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e authorities weren't happy with their loitering and so all were taken to the local overcrowded animal shelter. Because there are many more homeless dogs than there are available homes, Alberto will be coming north in the hopes of finding his forever home and family. He's hoping for one who will take him for walks, rather than allowing him to wander around on his own in town.
Albert is described as a true gentleman by the shelter staff. They report that he's great with all dogs, ignores cats and even gets along with kids. He's currently being treated for heartworm but will be treated prior to his travel to town. Once he arrives, he'll need a foster or adopter home.
"Alberto is a goofball. Very silly and playful, but also calm in the home. He gets along great with dogs and kids, I'm not sure about cats. He's very friendly and greets new people with ease. He's crate trained and housetrained. He's been sleeping in his crate at night, and we take him out as soon as we get up. During the day, I let him out every 4 to 5 hours, and he will go to the door if he has to go between times. If he’s crated he will hold it and has not had accidents in his crate.Alberto is a good boy. He doesn’t need a lot of adjustment time to learn the rules, he walks in and makes himself right at home."
FOSTER UPDATE - 4/11/19
How is Alberto with other dogs?
Alberto is getting along very well with Luna. He's very gentle, careful and aware of her. He's larger than she is, and always making sure he's not stepping on her. He's friendly with other dogs in the neighborhood as well. There are some other snippy small dogs and he just backs off when they bark at him. He's very respectful of space.
Energy level? Would you say he's active or more mellow?
He's very excited to go on walks and loves to smell around. We are careful when he's outside. I think he would be the kind of dog to catch a scent and be off. But once he's inside, he loves napping and he's very laid back. Sometimes if we are being too loud, he'll go to another room and just sleep by himself. His current routine is: wake up, potty, breakfast, nap, potty, supper, potty, bedtime. He's living it up here!
Leash walking skills? Is he condo friendly and good about going potty on leash?
He still needs to work on his leash walking skills, he pulls but is getting better slowly. He pretty much just naps and follows you around all day. But he does bark a lot too, so in that way he may not be a great fit for condo. We have a security camera and it notifies us when the system thinks a dog is barking and it's pretty much going off all day while we are gone.
Have you seen him around kids? Good or nervous?
He has met some of the neighborhood kids and is was very sweet with them, and will let them pet him.
Personality - shy vs. confident, snuggly vs. aloof?
He's very affectionate. That's the first thing we noticed. Most fosters tend to be shy and wary at first. But the second I met him, he was rubbing himself on me, trying to get into my lap and asking for pets. He's like that with strangers outside too, he wants to be everyone's friend. He slept in a dog bed the first week but then slowly made his way onto the bed. We just bought a king size bed so he sleeps right in the center now. But when he sleeps he likes to touch us.
FOSTER MOM UPDATE – 5/1/19
Alberto become quite popular in the neighborhood - He loves to meet new people, and is very gentle and respectful with all the neighborhood dogs he sees on his daily walks. Sometimes he’ll get a little excited and want to jump up when he greets you, but his foster parents are correcting him and he’s learning. His leash skills have improved with practice, and he loves going on walks and outings to the park and dog park with his foster dad.. He is also a champion couch potato inside the home.
Alberto is housetrained and crate trained, and his foster family does crate him when they leave the home. They have a pretty flexible work schedule, but on longer work days they have a dog walker come in, and he really needs and enjoys his mid-day walks. He likes his crate, and will choose to nap there with the door left open. He will often bark when left alone, usually when he hears the neighbors outside and wants to be part of the action. It’s improved since he’s settled in, but he’s still fairly vocal for a condo setting, and is probably best in a single family home or townhome with thicker walls.
His foster mom Diana says that Alberto has a moderate energy level and has 2 primary modes - napping/snuggling on the couch or playing. He loves his toys and has a goofy, fun side. He’s excellent with other dogs, and great with cats too. He’s a social pup who wants to be near his people. He’s probably not an ideal dog for a family who works out of the home full-time, 5 days a week, but he's a great fit for families with cats, dogs, and kids and a flexible work schedule. He will make an excellent walking buddy too.
If you are interested in adopting Alberto, please apply today.
BREED: Feist/terrier mix
GENDER: MALE
AGE: 6 to 7 years
WEIGHT: 24 lbs
VETTING: treated for heartworm, microchipped, dewormed and up to date on vaccinations. neutered
ADOPTION FEE: $350
LOCATION: Alexandria, VA
FOR MORE INFO OR TO ADOPT: Please go to adopt.worthydog and complete the application.
You can also help save dogs like this one by becoming a foster, providing a rescue dog with a temporary home and giving them the love and care they need until they are permanently adopted. Every person who fosters is directly responsible for saving the life of a dog, because we can only save as many dogs as we have foster families available to welcome them into their homes. If you think you might be interested in becoming a foster and want to learn more, please go to foster.worthydog and fill out an application.
Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue that primarily adopts to families in the DC Metro area.