Special Needs Dog: Elijah

Welcoming a special needs dog into your life can be rewarding and at times offer the only lifeline available to these dogs. Special needs dogs are often overlooked because of their age, medical needs, or behavioral issues. They require special adopters who can manage their special circumstances and in return they will give you endless love and devotion. These dogs are able adjust to new homes and lifestyles once they are given the chance.
Get to know Elijah!
The Basics:
Suspected Breed(s): Shar Pei mix
Gender: Male
Age: 3 years old 
Weight: 50 pounds
Special Need: Blindness and transition anxiety
From Elijah's current fosters:
"Elijah is the most amazing dog we have met and he deserves a loving home. We know that with work and with the right home and family, he will definitely thrive and learn to overcome."
Loves: 
Affection and snuggles
​Patience
Consistency
​Calm homes
Learning! He already knows sit and down. 
Other Attributes:
Tested well with cats at the shelter. He ignored them.
No kids. Given his blindness a lot of activity and the spontaneous nature of kids makes him anxious.
House Training: No accidents.
Crate Training: Does well in her crate. ​​
HW positive: Elijah will need to undergo heartworm treatment once he is settled. This treatment is paid for by the rescue. We suspect Elijah will do well during treatment since he does not require a great deal of exercise.
Challenges: 
Growing up blind, Elijah didn't have the support he needed to feel safe and secure with his limitations. Since his arrival he has been in training with his fosters to learn to trust his environment and the people caring for him.  One behavior he developed is resource guarding his food because he most likely had to fend off other dogs so he could eat. Once he learns his food is safely his, he should overcome this. His fosters are managing this behavior by hand feeding him rather than providing a bowl. This way he learns to trust and bond. 
Also, because of so many transitions, Elijah should be crated when visitors enter the home until he becomes more comfortable with his surroundings and the new scents of strangers entering the home.  His anxiety also makes him a bit nervous on walks, but he does not demand a great deal of exercise.
Elijah is responding very well to positive training and does display a great deal of affection when he is away from his triggers. 
*CDR&CK will continue to provide training support to fosters and will provide 2 consults for an adopter. 
Additional Information:
Elijah is such a special dog! He has a gentle soul and is loyal and protective of his person and the home. His wrinkly Shar Pei side gives him the face of a forever-puppy, and even though he is visually impaired, he will look right into your eyes when he wants love and affection. He is such a snugglebug and loving pup. He loves to put his face on your knees, get right next to or on top of his human on the couch and seems to think that he is a lapdog half the time. He will make you laugh with his clumsiness and melt with his sweetness. All he wants is to love and protect you and your shared home! 

Elijah is does well in the crate, even if he's awake and you're not. He has been working on keeping calm when being fed and is improving tremendously, but he will have to keep working on that. He also will need to keep working on being comfortable going outside. His foster family has started taking him to the same spot in the back of their apartment building, which is quiet, and he has improved so much each day. According to his trainer, he would do best in a home with no kids and a small yard. Overall, Elijah is the most amazing dog—and with work and the right adopter, he should thrive and overcome his issues. Who could resist that loving, smushy face? ​


NEW FOSTERS
If you haven't applied yet to foster for City Dogs Rescue, please apply. Questions may be directed to our foster team.
APPROVED FOSTERS
If you are an approved foster 
and can help, please email your 
Foster Assistant.