About Finn

This animal is available to licensed rescue groups only. Please do not enquire unless with a licensed rescue group. Updated on Finn and His Rehoming Process! Through this rehoming process, questions have arisen about Finn's work drive and whether he would be a good fit as a working dog. To get answers, Finn met with Micah Tutt from Sound K9 in Kirkland, WA. He assessed Finn, and his report is attached below. Micah wants to help the family in the rehoming process and is available if you have questions about the assessment. Behavioral Evaluation Summary for 'Finn' Evaluator Team: Micah Tutt, Max Doza, and Dave Dubinin Date of Evaluation: 03/30/2025 Finn, a male Belgian Malinois, was evaluated due to inquiries from his owners regarding potential rehoming options. The assessment focused on his drive, responsiveness, environmental stability, and overall temperament. Drive: Finn displayed a low to moderate level of drive. Threshold to Spatial Pressure: Finn showed a moderate threshold to spatial pressure. He tolerated physical proximity and confinement without significant signs of stress or defensiveness. As with many dogs of his breed, he benefits from handlers who understand how to manage and respect personal space boundaries. Aggression: At no point during the evaluation did Finn exhibit aggressive behavior. Based on both our assessment and additional context provided by the owners, the prior incident appears to have been an attempt to create space in response to spatial pressure, rather than a display of aggression. The behavior was situational and consistent with breed tendencies when personal boundaries are not respected. Recommendations: Finn may do well in a structured home environment with experienced handlers, especially those familiar with the breed's needs for clear boundaries, engagement, and physical and mental enrichment. With proper management and training, we believe he can thrive as a companion animal in the right setting. Please feel free to share this evaluation with any individuals or organizations considering placement options for Finn. We are also happy to provide clarification to answer or follow-up questions as needed. Sincerely, Micah Tutt Founder & Trainer, Sound K9 Behavioral (206) 410-7100 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Also, here is the family assessment from the home front: Finn is sensitive when people touch his head, make direct eye contact, or stay in his personal space for too long. He snapped at a few family members and recently bit an immediate family member on the lip, required six stitches. The family recommends honoring that sensitivity and respecting his personal space. If you wait long enough, he will snap. It is an unpredictable situation, so why take the risk? The family continues to reach out to all corners of the dog industry, hoping to find someone who might know someone who might want to adopt a dog like Finn. Ideally, a family that understands this breed and its sensitivity, with no children. Because the family is still learning about Finn, they do not want to take a chance of him biting another person of any age. Now that you have made it this far in this letter, please keep reading. The family wants to tell you more about Finn and how much they love him. Finn is a 15-month-old, neutered, licensed, and unregistered AKC Belgian Malinois weighing sixty-three pounds. Finn is chipped and up to date with vaccinations and flea medication. Finn is not taking any prescription medications or supplements. Currently, there are no known allergies. Finn is a healthy, energetic, growing puppy. All vet records can be transferred. Finn joined his family when he was 14 weeks old. This is the only home he has been in. Finn is food-motivated and started basic obedience training as soon as he was brought home. Finn and his family train daily. Finn can follow cues such as sit, shake, down, side, here, center, stay, drop it, and wait. They have already started working on the 3 D's: Duration, Distance, and Distractions. Finn does great on leash and shows no sign of reactivity towards other dogs or people. Finn's family switched to the PetSafe 3-in-1 harness, using counter conditioning through the process (another preventive measure for leash reactivity). He is excited to walk and settles into a rhythm. He loves walking day or night, regardless of the weather. This week, Finn started working on preventive leash reactivity exercises, such as 'Engage-Disengage.' also known as 'Look at That.' Finn will start muzzle training this week. On the last vet visit, he was anxious enough for the vet to muzzle him to keep everyone, including Finn, safe. Finn loves to chew, so his family offers several options. His favorite chew is a Chuckit ball, and his favorite toy is his herding ball. He will hold the Chuckit ball in his mouth while chasing and playing with his herding ball. I have more information about Finn, but I'm limited to what I can post here. Please reach out and I can share the rest of the information.

Lane County
Eugene, Oregon