MEET HAPPY
Happy is one of those dogs who makes much more sense once you understand what drives him.
He is young, athletic, intelligent and energetic, but he is not a frantic, bouncing-off-the-walls dog who needs to be entertained every waking minute. Happy has an excellent off-switch. If his person is moving, he's ready to move. If his person sits down, he's perfectly capable of settling at their feet.
What Happy really wants is remarkably simple:
He wants to be included.
Going for a walk? Happy's in. Car ride? Absolutely. Hiking? He's already packed. Some ridiculous adventure that sounded like a questionable idea five minutes ago? Happy would probably like to know what time we're leaving.
Happy doesn't need constant activity. He needs participation.
A SMART BOY WHO WANTS TO GET IT RIGHT
Happy is extremely intelligent and interested in pleasing his person. When we taught him “sit,” he figured out what we wanted in about 30 seconds.
He's very good on leash, loves riding in the car and is incredibly affectionate. The day we rescued him, when we picked him up, Happy tucked his head into our shoulder.
He still does it.
HOUSE TRAINING
Because Happy is fostered with many rescue dogs, he does not have unrestricted daily access to the house or the one-on-one household routine he'll have in his future home. For that reason, we don't represent him as fully house-trained simply because he does well with the routine he knows here.
Happy is excellent in his crate, including overnight and during daytime rest periods, and understands his current potty schedule well.
His adopter should expect a normal adjustment period while he learns a new home's schedule, doors, signals and potty routine. Given how quickly Happy learns and how much he wants to please, we expect him to catch on quickly with consistency.
ABOUT THAT “ESCAPE ARTIST” BUSINESS
We're going to tell you this one plainly because context matters.
Happy can be an escape artist, but he is not trying to leave our property or run away from home.
Our foster property is approximately two fenced acres, with additional chain-link dog runs inside the main perimeter. Happy has figured out how to escape some of those interior runs when the humans are doing something elsewhere.
Once he's out, his objective isn't to disappear down the road. It's generally to locate the people and join whatever activity he apparently was not properly consulted about.
It's funny, but he's a smart, athletic, determined 45-pound dog, so secure containment absolutely matters. His future home needs appropriate fencing, gates and common-sense management.
There's an important difference between “I want to escape my home” and “Why are all my people over THERE without me?”
Happy is very much the second dog.
HIS STORY
Happy came into rescue at approximately six months old after being found in the middle of a highway with a large wound on his left side near his shoulder. The injury healed but left him with a substantial scar.
We don't know exactly what happened before he came to us. What we do know is the dog he became afterward: affectionate, optimistic and determined to participate in life with his humans.
OTHER DOGS, CATS & FAMILY LIFE
Happy does well with other dogs when introductions are handled properly and slowly. He has been respectful of both male and female dogs with stronger personalities, and we believe he could potentially live successfully with an appropriately matched canine companion.
Cats and other small non-dog animals are a hard no for Happy.
Happy has not lived with children in his foster home, so we won't claim he's “great with kids” based on experience we don't have. After knowing and handling him extensively, however, his foster believes he could potentially do very well with children. He's affectionate, engaged and playful. Introductions should be thoughtful and supervised, with his size and energy level taken into consideration.
There's another important part of Happy's personality his future family needs to understand:
Happy is protective of his people and his home.
That is not code for unstable, unpredictable or indiscriminately reactive.
Our foster property is secluded and gated, so Happy doesn't encounter unfamiliar visitors every day. When someone unfamiliar enters his territory, he notices, and we use slow, responsible introductions rather than expecting him to welcome every stranger immediately.
Happy is watchful and aware of his surroundings. Although he's only about 45 pounds, he takes protecting his family seriously.
We consider that part of who he is, not a flaw we're trying to disguise.
The right adopter will appreciate a stable, naturally protective dog while understanding the responsibility that comes with one. We are not looking for someone who wants a “tough dog” or intends to encourage protective behavior. Happy doesn't need that.
He needs someone dog-smart enough to appreciate the difference between a dog who takes care of his people and a dog being asked to make decisions he shouldn't have to make.
THE “EMBARK CLAUSE”: Our Best Guess and Why
Our best guess is that Happy is a Black Mouth Cur / Carolina Dog mix.
Without a DNA test, known pedigree or reliable breed history, we can't know for certain. We're a rescue, not Embark, so we make our best educated guess based on the dog standing in front of us, and we tell you why.
Happy's reddish-tan coat, darker muzzle, lean athletic build and longer legs suggest Black Mouth Cur influence. His watchfulness, intelligence, athleticism, independence and strong connection to his people also make Carolina Dog a reasonable possibility.
Could DNA surprise us? Absolutely. Until somebody swabs that handsome face, Black Mouth Cur / Carolina Dog mix is our best educated guess.
THE HOME WE WANT FOR HAPPY
We think Happy would thrive with an active individual, couple or family who enjoys walks, hiking, car rides, playing outside and generally having a dog involved in everyday life.
His family should be comfortable managing a smart, athletic dog and providing secure containment. They should understand proper introductions with dogs and unfamiliar people. There should be no cats or other small non-dog animals.
Most importantly, they should appreciate the whole dog: affectionate, playful and eager to please, able to settle quietly beside his person, yet watchful and genuinely protective of the humans he considers his own.
Happy wants to be included, and he takes care of his people.
For the right family, we think that's a pretty extraordinary combination.
NEXT STEPS
If you think Happy may be the right dog for you, the first step is to submit an adoption application. Applications are reviewed carefully because our goal is not simply to find Happy a home, but to find the right home for both Happy and his future family.
For questions about adoption or to begin the application process, please contact:
Cindy Fessler
520-400-8289
cindyfessler@icloud.com
Happy is currently fostered in Livingston, Texas.
Once an application is approved, Happy's foster is happy to arrange a live FaceTime or Messenger video call so you can meet him, see him interact in real time and ask questions before making your decision.
For adopters who need transportation, Byrdie Express is our preferred transport provider because their routes and pickup arrangements work best with our foster location and help us avoid additional drop-off arrangements.
If you choose Byrdie Express, we coordinate the reservation and transportation details, while the adopter pays Byrdie Express directly.
Byrdie Express
Kelly Byrdie
(940) 923-6089
byrdieexpress@gmail.com
Adopters may also use another reputable transport provider. In that case, the adopter is responsible for making the reservation, coordinating with and paying the transporter directly. Depending on the provider's pickup location and schedule, an additional fee may apply if we must arrange transportation from Happy's foster home to the designated pickup point.
Whichever option you choose, we'll work with you on our end to help get Happy safely home.
Sometimes the dog who's been waiting for you... is waiting in Texas.
Your new best friend could be just one ride away!
MARTINI JERRY
Pit Bull Terrier
🇺🇸
Farmington, Missouri
male, large, adult
Pit Bull Terrier
Farmington, Missouri
