ADOPTION PENDING
Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. At Pound Dog Rescue, we believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, and learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process.
This sweet, adorable bundle of ears and puppy dog eyes is Banjo, a 4 month old Beagle who just couldn’t be more affectionate or fun, I really can’t say enough great things about him. Banjo is still just a little guy at about 13 lbs and will likely be somewhere between 20 and 30 lbs when fully grown. He is obviously a very handsome pup with gorgeous auburn and chocolate brown markings on his white coat, and adorable little freckles sprinkled here and there. His big beagle ears are the softest but it’s his huge, deep, amber eyes are clearly one of his best features, and he knows it because he uses his heart melting stare whenever he wants something. Banjo is a goofy, very happy, and extremely affectionate pup who is equally happy being cuddled in your lap as he is exploring his surroundings with his exceptional beagle nose.
Banjos first few months of life were unfortunately as a mill puppy until a few weeks ago when Pound Dog rescued him, but Banjo hasn’t let that affect him, and he is such a good puppy! All puppies are a lot of work and some require more repetition and manners training than others, however Banjo picks up on cues quite fast and is surprisingly gentle and calm for a puppy. He still has his typical puppy moments of course. He loves zoomies around the yard and house, tries to grab anything in sight that he can and oops I forgot to put my slippers up again and he got em! Most of the time however he’s just happy to interact with you while playing with his toys or fetching, and he rarely nips which again for a young puppy is really good. Banjo absolutely loves to cuddle in your lap or on the couch with you at the end of the day. He gets along super well with his foster sister and loves to play with her or just follow her around with his nose to the ground while he looks for any interesting scents.
When we first brought Banjo in he was quite overwhelmed with his long day full of travel, goodbyes, and new hello’s. He was timid and cried any time he couldn’t be in a lap getting reassurance. Over these short weeks he’s transformed into a more confident and exceptionally happy and goofy guy. He’s genuinely hilarious. He still has those puppy legs and even ears that he sometimes trips over while running and playing, and when you call him over he eagerly bounds towards you with a big smile on his face. Banjo is ready to explore the world, sniff all the smells, and play with all the toys he can get his little beagle snoot on.
Each morning when Banjo wakes up he rolls over in his crate to get belly rubs and gives you these cute little puppy whimpers and kisses before he heads out into the yard to do his business. He already knows how to go pee on command. He is very good in his crate at night and only cries for a few minutes, a mini going-to-bed protest, which sleepiness easily overcomes in a matter of minutes. He often sleeps through the whole night without having to be let outside, but does sometimes need to be let out once per night while he’s still little, and will let you
know by vocalizing. We go for our morning walk early which Banjo is now very fond of, there are so many new smells each day! He is very good on a leash and doesn’t pull, but he does need a bit of confidence building here as he’s still learning that loud or sudden noises (often from traffic) aren’t all that scary, so he tends to stick close to you. His foster sister is a good source of comfort and confidence for him on our walks. When he gets home he has his breakfast in his crate and sometimes we do a bit of training with some of his kibble. He then enjoys having a morning play session with his foster sister while we make coffee and get ready for the day. This is super entertaining to watch, he’s so silly. He’s also content to play with toys by himself. Banjo absolutely loves his cushy dog bed and likes to gather any toys left out from the day before and bring one into his bed to play and chew, eventually falling out of his bed, leaving the toy on the floor and going for another. This repeats until he’s tired himself out and is ready for his first nap of the day.
His usual daily routine consists of playtime, meal times, bathroom breaks, and naps in his crate or just in his bed on the days we can closely monitor him. Banjo is housetrained and has only had accidents when it was beyond his control. His evening routine consists of a walk, dinner in his crate, zoomies and playing in the yard and a good session of fetch or tug. Banjo likes to chew sticks and he adores little bouncy balls and will chase them around for as long as you’ll play with him. He also loves to jump onto the couch with you in the evening for some couch zoomies and then cuddles while we watch TV. Straight into your lap with a toy to chew until he stretches out his little legs and drifts off to sleepy land. He then has one last yard break before bed and it’s off to his crate for the night.
