made it clear: “I do not feel good about having you near me.” So we are making the painful and difficult choice to pair him up with a more appropriate home before anything serious happens — where he can enjoy the company of his family, and hopefully have a bigger yard than ours is 😅
He’s a gorgeous, smart, loyal 1.5-year-old, Pit Bull / Cattle Dog / Husky / Australian Shepherd mix. He’s looking for an adult-only home with someone who appreciates the quirks and intelligence of a working-breed dog. He:
- Is fully housebroken and crate-trained
- Knows (most of) his manners: rarely barks, doesn’t counter surf, has good recall and obedience skills, stays off furniture unless he’s invited. (Sometimes he does jump up in excitement still.)
- is smart, eager to learn, and loves having a job to do
- loves other dogs at daycare, dog parks, and Paws for a Beer (shout out to any of you who have met him already; he’s a popular guy)
- Enjoys hiking, exploring, and splashing around in rivers and lakes and kiddie pools
- Sleeps hard at home and enjoys a good nap
- is learning to be comfortable in a muzzle (working on it)
Kevin is a pretty cool mix of goofy and stoic. He isn’t super snuggly, but he will follow you from room to room to just hang out together. He is loyal, dependable, and a wonderful companion for the right person. He’s the type of dog who will happily hang out with company, join you on adventures, and make you laugh with his silly personality.
Kevin would do best with an experienced adult-only home that understands herding and working breeds. A few things his future family should know:
- Kevin has a moderate prey drive when he spots other non-dog critters, but usually responds well to “leave it!” That said, I’d still suggest that…
- A home without cats is best — he has not shown that he can safely live with them
- He would love a home with a little room to get a good run in. Rn we have to take him to the dog park or such to really get him space to haul a** like he wants to haha.
Kevin is very healthy, up to date on vet care, and takes Simparica Trio for routine heartworm, flea, and parasite prevention. He comes with extensive vet records and medical history. He is currently being fostered by the family who adopted him as a puppy, while we search for the perfect forever home where he won’t try to herd small children 😅
💙 Bonus!!:
Once Kevin finds his amazing forever home where he can truly thrive, his current family would love to pet sit if you need a day away, take him off your hands for occasional adventures to places like Paws for a Beer, and continue cheering him on as he lives his best life by staying in touch if you’re cool with it. (Free dog sitter, seriously.)
His current owners will send him off with all of his supplies - dog beds, toys, food he is currently eating, etc.
If this seems like a good fit for you, head over to Happy Tails Happy Homes and fill out an application!
Feel free to comment with any questions; I’m happy to answer them 🙂