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Duncan
DUNCAN | CANTON, GEORGIA AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION🏡 Low alone time🌱 Safe and secured fenced yard🐶 Canine companion of similar size/temperament 💜 Older, gentle children okay
🛑 If you do not check ALL of the above requirements, your application will not pass the screening process for consideration. We do not compromise on these requirements as we feel they are essential to a successful adoption with Duncan.
MEET DUNCAN 🐶Earlier this year we welcomed in darling Duncan who was one of eight breeding dogs that we took in from a bad breeding operation which was closing down. Because there were no records kept on the dogs, we do not know Duncan's date of birth or age, but believe he is around 5-6 years old. Sadly, Duncan never received any love, attention, or socialization prior to rescue, so everything is brand new to him including living inside a house and being a part of a family. While we have now restored his body to physical health, it will take far longer to rehabilitate his mind, heart, and soul after the trauma and neglect he has endured. He is going to need a very patient, gentle, and loving family to help support his growth and help him to understand that his new life is full of so much goodness!MEDICAL 🩺 Duncan arrived suffering with medical neglect and required treatment for many issues including a parasite infestation, bad urinary tract infection, and advanced dental disease. He underwent his neuter surgery and a dental, requiring 10 extractions, in our care where he had routine procedures and recovery. Duncan is also now up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, and on monthly preventatives. Now that his infections have been cleared and nasty parasites gone, all of Duncan's labwork including his fecal test, heartworm and tick borne illness test, urinalysis, and bloodwork are all normal and negative. Duncan's eyes, knees, hips, and heart are clear and congenitally sound. He is on one eye drop medication, given just once a day, in his left eye only to maintain normal tear production. Duncan is now a healthy boy and does not require any additional vetting outside of regular wellness checks at this time.FOOD & POTTY HABITS 🥘 Precious Duncan is typical in size and at his ideal weight of 20 pounds. He arrived with a very thin, sparse, dull coat with areas of hair loss, but his fur is starting to grow back in nicely now that he is receiving such great care and groceries. He does take an Omega3 supplement over his food to help support healthy skin and coat and help to combat his dry, flaky skin. Duncan loves his twice a day meals but does "resource guard" his food so he needs to be fed separately from other dogs for everyone's safety and so everyone can best enjoy their meals. A puppy gate is used in his foster home where he eats on the other side of the gate than his cavalier foster siblings. He eats very enthusiastically and always licks his bowl clean. Because of his resource guarding behaviors, bowls should be picked up immediately after finishing and there shouldn't be any trace or evidence of food left behind. Duncan isn't picky about treats either and is loving green beans, blueberries, cheese, eggs, and meat. Because of his food resource guarding behavior, treats should be one bite treats that are quickly consumed. Big or long lasting treats or chews with other dogs around is a 'no' and will trigger guarding behavior. Duncan's adopting family must remain committed to continuing his strictly portioned meals, healthy treats, and daily activity/exercise to ensure he remains at his ideal weight, best health, and best self! Since clearing his bad urinary tract infection, Duncan has done very well with his potty training as he learns all about living in a home and about potty expectations. The key to success is giving him plenty of opportunities outside to be successful - he is taken out in the fenced yard first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and every couple hours in between, including immediately after meals. He does not 'signal' or 'alert' that he needs to go out and so it is up to you to be diligent and take him out frequently and regularly. Duncan enjoys being outside in the yard and will happily follow his cavalier foster siblings outside to take care of business. Because Duncan is food motivated, a yummy high value treat immediately following good potty behavior will be excellent reinforcement for his ongoing training. Please know that even though Duncan is doing fantastic with potty training in his foster home, accidents are always to be expected, especially initially while he transitions to another environment and routine. PERSONALITY 💕Duncan's foster family describes him as sweet, timid, quiet, and observant. Everything is brand new and scary to him and so he is standing back, safely, on the sidelines watching and trying to figure things out. It is clear that he has not had any positive experiences with humans and he is very distrusting of people. After 3 months in his foster home, he is now starting to wander into the same room where the family is, but will stay on the periphery, watching. Duncan should be rewarded for these seemingly small, but very big and brave steps for him. His foster family is slowly and gently introducing him to physical affection and will hold and gently pet him for a few minutes at a time, careful not to overwhelm him and make it a negative experience. Understand that Duncan is not going to be your 'typical' cavalier lap dog and he may always be uncomfortable with human attention and touch. Because he is so treat motivated, playing little food/treat games together can be great positive dog-human engagement and interaction. Afterall, food is his favorite thing! He is also a happy boy wandering, exploring, and prancing around the fenced yard - seeing him enjoy his new found freedom is such a joy! ROUTINE ⏰ Duncan starts his day being let out into the yard for pottying and then in for breakfast. He spends much of the day at home with his foster family where he will follow the lead of his Cavalier foster siblings to know what to do and where to go and stay quietly on the sidelines watching. He is a very quiet little boy and because he prefers to stay "behind the scenes", his foster mom sometimes has to look for him. Like most Cavaliers, he spends much of his day relaxing and napping, and on nice days the door will stay open where Duncan can be found laying on the porch, sunbathing, and enjoying the fresh air. During short periods of time when there are no humans home, Duncan stays in a puppy proofed gated off area of the home with his Cavalier