Bosco is a young Cockapoo that has his heart set on a special family. Because he will need a slow introduction to a new home the adopter or foster needs to be in the Denver area or surrounding cities.
We have learned a lot about Bosco since his arrival that will help us to find the most appropriate foster home or potential adopter for him. Bosco arrived very scared. He has come a long way to become familiar with foster home surroundings and people. He is bright, alert, interested and happy but cautious and controlling at times. That usually has to do with another dog near him that he does not like. He wants to attack especially big dogs, has been around small dogs in the house or back yard but can still be unpredictable with them as well. Timing is important so as not to over-excite Bosco. Much like needed time outs with a child. Bosco does well with people if they do not get overly hands-on, that revs him up. He does not like a lot of handling. He loves to run and play and gets excited over toys. Bosco is gentle about taking treats. He is house trained.
Bosco might seem unpredictable; however, he is very predictable if his human(s) look, listen, and learn. He was seen at our Fear Free Vet Clinic and needed full sedation to be examined and groomed. He is currently groomed short. He was there long enough that the vet said she thinks Bosco is a "good dog" who has been pushed beyond his boundaries. He does have bite inhibition / he” knows he is not supposed to bite”.
This is from Bosco’s vet report: “I really do think this guy is a good dog at heart who has had his boundaries pushed too many times and pushed hard. It is very important to respect his boundaries when he gives warning / growling and to back off. He may also be one of those guys that feels very strong emotions and can't differentiate between happiness and rage; petting situations can turn to overstimulation. Understanding of dog body language should be implemented to better understand his emotions and use caution in any emotionally charged situation as his joy may go the other way very quickly”.
Bosco's best chance of rescue rehab will be in a home without other dogs or children and a foster or adopter who will be patient with and work with him. He will most likely thrive in an active adult only home, so he does not have to deal with other dogs, as he does now in his current foster home. It’s just too much for him in his current situation. The Muzzle Up Project has been recommended for Bosco. You will find it interesting and can read about it here: https://muzzleupproject.com/muzzle-training/
