Isn’t Doogie a cutie? He’s a  25 pound Jack Russell Terrier mix who is about eight years old. While that’s relatively young, Doogie acts like an old soul with a thoughtful approach to life. He needs predictable routines and a calm, loving environment, and he enjoys walks, snuggles, Netflix binges, and playtime. If you’ve ever wanted a Jack Russell without the crazy, he is the guy for you!

Doogie gets on well with polite, friendly dogs, but he doesn’t like rough play or puppy-pushiness. He becomes anxious and may snap at a dog that gets in his face, but he would probably enjoy sharing his home with a well-mannered, easy-going companion. Where cats are concerned, Doogie believes in strict division of roles: they run, and he chases. A very confident, dog-savvy cat, with the backing of a firm, consistent human, might be able to teach him better manners … but it probably makes more sense for him to live in a no-cat home.

He is a friendly little guy who copes well with new people and unfamiliar places. He’s uncomfortable with loud, unpredictable small children who might hurt him, and tends to give them a wide berth. With adults and older children he’s just a lover, and he will become very attached to his own special person. Doogie’s house manners are good. He isn’t destructive, he’s reliably house-broken, and he is crate-trained. He doesn’t bolt through doors, or escape from the backyard. He waits for an invitation before getting up on couches or laps to snuggle.

When he first moved in with his foster family he didn’t cope too well with being left alone. He became somewhat anxious, and tended to bark. We believe he would not cope well with apartment living, because when alone he’d be bothered by sounds coming from neighboring apartments, and would be likely to bark. His foster mom has been working with him, and he is coping better with being alone. His adopter will need to be prepared to spend time helping him get used to being left alone, and to trust them to return. When Doogie feels safe he is relaxed and happy – and what makes him feel safe is a calm environment, predictable routines, and kindness. He’s been through a lot of changes over the past few months, and he’ll need his forever family to be patient and give him time to settle in and believe that he’s there to stay.

Doogie loves hanging out with his people, both indoors and out. He is very playful – he loves toys, and he’ll fetch a ball pretty much as long as you want to keep throwing it. With people he trusts he is the ultimate snuggle-buddy. He enjoys car rides and visiting new places.

He’s had very little formal training, but he wants to please and loves to earn treats. He walks well on a leash and comes when called.

Since coming into rescue at HART, Doogie has received significant dental care, including five extractions. His tail wags tell us that he’s enjoying life more now that his mouth is free of pain and infection. An odd hitch in his walk was noticed so his back and hips x-rayed. This revealed mild hip dysplasia, but as yet he does not have arthritis. He needs non-strenuous daily walks to keep him limber, and it will be important to keep his weight down. Food supplements like MSM and glucosamine will help slow the damage to his hip joints. Sometimes Doogie needs medication for pain, and this will become more necessary as he ages.

Doogie sounds like a fun dog with so much to offer his forever family! He is posted for Hearthfire Animal Rescue Team in Richland, WA.

This is not an ODH dog; we urge prospective adopters to do their own evaluation.