Shelties Available for Adoption at NVSR

Looking for a sweet little girl who loves to play and go for walks but is also happy to cuddle with you on the sofa?  Birdie has the combination of intelligence, beauty, and temperament we all want in a canine companion.  Birdie loves running and playing in a securely fenced yard and would gladly stay outside for long hours if her humans were with her.  Whether playing chase with another dog or chasing squirrels and birds, Birdie exhibits the athleticism that would help her excel in dog sports.  But her sweet temperament and love of people also suggest a possible role as therapy dog in her future.
It is clear that Birdie was well-loved and well socialized before her seriously ill owner was forced to ask NVSR to rehome her.  She is very reliably housetrained and does not have accidents in the house.  Her house manners are excellent and she does not destroy items when left alone inside.  She loves going for walks and does not react to passing vehicles or lunge at people or dogs she encounters on outings.  She knows a few simple commands but would greatly benefit from a good training course that would strengthen her recall and teach her other commands that would help keep her safe.
The ideal forever home for Birdie would include loving humans who are willing to spend plenty of time with her and include her in their activities.  She enjoys other dogs, so an active canine companion willing to play with her would be very welcome.   She must have a securely fenced yard where she can run off leash.  She is skilled at finding small gaps in a fence that will allow her to pursue squirrels and explore neighboring properties, so fencing must offer no inviting exit routes.
Birdie has been spayed and brought up to date on all tests and vaccinations.  She is very healthy and has no known behavioral problems with the exception of her tendency to pull if she sees squirrels or birds on leash walks.  She behaves calmly in the vet’s office and knows how to greet humans and other dogs politely on walks or as guests in the home.
Birdie is 3 years old, 14 inches tall, and weighs 16 pounds.  She has a beautiful sable coat. Her adoption fee  is $450.

Birdie- Adoption Pending

Champ- Adopted

Champ is a dog that must have a man in his forever home.  Since Champ’s single dad died unexpectedly last fall, Champ has been moved around to various caregivers.  At each home, he immediately bonded with the male in the household.   When he came to NVSR, we observed the same phenomenon.  Perhaps because his original owner was a single male, Champ shows a clear preference for men and has bonded most strongly with the male in each foster home.  His foster moms clearly understood they were “second best” if his male hero was at home.   While he is friendly and cuddly with humans in general, it is clear he will always jump first into the lap of his male caregiver.  
Champ has very good house manners and never has accidents in the house.  He loves to be brushed and will readily shift from active playing to snuggling in his human’s lap.  While he loves toys and will occasionally destroy less sturdy ones, he does not damage the property of others.  
Champ is a very enthusiastic little dog who is eager to learn and engages readily in almost any activity his humans offer.  His intelligence, speed, and agile movement make him a great candidate for dog sports like agility or fly ball.  While he gets along with other dogs, we think he might be happiest as the only dog if his humans give him plenty of attention and are willing to respond to his frequent requests to play with him.  He typically needs a day or two of calm to decompress in new settings before his playful, affectionate nature emerges.
The right home for Champ would have one or two active humans, including the calm male figure Champ seems to need who will mentor him and give this youngster the clear guidance and affection he requires.  He is a very social dog and needs someone home much of the day.  A good-sized securely fenced yard is an absolute must.  An energetic resident dog willing to play with Champ would be welcome but is not essential.  Because Champ was severely attacked in a dog park as a puppy, dog parks are definitely off limits for him.  But training programs in which participating dogs are under good control would yield big benefits for Champ, who would likely be the star student.
Champ has been neutered, tested for all parasites, and brought up to date on all vaccines.  He is in excellent health and ready now to look for his forever home.
Champ is 4 years old, weighs 18 pounds, and is 14 inches tall. His adoption fee is $350.

Nellie- Adopted!

Nellie is an easy-going girl who adjusted readily to her foster home and endeared herself to her foster parents.  An expert at non-threatening body language, Nellie quickly figured out how to win the trust of the two suspicious male Shelties in her foster home.  Soon thereafter, she showed the right moves to the resident cat and the two were soon touching noses.  Even the usually nervous alpacas raised by her foster parents calmly accepted Nellie. 

