Daria ::ADOPTED::
In January of 2019, Daria was brought to the city pound in Asan, South Korea after being found on the street with a small pack of dogs. Daria was so reactive to people handling her that she wasn’t able to receive a full intake exam from the staff. On February 12th they found out she was pregnant when she gave birth to three puppies. Two of her puppies quickly found homes but Daria and her remaining puppy, Duke, had no luck and were left behind.
The chaotic pound environment was too much for Daria and she went to great efforts trying to find a way out (including scaling kennel fences). After a year in the pound waiting for a family, @bandforanimal stepped in and found both Duke and Daria a foster home together in South Korea. That experience didn’t last long and when both dogs were returned to the pound, their euthanasia fate was sealed.
Again, Band For Animal stepped up and offered them both placement in their “mini shelter”. This small facility is a transition space for dogs who are about to fly out of the country or are in between foster homes. It’s meant to be temporary housing but there have been a few Wildhearts pups who have had an extended stay there due to lack of foster/adoption interest and the huge, dedicated hearts of the Band for Animal team.
Over the past few weeks we’ve received messages asking why we chose not to keep this bonded pair together in Portland. The reality is that not all pairs are bonded in a positive way. A healthy bond is one where both dogs are happy, independent, socialized, and become *even better* dogs when paired up. Of course Duke and Daria are bonded! Duke has been fused to his mom since the moment he was born. Daria has had no motivation to interact and trust humans since she was rescued. To help them grow as individuals we really needed to take away their crutch: each other. Both dogs are making so much progress in their separate Portland foster homes!
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE Daria THINGS FROM her FOSTER family…
Daria is the chillest dog we’ve ever fostered. Her three main goals for every day are to relax, lounge, and lay about. If there’s something for the family to do or if our resident dogs want to check something out, she’s down to participate, but if not, she’s happy to work on her relaxing and lounging.
Like any foster, Daria took a few days to settle in. She was nervous and didn’t want to be touched, especially on her rump, back legs, or belly. She tolerated cheek and chin scratches, so we focused on those and slowly started petting her back and rump. What we learned was Daria needs to know what we’re going to do before we do it. Now, her favorite command is “belly,” which she responds to by letting us roll her onto her back (and sometimes diving into a trust fall) for long belly rubs, which she loves.
Daria is a sweet, self-possessed dog who is happy keeping her own company but would be happiest with a companion dog. She rarely, maybe never, comes up to us for scratches and cuddles. She’s not a mischief maker, but by the same token she’s not a dog who fawns all over her people. We go to her, and she likes that. At first we thought she would just be a good “roommate dog”, but she’s slowly opening up more and more and we believe she will turn into a calm companion for a like-tempered soul.
Daria loves her crate. She naps in it during the day and at night she bounds into it and settles in. On walks, she pulls a tiny bit, but takes correction well and walks close by. Her walking route has a few very barky dogs, and she just ignores them. She is interested in neighborhood wildlife, but just to look at--no bolting or barking at squirrels and birds. At home, she only barks when someone comes up to the front door, and she will only give one or two announcement barks. She ignores the neighbor dogs who bark constantly and she doesn’t care about passersby on the sidewalk.
Daria is very good with other dogs. She’s not interested in playing with them, but wants to be around them. She quickly became attached to her foster auntie dog and regularly goes to lie nearby her. She tolerates dog-savvy kids, but only with supervision (of the kid). If she’s adopted by a family with a more playful dog, we think she might get more interested in toys and playtime eventually.
Daria hasn’t had a single accident in our home and she hasn’t damaged anything. When we’ve left the house, she naps in her crate like a pro. She even likes to sleep in and patiently waits to be let out of her crate in the morning. Seriously, the chillest dog.
A FEW THINGS Daria IS WORKING ON FROM her FOSTER family…
Daria is a dog who doesn’t like surprises. When we’ve tried to scoop her up to carry her, she turns into a squirming furball. If we crouch down, pet her, then touch her armpits and say “up,” she tolerates being picked up. It’s a process about building trust for her, and she’s willing to learn to trust as long as you communicate your intent.
Daria needs encouragement to try new things, but she usually adapts to the situation if she understands what’s expected of her and learns that she’s safe. She is learning about car rides and doing well, though she can still be a bit nervous. Meeting new people can be a bit scary, but she’s done well overall and will benefit from even more exposure to new people and environments with her trusted humans.
Daria’s instinct in confusing or stressful situations, even for a split second, is to bolt. This instinct may have served her well in a shelter, but in a home it prevents her from learning and growing. Limiting and redirecting this response will be essential to her training. She’s grown a lot because this bolting instinct has been quickly corrected with a quick step on the leash she’s been wearing in the house. Telling her “no” gently but firmly, followed quickly by some loving cheek scratches has drastically corrected her fear responses.
She can be a picky eater and currently needs encouragement to eat. Finding a kibble and snacks she loves will be important. As she’s developed more trust in her foster home, she’s grown more willing to try new snacks, so we expect this to get easier over time in her adopted home.
Daria is working on “place” training and “sit”. She absolutely thrives on consistency and structure, and we’re sure she’ll pick up these and other commands with attentive training.
THE IDEAL FAMILY FOR Daria WOULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING:
A relaxed, low-key lifestyle with a love for walking
A fenced backyard (even though she won’t appreciate it immediately)
Lots of patience, time to train, consistency, and lots of love!
Daria’s Details:
Breed: Terrier Mix
Age: 3 years old
Sex: Female
Size: 22lbs
Color: Brown/Black/White
Spayed/Neutered: Yes
Microchipped: Yes
Vaccinated: Yes
Medical notes:
N/A
Housetrained: Yes
Site: Wildhearts Rescue
Location: Foster home in Portland
Intake Date: 05/19/2021
Good with cats: Unknown
Good with dogs: Yes, calm dogs with a slow introduction
Good with children: Yes, older children with a slow introduction
Good with adults: Yes, with a slow introduction