ShyGuy

My story

Dog Name: Shy Guy Breed: Retriever mix Sex: Neutered Male Age: 2+ years Weight: 45 lbs. Medical Needs: None Housebroken: Mostly. He’ll pace or bark when he needs to go out. If you miss the cue, he will have an accident. Crate trained: Yes. He will want and need to spend most of his first week or two in a crate as his safe place. When he has adjusted to his new home, he will go in when led and is fine while you are out. He does not like being closed in one if you are home. Once he accepts you as his person, he will prefer to sleep on a pet bed next to yours. Good in the car: Yes. He loves to go for a ride, even if it’s just around the block or a grocery pickup. He enjoys looking out the back window or having his head out a partially opened window, smelling all the scents. Good on a leash: Mostly, with a prong collar. Shy Guy loves sniffing all the scents, standing still listening to unusual noises, and finding new paths to blaze. He will try to bolt if something startles him. Initially, he will hide behind you, so learning the quick turn maneuver will be the only way you’ll see him the first couple of weeks. Energy level: medium. Shy Guy loves to snooze and spend time chewing on a treat. However, give him the freedom of a securely fenced yard, and he will do laps like a race car driver. Need a fenced in yard: Yes, a secured fenced yard is needed for his safety and your peace of mind. Shy is a high flight risk. For the first couple of weeks he will need leashed walks, even in the confines of a fence. He will bolt and take flight when startled or gets out of a confined space. He would love a large yard for zoomies and basking in the sun while chewing on a chew stick. Dog Friendly: Yes If yes, does your foster need another dog in its adoptive home? Not necessarily, however another resident dog would show him you are safe and trustworthy and teach him how to be a family dog. Cat Friendly? Yes, mostly ignores them unless they are acting sneaky. Kid Friendly: Yes, after trust has been established. If yes, what's the youngest child you'd recommend they be placed with? Any with proper supervision Special traits that make your foster special or that we need to know about them? Shy Guy came into his foster home just a little over three months ago. He came from GARD and had very little, if any human contact until he was rescued in December 2024. He was terrified of any interaction with us for the first several days. Slowly he came to trust us and now enjoys interacting and living with us like any well-adjusted dog. He is looking for a person/family who will teach him how to be safe. He needs someone that has the time to give him a shutdown period and then a period of tethering him to you while you go about your normal routine. Is it a big ask? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely! Shy is an amazing dog any family would be blessed to have. He is a sweet, loving dog who deserves a sweet, loving family that will give him time to trust them and patiently await his transformation into a beautiful dog living life to his fullest potential. He is already beautiful and healthy, he just needs someone to teach him how wonderful life can be for him. Shy is still wary of strangers, so he will need a few meet ups (sitting as he approaches) to gain his trust before the transition to his adoptive home. This procedure has worked with a young boy who has been visiting a few times a week for the last couple of weeks. Shy now approaches him for a head rub and treat. Fosters Location: Harrington, DE Application can be found here: https://www.grrde.org/adoption-application (if you already have an approved application on file email GrassRootsDE@gmail.com and ask the app team to pull your app ##2278851##

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