Named after Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders, Shelby is a living example of a true rags to riches story!

 

Shelby came to us from Georgia, being fostered by one of the shelter staff there, before making his way to SEPR. The emotional and physical scars run deep on this one. The trust that he is still willing to give people is a testament to this dog's resilience. When he landed in Georgia, he was severely emaciated. While his physical appearance is a night and day difference, coming from a state of starvation makes him prone to eating things that he shouldn't. He should be watched very closely and not left with items he can ingest. On top of this, Shelby came to us heartworm positive. He is taking his treatment like a champ and is ready for when he can do more physical activity! Shelby is high energy and will need plenty of physical exercise and mental stimulation to keep him a happy camper! This doesn't mean that he is all go, all the time, as he is happy to sit and snuggle up with you on the couch during the evening and loves snuggling with his foster brother Klaus. He gets along well with his current canine friends, but does show some signs of resource guarding. This can easily be managed by feeding him and resident dogs separately, and making sure toys/chews are not left out for anyone to fight over.

 

Being uprooted from what he knew as home has been a lot for Shelby. He has had a tough time adjusting to his new space, especially his crate. Kennel time makes him a ball of anxiety and he lets you know it. Shelby has already had some training sessions with Nerdy K9 and they are providing us with all the tips and tricks to make this better, including adding some medication. He is already showing some progress and we hope to get him to a place where he is comfy in his kennel. Anyone adopting him will need to have the time and the patience to help him adjust and continue his training. Some people are still a little scary to him and will make him bark, including mostly men and people who are big and tall. Interactions with people should always be on his terms.

 

If you are looking for a goofy and fun sidekick in life, Shelby would be happy to oblige!

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More info to come.. ​​

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SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO SHELBY'S FOSTER FAMILY FOR THEIR TIME AND DONATIONS: 

Jenn