Callie's PICS

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Before applying, please read the dog’s bio carefully to ensure they are a good fit for your home and lifestyle. If you would like to proceed, you can complete our adoption application https://www.jotform.ca/form/21315357345248

We are a 100% volunteer-run rescue based in the Ottawa region, so we appreciate your patience and understanding throughout the process.

Suitable for which type of housing?: House

additional to add for housing: Would do best with space from neighbours and a yard to run around in. Would also potentially do well with a male dog as a playmate - this would need additional meetings for the dogs.

Is your dog good with other dogs?: Selective

additional to add for dog interactions: Callie does not currently live with any dogs in her foster home. In her previous home, she showed a dislike toward a specific neighbour’s female dog. She is able to remain neutral when passing other dogs from a short distance (approximately 10 feet) on walks, but can become reactive if the other dog is also reactive and/or pulling toward her. In these situations, Callie may bark and lunge toward the other dog; however, she is easy to redirect once she has passed the dog and does not remain fixated. Callie has been able to interact well with male dogs. She has walked well alongside another rescue’s large male dog and has met another small-breed male dog during daily walks. With other small male dogs, she appears interested in playing. Based on her history, Callie is not recommended for a home with a resident female dog. A home with a resident male dog may be considered, but multiple meetings would be required before adoption to ensure a suitable match. Callie will require an owner with experience handling dog reactivity and safely introducing dogs.

Is your dog good with cats?: Yes

additional to add for cat interactions: Callie occasionally tries to play with her foster family’s cats who can be intimidated by her size, and she is very respectful of their boundaries with this. She interacts with them very gently and gives them their space. She would likely love a dog-savvy cat friend!

Is your dog good with kids?: Untested

additional to add for kids interaction: She is neutral when passing by children playing in the park while on her daily walks. Similarly, has no reaction to small toddlers running around near her the sidewalk as she passes them.

Is your dog house trained?: Yes

Is your dog crate trained?: Yes

Does your dog have any special needs?:

First, Callie can be a pretty nervous girl. She was originally found as a stray and was quite fearful at the time, but she has come an incredibly long way. She will need patience, time, and lots of treats while she builds trust with her new owner. It will also be important to continue safely and positively exposing her to new people, places, sights, sounds, and experiences so she can keep building her confidence. A fenced backyard will be very important for Callie, as it gives her a safe space to observe and get to know new people and dogs at her own pace, without the pressure of having them immediately enter her personal space. Callie has gained confidence quickly in her foster home, but she can still get nervous around new situations. Her owner will need to be patient and supportive while helping her work through this lingering fear.

Second, as a primarily Great Pyrenees dog, Callie needs an owner who understands both large-breed and livestock guardian breed traits. She has an instinct to protect her home and family, so being wary of strangers is to be expected. Callie has been good at remaining neutral around strangers in her foster home, but she does not enjoy being approached by people she doesn't know. Her owner will need to advocate for her space and allow her to approach new people at her own pace. A backyard will also provide her with the space to gradually become comfortable with visitors and, where appropriate, new dogs before being expected to interact with them more closely. After a few meetings, she appears to become comfortable with people she doesn't see regularly, and she has even become buddies with her foster family's neighbours.

Overall, Callie is very manageable with patience, consistency, safe ongoing exposure, and an understanding of her behaviour. Once boundaries are established, she is great at following them, and once trust is earned, she becomes the absolute sweetest dog. The effort she needs in the beginning is nothing compared to how wonderful this girl is! With the breed, her furever home will need to regularly brush her out or bring her to groomers to maintain her coat.

Does your dog display any aggression (toys, food, people)?: Barks and pulls at dogs on leash IF they have barked and/or pulled towards her first. No growling or snapping during this.
No aggression noted otherwise.

Is your dog playful?: She is very playful, though is not very interested in toys. She loves to wrestle, roll around, dig in the comforter of a bed in her foster home, and zoom around the house. She enjoys playing hide and seek, her foster mom will hide and Callie gets very excited to seek! She also gets very crazy zoomies whenever she gets to go into a creek or beach water. She’s a very goofy girl and earns a lot of laughs when she’s feeling playful.

Does your dog like to snuggle?: Callie loves to snuggle, she wants to be close to her people almost all of the time. She does that classic large breed lean when she stands by her foster parents, and she is rolling to show her belly for rubs constantly. Callie also likes hugs! If someone she is comfortable with is sitting with their chest at her shoulder height, she likes to nuzzle in and get a hug with some scratches. Big snuggle bug.

Does your dog know basic commands? (e.g., Sit, Stay): Callie is very smart and knows all of her basics - sit, lie down, stay, wait, come here - but she is not keen to please like a Labrador or Shepherd breed would be. She can be very stubborn and at times can push limits, so she needs an owner who will be comfortable setting clear boundaries - in a way that will still show Callie that she is safe.

Does your dog know any special tricks?: Callie knows how to shake paws and is at about a 40% success rate on catching a treat thrown in the air! She is very smart and could learn lots, but again is not very eager to please, she would rather just get belly rubs.

Does your dog like to go on walks?: Callie likes to go on a nice sniff walk before her meals twice a day, about 30mins-1hour depending on her energy level.

Does your dog have any fears?: Callie can be fearful of other dogs, related to being attacked in the past, and she can be fearful of strangers at times.

Please see above section “is your dog good with other dogs” for details on fear with dogs.

She is able to remain neutral with strangers, for example she is comfortable sharing an elevator with unknown people. She does not however like to be approached by strangers and at times becomes fearful if she feels they are too close. Her response is a tucked tai, ears back, and running away from the person. She has not lunged towards any people or displayed any aggressive signs in response to this fear.

Does your dog have any unique traits (personality or physical)?: Callie is a very goofy girl, she loves to bury her nose and roll her head around someone when she wants to play with them. She will invade personal space if she decides she is ready for rubs, and she will give the biggest puppy-dog eyes for attention. Callie also likes to greet her foster parents every time she has not seen them in a while with a big deep bow - her way of saying I’m happy to see you! She’s really such a sweet and funny girl to have around.

Physically, she is just so wonderfully fluffy! She gets many compliments daily on how pretty she is. Her coat will require regular maintenance to avoid matting, and she will need a groomer who is knowledgeable on the double coat of the Great Pyrenees breed. As a reward for grooming efforts, her owner will get the daily laugh of watching her fluffy bum on walks - she looks like she is wearing furry shorts and it is wonderful.

Probably the most unique thing - Callie does not care about squirrels. Rabbits and chipmunks she will jump at if they are close, does not become fixated and is easy to redirect. But squirrels? It’s like they don’t exist. If you have a lot of squirrels in your yard, they will be safe with Callie around.

What are the first three words that come to mind when you think of your dog?: sweet, goofy and playful

In a short paragraph, please provide any other details or a brief overview of your foster dog.: Callie is a wonderful, loving, goofy dog who instantly steals the hearts of the people who meet her. Once she knows she can trust someone, she will bring so much love, laughter, and fun into their life. Callie is a great low-mid energy dog, perfect for an owner who enjoys some active time every day but also loves some good couch relaxation time. Callie will be there every step of the way. She loves exploring outside and seeing the sights of the world, and she would thrive where she can have a lot of outside time, with or without her people. She is a very smart girl and she will try to push her luck on things, but she is obedient and respectful when limits are set. Callie’s foster family has fallen in love with her in such a short time and they know that her future owners will as well. If you give this pup a chance, you’ll be thanking yourself every day you wake up to that sweet face. Please consider adopting this wonderful girl.