𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔N EXPERIENCE FEMALE HOME ONLY
𝙇𝙊𝙊𝙆𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝘼 𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙔 𝙎𝙋𝙀𝘾𝙄𝘼𝙇 FEMALE FOR A VERY SPECIAL BOY
Please read this advert VERY carefully and only apply if you have read it properly. We are aware this is a very long adoption advert but sadly there is no way around it, people need to know absolutely everything about this poor little guy before making any decisions.
Firstly, let’s begin with why this is a lifelong foster advert and not an adoption advert. We understand Max can sometimes be a quirky dog to own and will require a lot of commitment and continued training. By eliminating the additional factor of money that comes with a dog that is 8 years young, we hope to encourage the perfect person to come forward as this is about love and dedication and not finances. Max has had 8 -10 moves in his life and we MUST make sure this doesn’t happen again as Max just will not cope with yet another move. Please only apply if you are truly committed to the hard times as well as the good, this poor dog cannot be failed again.
Let’s start at the very beginning. From what we have deciphered about little Max, we think his original, male owner was very unkind to him. At the age of 8 he had already had two/three homes after being sold on Pre-Loved and taken on by the wrong type of people. He then went into two different kennels just to be kept “safe” from euthanasia and then out to two homes which handed him back. After this he went back into kennels again, out to another home who returned him and then he was moved to two different home boarding trainers. He is currently still with his longest home boarding trainer and making EXCELLENT progress but his journey needs to end in a real-life home. We will go into much more depth about his trauma history upon application, but we cannot stress enough that applicants need only apply if they intend to stick with Max forever and not just hand him back when the going gets tough. This lovely chap absolutely LOVES training and is a really fun dog to train as he listens and learns.
After months of training, thousands of pounds in bills and MRI scans to make sure he was neurologically sound, the team reviewed his huge case file and slowly managed to put the pieces together. All of Max’s behavioural incidents have had one thing in common: males being present inside the home. Max is in fact, a fearful dog that disguises himself as a confident boy. Sadly, all his homes have mishandled him and over time, his fear-based responses have escalated and he has learned that aggression effectively kept men away from him. Although Max suffers from behavioural issues due to certain triggers, he has actually shown incredible resilience and kindness for a dog that has just been through an incredible amount of trauma. It’s absolutely heart breaking to see a dog failed repeatedly like this. After all he has been through he remains a cuddly, affectionate, loving boy around women.
In every home Max has lived in, a male presence has been a constant. His behaviour steadily worsened and his defensive responses were interpreted as aggression but this was all due to triggers. As time went on, Max began perceiving women as possessions he needed to protect. Since he can tolerate, still men, some assumed he has no issue with them, but his real trigger is movement with men indoors. The moment a man stands or moves inside the home Max’s instinctual fear response activates. Max can absolutely live in a home that has male visitors now, but he must remain in his “safe space” to ensure his anxiety doesn’t escalate into a bite. Little Maxy is fine with men outside on walks and can walk by them problem so please don’t think all men need to be avoided as this is not at all the case. Despite our trainers being a male and female couple, and excessive time and kindness given to Max (especially by the male) over the 8 weeks he has been with these current trainers, Max still really struggles with his male trainer. It is now evident that putting Max into a home with a male would require so much time, rehab and stress to Max that we feel this would be unfair on him.
Max is really well behaved when out and about and is no bother to walk or go anywhere with and he enjoys stress free adventures. If he has his own safe space he could absolutely be an office dog where men would leave him be as he just sits quietly and snoozes and isn’t a loud dog to have around. He also does not require a muzzle (although is muzzle trained) when out and about. He walks past other dogs on walks well, although would rather not interact with them and doesn’t lunge at people etc, he is a pleasure to walk. He is also brilliant in the car!
Due to his fears, Max also exhibits some mild anxious behaviours when people leave the house (this is slowly getting better). He throws what we call a “10 minute tantrum” when people go to leave. He can run back and forth, both as a stress relief mechanism and to check whether they are returning. This doesn’t last long and he soon settles down once you have left and can currently be left alone for up to 3 hours. This behaviour stems from a deep-rooted fear of being unable to monitor his environment (his previous homes used to lock him in sheds/bathrooms etc) and protect himself. His new owner will need to understand that this will need to be worked on in any new home where Max will feel uncertain in his new surroundings. Max was initially reactive to the sound of doorbells and keys, both signals of people arriving or leaving, which trigger his anxiety. This is quickly improving and will continue to improve in time if his new owner continues with his training in these areas. The rescue will also begin desensitising him to new owners doorbell BEFORE he moves.
Given Max’s years of trauma, attempting to “train out” this behavioural issue with men indoors would be unfair. True rehabilitation would require intensive, long-term exposure to multiple men in a controlled environment, something not feasible for him. The kinder approach is to remove as many stressors as possible, allowing him to live peacefully. His trainers can report that by having removed these stressors, and when he is home alone with his female trainer only, he is the perfect/normal happy dog – and this is now the key to Max being able to lead a happy, normal stress free life. His anxiety is more manageable in a male free home, and we believe can be fully eliminated over time once Max finally has permanent stability in his life. Anyone taking on Max will get UNLIMITED free training for life IN PERSON AT THEIR HOME and on the phone and be prepped for absolutely everything they may need. You will get multiple meets with Max before even making a decision on if he is the right dog for you.
The sad thing is, Max is a lovely, affectionate boy who truly wants to be loved but he has been failed by humans for so many years. We are looking for a VERY special and experienced single female who will stand by Max and understands how to remove his triggers and that none of this is his fault. With plenty of time and training he can continue to grow and truly experience real dog life, something he has never had.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐱 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝?
✅ Female-only home
✅ Kent-based fosterer (we need to home visit and be close for training and settling in)
✅ Quiet location
✅ No children (18+ only)
✅ No other pets
✅Baby gate, so Max has his own safe space
✅ Own room/space – A safe retreat away from visitors.
✅ Limited male visitors
✅ Secure garden
✅ Experienced handler – Must have experience with reactivity and dogs that are triggered.
✅ Work-from-home or not out for very long periods
𝗠𝗮𝘅’𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀
✔ Loyal & affectionate
✔ Non-destructive – Respects his surroundings when settled.
✔ Toilet trained – May stress urinate initially but improves over time.
✔ Loves car rides, sunbathing & sleeping – Enjoys simple pleasures.
✔ Excellent lead manners – Walks beautifully to heel and a pleasure to walk
𝗠𝗮𝘅’𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 (𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁)
Fear of men indoors – His biggest struggle, leading to reactive behaviours (his triggers)
High energy off lead dogs running into his space – Max happily ignores most dogs but is not too keen on high energy ones invading his space(– pack walks daily with 3 other big dogs
Lead-only walks – Until a strong bond is established.
Requires a strict diet (white rice, fish, sweet potato, sprats).
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐫
All veterinary care – Including vaccinations and check-ups.
Ongoing training & support in person FOR LIFE – Our trainer will guide you.
Multiple initial meetings – To ensure you understand his needs.
We cannot stress enough that this is honestly his last chance now and he just cannot bounce from home to home anymore. ONLY apply if you are truly experienced, can keep him away from. his tiggers, committed and can guarantee you won’t throw him back at the rescue. You can get a really great dog out of Max if you follow our trainers guidance and not give up on him
