Rune (formerly Jacob) is a 3-year-old pup who came into the shelter alongside his buddy Logan. Rune was on his way to the euthanasia list, but we grabbed him before he was evaluated and even got there — he was shut down, fearful, and very resistant to walking on a leash. Thanks to the help of patient shelter staff, we were able to gain Rune’s trust and get him out just in time. He still needs socialization work, but since arriving in foster care, Rune has begun to slowly open up.

Rune is slowly adjusting to life outside the shelter. He’s very high energy and still learning the ropes — like how counters aren’t for surfing and trash cans aren’t for exploring. He struggles with separation anxiety and doesn’t love being in a crate, which will usually help that anxiety. Rune gets overwhelmed on walks when encountering unfamiliar dogs or people. But in his foster home, Rune loves being a part of the pack. He gets along well with the small and large dogs in his foster home and is happiest when playing or cuddled up with those he trusts. While he still startles easily and has some fear-based behaviors, he’s making slow, steady progress in a safe environment. Rune is a dog who needs time, structure, and a whole lot of patience — but he’s absolutely worth it.

Rune needs an experienced home that can provide structure and stability. A home with another confident dog (or pack) he can learn from would be ideal, as he’s shown great comfort around his current dog companions. He would do best in a home without children, as he is nervous around people and needs time to warm up to new faces.  Rune has shown reactivity toward cats outside the home and we would say he is not suited for a home with cats. He’ll need continued work on leash skills and confidence building. If you have the patience and heart for Rune, he would absolutely love to return that love.