Ned

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Nervous little Ned originally came in from the pound and on arrival was very scared.  He needed to be carried from the van to his new kennel at SDR. Ned was found as a stray, so this means that we do not have any information about his past. We can only presume it wasn’t a great one as it has been apparent from the start that Ned had had very few positive interactions with people. Hopefully, over time and with the help of new owners dedicated to him this will change.

During his time with us, it took a while for him to get used to his surroundings and he often stayed in a corner, shaking, avoiding us and when we approached would make himself as small as possible. He's still scared of new people and sometimes even of the dog carer, someone who has spent time with him. But there have been small achievements along the way. He has started to take treats from people and once he knows them will eventually be okay with very gentle strokes, he seems to prefer a chin scratch over anything else.  

The good news is that Ned hasn’t shown any aggression and is just extremely fearful and avoidant. He is not comfortable with it but can be picked up by people he knows, and this is how he has been able to be shown around as the lead and harness were completely foreign to him. That said though he can be easily startled and, in the environment, shut down with no one around him to truly trust and unable to show us his true feelings. If cornered or pushed, he could potentially nip so you must be able to read the signs correctly.

We realised quite quickly that Ned loves other dogs, mostly other young dogs, similar in size that are friendly and not intimidating, he completely changes when around them, turning into a complete puppy. He currently shares a kennel with a very crazy but super people-friendly terrier who shows him the ropes. This has been a massive help in his progress when it comes to introductions to new people. In his potential home, he may need to live with another dog. Although with this said Ned is quite under-socialised and overly submissive such as you see with very young dogs and this has occasionally annoyed other dogs. The type of resident dog will need to be tolerant of this as it could be overwhelming for both. He is looking for a confident teacher dog/s, one that already has all the training behind them. If not, a regular walking buddy.

Ned does like food but will take these when comfortable. With toys, anything with rope seems to be the one he has the most interest in but when no one is around to watch. Other than other dogs Ned also likes being in the exercise area to run around even if his buddies are next door.

Keep in mind that he is going to need someone to meet him several times, however, we are not expecting miracles during these meets and greets. Potential adopters need to understand that Ned is not your typical dog. Ned is currently looking for a quiet adults-only home in an area not too overwhelming to build his confidence. With time, love, and the right doggy friend, he can make a great addition with the right kind of owners.