Gentleman is a gorgeous, 3-year-old Cattle Dog. He has some issues, but hey, who doesn’t?! Luckily Gentleman found himself at the VAO where we will go the extra mile to help our animals find their forever homes. Gentleman was not doing well in the kennels. He is a boy that needs a ton of daily mental and physical stimulation, so being cooped up in a kennel was not helping him.
Enter an amazing Foster Family.
In the 2+ weeks that Gentleman (now affectionately known as “G-Man”) has been with Mandi & Chad, they have been working with him all day, every day, and they are seeing real results! This foster family is very active, and Gentleman is fitting right in with their new routine. Mandi recently talked about their daily routine, and we thought it would be great to share:
5:30am – Time to wake up! He likes sleeping in his crate and sleeps through the night. Chad gets up with him – a quick drink – and then they are off for their 2+ mile bike ride/run. I can usually hear him whining with excitement as they get ready to go. Gentleman likes to go real fast!
7am – Time for breakfast! He loves eating and always cleans his bowl. After breakfast we play in the yard for a bit. Frisbee or ball. Lots of rolling in the grass and getting belly rubs. He helps out with watering the garden and pest control. Lol
9am – We rest! Lots of napping and following us around the house. Maybe outside for potty and to chase a few squirrels and birds.
Afternoon – Time to train! We usually work with the long lead and practice recall, heeling and hand touch. He LOVES these games and they wear him out! He seems like he could be off leash someday. We also do a few more play sessions in the yard and he assists with yard work (follows us around while we do yard work). Maybe some time playing with his tug rope – spinning in circles and shaking it like prey.
6pm – Dinner Time! Another clean bowl and a full belly.
7pm – Another bike ride with Chad followed by a structured walk. He loves getting out to smell and everyone tells us how cute he is!
8pm – Netflix and chill 🙂
9pm – Out for a quick potty and then he races to his crate for bedtime – literally runs and jumps into his crate because he is that excited.
When asked about his likes & dislikes, we learned that Gentleman likes: belly rubs, doing tricks, rolling in the grass, catching and tugging the frisbee, playing fetch with tennis balls, following his foster parents around in the yard and helping them in the garden, learning new commands, running really fast next to the bike, going on structured walks and sniffing stuff, spinning in circles while holding his tug toy, sleeping in his “fort” between the couch, chair and end table (he seems to feel safe there), sleeping in his crate on his back and snoring. G-Man is very good at listening to the rules – it makes him less nervous knowing that his humans are in charge and keeping him safe. He also likes chasing and barking at birds and squirrels in the yard, and going for car rides with the windows down.
Gentleman does not like loud noises, as they make him very nervous (trash truck, dump truck, coffee grinder, vacuum). He also doesn’t like walking by nervous dogs on a leash.
Although they cannot keep him permanently, the impact that Mandi & Chad have had upon Gentleman’s life is undeniable. G-Man has made great strides and is much less anxious and nervous than when he was in the shelter.
Gentleman does need a specific home. He is looking for someone who will give him lots of daily exercise and structure. He must have a fenced yard and an adult-only home. He also would prefer to be your “one & only” pet. But he promises you a lifetime of love & companionship in return.
We know that the right home for Gentleman is out there somewhere. In the meantime, you will find him working on his Frisbee skills, and getting lots of love, from his Foster Family.