CHARLEE - local! (Duncan, BC)

Hello world! My name is Charlee (previously known as Jani) and am a LOCAL GAL (in Duncan, BC)! Here is some info about me: PHYSICAL INFO: Breed: Shepherd/Lab Mix Age: approx. 1.5 years Gender: Female Weight: ~45 lbs (18.4 kg) Height: 61 cm Length: 82 cm Neck circumference: 36 cm Chest circumference: 63 cm Current Location: DUNCAN, Vancouver Island RESCUE STORY Me and my four sisters (Rizzo, Frenchy, Sandy, and Marty - "the Pink Ladies") were rescued from La Marquesa, a rural park area in Mexico City. We were incredibly young puppies and our mama was nowhere to be found. We certainly would not have survived long out there if we hadn't been rescued... so we were sooo grateful to have been taken in by our amazing rescuer. Me and my sisters spent almost our whole lives at the shelter in Mexico. On February 14th, 2024, I got the opportunity to fly to Vancouver to meet my potential family. As much as my humans love me, they don't feel like they are the best fit for me in the long run... so I am starting my hunt for a forever home once again. TEMPERAMENT - Wow! I can't believe I've already been in Canada for 5 months. I am a totally changed doggo and confidence is now my middle name! I love going outside, running in fields, and playing with other dogs. Passing cars don't scare me anymore, and I haven't gotten "the scared shakes" in months. I love when my foster family says the word walkies because it means I get to go outside to sniff and explore the neighbourhood. I feel very relaxed in my foster home, and I have gotten used to things like big puffy jackets, brooms, vacuums, mops, the tv, and even the microwave. I'm a pro! When my foster family invites hoomans over, I like to take treats from them and show them how well I sit and shake my paw. Slow introductions are still the key to success when I am meeting new people, but I am learning to trust people more everyday! When I first arrived in Canada, I had no idea what a toy was. Now I am completely obsessed! I love balls (video), socks (video), and a good game of tug. I carry my favourite toy around with me everywhere, and when my foster dad comes home from work I like to bring it to him at the door. Speaking of my foster dad, I was very unsure of him when I first met him, but over the last few months he has become one of my favourite pals. We like to wrestle and play fetch! I get very excited when my other favourite human (my foster mom) comes home (video) and that's when I really show my puppy energy! I have lots of energy in the morning, but after my walk and a run I am totally tuckered out and ready to take a nap in my crate or on my favourite chair. I love to receive snuggles and scritches (video) from people that I feel comfy around and I will happily curl up into a ball and lay beside them during some down time. My foster mom says that I am so well behaved when she trims my nails. I don't really mind, especially since I always get a yummy treato after! Did I mention I'm a total beach bum? My foster family takes me to the beach and I just love to sniff and dip my toes into the ocean. When my foster bro joins we always get the zoomies together in the sand! Recently, my foster family took me to the dog park and I was able to meet lots and lots of doggos. I love being chased and the people there don't frighten me! As you can see, I am a super awesome doggo! I'm sure I will need to warm up a bit and regain some of my confidence when I move into my furever home, but I am so eager to put down some roots and really let my true colours shine! ENERGY LEVEL - Medium - I have very typical young doggo energy! I play hard and I crash hard (although I may need help learning how to settle and self regulate... continued crate training will likely do wonders for me!). I am looking for a family who can provide opportunities for me to release my energy through both exercise and mental stimulation. Once I've been sufficiently tuckered out, I bet I'll be happy to cuddle up next to you and have a little cuddle. GETS ALONG WITH: Kids Unknown. I haven't had the chance to meet any kiddos yet. Dogs Kind of! You see, in Mexico, I lived with LOTS of other dogs at the shelter and we got along just great (video). Since coming to Canada, I get along with most dogs, however bigger dogs can scare me sometimes. Luckily, I am very good at displaying warning body language when I am feeling uncomfortable (barking, growling, showing my teeth etc.) - so my humans need to know to step in at that point and advocate for my space. I think for now, I should probably live in a solo-doggy household. UPDATE: although I would still like a solo-dog household, I am doing a very good job of neutrally walking parallel with my foster bro, Cooper, (video) and we occasionally get the zoomies together in the backyard (video)! I am co-existing nicely with my foster brother, but my foster parents