Meet Blitz!
A spirited almost two-year-old Australian Shepherd currently in Winchester, VA, whose essence is a brilliant blend of devotion, intelligence, and playful energy wrapped in a striking blue merle coat with icy blue eyes. At about 50 pounds, this medium-sized boy is a lively companion who loves being part of the action!
Blitz has quite the resume of tricks. He knows sit, down, wait, shake, bow, beg, play dead, jump, back, center, perch, and many more! Tug-of-war, sturdy chew toys, and chasing a ball rank high on his list of favorite activities, while hiking and jogging give him wonderful outlets for his Australian Shepherd energy. He could use additional leash training and would enjoy continuing to learn through patient, positive reinforcement.
This affectionate fellow is a constant companion with a heart full of loyalty! One of his sweetest habits is plopping himself into a lap, apparently unconcerned that he weighs 50 pounds. His enthusiastic “wiggle butt” is another family favorite! Blitz is wonderful with respectful older children and has formed especially loving relationships with kids ages 10 and 13. He is friendly with other dogs, while his compatibility with cats and younger children has not been assessed.
Blitz experiences significant anxiety and needs a patient, consistent family who can help him feel secure. He can be fearful of unfamiliar situations, needs slow introductions to new people, and may bark at visitors or feel wary during on-leash greetings. He also experiences separation anxiety and does well crated for shorter absences but may chew when left alone too long.
Blitz also has an important bite history. During a 12-day stay in a home with several dogs and a new puppy, he bit a familiar caregiver twice. This person had previously cared for and walked him more than 10 times without incident. His guardians believe the unusually long stay, crowded environment, new puppy, and Blitz’s underlying anxiety became overwhelming for him. He had never previously shown this behavior toward people and continued to get along well with the other dogs.
Blitz needs a calm, predictable environment, slow introductions, plenty of exercise, and patient behavior support using positive reinforcement. A family experienced with anxious herding breeds and with people around much of the day would be especially suitable for this sensitive, devoted boy.
Blitz is neutered, house-trained, microchipped, crate-trained, and current on vaccinations. His sensitive stomach is managed with Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach food and a probiotic. Ready to help this smart, devoted adventurer build confidence and begin an exciting new chapter? Contact adopt@joyfulpets.com to learn more about adopting Blitz!
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