foster siblings. There, he has access to plenty of comforts and space to move about and he does well left for short periods of time. He will do best in a family where someone is able to be with him much of the day and where he will have low alone time. In the afternoon he loves being included in school carpool pick up and evenings are for dinner and winding down. At night, it would be good for Duncan to sleep in the big bed with his people where he can work towards feeling safe and comfortable with some non-threatening human closeness. We are seeking a family who will invite him into the big bed with them. SOCIALIZATION 💜Duncan had no socialization with people prior to rescue so people are new and he views them with much apprehension, caution, and distrust. Duncan needs a family who will be very patient, positive, and gentle with him and give him the time, space, gentle love, and accommodations he needs to start to feel safe and comfortable in his new home and with his new people. It is very important to understand that pushing Duncan to do things he is not ready to do will only hinder his growth and cause further negative associations and fears to be built. Instead, the focus should be on confidence building and developing positive associations which means meeting Duncan where he is at and finding ways, over time, to encourage baby steps. Expectations and timelines should not be placed upon Duncan, rather he needs a family who will let him bloom at his own pace. He is very uncomfortable being approached, even if you are indirectly moving in his direction. A good way to combat that is to very intentionally avoid eye contact by looking the opposite direction of him and walking somewhat at an angle so he is less threatened. These are the small but important accommodations his family should be willing and prepared to make to help him start to feel like he is somewhere safe. When he does feel threatened or afraid, his instinct is to run to a crate. Sadly, he has spent his life in confinement and that is where he is "comfortable" as it’s all he has ever known. We encourage him family to work to establish a "safe place" for him that is not a crate, like a comfy dog bed in a corner or under a desk, and in an area of the home where he can still be present among the family and where he can observe human behaviors and activities of the home. Having a safe place for him to resort to is good and healthy but he no longer needs the protection of being in a metal enclosement and when he is without one, in time, he will learn that he's safe where he is in his home. While interacting and being with people is new and scary, Duncan has been well socialized with other dogs and gets along very well with his Cavalier foster siblings and all other dogs he has met while in our care. He looks to his Cavalier foster siblings to know what to do, where to go, and how to act and follows along. In addition to being able to follow and model after them, he also very much values their companionship and can often be found cuddled up with them or enjoying the yard together. Duncan will be happiest and do best having the leadership and companionship of another confident, well socialized, and well adjusted resident Cavalier(s), or other dog(s) of similar size and mild temperament to help show him the ropes and continue to help teach and show him how to be a dog. He has not been exposed to cats while in our care so we are unsure how he would do with a feline furiend in the home. IDEAL FAMILY & HOME 🏠 Most importantly Duncan needs a patient family who will love him 'from a distance' and not expect anything back in return from him. He needs a family who is okay with letting him hang back and move at his own pace, taking steps in his own time, and not pushing him to do things that are scary and uncomfortable for him. His home should have a safe and secured fenced yard for pottying purposes and so he can continue to enjoy his outdoor freedom in. He is not ready to be on a leash yet and that should be introduced much later, when he has a trusted relationship established with the human on the other end of it and it can be a positive, and safe, experience for him. In the meantime, he is very much enjoying car rides and rides very comfortably and safely in his boosted car seat. Car rides are wonderful, safe socialization opportunities for him to get out of the house and see more of this big new world around him and should be a regular occurrence for him. We will ask that his family provide for him a boosted car seat. Duncan has been exposed to gentle, well behaved dog savvy children in his foster home and does well with them. In some ways, he can be more responsive, comfortable, and open with them than he is with the adults. Therefore, we feel he could be happy and do well in an adult only home or a home with older, gentle children who can understand his puppy mill past and respect his boundaries for time and space. He would not do well with children who will try to chase him, grab him, try to pick him up, or expect him to be playful with them. He needs a family who has the time, ability, and desire to help him with his socialization and growth and will shower him with the kind of special love that he needs. He would do best with a family who can be with him much of the day for continued potty training, socialization, activities, and engagement. A friendly, welcoming resident dog is a 'must' for leadership and companionship and to help him learn how to become a dog. He has mastered stairs inside the home and outdoor steps to access the yard and does need pet steps to get on and off furniture safely and he is unable to jump up. Lastly, he needs a gentle, patient family who will move slowly with him and have realistic expectations for his transition into his new home, and for his continued socialization.HOW TO APPLY 💻 Duncan's life is really just beginning and he is just starting to learn how to be a dog. He is a gentle sweet little soul that has been badly mistreated and that needs help and support finding his way back. In his perfect home and family, he will continue to find his confidence, work on overcoming his fears, expand his little world, and come to enjoy his amazing new life ahead of him full of freedom, fun, and love! If you feel you’re the perfect match for this handsome, gentle, sweet little teddy bear, and meet all his requirements, please fill out an adoption application found on our website (TheCavalierRescue.org) then email us at CavalierRescueAL@gmail.com to express your interest and let us know why you feel you’re a perfect match. Duncan is located in Canton, Georgia, and travel there is required. His requested adoption donation is $450.