Nicky has been adopted!
Sponsored by the Boyd family
Nicky is a sweet and curious little guy that is still learning how to live outside of the confines of a cage. He was one of many dogs that were seized from a puppy mill in the United States.
He is a typical “puppy mill” dog that has had little contact with humans. He is curious about the people that are being very kind to him but he is shy and nervous (more so of men). He will follow me around the house, and at times, Nicky is very affectionate, wags his tail and LOVES to be petted; other times, if I move too fast, he hurries back to the safety of his “safe spot in a corner”. It is evident that he wants to be loved.
He is learning all about the sounds and sights of being outside in a neighborhood and is working on his leash training with a harness. Currently, we try to walk during quieter periods of the day/night because when he is nervous he will try to jump and run the other way. Everything is new to Nicky – cars, someone riding a bike, people walking past.
He LOVES his food and empties his bowl at each meal, which is nice as he is currently a little underweight. He sleeps through the night in an orthopedic flat type of dog bed in the master bedroom. During the day when his family is out, he is kept in a small area while we work on his house training. He will bark for a short period when he is left alone. Currently, Nicky does not play with toys (probably does not know what they are) and is not a chewer either.
During Nicky’s workup to come to Canada he was diagnosed as heartworm positive. He has already received his heartworm treatments in the United States before he was transferred to Canada and is now ready for adoption.
He loves other dogs and interacts nicely with them. Nicky would prefer that his forever home had a friendly dog that is eager to be his friend and show him the ropes. This would be beneficial as it will show Nicky how the interaction with people is positive and it will help him adjust a little quicker in his forever home.
Adopting a puppy mill dog requires a lot of patience, understanding, love and acceptance; most importantly, unconditional acceptance of what they are capable of giving and receiving. It is important to realize that every puppy mill survivor is different. I would love to say that every puppy mill survivor only needs love to become a wonderful family pet, but that wouldn’t be true. Love is definitely needed in large quantities, but so is patience. The damage done during the months or years in the mill usually can be overcome, but it takes time and dedication.
Nicky was fostered by Carey and Robin
