Zuko ::ADOPTED::
In November of 2019 Zuko and his three siblings were rescued and brought to the city pound in Asan, South Korea as young puppies. One of his siblings is Iroh, who was flown to Wildhearts and adopted last fall here in Portland.
Zuko was quickly adopted a few weeks after he arrived at the Asan city pound by an American couple stationed at the local military base. Over a year later the couple returned to the pound with Zuko claiming that they were friends of the adopters, and that Zuko had been left behind in their care. Our rescue partners had a “go home day” photo on file of Zuko as a puppy with his adopters. They quickly realized the same couple who adopted him was back to abandon him.
Zuko spent the next several months at our rescue partner’s mini shelter as they couldn’t bear the thought of him going back to the pound where he’d likely be euthanized. One of our favorite things about Zuko is that all dogs seem to adore him! On walks with our rescue partner the local strays & chained up dogs were always excited for a visit from him. Now that Zuko is here in Portland we are committed to finding him a forever family that loves him as much as we do. His snowball shaped head and expressive eyes constantly have us melting!
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE Zuko THINGS FROM his FOSTER family…
Zuko is actually a timid dog who wants nothing but love and affection. He loves putting his face on our thigh and staring at us, or nudges with his face or paw for full adoration. He'll move when you move spots, and also will check in on you from the door time to time.
Aside from that, Zuko has a couple quirks that makes us chuckle. One of them is his potty dance, which is twirling in circles for a bit. The other is his need to rub his face all over your hair post shower. We think he's trying to dry us off, but who knows why he does that!
Zuko enjoys the company of our dog, who is larger and more energetic than Zuko, but also equally enjoys time to relax by himself. Initially, he struggled to play with our dog, which might be due to lack of exposure to large dogs, but quickly learned how to socialize and play. He is curious about our cat, who is extremely timid, and does keep tabs on her or follows her at times (which our cat hates). While he is protective and barks initially at strangers/newcomers, he quickly grows receptive to existing in the same space.
Zuko is a quick learner from what we observed in the few weeks we've fostered him. He's progressed from being extremely reluctant in entering or leaving the house, crate training, walking calmly on leash, touching his butt on the ground, and to being responsive to basic commands (all still need practice!). Now the sound of kibbles falling into his food bowl provokes him to immediately trot into the crate, wagging his tail as he awaits his food. He's extremely treat motivated unless he's timid or scared. His confidence will soar with a family who can provide patience and firm guidance alongside love.
A FEW THINGS Zuko IS WORKING ON FROM his FOSTER family…
Zuko has a stubborn side that shows up, but with enough patience and practice, he can be more receptive. He’s sensitive about things touching certain parts of his body -- i.e. your hand on his back area, his butt touching the ground (which he's now fine with) or his training leash resting around his mouth (he tries to pull it off with his paw). Most of these have improved, but important to keep in mind. He's progressed immensely with his leash pulling, but is still working on being comfortable with what leash pressure means.
There have been a handful of incidents regarding chewing non-toy items, but we haven't noticed it as much after introducing a variety of toys to Zuko and redirecting him quickly a couple times. He has chewed through a few of his harnesses, leash, and seatbelt when eyes have been off of him. He’s a chewer!
While Zuko has grown accustomed to his crate, sleeping in it, or having independent crate time daily, continuously practicing crate training will help reduce any possible separation anxiety that can develop.
THE IDEAL FAMILY FOR Zuko WOULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING:
A fenced backyard.
Lots of patience, time to train, consistency, and lots of love!
Zuko’s Details:
Breed: Jindo mix
Age: 1.5 years old
Sex: Male
Size: 42lbs
Color: White/Beige
Spayed/Neutered: Yes
Microchipped: Yes
Vaccinated: Yes
Medical notes:
N/A
Housetrained: Yes
Site: Wildhearts Rescue
Location: Foster home in Portland
Intake Date: 3/26/2021
Good with cats: Yes, some cats - he’s very interested in them, playfully
Good with dogs: Yes
Good with children: Yes, with a slow introduction
Good with adults: Yes, with a slow introduction