Baloo is a bright young man who enjoys flaunting his abilities. The 1-year-old retriever-boxer mix is very proud of himself after just just learning how to sit and shake, especially because he didn’t have the opportunity to practice before his rescue.
Baloo’s owners had left him in a dog run with a devastating note, but he wasn’t sure what he had done to deserve it. Fortunately, a woman saw Baloo all by himself in the sweltering Arizona sun and intervened on her own.
“I was out taking one of my dogs for a walk, and we passed a community dog run with a dog in it but no owners in sight,” Lillian Engelhard, Baloo’s foster mom, told The Dodo. “I thought maybe they ran out of doggie bags and quickly ran to their car to get more, or maybe his owners really did have an emergency of some sort.”
In order to better assess the situation, Engelhard remained in her automobile and watched over Baloo.
“The more I watched him, the more I saw signs that he had been out there for a long time,” Engelhard said. “It was in the 90s and he looked very dehydrated and overheated. He was pacing and seemed distraught. I knew I had to do something.”
Engelhard was giddy with excitement as he approached Baloo.
“When I went to open the gate to the dog run, I noticed a note was shoved in the handle,” Engelhard said. “It read, “This dog is not trained!!! *I had to leave him. Please save him (Venom).”
Engelhard’s mood dimmed.
“I walked in and he immediately greeted me with kisses and excitement,” she said. “At that moment, I knew I had to help him.”
Baloo was a complete sweetheart, but Engelhard could see by his high activity level that he needed to work on a few things. When she started training Baloo, the hyperactive puppy quickly underwent a full transformation.
“He suddenly lived for learning!” Engelhard said. “Within a few days he could sit, stay, lie down, sit pretty (sitting with both paws in the air), was completely potty trained, understood when he could and couldn’t hop up on the couch or bed, did great in his kennel and more. All he needed was a little bit of patience and for someone to invest in him.”
The touching account of Baloo’s training and rescue may be seen here:
Through Lost Our Home Pet Rescue, Baloo is currently looking for his forever residence. He will thrive in a home that is understanding of his past and will help him improve his manners by being patient and consistent.
If given the chance, the very decent boy will be happy to demonstrate his abilities. He will currently train in preparation for his chosen day.
“He’s come a long way, but he still has work to do,” Engelhard said. “He needs someone committed. In turn, they will get rewarded with one of the best dogs ever.”
“He’s taught me … how hard work can pay off,” Engelhard continued. “It’s rewarding to spend a few days working hard to teach him something, and then see him do it all on his own from there on out.”
Source: The Dodo