do a great job of making sure we each have our own space and daily solo decompression time. Cats Unknown. I haven't had the chance to meet any kitties yet. PREY DRIVE - I have shown some prey drive towards birds and rabbits. I have seen lots of deer in my neighbourhood as well - I don't want to chase them but they are very mesmerizing! TRAINING: I respond well to tone of voice and positive reinforcement - I am very eager to please my people! Leash skills My leash skills have improved greatly since arriving from Mexico. I am keen to learn and a very smart girl, so with dedicated training, I will surely continue to improve! I will need a patient adopter who is happy to work on my leash training and who can teach me how to walk nice. A well-fitted Martingale Collar and lots of positive reinforcement seems to help me learn quickly :) Videos from Canada: here, here, and here. As you can see here, I sometimes pull a bit. This is something I'll need to continue to work on in my forever home! Videos from Mexico: here and here House trained Yup! I have had very few accidents inside my foster home! I do get very frequent potty breaks though, so that definitely helps set me up for success. I respond well to praise and positive reinforcement when I do my business outside. Obedience Commands - I have already learned how to "sit" and am mastering my bed command more and more each day. I recently learned how to give paw and lay down too! I am also working hard on recall and a touch command, as well as ongoing muzzle training (a skill we think all pups should have!!). Car - I was originally quite afraid of going into vehicles, but I've gotten much braver with my foster fam! I now love to jump into the back seat with my foster bro because it usually means we are going on an adventure! Crate Training - I do very well in my crate when left alone and have not shown any signs of separation anxiety like barking, howling, or destroying things! I will happily settle with a Kong in my crate and then nap afterwards. I hangout in my crate to decompress throughout the day and I sleep in my crate every night! It is definitely my safe space. Please Note: WCP highly encourages adopters to do some research and training on their own before their dog arrives. HEALTH NOTES: I am spayed and vaccinated. I tested negative for Brucellosis, Distemper, Parvo, and Heartworm before I flew to Canada. I have proof of all my vaccines. NOTE: It is not uncommon for rescue dogs to require dental work/cleaning after they are adopted. West Coast Paws does not cover the costs of dental work and/or vet visits. These costs are the financial responsibility of the adopter. ADOPTION FEE: My adoption fee is $616.00 CAD including tax (5% GST, 7% PST). Any travel costs associated with meeting me on Vancouver Island are to be paid for by the applicant/adopter. --------------------------------------------- ***See the below foster updates to document my journey since coming to Canada on February 14th - I've come so far!!** FOSTER UPDATE: March 20 - Charlee has been taking a daily dose of 45mg (AM & PM) of Benadryl and we have seen a significant improvement out on walks and when going into the backyard. Charlee's nervous shaking has subsided quite a bit and she is showing more interest in sniffing and exploring her surroundings! FOSTER UPDATE: April 3 - We have seen some major changes in Charlee over the last week! Charlee has been jumping into the car by herself which is a huge win! She really enjoys riding in the back seat. Before she was very afraid and would shake so much. She has been absolutely loving going to the beach! It's the one place where we see her really come alive and enjoy herself. We can see her tail and ears up and she is so immersed in all of the smells (video)- it's so nice to see her feeling comfy outside of our house. She also is willing to take lots of treats while we are there! Charlee's ongoing place and crate training are going very well! She is aware that going to her crate/place will earn her some high value treats and she is mastering her bed/place command more and more each day! Charlee will come into the garage on her own while I am working out and is more curious than afraid Charlee interested in sniffing other doggos on our walks, and she has been soooo good at sitting and waiting for her collar/leash to be put on when we get ready to go for a walk! She has been so brave and so sweet. FOSTER UPDATE: June 2 - Sweet girl Charlee has come such a long way! She is a totally different dog compared to the shy girl we picked up from the airport almost 4 months ago! Charlee is no longer fearful of passing cars and handles loud noises very well. With lots of treats and praise Charlee is becoming a strong, confident girl! Charlee used to have full body shakes when going into our backyard and on walks - now Charlee is running up hills, fetching sticks, an