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ck into the tiniest ball to sleep like a baby deer and rolls around on his back making velociraptor sounds of alien joy at every possible opportunity. He has a hilarious curly-Q tail and a next level smile that perfectly frames his adorable underbite! But Dallas hasn’t always been so carefree and this 7-year old affectionate and distinguished gentleman has a story that has broken our hearts a thousand times over. Grab a cup of tea…
Dallas started his life in 2018 in a relatively normal fashion…vet care and seemingly normal family living. Fast forward to a few years back when his human mom passed away. Once she was gone, things changed. He was kept by his human dad in a crate or outdoor kennel, and shocked with an e-collar, developing significant trauma and fear. His dad had a stroke at the beginning of the year, and Dallas went to live with a friend of a friend…a couple who took him in to try to find him a home. This couple reached out to us early in the summer and we had scheduled a time to meet Dallas, but he never made it to that meeting. He got loose and Missing Dogs Massachusetts was involved in quickly getting him home safely. Then, he was put in the impossible situation of getting loose…again, only 10 days later. This time, he ran far and wide for 42 days, from Waltham to Watertown to Cambridge. We committed to taking him, sight unseen, while he was still on the run, because we knew he was worth it. And after holding our breath for weeks, we were thrilled to get the call that he was safe! It was an honor to finally meet this sweet, sweet man, and we are in LOVE with his gentle nature.
Dallas is as loveable as they come! He lost over 33 pounds while missing and is still on a medically supervised refeeding schedule to help him safely gain back weight. He has steadily gained and is looking terrific! He required an echocardiogram based on his initial veterinary consultation and bloodwork, which showed mild to moderate heart disease. The cardiologist hopes it is due to the grain free nutrition he was fed earlier in life, as noted on his previous vet records (public service announcement…DON’T feed grain-free foods to dogs unless instructed by a vet). If this is the case, with meds, his condition should stabilize or even get better over time. He has started heart meds and supplements and has no outward signs of distress. With repeat bloodwork, we determined all of his values have stabilized and are normal! He recently had surgery to remove 3 mast cell tumors and two tumors of an unknown origin, and we are thrilled that the mast cell tumors were low grade with clear margins and were excised completely and the unknown tumors were benign! Woo hoo! This cleared him for adoption and starting his life, and he deserves it!
We always root for the underdog, and this special boy deserves everything life can offer him after his terrifying ordeal. He has been repeatedly failed by humans and needs a safe and loving place to land. Dallas is learning to trust and is gaining confidence every single day with the help of his canine (and feline) foster siblings. We have kept his world small to make him feel as safe as possible, and his tail is now wagging freely on a daily basis, especially in the company of other 4-legged friends. In a quiet home, Dallas is a good-natured and affectionate dog…a regular dog. But when venturing outside of what is consistent and predictable, the fear can be quite debilitating to him. Any adopter should know that it will take multiple meets to gain his trust but believe us…it is worth it!!!! Big D is house trained, crate trained, and a super easy man to care for. Due to his size, and lack of history, older or no kids would be best for this deserving soul.
Dallas’ top 3 priorities:
1. A patient family who will go SLOW! Dallas was on the run in the greater Boston area for 42 days and trapped by Missing Dogs Massachusetts before entering our rescue. He needs time to take in new situations and will thrive with a small and consistent world.
2. A family who will love and cherish this sweet soul after all that he has been through to make him feel safe. A spot on the bed is a must! And a calm canine sibling would sweeten the pot.
3. A family dedicated to Dallas’ ongoing vet appointments as he catches up from years of neglect.