About Zeke

Zeke is searching for his perfect furever home. Zeke was a working cattle dog until he began losing his sight (possibly due to being kicked by a cow) and couldn't do his job anymore. His owner wanted to shoot him, but was convinced to turn him over to ASF. Zeke is 5 yo, neutered, UTD on his vaccines, and on HW/flea prevention. He is medium sized, about 40 pounds. He has the sweetest personality. Zeke needs to be the only dog (the only animal) in the home. (He has not been tested around cats or other animals.) He has been friendly with both people and dogs during walks. He seems to enjoy meeting other dogs and has been great at meeting and interacting with other dogs outside of the home. Inside the home, he has exhibited signs of only child syndrome and does not like to share his toys, treats, or food, or space with other dogs. He did well during short meetings with younger children, but given his sight issues and potential to startle, he would do best in a home with older dog savvy children, or no children. Zeke is beyond your typical 'velcro Aussie'. He will want to follow you everywhere you go, and all he wants in the world is snuggles and snacks. Someone willing to share their bed with him would be ideal. Zeke has some vision impairment that his foster's vet did not think was cataracts, but lacked the equipment to further diagnose. It is not known if Zeke's vision will continue to deteriorate over time or not, but his adopter will need to be prepared for that possibility. He seems to be able to see to a degree, sometimes surprisingly well. His foster parents believe it is more a depth perception issue than contrast or focus. (He sometimes needs help on walks to not run into things like signs and fence posts.) Because Zeke doesn't see things 'normally', he is sometimes confused and frightened by things he doesn't know that he sees differently. For example, he has been known to bark at a ceiling fan because of its motion. Zeke's furever family will need to be patient with him and willing to give him the time he needs to learn his new environment and understand that ceiling fans (and the other scary things in a house that he can't quite see clearly) aren't going to hurt him. Given time to explore his surroundings (and avoiding clutter and frequent furniture rearranging) in a few days, you will forget he can't see. Zeke LOVES his walks. He can hardly contain himself when he realizes it's time to go. He will go as long and as far and as often as you'll take him! He likes to take his time and sniff, but will also do some nice power walking. He's very sweet on a leash, but needs some gentle guidance to avoid obstacles that he might run into. He prefers quieter walks, but is starting to be less jumpy when traffic or bicycles go by. He is still very interested when squirrels or rabbits are in front of him - even with his sight issues. Zeke has done well with housetraining but it is a good idea to let him out after he eats and several times throughout the day until he learns his new routine. He makes it through the night just fine. He's generally very happy to nap or chew on a bone, as long as you are nearby. He has separation anxiety, his foster parents would advise you to crate him if you go somewhere and cannot take him; at least until he is used to his new home and your routines. He is semi crate trained; he will go in when the door is open and relax, but he doesn't like to be shut in it. He will do some heartbreaking barking in these instances but will calm down after a while. He loves to go on car rides, or wherever you go. If you can take him and leave the AC on, he will be thrilled. He's shown a lot of interest in toys. He loves chew toys (antlers, benebones, uncooked soup bones, etc), squeak toys, and balls that he can hear (he loves to chase a giggle ball!). Puzzle games and a good game of tug are also appreciated. He has decent recall, but would benefit from practice in a controlled environment with his new family. He likes to explore and likes to go over and under fences just because he can. He should not be left unsupervised outside. A spacious yard with a 5ft fence would be ideal for him. He needs continued work on basic commands like sit, stay, down, etc. He knows them, but doesn't always comply. BEWARE YOUR COUNTERTOPS! He is athletic and very crafty. Food unattended, no matter how far back on the counter, is considered fair game to him. He does well in the bath, but has not been professionally groomed. The perfect adopter for Zeke is someone who is home most of the time and has the patience to let Zeke settle into his new home. Their reward is going to be an incredibly sweet and loving companion. If you think you can be that person, please fill out an application at https://www.australianshepherdsfurever.org/adoption-application.

Medina County
Brunswick, Ohio 44212