Rusty

Rusty is a handsome 7 month old lab / pit / hound blend.

Rusty's foster parents found him and his owners never stepped forward, so he's looking for a new, loving, permanent home. Here's what his foster parents had to say about him:

We have had Rusty for 2 weeks now and see that he is learning something every day that he is with us. After we had him for a few days, we realized that he was likely abandoned and that no one was looking for him. We had been calling him "little guy" and decided to call him Rusty. He seems to catch on to things very fast and entertains himself well by playing with his favorite toys, which is really all of them! He likes chew type toys such as kongs, squeek-type plush toys, rubber frisbees, and tennis balls. He is not a fetch type dog but likes to play with a person or other dogs with his toys. He likes to share. We take him and our other two dogs for about 3 walks a day (2 longer walks to the dog park and 1 short walk around the neighborhood). He is very excited and pulls some on the leash for the first block or so, but settles nicely into an active graceful pace soon after. I have taken him running with me a few times and he has the most beautiful long legs! He loves a nice relaxed run- he is not a crazy sprinting spazzy dog at all. He can be a little clutzy, but it is puppy-type clutzy (misjudging distances, bonking his head on things, etc), very cute! He has ridden in the car with us and has gotten car sick a few times on longer trips, but I wonder if it is related more to the anxiety of a new situation? He seems rather reluctant to get in the car sometimes. This should pass with time I believe.

His barking habits are improving, he is understanding when I give him the "no bark" command. He quiets up quickly for his age. He tends to bark mostly when instigated by my dog Cosmo, who is a lab/chow mix and loves to agitate Rusty. Cosmo is used to being the "baby" of the family and sort of picks on Rusty. Rusty just wants to play with Cosmo. Despite Cosmo's aggressive behavior toward Rusty, Rusty does not fight back. He yaps at Cosmo in frustration, but can be redirected to his toys or some other activity to settle him down. I can easily leave Rusty alone for several hours at a time without too much worry. Right now he has the freedom of most of our house, but we close off bedrooms and bathrooms. We have a doggie door, so he is free to go out in the backyard whenever he wants. He has ripped up a few magazines on the coffee table, but we have puppy-proofed the house a bit more thoroughly. Considering that when Cosmo was a puppy, he shredded a couch cushion, I do not find Rusty to be a destructive puppy, just a curious one. We have left him for 8+ hours with no problems on most days. Overall, he is a great dog that I wish I could keep, but the dynamic for my two dogs (and 1 cat) is a bit stressful. They are older and not very adaptable. I don't want their aggressive/alpha dog tendencies to rub off on Rusty. They are just not accepting him well at all.

Rusty still seems a bit shy around other dogs and other people. This is not a deal breaker that I can see. It should resolve with more socialization. By going to the dog park everyday, he is interacting much better than he was 2 weeks ago. He is definately a lap dog! He will jump up on the couch unless you deter him from it. He will likely sneak up there anyway! He has a silky short coat and doesn't seem to shed much. When he is trotting around sometime his ears flop into his face or both ears flop to the same side and it is so precious! He really is as cute as he looks. We took him to our vet and had him neutered. The vet said that he would likely grow to about 60 lbs. She thought he was Staffordshire/Lab or Staff./hound mix, possibly greyhound somewhere in there. Don't be put off by the fact that he might be part pit bull. I didn't have a good impression of pit bulls before Rusty, but I would keep him in a heartbeat if my dogs weren't so stressed out about a third dog. The vet felt that he was minimally bull terrier/staff. terrier because he does not have the stocky body or big head/wide jaw of a pit bull.

Rusty deserves a very loving permanent home where he'll be cherished and adored.

Adoption Process: We are not first come first served. Indigo Rescue focuses on finding good matches between dogs and families to ensure life long adoptions. We deliver all dogs to their new homes.

All of our dogs are in foster homes. We have adoption events at the Beaverton PetSmart every other Saturday where you can meet many of our dogs at once. Click Here for our Calendar of Events. Or, if you're interested in a particular dog, you can send an e-mail via the e-mail link at the bottom of the page ("Email adoption organization") with answers to the questions below. If the dog seems compatible with your situation we'll set up a time for you to meet the dog.

Do you have other pets now? (briefly describe)

Have you had pets in the past? What became of them?

What kind of exercise will you provide for the dog? (type/frequency)

What is your schedule like? How long/often will the dog be alone?

Where will the dog be while you're gone? Where will the dog be when you're home? Where will the dog sleep?

Who else lives in the home? Do you have children? How old are the children?

Are you in a home or apartment? How long have you lived there? Do you have a fully, securely fenced yard? (type/height)

Do you own or rent your home?

What changes in your life are likely in the next 10+ years (or life span of the dog) and how will the changes affect the dog? (moving, job or schedule change, school, having children)

Anything else you'd like us to consider in finding the right dog for your family?

Thank you for your interest in adopting and saving a life!

Indigo Rescue only adopts to homes within 50 miles of Portland.

Adoption Fee: $150.