About Daxon

Daxon is a 1.5 year-old fun loving Australian Shepherd. He has a goofy and wonderful personality full of love for people. Dax is always a source of fun and laughter for his family and guests. He gets along great with all humans and his sibling (5 y/o aussie). He and his sibling snuggle, play tug, and chase each other throughout the house until they collapse into a long sleep together on the couch. When he is not playing with his brother, he is bucking around the house with excitement waiting for the next human to give him pets or to play tug. While he is an active and busy guy, he also is incredibly snuggly. He will wait for the perfect opportunity to jump on an open lap and make himself at home. He thinks he still weighs about 5 lbs, so he will splay his entire body on top of any person resting on the couch or bed and fall asleep alongside you-or completely covering you like a blanket. He is a real charmer. He is also helpful in the kitchen and will fall asleep at your feet while you prepare any meal. His favorite kitchen dropping/snack is red bell peppers. Dax is highly intelligent and food motivated so he is eager to learn new tasks and tricks. However, he has a stubborn streak-so it is important to keep the treat pouch handy. While Dax is an incredible dog 95% of time, Dax struggles with anxiety and reactivity. Dax is an escape artist and successfully made it out his former owner's front door shortly after adoption. He was struck by a vehicle and suffered a broken leg in September of 2020. While he is 100% healed and a world class athlete, his anxiety as a result of the accident and healing process can overwhelm him. His fosters have observed a few things that trigger his anxiety and reactivity. He is leash reactive when in the presence of barking dogs. When a barking dog is near, he will forcefully jump, bark, pull, and bite the leash. While this force is never directed at humans, he can successfully cut through a weak leash in less than a minute. When in the backyard, he will 'fence fight' with barking dogs and may cause minor injury to himself. If a human tries to intervene in this fence fight, Dax will briefly re-direct his frustration and fear towards the human. This has resulted in two bites in the past. After these high-stress events, Dax will immediately seek comfort in his humans. However, after this comfort, it takes him some time to regain his center. He will resort to nipping and growling in order to regain space and distance even from his most trusted friends and family. These hours/days can be unpredictable as Dax will transition from seeking attention to wanting space periodically. Dax also resource guards. He will resource guard food and water on occasion. But he primarily resource guards brand new toys, socks, and small items that are not dog-friendly. His resource guarding primarily manifests with growling and minor nips. Mostly importantly, Dax's nips and bites have never resulted in serious injury to any human or animal. Dax entered a board and train program and has seen tremendous success overcoming his anxiety and reactivity. He can now walk successfully on a leash again with some treats and distance from fellow dogs. He also has been able to free-roam in back yards with dog-neighbors without fence fighting. The trainer was also able to successfully mitigate some of his resource guarding behaviors. His future is immensely bright in a home that will fit his needs. Dax is truly a wonderful dog that would thrive in a home with a strong leader that provides structure and reinforces good obedience. He would do well with a medium-large dog-sibling that has appropriate dog manners. He also needs a home with a patient owner who has experience with resource guarding, training, and anxiety. They should also have experience with high-drive, herding breeds. He is active and needs adequate mental and physical exercise. Dax can jump at least six feet high-so a tall fence is necessary. A yard without small dog neighbors will help him live comfortably in his own backyard. Daily walks will continue to increase his confidence with the owner and the world around him. With an experienced and active owner who knows how to give a good scratch behind the ear, Dax will continue his healing journey into a happy and healthy adulthood. Daxon is being fostered in Lincoln, NE. His trainer has offered continued training for his new adopters, at no cost, in order to allow Dax to continue his success. He is neutered, up to date on vaccinations, heartworm negative, microchipped and on monthly preventatives. If you are interested in Dax, please fill out an application here��%BD'��%BD| www.australianshepherdsfurever.org/adoption-application. All adoption fees are used for future rescue efforts.

Lancaster County
Lincoln, Nebraska 68052