Messiah is a 2-year-old, approximately 58-pound boy with a soft side, a playful streak and a very strong appreciation for the comforts of home. Before entering the shelter, he lived indoors and was described as sweet, friendly and perfectly happy relaxing or sleeping on the bed. His previous caretaker also reported that he was house-trained and had a medium energy level.
Messiah can be sensitive when life suddenly changes. During his first days at the shelter, he was visibly frightened and sometimes froze or trembled when people approached. Given a little time, though, a very different dog began appearing. Messiah became easy to leash and handle, sought out affection, greeted people with a wagging tail and relaxed enough to show off some of his personality. Volunteers described him as very affectionate, and one outing included Messiah happily chasing a stuffed toy, bringing it back and then coming over for pets. He also knows “sit,” carries stuffies around and takes treats gently.
He appears to understand the important difference between outdoor and indoor plumbing, too. Messiah repeatedly headed outside and immediately took care of business during shelter outings, which lined up nicely with his previous caretaker’s report that he was potty trained. He can pull on leash when he is excited or eager to reach his destination, but shelter handlers also recorded loose-leash and calm walks.
Underneath everything Messiah has been through is a young dog who already knows how nice it is to have a bed, people he trusts, toys to carry around and a place where he can relax. He may need a little patience while he gets his bearings in another new environment, but his shelter history gives us a pretty good preview of what happens once he does: the worried dog begins to disappear, and the affectionate, playful, bed-loving Messiah comes out.
