Tommy is approximately 1.5 year male Rhodesian Ridgeback Cross . We were asked to step in approximately 6 months ago when this lovely dog needed to be moved from his then home along with many other dogs. We could go on all day long about this wonderful boy but the best person to tell you about Tommy is his foster mum , who in fairness has worked so hard with him, helping to make him into the confident and playful boy is today. Tommy’s foster mum tells us: “He is a pleasure to own in that he loves me he is patient and waits his turn for strokes/food to be put down to him last/getting ready for walks. He is good in the car, jumps in back (hatchback) lays and sits patiently when I open the back to get him out. Is quiet too. (not like my 3, barking and then trying to grab 3 leads when I open the back ) also he is very clean in house.
Tommy loves rough and tumble play with other dogs. He walks well on the lead and whereas before when he first arived in foster with me he had major issues with men and also other dogs, now however he is perfectly fine and well behaved. He has changed from being a very nervous and mistrustful young dog to be confident and very well behaved. When Tommy is off the lead he thinks all dogs are for playing with and greets them all, there has been an occasional growl but no real aggression or fight because with all other dogs he is submissive and if one growls at him he turns and runs. Tommy can be took wrongly because he thought to be a ridge back cross he looks like he has his hackles up with some greetings but to be honest knowing him as I do and observing his behaviour for months now, this is actually his Would like to get you know more thing he does. Unfortunately to some dogs they may see this raised scruff of the next to be an aggression signal. Poor Tommy only wants to play and say hello. He will let me take anything off him including a bone and has never once tried to bite me, even in the beginning when I was dragging him to the crate by his collar, he could have had me several times but didn’t. he greets people in the park too now but he has to check THEM out.
If someone puts their hand out to him first he backs off. his recall is good most of the time and he has a big smile on his face when he runs back to me. he doesn’t actually wander too far, even in the woods he comes back on his own to check on me and he waits up the path when I tell him too. Background and any neg points….When he came here he used to nip mine and Nigel’s bum with excitement for a greeting. it bloody hurt too! stopped that but the trouble is, his way of checking people out is like dogs do, he sniffs bottoms. so in the park he will go up behind people or even trot along behind someone walking, sniffing their bums. Luckily he hasn’t nipped ye or yet again for poor Tommy this could be taken the wrong way.
There are times when I want him to come in from the garden and he digs his heels in and runs off, its a game for him so has to be ignored. although he is fine with Rosie and foxy, he is still aggressive towards buster. I wouldn’t home him with another male. He will growl when passing through a doorway if another dog is there. It’s His doorway so move kinda thing. not a problem anywhere else at all. Although he is not bothered about toys you could guarantee if another dog had one he would want it. There has been a feisty cuffs with buster because buster has aimlessly walked past a piece of wood that Tommy had found and been chewing on. I can’t give them bones because of this. I would advise strongly against a household with young children as he is scared of them and gives them a wide birth. If a kid runs up to him, Tommy runs away. A doggy friend tried to get her 3/4 year old to give Tommy a treat, he very warily took it from him and then when the kid held his hand out again, Tommy growled and backed off. He still needs someone who knows what they are doing although changing homes could set him back a few steps, hopefully not. In all honesty he wouldn’t be going anywhere if I could take all 4 out on my own without getting dragged over. In brief Tommy is one lovely dog and needs the best home , this boy has been through so much and come such a long way from when I first fostered him…He really does deserve the most loving forever home. Tommy is microchipped, vaccinated, sterilised and has Full EU Passport.