Our next adoptable is ready for his moment in the spotlight! Jorge is a two-year-old Frenchie who came to MUTTS as an owner surrender through no fault of his own; he was very much loved and cared for in his previous home. This cutie pie is affectionate, in love with his fosters and working very hard to build his confidence! Jorge is ready to start his next chapter with his new family!

If there’s one thing you should know about Jorge, it’s that he’s a big family man! Give him a couch, his humans and endless scratches, and you’ve got one happy guy. Jorge loves being brushed, getting belly rubs and full body scratches, and if you stop too early he’ll give a low mumble to let you know he wants more! Since he’s so people-oriented, he listens well as he genuinely wants to please his family. He arrived with full knowledge of basic commands and recall, but doesn’t mind practicing since he knows treats are always included. When he’s not superglued to his fosters, Jorge plays well on his own, favouring squeaky toys, and never turns down a game of fetch in the backyard!

With new people, Jorge takes time to warm up. He was immediately comfortable with his foster family, but has been unsure of unfamiliar humans who’ve visited, raising his hackles and barking. This was short-lived, however, since the human knew to remain calm and play hard to get, offering treats when appropriate. With dog-savvy youngsters, Jorge co-exists happily, but can be easily spooked by sudden movements or noises so we believe he’d be best suited to a home with older, calmer kids! When it comes to other dogs, Jorge hasn’t fully grasped the art of making friends. When on the leash, he has lunged at another dog, but through a combination of positive enforcement, distance and rewards for refocusing his attention on his foster, Jorge was able to walk alongside the other dog without issue. He participates in regular pack walks with a few other dogs to help him become better socialized. He tends to pull on the leash and has been actively working on his leash manners via treats and engagement. Jorge responds best to consistent training and structure which his adoptive family should be prepared to continue. At this time, we believe Jorge would be best as the only dog in the home!

Jorge’s biggest challenge will be working through separation anxiety. He is not a fan of confined spaces, ie) his crate. When crated, his anxiety escalates quickly: he barks, pants heavily and attempts to bite or escape the crate. Since he never settles, he’s unable to relax and once released, it takes him up to two hours to decompress. As such, his fosters have gone back to square one, creating larger areas of confinement with a baby gate and focusing on positive enforcement and using high value treats to rejig Jorge’s relationship with these spaces. The great news is that he’s already seen lots of improvement and no longer fears his crate (though he still cannot tolerate having the door closed). Jorge is now able to remain calm, albeit sounding off with a few soft moans, and has realized that calm behaviour = treat reward. With continued and consistent structure and patience, we have no doubt that Jorge will conquer his separation anxiety!

Jorge is fully potty trained, neutered, microchipped and up to date with his vaccines. Due to some allergies, he takes Apoquel daily.

Jorge has been working so hard to impress his future family! We know this little lover boy is eager to settle in with his new people and enjoy snuggles on the couch for years to come!

SOCIABILITY: Humans (adults and older kids); slow introductions to other dogs on leash but would be best as the only dog in the home; not cat tested
ENERGY: Medium
QUIRKS: When Jorge wants some love and pats, he gives a squeaky mumble!
TRAINING NEEDS: Separation anxiety, leash skills, continued socialization and confidence building
MEDICAL NEEDS: Apoquel (daily) to control allergies
WEIGHT: 35lbs
FOSTER LOCATION: Innisfil