About Jax

Adorable relationship-building dog needs his forever home!! Jax is a 5 year-old, lean 35 lb. Australian Cattle Dog mix, who has been in foster care for most of his life. He is inherently fearful and shy, and needs to build trust through time & patience with a dog-savvy adopter, but he's very sweet, loving, and loyal, and builds such a strong bond once he does. He's easily managed without any medications or special equipment (muzzle, head collar, etc.) but does need to go at his own pace. He's super intelligent, house-trained, does not mark, knows how to use a dog door, and knows lots of helpful life skills and cues. He's also vaccinated, microchipped, and neutered. He currently lives with two medium dogs and can potentially live with another appropriate, tolerant, non-reactive medium dog if introduced properly and allowed to take his time (parallel walks, etc.) He is not fond of small dogs- he is perpetually antagonized and targeted by them, off-leash and out of control. He is not a viable candidate for dog parks or daycare, as he is not comfortable with unfamiliar people or dogs right away and would be too overwhelmed by more than one to meet appropriately, as a house mate or play date friend. Jax has lived with cats and is fine with mellow ones. He will bark at those who tend to move erratically or show fear of dogs. He has also lived with foster kittens and has done very well, as they have no fear or apprehension. Jax has been around OLDER, VERY dog-savvy kids but would not be appropriate for a home with young children, or a first-time dog owner. His ideal home would be fairly relaxed but with an active lifestyle & fenced yard. He is muzzle-trained for situations which could be too stressful for him, but he loves vet staff (so vet visits are not a problem) and generally does well when introduced to new people in a safe, familiar environment with rewards and at his own pace, so he can get used to them without fear and build trust. He tends to warm up faster to women than men. He should not meet complete strangers out in the world though ('stranger danger.') Jax carries his tennis ball in his mouth for stress relief. He loves to go for walks and hikes, fetch tennis balls, chew on bones and toys, find food, and work for treats. He can also entertain himself well and does not have any separation anxiety, resource guarding, or other concerns. He just needs a place of his own, where he feels safe and comfortable, and has a predictable daily routine. Note re: having large groups of new people over. I normally have familiar people over in somewhat regular intervals, but they are not loud and boisterous, and everyone knows the protocol for coming in and letting the dogs take their time. If more than 2 or 3 guests, I often put the dogs in another room with tasty treats to give them something enjoyable to do. Large numbers of people can be too much for dogs, so I normally don't subject them to it. They can always choose whether to interact or not. Jax will require multiple visits with potential adopter, including at my home and the adopter's, in order to establish a relationship and set him up for success before going to his forever home. The quantity of visits will depend on his comfort level and pace. Please text me at 818.632.6735 or email [email protected] to complete an adoption questionnaire and meet this shy but sweet boy.

Los Angeles County
Sylmar, California 91342