6 year old Otis is being returned to the rescue due to a change in his family’s circumstances. Otis is a resource guarder, and very wary of new people. He has a bite history, but only when his boundaries have not been respected. He needs a home with no children, a consistent routine, few visitors, and someone willing to work with a force-free trainer to help him with socialization. His former owners have been working with him and made progress, but he needs more help.
Otis is an affectionate, goofy, loyal, and award winning snuggler. His favorite thing to do is be with his people - Otis goes where the people go. He loves to play, demolish a good squeaker toy, burrow under a blanket in the winter and rest on your chest before bed. You must be willing to let him sleep with you. He is smart and able to follow commands. He is potty trained and if needed can go 6-8 hours alone without accidents. His previous owners left him unattended in a gated room of the house without issue.
While Otis is full of love, he has struggled with anxiety. His anxiety is currently managed with medication and supplements which have improved but not fully resolved his tendencies. His anxiety manifests primarily as resource guarding, humping, and hesitancy with new people. He strongly protects his household and is a big barker. Neither apartments nor mobile homes are appropriate for his personality. It is obvious when Otis is upset, anxious or agitated - his previous owners were able to find a rhythm to avoid his triggers and respect his space when provoked. There were no surprises when it came to temperament changes, Otis will let you know when he is anxious and it's best to offer a positive distraction (favorite toy, treat) or give him space to cool off. When trying to intervene by picking him up / getting close, he has bitten his owners. Otis lived with a male cat his whole life and they get along well - a brotherly love of sleeping side by side but also a chase here / there. He has not interacted with other cats, so it’s unclear how he would react to a new one. He has stayed for short time periods in households with dogs and done okay but has not had recent dog interactions or lived with a dog for any long period. He should be the only dog due to his need for attention, and his reactive behavior.
Otis is neutered, microchipped, on flea/tick/heartworm prevention, and up to date on shots.
If you think they would make the perfect addition to your family, let us know if you have an approved application on file, or fill out an app today!