Levi Strauss
	Gender: Male Age: 2-4 Years Height/Weight: 20" / 35 lbs House-trained: Yes Fenced yard required: No Location: SE Michigan Foster Home: Jo	Crate-trained: Yes Treat-motivated: Yes Toy-motivated: Yes BC Experience Required: No Good with dogs: selective Good with cats: tbd Good with kids: 6+ Commands:

Levi Strauss was adopted in October, 2020. Here he is with his new family!

His Story

Levi Strauss came into foster care on 7/17/20 as an owner relinquishment. This boy had been well taken care of and even received specialized training by his former owner such as mushing and 'Skijoring'. He loves water!

Personality

Let it be known that this boy is very active (medium to high) energy and he should have a job in his new home. Possessing a sweet and submissive disposition, he can exhibit a bit of stubbornness. But, he wants to be with you and please you. Not a total snuggle bug, but he does always like attention, some cuddling and belly rubs. Very acrobatic and comical in his habits and style of play.

Markings:

Mostly black with a brownish hue. 4 white feet. White tipped tail. White under his neck and on his belly. Patch of white at the base of his head. Muzzle is white with a few black freckles. Brindle coloring on his 4 legs. His left front leg has the least amount of brindle color and the lower leg is more white. Ears: He can make them stand straight or flop depending on what he’s doing. Fur: short to medium length; has a slight course feel like a terrier. He has a thin white stripe from his muzzle to the top of his head.

Dogs

He likes dogs but he needs about 7 – 9 days to feel comfortable. If you do have another dog, Levi Strauss will attempt to herd it and/or mount it; he can play rough, be herdy and nippy but never aggressively. He takes correction fairly well from other dogs.

Cats

Unknown

Kids

Likes kids, but with his energy and herding, I would not recommend a home with young toddlers (1 – 4 yrs). School age kids would be able to keep this boy entertained.

Treat Motivated

Yes, takes food from your hand gently

Prey Drive

Although willing to chase a bird or squirrel if it is in his space (yard), he does not obsess about them.

Pouncing

He has a tendency to jump in the air with an arched back and pounce like a fox catching prey. No prompting is necessary for it to happen. But, if you say “Get It”, it will egg him on and make it more intense. Thought at first he might have been trained with a laser, but when I tried, he showed only mild curiosity.

House Manners

This boy has been very well behaved in the house. My only critique is if he wants a specific toy, he will do anything to get it, even if it means he accidentally knocks something over to get it. He can be a bit of a ‘bull in the china shop’.

On Lead

This guy is a ‘dream walker’; no pulling and easily correctable.

Car

During his transport to his foster home he was crated. The transporter did notice that he got excited when large trucks would pass by the vehicle (she finally covered the crate and all was calm. When I took him to get microchipped, I had him ride outside of the crate. He did great. There was a bit of excitement if something came close to the vehicle very quickly but otherwise he was calm yet curious at the goings on outside.

Commands

Come (great recall);

Stay (this is where his stubbornness shines; he knows what it means but sometimes chooses to ignore it)

No (I think he heard this a lot)

Crate (goes willingly into his crate with or without a treat)

Lay Down (does this willingly but w/ Levi Strauss flare . . . what I mean by that is that he doesn’t just lay down, he sometimes propels himself at you while laying down across you.)

Sit (I’ve never seen a dog’s butt hit the turf so fast with the sit command; I sometimes want to place a whoopee cushion under him at the sit command, I’m positive he would activate it!)

Commands still needing work: Off, leave it, drop it.

Toys

He can go zero to 60 in no time. His favorite toys are Jolly Balls, Tug Ropes, Frisbees. Squeaky toys hold an immense appeal. Highly acrobatic, Levi Strauss will do flips in the air to catch a toy and somersaults on the ground to stop a toy. He may or may not drop the toy right at your feet but it will always be in the vicinity.

Barking

Levi Strauss is not a huge barker. He’s a decent watchdog. Rather than a bark, he has this higher pitched yip that he does when he wants something. Randomly I’ve heard him growl at himself (not sure what that means).

Crate

He has been crate trained and is in the crate when I am not home. I do let him out at night and he is perfectly behaved.

House Broken

Yes. When he has to go he sits by the door. If you don’t notice him, he will come get you.

Touching / Grooming

He is okay with being touched anywhere including his mouth, tail (although I still would be careful with kids doing this) and paws. He enjoys being brushed.

Habits

When he arrived into foster care, he was very unsettled and paced constantly. About the 4th day, he began to calm down and started lying on the floor for more than 5 seconds at a time. I think his 7 year old foster siblings helped him relax. His confidence is growing and his comfort level is much better. Levi Strauss is still quirky and squirmy but with the proper level of exercise, I see this boy being a fantastic buddy.

Food

Because other dogs live in my house, he has been fed in his crate. As soon as he hears the food, he runs into his crate. Even though he gulps the food from his bowl, he is gentle when taking food from your hand.

Sounds/Noises

He only shows a mild issue with storms and fireworks. Certain odd sounds excite him such as toilet paper coming off the roll, cuckoo clocks, human growly noises and deep human exhales. Weird.

Habits

Sometimes he paws at my rugs. I think he’s trying to fluff them up for bedding but mine don’t fluff. I have dog patches of dirt in my yard for the dogs to dig down and stay cool. He will dig at that dirt in an effort to stay cool. I think his foster siblings showed him how.

While playing with a tug (usually with a rope), if there is any slack in the toy or rope he will adjust his grip and may accidentally nip your hand in the process. This is not malicious; just how he plays. For this reason, I am not recommending him for toddlers; he could nip them.

Ideal Home

Bottom line, this sweetie needs an active home with lots of walking, hiking and play. He will crave your attention and is persistent in getting it. Even though his focus wanes sometimes, I think (with the right trainer), he could be a sport dog.

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