Joined the shelter : 28-03-2023
Life in a city/apartment : OK
Walk on leash :OK
Home without an exterior : OK
Contact with other dogs : GOOD
Life with cats : ?**
Contact with children : GOOD*
Need for daily exercise : AVERAGE
Health : gastrointestinal infection currently being treated
Trauma : NO
Special needs : NO

After overcoming the initial difficulties he arrived with at the shelter, our Ricardo has become a magnificent dog. Ricardo has meningitis, which caused him to arrive very inflamed and in a lot of pain. All these symptoms have greatly diminished thanks to cortisone, and he is now in good shape and ready to find his family.

Ricardo is very open-minded with people and enjoys playing ball with them, for example. He is generally active and curious and walks well on a leash. He gets excited when new people come around and is open to everything and everyone. He also knows how to ride in a car. Although he is a calm dog after going for a walk, he often feels frustrated and bored at the shelter. Therefore, he needs a family that will keep him busy and possibly take him to a dog school. Ricardo is cooperative and docile and has the best qualities to become a great family dog.

Regarding meningitis, we would like to clarify that it is a condition he will have for the rest of his life, but if he integrates well into his family and his stress decreases, it is very possible that he may no longer need medication. Currently, he is doing very well with low doses of cortisone. His inflammation levels will need to be monitored every 6 months or if the family notices any changes in his behavior. Apart from this, he may have poor vision in his left eye, but this would need to be checked at a specialized clinic. In any case, this does not affect his daily life in any way, which is why we have not taken him to such a clinic.

At the shelter, poor Ricardo has been alone in his kennel for a long time due to his illness and because he did not communicate well with other dogs, probably due to this illness. He used to be a bit rough or aggressive. However, for the past few days, we have been putting him with other young dogs for a few hours, and he has not shown any problems. His communication with other dogs still needs improvement (for example, he growled a bit at other dogs in the veterinarian’s waiting room), but the veterinarian believes it is not due to the illness but most likely due to the isolation and stress at the shelter. However, this should be easy to work on for a family with experience with dogs or with the help of a dog trainer. Our “”Ricky”” needs some practice in his relationships with dogs, but he is by no means a true “”problematic dog.

If you are the person who could give him a chance and take him out of the isolation he is currently living in, please contact us.

* Until complete adaptation, adult supervision with small children is essential.

** This means we have tested the dog with cats in the shelter and has shown no reactive behaviour, but this does not guarantee 100% compatibility with cats. Therefore, we always advise that cats and dogs are together only under surveillance.