Mr. Willie is a 5-year-old neutered male. He appears to be an Australian Shepherd or an Australian Shepherd Mix. Mr. Willie weighs 65 pounds and has an ideal body condition. He is a very goofy boy, with a super sweet personality. It does take him a bit to trust and interact with new humans that he does not know. He is both deaf and blind. In his first home he often had visitors force interactions which has caused long term effects regarding how he initially interacts with new humans. He will need an adopter committed to getting to know him and making a few visits to allow him time to warm up.

Mr. Willie has been introduced to cats and initially was ok with them. The cats eventually scared him, they are highly dog social and would approach him to rub against him. He growled and walked away, putting himself in a corner. He would be best in a home without cats or small animals that might startle him. He is now interacting with most dogs in a social manner and soliciting play. He will match well with playmates that are very dog tolerant and wont be offended if he bumps into them or trips over them while they are sleeping. He would also prefer playmates that are not over the top rough and tumble players. This play style is hard for him because he cannot hear or see the other dog coming at him, he is unable to brace or move out of the way of an incoming dog which can be scary for him. A dog intro or two will be required to make sure new housemates are compatible.

He is shy with both women and men and will need someone willing to help him acclimate to a big change at his own pace. We are recommending a home without children at this time. He will occasionally try to play with toys but due to his impairments this is a challenge, however he loves a good game of hide and seek/chase and follow with his foster human. He walks well on leash but does need to be guided as to when to step up on curbs and when to go into doorways. Mr. Willie is both house and crate trained and recently completed an obedience class. He does well loose in the house, separated from other dogs. He loves napping in the sun by the patio door. He adores his crate and seems to get the best sleep with periods of crate time. He is medium velcro and will sniff you out to hang out with you. We would describe him as low to medium energy. Mr. Willie recently had an eye removed because it was causing him some discomfort.

A fence is required to adopt Mr. Willie due to his impairments. He has shown no attempts to challenge the fence and loves to nap in the sunshine. He does have hereditary cataracts and has been determined by a veterinary ophthalmologist to have no functional vision. His remaining eye will need to be monitored for changes should it also become uncomfortable and need to be removed. Mr. Willie is also hearing impaired, although he does appear to acknowledge very loud noises with a head tilt. We consider him deaf because any hearing he has isnt functional and appears to be very minimal. He does take a bit of time and help to warm up to changes (strangers, new routines, new homes) but overall is a very resilient, sweet dog who just didnt get the best start in life.