Meet Finley: The Brave, Joy-Filled Burst of Pure Sunshine!
Age: DOB Sept 3, 2025
Weight: 30 lbs
Location: Fostered in St. Jacobs, ON
Status: Seeking a dedicated forever family!
View Finley's complete album of videos and photos here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.803742752276353&type=3
Finley is a vibrant, outgoing puppy who refuses to let his lack of sight slow him down. In fact, he is one of the most confident, brave, and joy-filled dogs you will ever meet! If you are looking for an adventurous companion who greets every day with a wagging tail, Finley is your boy.
Whats it like living with a blind dog?
Honestly, youll often forget he is blind! He plays like any other dog, goes for walks like any other dog (youll have to let him know where the trees are so he doesnt walk into them but he loves sniffing them!), he hangs out in the house with us like any other dog.
Finley maps his environment: learning the floor plans of the houses he visits and lives in. He learns where things are, how many steps to go before he needs to turn, where the couch is and how to jump up and down from it. He knows where his water bowl is, he knows where to go when its meal time.
He occasionally bumps into things or will be heading for a collision where well call out to him this way to get him to change his course. You just have to meet him to see how amazing he is!
Finley is happy to share that he has graduated Adolescent Life Skills training with flying colours. In addition to his existing skills of sit, this way for directing him and his recall, the course worked on:
Loose leash walking
Touch
Lets go!
Leave it (still a work in progress!)
Rewarding calm
Breaking through distractions
Finley is highly food motivated and loves to learn new things making him highly successful with his training. We loved the class so much we are taking him for another session!
Personality & Daily Life
Finley is a high-energy pup who loves his routine. He is incredibly sweet, affectionate, and happiest when he is close to his "pack."
Daily Adventures: He enjoys 1530 minute walks twice a day, using his incredible sense of smell to explore. When hes not walking, he loves running around a fully fenced yard or playing with his toys.
The Perfect Passenger: Finley is a phenomenal car traveler. He rides in his crate and may fuss briefly before settling in for a nap, comfortably handling rides up to 1.5 hours like a total pro!
Downtime: Finley is a cuddle bug! When hes not off exploring or playing, he loves to jump up on the couch and cuddle against you to take a good nap.
Social Skills
With People: Everyone is a new best friend! Finley greets both in-home and outside visitors with happy enthusiasm, tail wags, and full-body rolls for belly rubs. Due to his puppy energy and blindness, any children in the home must be respectful, dog-savvy, and over 10 years old.
With Dogs: Finley loves every dog he meets! He does well with both small and very large breeds.
With Cats: No Cats. Finley has a high prey drive and will persistently chase and bark at cats, ignoring their cues. He requires a strictly cat-free home.
Potty Routine: Finley is house-trained on a schedule. Because he is a puppy, he requires a family home more often who ensures he goes out promptly after meals and every few hours.
Stairs & Boundaries: Finley is confident jumping on/off furniture and going up stairs, but he hesitates to go down them and needs to be carried (he weights around 30lb). It's quite likely he could be trained to go down them but we prefer to keep him on the same floor we are on.
Manners: Finley loves to chew but he redirects easily to appropriate toys. If he gets bored, he might find "toys" like socks or books, so keeping him occupied with chews and mental stimulation is key. He is well behaved for brushing, ear cleaning, and nail trims.
Finley's Medical Notes
Finley was assessed by Dr. Barboza, a veterinary ophthalmologist. For seriously interested applicants, we are happy to send the full specialist report to your vet clinic for discussion.
Diagnosis: He has anterior segment dysgenesis, a congenital malformation of both eyes leading to blindness. He has no sight in his left eye (which also notes microphthalmia, or a small eye) and we believe he can see some shadows in his right eye.
Current Status: Finley does not appear to be in any pain or discomfort and currently requires no medications. He has had two follow-up reassessments confirming his eyes are completely stable.
Future Care: His adoptive family will simply need to have their regular vet monitor his eyes annually for any changes as he matures but at this time he does not require any special care for his eyes.
Management & Guarding Behavior
Finley has exhibited some resource guarding behaviors towards other dogs around his food, his bowl, and high-value chews. We have managed this by understanding his triggers and not putting him in those situations. We have not had any gauding incidences for some time now but prospective forever homes should be aware that he has exhibited the behaviour in the past.
In a multi-dog home, he is easily managed by feeding him in his own separate space, removing all food bowls before releasing him, and monitoring him around the treat cupboard. If he is a solo dog there should be no issues.
The Ideal Forever Home
To ensure Finley's long-term safety and success, his ideal forever home must meet the following criteria:
A Securely Fenced Yard: A safe, enclosed yard is mandatory due to Finleys vision impairment. No unfenced pools are permitted for his safety. Dog doors are not permitted.
Daytime Availability: Finley can be crated or left in a secure and safe area for up to 3 hours. We will only consider homes where an adult is home frequently throughout the day to meet his needs as a puppy.
Commitment to Blind Dog Care: A family experienced with blind dogs, or one genuinely committed to learning how to support and maintain a consistent, safe environment for him.
Dog Companion Dynamics: He would do well either as an only dog, or paired with a playful, non-dominant canine sibling. Any resident dog must be very patient, as Finley will accidentally bump into or jump on/off of them accidentally when navigating couches and beds.
Training Commitment: Adopters are required to enroll in a positive reinforcement method training class as part of Finley's adoption contract to set everyone up for success.
Age & Longevity Policy: Based on a puppy's life expectancy of 1520 years, puppies are not a suitable match for older seniors (65+). Our priority is long-term stability in one forever home.
How to Apply
Hobo Haven Rescue is located in St. Jacobs, Ontario.
Please note that our dogs live in private volunteer foster homes, not a shelter facility, and we do not allow visits until an applicant is pre-approved. An application must be completed and approved—including veterinary quality of care verification, and a home visit—prior to meeting our dogs.
Click Here https://hobohavenrescue.ca/dog-adoption-application to submit an Adoption Application
Finley's adoption fee has been reduced due to his blindness, to $500
Due to high volume, priority replies are given to applicants who meet all of Finley's listed criteria. No exceptions to our policies will be made, as they are strictly in the best interest of the dog.
Additional questions about Finley may be emailed to hobohavenpetrescue@gmail.com
FINLEY MALE COCKER SPANIEL DOB SEPT 2025
Cocker Spaniel
🇨🇦
St. Jacobs, Ontario
male, medium, young
Cocker Spaniel
St. Jacobs, Ontario
