Winston is part of our "For the Love of Mastiffs" adoption event and his adoption fee is waived!

Meet Winston! This boy was surrendered by his owner when they were moving and could not take him. He was born in April of 2022 and weighs about 155 lbs. He is current on his vet care and appears to be a healthy boy!

The stress of the rehoming from his owner to us was difficult for him. His previous owner did not socialize Winston at all, and so this change was hard on him. His foster Dad had to figure out his needs/wants and adjust. He growled a little the first couple of days. Now that he has become comfortable, there are no issues. He has become a very sweet boy. This decompression time is going to be crucial when he gets adopted. He needs to be given space and going slow with him will be extremely important. Given time he warms up to you very well and becomes the sweetest lovebug. A slow and proper introduction is needed as quick movements toward him are scary and he can be reactive when scared. He needs a quiet, adult only, rescue-Mastiff experienced home without a lot of visitors coming and going.

He has met several different dogs. After a proper introduction he has played well with them. When seeing other dogs, he wants to meet them but doesn’t pull or bark, just keeps proper space. We have worked with a trainer and he loved her dogs.If he gets excited he can be diverted easily as he accepts corrections well. He accidentally came nose to nose with a cat on a walk. There was no reaction, just curiosity. When he sees a cat on a walk he either sits and just watches them for a minute or completely ignores them.

Unfortunately, he had minimal training when he came to us. He had never walked on a leash and is now doing very well. He will not get far from you when off leash. He will keep coming back to you on his own to make sure you are ok. Every day he is improving. He was a countersurfer when he first arrived at his foster dad’s but has now learned that is not acceptable. He is housebroken and has never had an accident and does very well with free roam. He is crate-trained and his foster Dad has taught him sit, down, recall, leave it and wait. He is extremely smart and learns quickly. He can be guardy of his food and will need a separate quiet space for him when eating.

Winston is a dog that needs a job. He loves playing puzzle games, tug with rope and picking a toy out of his toybox. He also loves to slobber over something that has his foster dad’s scent on it and he keeps it near, such as an old shoe or shirt. He doesn’t chew it, just keeps it by his side. When not napping he does need a purpose. He is curious, smart and silly. So keeping the brain busy is important to a successful adoption. When he is bored he will let you know by asking you to rub his neck by placing his head against you. At night he guards the house. He will alert to strangers outside the home and definitely has the guard dog mentality. He is protective of his human. He does not like the sound of lawn mowers and will bark. He doesn’t appear to have any other noise fears. During the fireworks on New Years Eve he had no reaction. He went outside briefly during the fireworks and he didn’t appear to even be aware of the sounds.

Winston loves to lay beside the sofa or head in your lap and asks for belly rubs. The longer we have him, the more his velcro Mastiff personality is coming out! His favorite place to be rubbed is the underside of his neck. He does love car rides and loves them even more if he gets a pup cup! He has become a wonderful silly dog who loves to play with you as much as possible. He really shines outdoors, loves walks, and loves to play with his favorite toy (which happens to be a food bowl that came with him!). Slow introductions to new people is important. He just needs to sniff you and make sure you are ok. He has made many new human friends since arriving. He has gone to the local daycare several times and has become a favorite for them to play with. He is possessive/protective inside his home, so he will need to meet people outside the home before coming in.

Winston has been seen by a Veterinary Behaviorist and she has diagnosed him with a REM sleep issue. This just means he goes into a deep sleep quickly and if startled during this sleep he has a reaction. This is also called Sleep Startle. Read more here: https://hectorsgreyhoundrescue.org/greyhounds-as-pets/sleep-startle-and-aggression/

This is easily managed. If you are walking by him when he is sleeping just say his name, he will look up and wag his tail and he is fine. Having a specified place for him to sleep will help. We are continuing to work with the behavioralist to find ways to help alleviate this issue. We've already seen improvements on this during the time he's been in our care. He rarely has this reaction anymore while sleeping but it could re-occur with all of the changes that occur during the rehoming process.

 

Winston’s adopter will need to agree to hire a trainer to help work him through his adjustment period. Winston is being fostered in Abilene, TX.

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