Rhonda

My story

**IF THIS LISTING IS STILL POSTED THIS DOG IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. NO NEED TO EMAIL ASKING IF THE DOG IS AVAILABLE. PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS BIO THOROUGHLY AS INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY IS CONTAINED IN THIS LISTING** For Adoption: Rhonda! Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process. To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/. Meet Rhonda! This little sweetheart has been building confidence and slowly coming out of her shell since joining the PDR family. Rhonda is a discarded breeding mom who spent her first chapter in a puppy mill. Although she was quite shut down and nervous when entering her foster home, with patience and guidance she has been slowly opening up day by day and seeing how great life can be. Rhonda has been learning to appreciate having a penned-in area as her own secure space where she can hang out and relax. She's learned the routines of going in her crate for mealtimes and when she needs some physical space away from her furry foster hosts. Rhonda is crated at nighttime and during the day whenever she is alone in the house. It is crucial that Rhonda’s forever family continues to work on her confidence with being solo both for her own development, and to prevent the onset of any separation anxiety. Rhonda has done very well with her potty training, although she is still learning to let us know it is time for a bathroom break. When getting used to her new home she should be given the option to go out frequently until she develops a routine and a way to show her new family she needs to be let out. Her forever family should also be prepared that it may take her a bit of time to feel comfortable and safe when relieving herself. This can mean that she goes long periods of time where she may not do anything outside. Patience is key! Because of her nervousness Rhonda would do best in a home with direct access to a yard rather than an apartment setup. She is not yet confident enough to go to the bathroom on walks. Knowing that she will also need lots of trips outside when she first goes to her new home Rhonda would do best with her own quiet fenced yard to do her thing. Rhonda has been on a trip to the PDR vets and has been given a clean bill of health. She has been treated for fleas, ticks, and internal parasites, and has been given all of her age appropriate vaccinations and spayed. This little lady has done an excellent job of learning to walk on leash. She gets very excited and will spin around and bark when it's time to go for her walks. That being said her foster family has been trying to give her a mix of walks alone and with her foster siblings, and she is definitely more confident when she has a buddy. Knowing this, her new family should be ready to help her explore the world with lots of patience. She has also appointed herself chief squirrel observation officer while relaxing out in the yard. She is ready to defend her new backyard from all tiny intruders! Rhonda has only just started her journey of learning commands, and is beginning to learn to sit when told. Rhonda is a dog who aims to please, and has done great with positive reinforcement training. Her foster family believes she will pick up on training cues fast. She’s a smart cookie who picks up on routines quickly! Rhonda has done well making new friends, both human and canine, though she is still quite nervous with first meetings and particularly with men. With a bit of time she warms up and will come looking for scratches. She likes to press her body against peoples legs and have her ears and sides scratched, she is also quick to let you know you have stopped too soon and will scoop your hand back with her paws and ask for more! While she continues to build her confidence, introductions should be done in a controlled manner to keep her from being overwhelmed. Rhonda has become quite comfortable with her foster siblings. She enjoys having them around, and is more confident following their lead. She has not engaged in any type of direct play with them at this time, but she has discovered the joy of toys! She loves to carry around soft stuffed toys, and has been known to steal the occasional sock. Her foster parents have been working on reinforcing good behaviour around other dogs when it comes to toy time. We do not believe she has any true resource guardian tendencies, more so that she is learning how to share. Having someone to help guide her through new experiences does wonders for her confidence and really lets her delightful personality shine. Rhonda has not met any small children yet, so it’s hard to predict exactly how she would react. Because she is still learning to find her confidence, we think she would not be a good fit for a family with younger children. Quick sudden movements, and loud noises frighten her. Older children 12 and up who will behave in predictable ways would be a better fit. She also hasn’t met any cats, though her foster family thinks she could be taught how to coexist in a house with cat siblings. As mentioned, Rhonda enjoys the companionship of her foster siblings, and looks to them for cues when she is unsure. We think she would do well in a home with another calm mature dog, but would also be okay being on her own. Rhonda has come so far in a few short weeks! Everyday she surprises her foster family with how sweet and silly she can be. With the right family we are confident that she will continue to grow and her sweet little personality will really blossom. #rescuedismyfavoritebreed #rescuedog #adoptdontshop #pounddogs #pdr14years #pounddogrescue14yearsstrong Name: Rhonda ID # PDR1553 Age: 6yrs Gender: female Spayed: yes UTD vaccines: yes Breed: Cocker Spaniel Colours: red Coat length: med House trained: yes Special needs: no OK with kids: older OK with cats: yes Ok with dogs: yes Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: med Location: Kitchener, Ont Adoption fee: $700

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