Meet Rusty! This young herding breed mix came into the Shelter as a stray. A kind-hearted good Samaritan took him in for a few days in an effort to find his guardians. When nobody came forward to reclaim this curly haired cutie, the good Samaritan brought him to the Shelter so we could find him a great home. During his time in the good samaritan’s home (a period of about 5 days), they observed the following:
-loving and playful
-social butterfly and acts like he has never met a stranger
-appears to be house trained & crate trained
-in a home with another dog. Rusty solicited play from the resident dog.
-in a home with cats. At first, ignored the cats. After a day or so, started chasing the cats.
-high energy and rambunctious
-knows how to walk on a leash & rode in the car
-was around an 18 year old and did well
-after a period of transition, relaxed in the home when left alone.
Rusty is true to his age and breed and is looking for an active adopter that will provide daily mental and physical stimulation. When under-stimulated, Rusty can become a bit mouthy but does not tend to apply pressure. This is fairly typical of young pups, especially herding breeds. A home with dog-savvy, sturdy kids and guardians that will manage interactions is likely a fit. Rusty will benefit from adopters who will utilize positive reinforcement based training to help him learn life skills and manners to help him grow into a well mannered adult. A home with another playful dog is likely a fit provided the resident dog meets at the Shelter prior to adoption. Rusty did chase cats in his short term home. A home with a dog-savvy cat may be a fit for this guy provided there is a thoughtful, slow introduction. Adopters should do some research on herding breed pups prior to adoption to ensure that they are up for the task of having these intelligent busy bodies as their next companion!

For more information about this animal, call:
Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter - Santa Cruz at (831) 454-7303