Meet Pogo! Pogo came to us from the Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL) who rescued him from a puppy mill. Though he still has some adjusting to do, he has come such a long way after spending some time in a safe environment.

Pogo was very nervous when he was first rescued, not surprising for a dog who had previously only lived in a puppy mill. He chose to spend most of the first few weeks in his foster home in a crate, as he was wary of new people, but he eventually grew comfortable enough to start exploring the rest of the house and playing with squeaky toys while his foster family was sleeping. Around the house, is relatively low-energy, though he is more active in his fosters’ yard, which he likes to explore.

Though he can be timid with new dogs, Pogo has done well with the other dogs in the home and in the playgroup at AAWL. He especially seems to like female huskies and small, playful dogs. He can become overwhelmed with dogs who are in his face constantly, and he is still learning how to play. However, we think he would flourish in a home with another dog to help him build his confidence. He loves stuffed animals and playing with squeaky toys.

Pogo has not shown any behavioral issues, but he is still learning how to be a pet dog. His foster was able to house train him within a few months by keeping him on leash in the house, and he has not had an accident inside in months. He may have some potty-training issues when transitioning to a new home due to being nervous, but this should subside quickly. Pogo had never been on a leash until he came to AAWL, so he is still learning some leash manners, though he has shown improvement with training. He is becoming more comfortable on walks and has started to sniff around rather than remaining hyper-vigilant to his surroundings. However, he is still easily startled and will bolt when scared, so he needs to be securely on leash when out of the house. We will also require that his adopter have a sturdy, 6-foot or taller fence. We do not recommend that Pogo be crated; his foster tried him in a crate once and he became extremely stressed with the door even partially closed. This is not surprising given his background as a puppy mill pup. He has not shown any destructive behavior except for shredding one dog bed in his foster home. Pogo has had some basic training and responds well to positive reinforcement (food). We recommend that his adopter not offer harsh correction due to his sensitive nature.

With a patient, experienced adopter, we truly believe Pogo can thrive. He is a sweet boy who likes to welcome his humans home with his trademark husky howl. He has done well around older children. He has not been tested with cats, but he has a low enough prey drive that it could be successful. He needs a calm and stable environment and would benefit from having another dog in the home. Fill out an application today if you’d like to give Pogo a chance at the life he deserves.