Robin ::ADOPTION PENDING::
In May of 2020, Robin was found as a stray dog and brought to @gapyeong_shelter in South Korea. A wonderful foster stepped up to care for him because he was completely terrified of people and would have quickly been euthanized.
Robin spent the first few weeks of June living on her enclosed balcony with only a few steps to take out of his kennel to eat and to go potty. Weeks later, once Robin was moved inside the home, he spent his days at the back of his kennel or behind furniture facing the wall. During this time @kimhyunsook_foster spent time fostering other dogs, two of which (Jade & Doi) ended up flying to Wildhearts. It broke our hearts seeing Robin left behind as each dog moved on, but he was nowhere near ready for a flight. His foster mom spent months working on earning his trust and was finally able to hold him after 4 months. In November Robin took his first steps outside since he arrived as a foster dog and that experience, while terrifying for him, was a much needed checkpoint in his rehabilitation. From that point on he finally started to trust his foster mom!
And then Doi came along.
Doi had plans to fly to Wildhearts and was lucky enough to be cared for by @kimhyunsook_foster. Robin & Doi have similar skeptical personalities and Robin, for the first time, seemed interested in one of her fosters. Their bond grew quickly and their foster made a point to push the pups out of their comfort zones. Robin started playing and was eager for affection.
We feared when Doi flew to Wildhearts in February that Robin would regress but he stayed strong continuing to trust his foster & experience new things bravely. Before Robin’s long awaited flight here he had a vet visit and they discovered he had heartworm. Sadly he had to stay behind for several months to go through treatment and is now *finally* here!
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE Robin THINGS FROM his FOSTER FAMILY…
Robin is the most enigmatic of gentlemen. He is so sweet and also sometimes skeptical of the world around him. He is incredibly attuned to other dogs’ body language and behavior, and will defer to them. He’s extremely respectful of their boundaries (and peoples’ too, for that matter). Hence the gentlemanly-ness. That said, he would do best with a dog that is friendly and interested in engaging with him, as he really does shine with a playmate. Having an active foster sister in South Korea helped him learn how to “dog” in the beginning.
We love how sweet and sensitive Robin is. He likes watching the world around him, cozied up in his bed, as people go about their day. He’s starting to be brave enough to jump up on the bed or couch with us for snuggles. He’s starting to be more playful especially with humans, and his absolute favorite thing so far are walks. When we’re getting ready to go out, he’ll howl excitedly and rub up against you like a cat, doing figure-eights around your legs.
Robin is a gentle soul and will need a gentle, compassionate, understanding parent who also encourages him to play and be silly.
A FEW THINGS Robin IS WORKING ON FROM his FOSTER FAMILY…
Trust: Robin is often suspicious when he thinks you want something from him (like picking him up) and his first reaction is to back away. Although he wants to trust you, he can easily fall back on that, so being attentive to building trust will be extremely important. The great news is he’s a very smart dog, a fast learner and responds well to training. He really does want to love and be loved.
There has been one incident during Robin’s foster stay where his leash was unclipped too early after a walk. Robin took off into the woods for 5 hours and he wouldn’t come when called by his foster family. Eventually Robin came home on his own and went right into his crate to sleep. Even if Robin seems acclimated it will take a lot of time for him to trust his adopters and his adopters to trust him.
Car rides: Although he’s gotten better, Robin still struggles with car rides, panting and shaking. We think he’s overstimulated by all the sights and movements. He’ll need creative problem solving to get him more comfortable in the car.
Sometimes Robin is shy with male-presenting folks but this has not necessarily been consistent. As long as the right attitude and approach is taken, he will do great.
Robin is a bit difficult to pick up. He will come to you willingly for pets but if you hint you’re trying to pick him up he will become stressed out and avoid you. We are still trying to find the best solution for this.
THE IDEAL FAMILY FOR Robin WOULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING:
A fenced yard.
Robin is a bit of a digger and would love a family who would let him have one spot to dig in the yard for him to nap in.
Another friendly dog in the home. Robin is the perfect dog companion!
Patience, time to train, consistency, and lots of love!
Robin’s Details:
Breed: Terrier Mix
Age: 3 years old
Sex: Male
Size: 19lbs
Color: White/Black
Spayed/Neutered: Yes
Microchipped: Yes
Vaccinated: Yes
Medical notes:
Robin was treated for heartworm and will need monthly heartworm preventatives for the rest of his life.
Robin has at least one tooth needing pulled along with some dental work.
Housetrained: Yes
Site: Wildhearts Rescue
Location: Foster home in Portland
Intake Date: 07/20/2021
Good with cats: He has chased the cat in his foster home a few times, but not aggressively
Good with dogs: Yes
Good with children: Possibly, with a slow introduction
Good with adults: Yes, with a slow introduction