Juniper has come a long way in these past months. She is HW negative now (and spayed) and has a good body build again. Her coat has responded well to good nutrition also. She has much more confidence now than she did while also becoming calmer and more responsive to command and structure. She has not had any more accidents since adjusting to a routine and she also no longer requires being crated while away. She is still a “blanket sucker” so it would be best to have a blanket just for her. She has not destroyed anything that was not given to her and with her confidence restored she is sucking her blanket far less. She plays well with all 3 foster siblings. She is very curious when it comes to cats and would be best kept in a household with no cats, though she may do well with gradual and controlled introductions. She would do best in a home where formal training is planned. She is quick to learn and the training is more for the trust bond building than it is to learn new behaviors. Since being spayed she has calmed down some but due to her ability alone we would recommend more than a 4’ foot fence to ensure curiosity doesn’t get the better of her.
What runs like a Cheetah? Leaps like a Gazelle? As strong as an Ox? As smart as a…..well, as smart as a Doberman! This girl, that’s who. This is Juniper, or “Juni” for short. When this girl gets going, trust me that Juni is all the syllables that you will have time to say! Juniper is a pure bundle of energy and that is very surprising in that we believe her to be around 5 years of age. Not much is known about her history. We know she is a red and rust female, though she is a very dark red, who was found stray in Tennessee. She likely had litter(s) prior to her arrival with us and she was heartworm positive as well as malnourished. Fortunately she is in great physical condition otherwise and those ailments are being rectified. She is steadily gaining weight, her skin and coat are recovering nicely, and she is taking the HW treatment very well.
Like so many Dobermans that we rescue it was obvious she has not had structure or a loving environment in quite some time, if ever. She was obviously lacking in confidence or boundaries when she arrived. But that is all behind her now and she is becoming a completely different girl. In fact, had you not been told/shown her prior condition you would hardly believe it upon meeting her.
Now, don’t let the above back story reinforce the need to feel pity for this special little girl. She will have none of that, well that is unless she wants to use it to pull one over on you! Her only mobility issue is that she can never be mobile enough. She is strong, fast, nimble, and has great coordination. She would be a great at agility or outdoor activities. But as athletic as she is she is equally a snuggle bug! We all know that Dobermans are the quintessential lap dogs, but Juni is making up for lost time so she gives it that extra little effort. She is always in the mood to snuggle up under an arm. She will even position herself so you can rub the perfect spots, and if you happen to be lying down then she knows just how to curl up into your chest just right. Though she would rather cuddle with you she will show the same curtesy to the other furry family members (currently she has a foster sister and brother) as well.
It is obvious she has had little to no training but this girl is so smart and so eager to please that training, when done properly, should be a snap. She is learning directional commands as well as the standard sit and stay (though the stay command will take time due to her strong desire to be next to you always). She does have issues with fabric sucking and chewing when bored so she does require crating while you are away. We are working on this and she has improved over the past couple of weeks. She is crate trained and house trained. Important note that she prefers to potty immediately after a feeding. She is working on her leash skills but will require consistent training as she has been “wild” for however long and cannot while on her heartworm treatment. She should pick up quickly once able to resume. She is also working on her feeding technique as it appears that it has been quite some time since meals were frequent and unchallenged.
This girl is an adorable bundle of energy who is just now beginning to experience life the way she should have always been able to. Due to her activity level and ongoing training it would be suggested that she go to a home with a moderate or better activity level, no small children, and property with more than a 4 foot tall chain link fence. She has a lot of living to make up for and shows no signs of slowing down soon despite her believed age. She would be perfect for a family that is hard at it when they are active and then equally hard at doing nothing but cuddling when they are not.
Juniper still has to complete her heartworm treatment and won’t be available til the end of June but don’t hesitate to apply. She is going to make someone very happy!