Sheena

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 beautiful girl is Sheena and she is a 4 year old West Highland White Terrier cross. She weighs about 20lbs and has a soft white coat and one of her ears has an adorable flop. Sheena is a shy girl with a laid back, independent spirit.

Sheena spent the first four years of her life producing puppies in a large scale breeding operation with no socialization or positive interactions with people. This has made Sheena very wary of people and she does not yet like handling or being picked up. Sheena will bolt if approached too quickly and will try to hide under furniture but this has become less frequent the more she is around us to the point that she can get underfoot! We’ve been working hard with her to get her more comfortable around us and if she is approached slowly she will allow you to get hold of her collar and pet her gently and put her collar on. She will also take a treat from your hand if offered slowly. It will take some patience and many weeks to get Sheena more comfortable around people approaching her so her new family needs to be ready to put in the work.

Sheena will need a home where things are fairly quiet and routine – she cannot be in a home with a lot of comings and goings.  There can also not be any children in the home or young children that regularly visit, as this will frighten Sheena.  Sheena is looking for a peaceful adult only home.

Sheena really enjoys playing with her Kong. She enjoys pouncing on the Kong watching it roll away so she can pounce on it again. She amuses herself playing this game for quite some time. She also enjoys chewing on her chew bones while relaxing on her dog bed. Sheena cannot play with stuffies unless supervised because she will tear them apart very quickly. She is a terrier after all.

Sheena is starting to become more accustomed to strange noises and does not bolt as easily. She has become accustomed to the vacuum and other normal household sounds. Sheena must be in a securely fenced yard or on leash at all times when outside as she is a flight risk due to her startling easily at strange noises.

Sheena has learned to walk on leash and is quite good. She will occasionally surge ahead if she sees something interesting but will quickly slow down with a quick correction on the leash. She is interested when other dogs walk by and will try to approach to check it out. If the other dog barks or lunges she will back away. She does not approach strange people and will generally move away from them.  Sheena’s exercise needs are minimal and a couple of short walks (20 – 30 minutes each) a day is all she needs. 

Sheena likes to snooze in one of the many dog beds. Sheena lives with three small dogs, a couple cats and a couple parrots. She shows no interest in the parrots. She will check out the cats and occasionally run at them but loses interest quickly when the cats don’t react so we believe that Sheena would be fine in a home with dog savvy cats. Sheena is very attached to our older dog, who she follows around everywhere so it is necessary for Sheena to have an older calm male dog in the house to help her feel settled and teach her about being a dog.

Sheena has mastered sleeping in her crate at night and will go in willing when it’s bedtime. Some nights she will wake up briefly after about 5 hours but settles back down very quickly. She comfortably spends about 8 hours in her crate during the night. Sheena will spend time in her crate during the day when we’re home for an hour or two and she will also sometimes snooze in there with the door open. She stays in her crate when we are out and is quiet as long as the other dogs are around. She also rides in her crate in the vehicle and usually takes about 10-15 minutes to settle down. After that she lays quietly in her crate for the remainder of the ride.  

Sheena is housebroken but she is not good at signalling she needs to go out.  So we let her out on a regular schedule of every few hours. Since her UTI cleared up there have been no accidents in the house. Due to Sheena’s need for regular pee breaks and her not enjoying being left in her crate for longer periods of time it would be best for her in a home with a retired person/couple or someone who works from home regularly.  She is not a suitable dog for those who work out of the home for 8hrs plus.  

At times Sheena can also be vocal, but overall she is a quiet dog.  For this reason she would not do well in an apartment or attached dwelling as the times she is vocal could be bothersome to attached neighbours.

Sheena eats well and is fed twice per day along with my other dogs. She eats kibble and has no problems finishing her meals when offered. Sheena shows no food aggression towards the other dogs or people. Sheena enjoys her treats and takes them gently when offered.  Sometimes she will wait for you to put it on the floor before she takes it. 

At this time Sheena has not had any formal training. She has not mastered any commands but knows her name and responds. She will follow the lead of the other dogs and when they are all let out she will follow them back in when they are called. Sheena will need to go to obedience classes to help her establish a good foundation in basic commands and this will also help her to build a bond with her person. Due to Sheena’s shy and reserved nature it will take patience and a calm quiet approach to teach her commands.  

Sheena is a healthy, happy dog with no ongoing medical issues. When Sheena came to us she was unkempt and had a UTI which was cleared up with a course of antibiotics. She has been dewormed, vaccinated and spayed. Sheena’s grooming needs require brushing and combing weekly and a trim once every four to six weeks to keep her coat clean and mat free. This would be typical for the Westie breed.

If you are looking for generally a quiet, independent little companion Sheena may be your girl. As noted earlier Sheena likes to be around you but does not yet like being touched or handled. She will accept a few pats/scratches on the head or under the chin if given gently and slowly. Sheena will need a calm, quiet individual or persons to work with her and draw out the wonderful dog inside. We just know that given more time, her affectionate side will come out.  The dog she will be months from now and  a year from now is going to be a totally different dog than the one we brought into our care, she has already come a long way!!  Anyone lucky enough to adopt this girl will be rewarded with a loving, friendly, independent companion. She will be your walking buddy or your couch buddy while you’re watching TV, reading or working on your laptop. Sheena has made great strides in the short time she has been with us. Just imagine what can happen once she is settled into her forever home!