This biweekly column is written by Suzanne Lawter, Director of Community Outreach for Shae is a dog with a very gentle and accepting nature, even though she hasn’t always been treated well by the people in her life. She came into the rescue malnourished, with bite marks on her face and tail, but has settled into her foster home and emerged a healthy, resilient dog ready to find her family. Shae comes alive when being petted, and has not let her past experience impact her disposition towards people. When treated with kindness, she responds with joy and just wants to be loved.
Shae is a Black Labrador/Bully mix. She has the longer, thinner snout of a Lab, but the more compact body of the bully breed. She’s a young pup, between 2- and 3-years-old and still needs to gain a few pounds to get to her ideal weight of about 55 pounds. She’s fearful of fast movement and loud noises, but she’s learning to trust and has a dedicated foster dad, Cyrus, who is introducing her to new things and letting her adjust at her own pace.
Shae has been with Cyrus for six weeks now and has come a long way in a short period of time. When she first came into foster care, she would cower with her tail between her legs when anyone came near her, keeping her distance even when he offered her treats.
She quickly found her “safe” spot in the home, and would retreat there any time something frightened her. Now, after learning she can trust Cyrus, she loves to cuddle on the couch and will stay right by his side. She still doesn’t always initiate contact, but once she’s invited over, she becomes very engaged and affectionate. It will take her time to fully trust, but she’s making great progress.
Cyrus takes Shae for multiple walks every day, and she’s learning to explore her neighborhood without fear. She loves going on walks now, and will do a little happy dance and flash a big Shae smile when it’s walk time. She’s still working on her leash walking skills, and will zig-zag in front of you when she gets excited, or pull when she wants to greet another dog. Normal dog things like leash walking are brand new to Shae, so she needs an owner who will have some patience and be dedicated to her continued training and socialization. She’s already potty-trained and crate-trained, and she’ll learn how to walk on the leash in no time.
Cyrus has friends over regularly, so Shae has been getting a lot of exposure to greeting visitors who come to her home. Initially, she would hide in her safe spot and avoid contact, but now, once they settle in, she’ll greet and welcome them to her home with a hefty dose of “wiggle-butt” excitement. She’s also been going with Cyrus on regular road trips to visit his parents and the family dogs on their large property in the Virginia horse country. Shae loves being around the other dogs and the open space, and quickly assimilated into the family pack. She follows her new buddies everywhere, and is learning to run, play, and be a dog.
Shae is much more confident as part of a pack, and we believe it’s important for her to have another social, well-adjusted dog in her home to help show her the ropes. We are looking for an active family who will be committed to her daily exercise and training, and have the patience to nurture her and help her transition to the awesome family dog we know she can be. Shae is still working through her fears and has some separation anxiety when being left alone, so she will need to be monitored and protected from chewing things she’s not supposed to.
Shae is yet another example of an awesome dog who was rescued from the Prince George’s County shelter, a county that has passed breed-specific legislation “banning” dogs that resemble Pit Bull Terriers.
Because she’s a mix, she was branded with this label and was not allowed to meet any potential adopters, with her only hope for survival coming from an outside rescue like Mutts Matter. Shae, like countless other dogs, is a sweet, loving soul who deserves the chance to find her family, but was denied that opportunity based solely on how she looks, not based on her temperament or social skills.
Black dogs are already the least likely to be adopted, and when you factor in the prejudice and restrictions surrounding Pit Bull-type dogs, a dog like Shae has little hope of surviving the shelter. We are so glad Shae is with us, and look forward to finding her an amazing family who will cherish and nurture her for the great dog that she is.
To learn more about Shae, go to the Mutts Matter Adoption Page and fill out an application, or you can contact Suzanne at suzanne@muttsmatterrescue.com.
Photos via Mutts Matter Rescue