Banjo loves to chew (he is a puppy after all) and so will need a safe home with good chew toys and nothing left out that could hurt him. He will try everything at least once including blankets, shoes, slippers, plants, furniture corners, etc. He is super easy to redirect though and once given a good toy he’s happy to chew something more appropriate. It will be important for his new family to teach him what is and isn’t ok to chew, and equally important to stay strong (and avoid laughing) even when Banjo thinks stealing your slippers is a great game, and remember he will use those big puppy dog eyes to manipulate so be firm and don’t give in! 😉
Banjo is a very sweet dog and while we haven’t had him for long it’s clear that he responds well to training and body cues. For example when I approach his crate or play area he jumps up with excitement. Simply by waiting until he calms down and sits before I interact has taught him how to behave when I approach or let him out of his crate. I then say something like good boy or good sit and give him the attention he’s craving. He now sits when I approach his crate or pen automatically, he’s such a good boy! Banjo really wants to make you happy and it shows, when you’re happy with him he does full body wiggles and tail wags and really wants to give kisses. Banjo will require obedience training and will greatly benefit from the bond it will create between him and his family. He will specifically require strong recall training as he is a Beagle and they are known to roam, so he should be leashed when outdoors in an open area and you need to be sure that in every situation he will come when called for his safety.
Banjo does very well in the car, and is learning that being in a crate in the car (instead of in your lap) isn’t so bad, so for safety reasons we’re teaching Banjo to be comfortable in a crate. To get him used to the car we’ve been taking him on very short trips and progressing to longer drives. He’s improving fast here but will need more practice until this becomes second nature, he already usually just naps. He has gotten car sick a couple of times but he’ll likely grow out of this as most of the time he doesn’t have an issue.
Banjo is sweet in every way and he’s actually rather quiet for a Beagle. When we first brought him in he cried often as he was nervous and wanted reassurance, especially when crated, and only quieted down when being held. Now that he has confidence and a routine with exercise and mental stimulation he rarely makes any noises besides his happy whimpers or the occasional howl when he’s outdoors playing with his foster sister. That being said he is still a Beagle and this means that he has some solid vocal cords. When he first gets to his new home he may be nervous and unsure of the new routine and may be more vocal, so it’s best he not go to a home where a direct neighbour (like in an apartment) could get annoyed by his fussing. Once Banjo learns that his new home is fun and safe and that his family will always come back to him after being left alone or crated, I can easily see him having wonderful naps while you’re away and warm greetings full of kisses, wiggles, and cuddles when you return.
Another wonderful thing about Banjo is that he is easy to handle. He needed some ear drops and oral medication after his mill days, not to mention his nails clipped and a good bath, and he was excellent for all of it. Banjo has been to the vet and has no health concerns beyond some basic ear cleaning and deworming (typical for mill puppies) which is all cleared up now. He was a very good boy and loved meeting the people at the vets, but he did cry when we left as he was nervous being in a new place without anyone he knew. When we came to pick him up he was all cuddles and whimpers, he was so happy to see us again and he immediately went back to being his happy self (if very sleepy after his surgery). Banjo has met a bunch of people in a variety of locations and he loves them all, and be prepared because he’s a big cuddle magnet. You’ll likely have people coming over to ask you if they can pet your adorable dog. Banjo has also met some kids and he played great with them. However he does have puppy teeth and can scratch if he jumps and so should only go to a home with older kids.
Banjo would do well in a home with another happy, friendly dog who doesn’t mind puppy clumsiness or typical puppy behaviour. Banjo hasn’t shown any interest in chasing small animals, but he is a Beagle meaning he may one day want to chase, so we wouldn’t recommend he go to a house with a cat that isn’t dog savvy. By watching his foster sister and how she behaves and reacts Banjo has learned to feel more comfortable and confident in new situations, however he could also go to a home without any other pets and do well, he’ll just need a bit more confidence building and extra help from his family. Banjo would benefit from having a fenced yard or a yard with a dog run, but doesn’t require one if given frequent walks and outings, and either way he does require at least a couple walks a day and a grassy area for him to play and do his business. He is an active dog who will thrive on going for longer walks and hikes, but also loves his naps so will have periods of high activity followed by periods of sleepy dozing.
Banjo is the type of dog that will form a very strong bond with his family, and he will want to go everywhere with you. He will happily greet the people you meet along the way and will attract a lot of attention from other dog lovers, which is precisely what he’s angling for. With the
proper training, exercise, and mental stimulation Banjo will grow up to be an excellent companion. He’s so much fun, endlessly entertaining, impossibly sweet, and will make you laugh. He honestly makes us laugh every day, constantly. His bold attitude means he tries to explore the world head first, sometimes with a great leap of faith, as in right into your arms with full trust you will catch him even though you were in no way expecting it. It has been so much fun fostering Banjo and now that he’s been given a chance at a great life he is ready to dive in head first! Banjo deserves to live a great life full of exploration, playtime, love, laughter and lots of cuddles! Does this sound like the perfect companion for you?