Rocky !
(Male, 2 years, extra large)

Rocky came into the care of Big Heart Rescue just a few days ago and is now in a loving foster home where he will learn what love and kindness is, what sleeping on a soft bed feels like and what being an inside dog means.

This handsome boy (see latest pictures at bottom of this page!) is probably a Maremma - Pyrenees cross, and is approximately 14 months of age.  He is the Dad to all the puppies that will be available for adoption after they are 8 weeks of age (approximately mid to late November) and are ready for their new families.

As Rocky does not understand the life of an inside companion his perfect new family will be home the majority of the day, have a securely fenced yard and have breed experience or have done breed research.

His nature is one of shyness and sweetness.  He is living in a foster home with other dogs, children and cats, all of whom he gets along with.

Rocky will be neutered this week and have his final vaccination, sterilization, de-worming, de-fleaing, tattoo and micro chip.

Update: Oct. 23

Rocky is doing so well in his foster home and is loving learning what life is like as an indoor companion who is loved and safe.

Rocky now knows that being dried with a towel after walking in the rain feels great, that treats come freely and that maybe toys are for playing with?

This stunning boy weighs approximately 105 pounds, is now neutered, up to date with shots, micro chipped and tattooed.

He is learning that not all men need to feared and his confidence is slowly building with strangers.  Big Heart Rescue has hired a trainer to work with Rocky to ensure he understands the new world around him.

Click here to watch a video of Rocky playing (with his friend, Daisy)

Update: 15 November

Rocky has now been evaluated by our trainer, so please read this update to see if this darling boy might be your perfect match!

Rocky's ideal home would:

• be a large place. He would like large open floor plans where he can move if something is not feeling right. The reality though is that he often doesn't move - he stands and barks like the good flock guardian he's being. I think he'd also like wide open horizons to look out upon and explore.

• have no men in it or a man who is very experienced with shy and fearful dogs

• be quiet with few visitors

• have stable predictable routines

• have cats and dogs to hang out with and make them his flock

• have guardians who would encourage him to continue his socialization but understand that he will take time to warm up to people, that he needs carefully controlled and set up opportunities (probably something like long rambling outdoor walks with people) to learn to accept more people into his circle of friends

The prospective guardian would probably have to meet Rocky somewhere outside and be prepared to move slowly. He will be cautious and scared. If he's loaded in a car with a new owner, he will probably cry. He may throw up. He may refuse to get out of the car when they arrive home. He would probably be happy to have another dog there to encourage him and show him what's what. He would not do well with a very playful dog as he has very very little interest in playing. In the house he will probably run away from his new people for a few days; They will need to be patient and have reasonable expectations.

Being brushed, marrow bones and long rambling walks on a long lead through open quiet spaces are 3 things which he really likes and could be used as bonding experiences with his new people.

It would help if his new people were familiar with dog body language -  knowing to approach a dog sideways, don't stare, try squatting sideways, pet on the chest not on the head etc. He is extremely sensitive to that and it does really work with him. Concepts of dominance are no use with this boy. He needs a trusted guide and a partner. He is responding to clicker training and I think he would benefit from continued training just to give his brain & body some challenge.

Kids - he is fine with my kids. He doesn't adore all kids though & is a bit wary of kids outside. I would say a home with no kids is preferred only because homes with children tend to be busier, with visitors, playdates etc and much more people coming & going.

Rocky's guardians would have to use lots of wisdom and care to make sure he's getting his down time if needed but carefully avoiding the slippery slope to shutting the dog out of their lives. It would be ideal of course if he didn't feel he had to engage in that kind of behaviour. If I have female guests, he'll bark and be concerned for a bit but then he settles and just watches - if they're calm and quiet.

Update: 3 December

Rocky has now attended three Feisty Fido training sessions.  This program is specifically designed to help canine companions over-come shyness or being uncomfortable in certain situations.

Of course for Rocky this means learning to be around the men in the group and understanding that these guys can be okay.

When at home, Rocky is beginning to be very comfortable around female visitors and is taking very small baby steps towards accepting his foster Dad.

We know that there is a PERFECT family out there for Rocky, might it be YOU ?

Play bow !

On the deck !

Wow !

Update: January 26

This stunningly beautiful big boy has shown us that he has many coping skills and he is trying his very best to be as good a boy as he can be. His breed characteristics and his history both lead him to be quite independent  and shy, but very sweet. Rocky requires a patient owner, a very predictable routine, and lots of time to settle in and get his bearings. He's still a young dog - just in his adolescence - and he has come a long way from his sad beginnings.

Rocky is wary of strangers (a strong breed characteristic) but is learning that some gentle women have goodies in their pockets and might just be worth a tentative approach. He continues to be very worried about men in his space. He really would love to be a lady's man.

Rocky is looking for an owner who understands the characteristics of a livestock guardian breed, and will be especially patient with one who had a rough start in life. He thrives on positive reinforcement training & is especially happy when the clicker comes out. He has learned to sit, wave his paw 'hello' to his special people, is working on eye contact, 'sit pretty', down, & is learning to give kisses.

Rocky needs a fenced area if he is to be offleash and will need to continue to work on his recall. Remember this breed is used to working a large territory and not staying glued to a human's side. He walks very well on leash and loves going for walks. Outside, he's nervous about other people getting in his space but so long as they're not getting too close, he will continue on his merry way. He can't cope with a busy sidewalk, but on a nature trail, you just need step off the trail a few feet and let people pass. The sight of strange dogs sometimes gets him excited - if they're leashed and attached to people, he's uncertain about how to react. He has finished one set of training lessons to help him learn good social coping skills in these situations and is making progress.

Rocky is quite calm indoors, but takes his guarding job seriously, keeping an eye out on the window and listening intently for any strange noises and alerting us to any dangers. He sometimes needs to be 'relieved from his duties'. He does not like small enclosed spaces (is still troubled a bit by hallways and doorways), and would not do well in a crate, but a bedroom with a cat for company is very calming for him and he'll retire there happily throughout the day for much needed breaks. In a quiet home without many visitors, and around his trusted peple, he is very easy to live with. He is not destructive. He loves chewing on marrow bones. He also likes to occasionally empty out the dog toy basket - he's not quite sure what to do with the toys but he enjoys taking all the things out. He sleeps quietly through the night, only alerting us if there are intruders on the property.

His ideal home would be a quiter, rural area, with a female owner, a cat to look after, and a mellow dog to show him the ropes. Rocky is learning to play a bit and while not a very playful boy (he's more the serious boy, with a serious job), he does sometimes get the zoomies and enjoys a small wrestle with the resident dog here. He mostly takes some comfort in her presence, but also sees her as his responsibility and will move in front of her & maneuver her back if he senses danger to her.

Rocky is very loving to the people he trusts & his gentle alert presence is a great comfort. His one job in life is to be watching out for you & the rest of his pack. He still needs lots of positive experiences to help him overcome his shyness and nervousness around strangers or in strange situations. His owners also need to be aware that given his breed, he will always retain some of these traits, so a combination of patience, hard-work, and hope, tempered with realistic expectations is required.

Breed experience, knowledge of shy dogs, commitment to positive reward/clicker training are required (of potential adopting family members! ).

If you are interested in adopting Rocky please request an adoption application from Gail at spiritsmission@shaw.ca

Note: We adopt within a two hour drive of the lower mainland and Vancouver/Gulf Islands only.

www.bigheartrescue.com