Coal (Utah)

Coal is an approximately 1.5 years old Catahoula mix. He is neutered and crate broke. He runs in to his crate as soon as he knows it is time for food and will regularly hang out in there when it is open. He likes to chew on an antler and will play fetch but has a short attention span. Coal is housebroken but has peed in the house a few times when he has been excited (e.g. new visitors). He is fully vaccinated and is microchipped. Coal weighs approximately 60 pounds. He is fed Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream (Salmon) twice a day. Coal does well with nail trims but thinks it is a game and will try to nibble on your hands or the trimmer or pull his feet away so he can paw at you to instigate play; I’ve found he does best with one or two feet at a time, a play break, and then try again. He does well with veterinarian visits as far as I can tell (it is curbside pick-up only here, but I have not heard anything negative). He has thrown up once on a car ride, but it was on twisty, windy mountain roads, so he may not always vomit in the car. Coal has been doing well walking on a leash. We have used a Martingale collar for training, and he is responding well to not pulling while on the leash and heeling beside me while we walk. He is quite mouthy still and that is typical puppy stuff, he thinks it is always time to play. Coal has not been around children while in foster, but given his playful, rambunctious nature, he may do best with older children (he does not seem to realize his size and I could see him accidentally knocking a small child over). He is a very smart boy and picks up on things quickly; he makes good eye contact and wants to please people and be told he’s a ‘good boy’. He gets along well with my other 3 dogs (two males and one female). He loves to play and run in the yard, so another dog friend could be great for him. He has not been around cats or small animals while in foster, but he seems interested in the wild turkeys outside the fence (I’m not sure if he’d chase or catch them if left to his own devices).

HISTORY: Coal was picked up by the shelter as a stay, so there is no previous known history. He has been in foster for about 12 weeks now and has shown himself to be a very well-adjusted boy. He picks up on cues and commands quickly and has figured out the routine of the household.

GOOD: Coal is a sweet, loyal boy. He loves to cuddle and have his belly rubbed. When I arrive home from work, he is wiggly and bendy coming out of his crate, so excited to see me, greet me and get attention. At bedtime he will jump right on the bed ready for his nightly cuddle before going to sleep. He is a great companion for a hike/walk. He walks well on a leash but would probably pull if something caught his attention. He likes to sit on your feet whenever he can and enjoys being (very) near his people. He follows me everywhere like a shadow. He loves catching ice cubes if they fall on the ground from the automatic dispenser in the refrigerator (if he hears the ice dispenser making noise, he comes running from wherever he is!). He enjoys playing with toys (with me and/or the other dogs) and loves having the freedom to explore around the fenced in yard. He does not bark very often, but he does bark excitedly when there are turkeys in the yard. He has his moments of being hyper and playful, but then others where he is very mellow and enjoys just sitting on the couch with you. He would do well with another dog or as the only dog. Another dog friend should enjoy playing rough, though, as Coal can get pretty rowdy which is typical of Catahoulas.. Coal is very intelligent and picks up on commands quickly. He is very treat motivated (I use pieces of his dog food as treats), which makes training him fairly easy. He makes good eye contact and is very, very focused when you ask him to do something. He is a very smart boy and picks up on things quickly.

BAD: He is mouthy still and will bite and nibble (playfully) when you pet him, which might not be a good fit for younger children until he learns not to do that.

UGLY: He seems selective about male dog friends when there is a lot going on around him. He once got into a fight with one of my dogs (my dog instigated it because Coal was playing roughly with one of my other dogs). Coal initially did not respond, but he was amped up from playing and when my dog (male) inserted himself into the mix, Coal reacted. Both dogs immediately stopped when squirted with water from a pop-top water bottle, and they have had no issues since. Coal also attacked a smaller male dog; once again, he seemed to be overstimulated and eventually went from being playful to becoming aggressive; he again responded to the pop-top water bottle when applied properly.

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