Teddy (ADOPTED!) is a very quiet, highly intelligent, soft & sensitive, super loving soul. He is 12-24 months old and weighs 38 lbs. We believe he is an Australian Cattle Dog and Kelpie mix. Everyone who meets him falls in love with him.
With the most wonderful, naturally sweet, gentle personality, Teddy would make THE best, most loving companion. While he is a moderate energy boy, he loves going on several mile runs and would make a great running or hiking partner. His favorite thing is to hang with or cuddle with one of his people. He is big on nuzzling, but is NOT a licker. When happy at home, he will sometimes joyfully run up to you to ask for petting. He would love to be part of a family, but needs a a quiet home situation with people who can return his love. We do not recommend busy homes with children. Any children must be older and calm.
While Teddy would adore being an only dog, he would also do well with another friendly, easy going dog, who he could watch and learn from. Another dog could show him what to do in situations that are new to him. He does not show any possessive or resource guarding behavior with humans or other dogs. He meets other dogs very well, looking away to show he’s not challenging anyone and doesn’t want any trouble. If other dogs are also very easy going, he will feel it is ok to greet and sniff them. On walks, he is calm and good when seeing and meeting other friendly dogs. If another dog barks at him, he will bark back.
Teddy enjoys being outside in the yard with his people. He has no bad habits, and does not dig or chew on anything inappropriate. He was tested with chickens, and paid no attention to them. Although we have not yet seen him with cats, we believe that he would be fine with them. He does not seem to know what toys are, and was alarmed when we showed him a soft toy and squeaked it. He jumped to his foster mom for safety. He does enjoy dog puzzles and finding treats in snuffle mats.
Our boy is crate trained and loves his crate, which is his safe place, where he goes in to relax and recover from new experiences. He is fine if left alone for several hours, and will contentedly relax in his crate. He is good sleeping the night in his crate, but he would also love to sleep with is person if allowed to do so.
Teddy is exceptionally observant, and watches everything around him. He wants to please, is highly food motivated, and a quick learner. He is house-trained, but when he is very excited, anticipating a walk, he may sprinkle teeny bit. His foster mom is now leashing him for a walk in the yard, so if he sprinkles he’s already outside.
Teddy is learning the concept of walking easily on leash. He was initially terrified when someone holding a leash would approach him. With positive leash association, and not having it in hand when approaching him, he is overcoming this fear. He does well when using a front-clip walking harness on walks on quiet neighborhood streets. He remains calm and comfortable with a few passing cars and pedestrians (including children). He does not react to bicycles. However, he is not a dog for busy urban or downtown areas. All the traffic, people and urban sounds make him very agitated and nervous.
He gets his confidence and feeling of security from people he trusts. If all is calm, and his person feels someone is okay, then he is okay with them. During his visit to the veterinarian, he was the star of the office. Every staff member who met him loved him, and he loved all of them. Our vet remarked about his wonderfully sweet nature, and said he was a “treasure.”
Through positive association, his foster has been working to help him build confidence and to slowly learn that the world outside is not a scary place. It is clear that this pup had a poor beginning, where he was treated harshly and never exposed to the world outside his property. Even when he seems fine on a walk, when he returns home, he will hurry to get into the house and run to the sanctuary of his crate to decompress from all the new things he encountered.
Teddy is a lover, and there is not a mean bone in his body. He gives a cattle dog hug or leans in to nuzzle you and gaze into your eyes lovingly. Teddy takes quickly to women, and is often very cautious about approaching unknown men, but if a man is quiet, calm, and relaxed Teddy will quickly warm up and greet him happily.
Teddy must be set up for success in managed situations to prevent any surprises or sudden movements that may scare him. We learned this from a single occasion, when his first fosters allowed him to roam loose on their property. He was alarmed when a man unknown to him walked into "his" property. In his panic, He tried to warn the guy away, nipping at his ankles and ripping his pants in the process.
Teddy meets people happily in a relaxed setting, when people are seated. We let him make the choice to come and meet. When people first enter his home or property, he should be in a secure place, where he feels protected and safe (i.e.behind a baby gate, fence, or in his crate), from the unpredictable movements and voices of new people arriving. This allows him to observe the scene and realize that all is well, from a “safe” location, removed from the perceived chaos that makes him nervous. When everyone is settled, Teddy can then come out for calm introductions.
Teddy would likely do great in puppy training classes, where training is mixed with play time, to practice meetings and socialization.
He is worried and stressed about where he will be taken when on a car ride. As a result, he will get carsick on rides of more than 15 minutes. We feel sure that he can overcome his carsickness, if consistently taken for very short rides to fun places, and then immediately back home to his safe-place.
We are seeking patient, loving adopters with a quiet situation, who are willing to continue our work to help this loving, soft natured pup gain confidence and learn how to cope in busy new situations, turning them into fun experiences. With time, patience, structure, consistency, and loving encouragement, we believe Teddy can achieve his full potential of being a self-assured, happy and fantastic family member.
We cannot stress strongly enough that this dog needs all-positive reinforcement and time (6 to 12 months) in the right hands to truly blossom. Any negative based techniques will crush his self-esteem and trust, and ruin the progress he has made. He has been living with a dog behaviorist for several weeks, who has designed a simple, easy to follow structure and routine for him, which would be easy for new adopters to continue.
This is NOT a dog for an urban situation, apartment/condo life, a first time dog owner, or someone not familiar with these breeds or with a dog who has been mentally and physically abused. If you may be interested in Teddy please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or leave a message at (707) 583-9583.
Rugby 
He is very bright and a fast learner, and shows great promise to be a wonderful companion. He was not initially house broken, but in just a few days started to understand what he should do. Rugby would do great in puppy training classes, especially where training is mixed with play time, to practice meetings and socialization. 
