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trict decompression
Special needs: Cerebellar ataxia of unknown cause
Beautiful Mario was saved from an overcrowded shelter in Maryland, when his time was up and he found himself euthanasia-listed only due to a lack of space. On top of being extremely emaciated at only 35 lbs with every rib sticking out, Mario showed signs of neurological challenges, which is beyond the shelter’s limited ability to care for. We had him assessed by our neurologist, who confirmed Mario’s symptoms are consistent with cerebellar ataxia, a disorder that affects the cerebellum region of the brain. The effects on Mario’s day-to-day life are minimal and do not cause him any pain, and does not require any additional medical treatment! Despite being three years old, many of his mannerisms and development milestones are much closer to that of a young puppy. He strives to please his people and is very food-motivated, making teaching him fun! With consistency and a patient handler, Mario thrives just like any other dog.
Mario’s neurological differences mean he learns about the world differently than other dogs. It may take him longer to understand, but once he does, he thrives! Just like a human toddler, Mario explores the world with his mouth, tasting anything he can get his mouth on. When he’s frustrated or doesn’t get his way, his mouthiness can amp up, causing him to treat his human handler like a toy. With a strong handler and clear cues, Mario is able to settle and get himself out of this “funk.” Carrying his favorite toys with you helps immensely - he loves chewing his toys and usually can be easily redirected to one!
Mario does well in his crate and sleeps there throughout the night. He may occasionally wake up once throughout the night, but he resettles himself within 10 minutes and goes right back to sleep. Potty training is a work in progress but he’s made huge improvements since being in a foster home, and he will continue to improve in a forever home! Like a puppy, it’s hard for him to remember to tell his humans when he has to go potty, so he needs a family who is able to watch him often and take him out frequently to set him up for continued success.
We often say “a tired dog is a well-behaved dog,” and that holds especially true for Mario. His favorite activity is walks or hikes with his people! He is easy to walk on the leash and does not pull, sticking close to his human. He sometimes forgets he is a dog and goes “shark mode” to try and mouth at his handler, but as long as you keep moving or redirect with a toy he’s content to carry on walking and snaps out of shark mode. He also loves chewing on all types of toys and bones. Due to his neurological differences, he has a difficult time settling on his own - if you leave him in your fenced in yard, he will spend the majority of his time there pacing and rarely settle down or lay down. For this reason, structured exercise, i.e. walks and training sessions followed by crate time is the best way to help reinforce a schedule for Mario, since he struggles to do that on his own. However, we have noticed him settling easier since being in a foster home and getting plenty of exercise, and are excited to see this progress continue in a forever home!
When it comes to other dogs, Mario is a complicated guy. He loves dogs, but his social skills are unfortunately lacking, making it difficult for him to make friends. Mario comes on hard and fast in a style that is considered rude to other dogs, so most dogs do not react positively to him. He’s had great success on structured walks with other dogs, as long as the handlers are aware and don’t allow Mario to mouth at his companions. We’ve seen him play with a few other dogs after slow and intentional meetings over several weeks and a knowledgeable handler supervising the playtime who is able to intervene if Mario gets too excited or intense in his play. Mario will do great as the only dog in the home, getting all his parents’ attention, especially considering his special needs. However, he may be able to live with the right fit of a dog and a family committed to working with the dogs daily and managing Mario’s rude social behavior.
Mario is truly the happiest boy who we’ve seen thrive and grow over the past few months. Even after spending months in kennel boarding, Mario never lost his spark, remaining the same goofy, silly boy we saved from the shelter in August. He is ready to graduate from the rescue and join a special forever family!
To adopt Mario, please apply on our website! .nirvanaanimalrescue/adoption-application
Please note we cannot guarantee the age or breed of any of our dogs. All of our dogs are working on their crate and house training.
PA Kennel License #18366