Modelo

My story

Modelo checking in after a wonderful weekend! Yesterday we went for a hike at a marsh and I loved watching the geese from the shore! Today I helped foster dad get rid of some ice in the backyard and also helped keep the dog bed nice and warm...for myself. I love a productive weekend but my work isn't really done until I find my forever family! Could you be them? Read below and see if I'm the right match for you! My name is Modelo and I am a female, approximately 8 year old great dane mix. I weigh around 128lbs and have been vaccinated, microchipped, and spayed. I am a sweet old girl but I have a lot of spunk and personality too! Healthwise, there are some things you need to know right off the bat. I have arthritis in both of my back legs. My foster parents noticed that I seem to be stiff getting up and down and I wasn't so great with the stairs when I first came. I don't like to sit - I'm either standing or laying down. I take a daily supplement with glucosamine and am on pain meds for the arthritis and they've noticed a huge difference in my comfort level. I'm not having any issues with the stairs now but long-term, it might be best for me to be in a home without a lot of stairs. It's also very important that I stay nice and lean because extra weight can be hard on my joints. I had an ear infection that has cleared up after a couple weeks of treatment but it had led to me developing a hematoma in my ear. The nice vet put me on prednisone and my hematoma has gotten way smaller! It will probably not go down all the way but it doesn't cause me pain anymore.To avoid future ear infections and hematomas, I will need my ears cleaned out twice a week going forward - this is a must! I also had a lump on my abdomen when I came down. I had it removed and tested and thankfully it is benign so I'm all good. I should tell you that I was a total sweetheart at the vet - they love me there! And I have not given foster mom and dad any trouble when they clean my ears. In the morning, they put my meds in my food and I gobble them up no problem. Now for some other things I'm great at... I am excellent in my crate! I walk right in when my foster parents say "time for your crate" and if I know it's mealtime, I run in! My foster parents did have to lead me in by my leash for the first few days but I caught on really fast. I whined for the first day/night but a stern "enough" quieted me and I haven't whined since. I have an XXL crate so I have enough room to relax - my head is 38 inches off the ground, afterall! I like a few blankets in there and I have a reindeer stuffie that I use as a pillow. I don't like the front of my crate covered with a sheet but don't mind the other sides covered. I get crate time during the day when foster mom is home to help me get used to it and so I don't associate it with them leaving. When they do leave, I may groan once or twice but am otherwise unaffected. I'm excited when you come to get me out of the crate and I used to paw at the door or head butt it while you opened it. My foster parents would close the door again and say "wait" and I wasn't allowed to come out until they said "ok". Now I wait patiently for the ok! While I'm doing well in my crate now, don't be surprised if I regress a bit in a new environment. With consistency, I'll be back to my amazing self in no time! I get my breakfast and supper in my crate. I'm pretty excited about my meals but I have always been great at waiting until they say "ok" and closing the door before I start eating. I am definitely interested in human food but haven't made any attempts at counter or table surfing, which is really good because I'm basically counter height! I was a bit uncertain about trying new foods at first. I would eat around my supplements and would spit most treats out on the ground. Now that I've settled in, I eat whatever they give me! I really love all treats. When I know I'm getting a treat, I am so excited that my teeth start chattering - really! I chatter my teeth when I'm excited - like when foster mom comes down to see me in the morning or when foster dad gets home from work. (Foster mom here - yes it's as cute as it sounds!!). Again, don't be surprised if when I come to your house, I spit out my treats at first. I don't mean to be rude but I'm just being cautious! Plus, if you have another dog, they'll really love that I do this, like my foster brother does. Speaking of my foster brother - he and I get along great! He is a nine year old lab. We did a lot of butt sniffing for the first few minutes and have been perfectly happy with each other since. We are happy laying in the same room and sometimes give each other licks on our faces. By the third day, he and I were chasing each other around the yard and even wrestling a tiny bit. I may react differently to younger dogs who are not as laid back as my foster brother so introductions should always be done properly - slow, head to butt, loose leash. I haven't met any cats so I don't know how I'd be with them. I have met some little kids for short periods of time and I was very sweet and gentle with them but I don't live with any kids. I really love walks. I get super excited when they say "do you want to go for a walk?" but I've learned to wait to go through the front door until foster mom says OK. The first few walks, I followed foster mom and didn't pull at all. Once I got more comfortable, I liked to walk ahead a bit and sniff at things. If I get more than a foot or two ahead of foster mom, she turns in the other direction so that I know I'm supposed to follow, not lead. She only has to do this once or twice and then I spend the rest of the walk enjoying myself but checking in with foster mom to make sure I'm where I'm supposed to be. I will do my business on walks or in the backyard but when I first arrived, I took a couple of days before I'd go so don't be surprised if I hold it again when I arrive at your home. I'd recommend taking me out on a long line into the backyard so I have some privacy. I really love walks and I get so excited when I know we're heading out. I've now been in my foster home for a couple of months now and they're noticing I have a lot more confidence. When I first came down south things like cars, another dog barking at me, or a camera (?) would make me hide behind foster mom. But my foster parents always just told me "you got this" and I don't seem nervous at all anymore. Because of my new found confidence, I'm showing more interest in things on walks - like squirrels and other dogs. Thankfully I have some good leash training under my belt so when I start to react to them, they say "ah ah ah" or "leave it" and I pay attention to foster mom again. Oh! I also very excitedly jump in the back of foster dad's car. My leash is always secured by closing the end in the car door so I can't wander up to the front seat and so you can grab my leash before I hop out. You may want to encourage me to sit down because otherwise I can cause some real blind spots! In the house, I am pretty content lazing around with my foster parents and my fur foster brother. They do this thing called "sit on the dog" where they sit on my leash so I only have enough slack to lay down. This is supposed to teach me to be calm in the house. Joke's on them because sleeping beside my foster parents is my favourite thing to do, so I'm really good at this "sit on the dog" thing. When foster dad comes home from work I get the zoomies and will run around the backyard or chase my foster parents around the house. I love bones and have recently started playing fetch - but so far will only fetch a stuffed octopus tentacle off from one of my foster brother's toys. It's a bit weird but I like a bit of mystery about me! I don't yet know how to signal that I need to go outside to do my business but I can hold my bladder for a long time. While I'm taking out every three hours or so, sometimes I don't pee for 10 hours - which means I have no problem holding it overnight. While I was on prednisone, I had an issue with incontinence (common side effect) but once I was finished with that medication, my bladder control returned to normal. Other than during that time, I haven't had any accidents in the house. The biggest challenge with me is not something I need to do - it's all on you. Following the FTH rules! Most importantly for me, FTH recommends that I be given minimal attention for the first 30 days in my new home. And it's going to be hard. Why? Because I am the biggest lovebug/sweetheart/total suck you will ever meet. I love attention. I'll lean right into you, rest my head on your legs (or chest!), and even bury my face into your arms or legs in order to get pets. But for the first 30 days my foster family didn't give into me. They showed their love by training me, walking me, playing with me outside, and by keeping me close to them on my leash. What they taught me by not smothering me with cuddles and baby talk right away is to be independent. Now that I've been with them over a month, they are giving me more pets and affection but all these great qualities above are because they followed the rules and were consistent. If I'm given too much attention and freedom right away, it could lead to issues down the line, such as separation anxiety. FTH also recommends that I remain on a leash - both inside and outside the house - for the first 30 days. This will help us form a bond and help keep me from getting into trouble. If you're interested in the once in a lifetime opportunity to give me my forever home, don't wait! Apply today at FindingThemHomes.com

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Modelo, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.