Shepherd Mix Destiny Needs A Special Home

The following Adopt Me! information is provided by A Caring Place:

SPECIAL ADOPTER REQUIRED: This 1-½ year old, 55-60 pound Shepherd mix is Destiny. She lives with her foster dad and his Great Danes; her best friend and play buddy is Essie whom she spends most of their time with roughhousing and playing chase in the yard once her foster dad is home from work. In the home, Destiny is well mannered and calm. She is very loving and devoted to her foster dad, and seeks out his attention and approval. Destiny is housebroken and kennel-trained.

Destiny is considered special-needs because she “lived” the first six months of her life in a cage without human and other dog interaction. This neglect has caused Destiny to have some behavior challenges that require a knowledgeable and experienced dog owner who will be dedicated to working with Destiny. Her responses to new situations and new people tend to be fear-based because of a lack of exposure and previous experiences. 

A professional behavior consultation with Dr. Valerie Chalcraft of Applied Animal Behavior has been generously provided by Destiny’s foster dad to assist in her adoption. Dr. Chalcraft indicates that Destiny is “a friendly dog who shows curious caution. She is willing and interested in meeting people but she benefits from a slow introduction where she’s told what to do. Sudden movements startle her. Like any dog, Destiny will learn most by setting her up for success and making each encounter with a human or dog a positive learning experience. Each encounter must be done gradually and she must be told what to do before she goes into a default defensive mode. She could be good with other dogs in the home when given a controlled, gradual introduction based on camaraderie and teamwork building. Dr. Chalcraft will be available for a home visit or phone consultation for Destiny’s adopters. 

If you think you might be Destiny’s new owner/family, please contact us at 630-375-7976 or through email at acaringplace@comcast.net. She has been spayed, inoculated against diseases, dewormed, tested for Heartworm Disease (Negative) and placed on monthly preventative, plus microchipped. Adoption Applications are available online through our website's home page - www.acaringplacehs.org