A very affectionate dog, Nellie loves petting and rubbing and will roll over on her back to offer better access for belly rubs.  She likes to get on the sofa next to her humans and would love to sleep cuddled up to them.  Nellie loves to explore the fenced yard off leash.  She is also a good leash walker and does not pull or lunge when on walks around the acreage.  ﻿
Nellie is very reliably housetrained and never has accidents in the house.  She is not accustomed to sleeping in a crate and can be allowed to roam freely inside the house with no risk of mischief.  Her only faults, reported by her foster parents are a tendency to get carsick, which requires medication on medium to long car trips, and she feels protective around her food bowl. Giving treats next to other dogs is no problem. 

Just before she came to NVSR, Nellie was taken to the groomer.  Her beautiful blue merle coat with feathers, trousers, and ruff were all cut short. Many groomers do this as a summer cut.  These will grow back, of course, but it will take time before Nellie looks her best again. Before and after photos are provided here. 

Nellie has been spayed and brought up to date on tests and vaccinations.  She is on heartworm preventative and flea/tick prophylaxis.  While she has good manners, she would benefit enormously from a good obedience course that would teach her the commands that will keep her safe. We find that this builds trust and helps with bonding. With proper training she has the gentle, and loving temperament that would make her an excellent therapy dog working in hospitals, schools, and nursing homes.  

The right forever home for Nellie will have a fenced yard and someone home most of the time who wants to be/work with Nellie.  There are no children in her foster home, but Nellie’s previous owner said her grandchildren all loved Nellie.  She could be happy as an only dog if given enough love and attention. But she would also welcome a calm older canine companion.  As her experienced foster mom says, “Nellie is definitely a keeper” who will bring a great deal of happiness to her forever family. 

​Nellie is 3 years old, 18 inches tall, and weighs 32 pounds (needs to lose a few pounds).

Not seeing the right match today? New Shelties arrive regularly. Please check back. 

Fresno- Adopted!

“Fresno thinks he’s a lap dog,” according to his foster mom but since he’s a little too big to fit in her lap, he just lies with his body across her feet.  Fresno is very affectionate and loves to be near people. 

Trained years earlier for agility competitions, Fresno walks perfectly on leash and watches his human companion carefully for the next command.   He still remembers a few commands like sit and come.  Very treat oriented, he would be very happy to learn new commands if they were accompanied by treats. 

​This handsome blue merle is a pretty low maintenance guy.  He is housetrained and crate trained and doesn’t exhibit any reactivity to cars, humans, or other dogs when on walks.  He will chase toys thrown for him, but instead of returning them, he will sometimes just lie down and see if he can take the toys apart.  He enjoys dog puzzles and will work diligently to solve them if they have small treats inside.  As long as he can be near his humans, though, he is a very happy dog. 

Fresno came to NVSR from a breeder who was retiring and rehoming most of her adult dogs.  He could fit seamlessly into many different kinds of homes.  Though we think he would enjoy having a fenced yard to explore, his excellent leash manners mean he could do fine in a condo or apartment as long as he gets plenty of leash walks.  He has been neutered and brought up to date on tests and vaccines.  He is now waiting for a professional dental cleaning and then he will be ready to look for his forever home.  

​What he wants most in that home is one or more humans who will give him lots of attention and not leave him alone for long hours. 

Fresno is 10 years old, weighs 25 pounds and is 18 inches tall. ﻿
His adoption fee is $200.

Happy Tails

﻿Happy Tails are stories about life after rescue—shared by the families who adopted our Shelties. Some are even written by the Shelties themselves (they really are that smart).﻿
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Want to share your Happy Tail? Send your story and photos to shepherd@nvsr.org.
For more adoption joy, visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NorthernVASheltieRescue and follow along with Happy Tails Tuesday.    