Despereaux (Reaux) is a super sweet, silly, joyful, wonderful girl. She is six years old and is very healthy. I never knew I was a bull terrier fan until meeting this darling charmer. She draws attention everywhere she goes due to both her bubbly personality and unique beauty. We got her from a rescue group at 7 months old and were told she had been found as a stray. She is very smart and learned signs quickly.
She loves to fetch but will take breaks to chew on whatever she is fetching. It is a joy watching her jump and run after her toys and she is so cute and happy when she plays. She thoroughly enjoys laying on various “perches” in the house (back of couch, window ledge) and watching for anything interesting. She definitely needs a fenced yard because she wants to chase whatever she sees. Sometimes she will just intently observe the offending critter, and other times the chase is on. She loves her comfort and snuggling up on blankets, pillows, the other dog, and her people. She has a cute habit of finding the warm clothes from the dryer and snuggling into the basket. She would love to sleep in your bed and is not too much of a bed hog, however, we mostly have her sleep in her kennel (full of blankets and pillows) in our room just to be sure she will continue to be comfortable there. She is energetic, athletic and entertaining when she plays, but is very content to snuggle up and rest. She truly loves her people and wants to be close to them. She will even contort herself into seemingly uncomfortable positions just to fit into whatever space is available on or next to one of her family members. She enjoys walks but does pull unless she has her pinch type collar on and then walks very nicely. She does become very interested in other dogs and often will bark or lunge toward them, and will then react to the leash pull by twisting and biting on the leash, so it is best to go to the other side of the road or go off the path and distract her when coming across other dogs. She is a big licker and will lick our other dog’s face until told to stop. She loves everyone and wants to jump up on them but is really good at restraining herself when reminded. She really does learn quickly when taught consistently.
Now, the hard part, the reason she needs a new home. She can be dog aggressive. She gets along wonderfully with our older dog, but has even gone after him a few times when she thinks he is going for her food. She has gotten better about this over time, but we do feed them separately, and it would be best if she is the only dog in the home to avoid any issues. We haven’t seen any signs of aggression towards people around food (or anything) and put our hands in her food bowl without issue. We would not rehome her simply because of this, however. It is really not her fault that we are in this situation. She has gotten out of the house or yard several times, and unfortunately has attacked a neighbor’s dogs. Although it appears unprovoked to the owner, it does seem more like she is reacting to some subtle cue from the other dog. She is very intense once she gets going and it is very hard to get her to stop. This has been all our fault, as we know she can be reactive, but she is so intent on getting out and exploring and despite our best attempts, we have slipped up a few times and let her get out. She used to just run around to see everyone, but now she is focused on heading right to this house, and after the recent second incident we cannot chance it ever happening again, for her safety.
She needs to be in a new setting without dogs nearby that she dislikes and neighbors who have formed poor opinions of her. She does not deserve what has happened and truly is a wonderful, special, smart, adorable, fun, sweet girl who we adore. She needs someplace where she can be her wonderful self and kept safely away from unknown dogs. Please consider opening your heart and home to this special girl. Our lives will have a huge hole without her, but yours will be filled with joy, fun and snuggles. She is truly a sweet, sweet, people loving dog who is incredibly special and deserves a loving home like she has had, but where she can be kept safely in her own home and yard. I would love to deliver her personally and show you the signs she knows and give any further details, regardless of where her new home may be. (I will be sobbing uncontrollably, but need to do what is truly best for her). She deserves nothing less than to be thoroughly understood and loved without being subject to issues caused by the failures of her humans. I have many more pictures showing her sweet and goofy personality and am happy to share more details about her likes and needs and tell you all the wonderful things about this precious girl.
Her adoption fee is $200 to a screened and approved home only. You must live within a four hour drive of Woodbury MN to be considered for adoption. It does help if you have Bull Terrier experience.
If you are interested in adopting Reaux, please email Jill at: jwomeldorff@comcast.net