About Niko

At 10-years old, Niko has found himself in need of a new home because his young human sibling has a chronic medical condition that requires regular care. As a result, Niko's single 'mom' has less time to properly take care of a dog. Even though people have advised her to euthanize Niko, she instead hopes a caring and experienced person will want him. Niko is a 45- to 50-pound male Hungarian Vizsla mix located in Watertown, MA. He has a beautiful red coat and different colored eyes. Those antenna ears give him a goofy twist to his serious demeanor. He is a very sweet boy towards the people he knows and is a good family protector. He shows his love through plenty of cuddles. For fun, he enjoys playing with plush toys. He travels well, but needs more pit stops than younger dogs (awww). Niko is very smart and learns quickly. His main challenges are having prey drive (those squirrels look so good!) and being overprotective of his family. His new owner will have dog experience, but more importantly be a leader who can rein in this unchecked behavior. He needs confidence and reassurance which can be attained through training and commitment. A daily routine so he knows what to expect would also help. The ideal home for Niko is one without stairs or one where he can remain on the first floor, due to arthritis in his right hip. Niko has a gentle nature in some ways and gets upset if people argue or raise voices. He's skittish with loud noises and new people (mainly unknown men). He does have men in his life, but warms up to women more easily. Niko would love to live in a calm environment with an enclosed backyard. Though he does well with the young kids in his current family, with such a big change as rehoming, an adult-only home or one with quiet teens is much more suitable. History: Due to Niko's skittishness, he bit (and released) a stranger's hand who came into his space suddenly. The man needed stitches. Niko also injured a small dog. Supervision is a must. Niko is neutered, UTD on shots, crate-trained, and house-trained. Niko may have some challenges to overcome and a not-so-perfect history, but he has a loving nature and with the right owner he has so much potential to learn and have the best of senior years. To help Niko and his family, please complete this adoption application: https://bit.ly/ARK-Application #ARKforNiko #JustSaveThem

Essex County
Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930