Reba, STAR #2013

Sarah met sweet Reba when Reba was out and about on a walk with her foster family and immediately fell in love! She followed up with an application and gets to take her home to be her buddy, along with Jerry the Bassett Hound. Future life looks great with visits to the park and walks on the Texas beach. Thank you, Leo and Victoria for fostering and helping us find this perfect dog her perfect home.

Reba is a BTF, 45#, spayed, and up to date with shots and on heartworm preventative. She was born June 2022, and arrived at STAR as an owner surrender after her owner died suddenly and a friend took over temporary care of Reba. Here’s her bio from her foster home:

Reba came to us with a few rudimentary manners (no, sit, etc.), timid, and not leash trained. We experienced the usual first two transitions, 3 days (everything is new, I don’t know what to do) and 3 weeks (I’m learning to feel at home here), and I feel like we are going to see her continue to transition significantly during the rest of her time with us.

She is moderately active and likes to play with toys. She has not demonstrated any puppy like annoying habits (e.g. chewing shoes or furniture).  She has shown some resource guarding tendencies with her toys—but will release gently upon request.  She is loving and affectionate, Velcro, and does appreciate a belly rub.

Most importantly, she is housetrained.  We never had any “accidents”. That said, we DID let her out frequently initially, so she knew where the door was.  She is a tentative counter surfer and short, sharp reprimands have been effective.

She is getting better on the leash, apparently never having been walked on a leash before coming to STAR. She has not been reactive to bikes, cars, trucks, people or other dogs.   Other dogs in close proximity on the street may result in some barks, but very manageable.  One two occasions when we encountered coyotes, I wasn’t sure whether she didn’t see it or was just totally non-reactive.  She is untested with children and cats.

Our typical day consists of walk in the morning (0.5 to 1.5 miles), breakfast, a 45-minute session at the dog park (3 sessions of fetch, two rest sessions), serious napping afterwards interspersed with a short walk or two, dinner, and sometimes a walk in the evening.  Unlike our other two Aussies, she is not a “sniffari” walker; her head is on a swivel, surveying left to right constantly.

She has done well with our two alpha males once we got everyone “talked into” the house rules.  It took less than two weeks.  She now actively spars with Remi, nose to nose, and they can romp together for 20-30 minutes before collapsing into naps.  She will grab Remi by the neck, and he will perform in kind.  Loki has continued to guard his personal space, and she has learned to accept it.  I think she will do well as an only dog OR with another dog that is NOT domineering.

She crates relatively easily, and we do put her in any time we leave the house.  We have left her alone a couple of times for an hour or so with our two dogs in the house and she did fine.  With time, training, and additional bonding, crating may not be necessary.

We believe this little lady had little or no training, certainly not any consistent training and was an indoor only dog before she came to STAR.  Within a short period of time, she transitioned from the friend’s home to the vet (spay, shots) and several transfers before she landed with us in Corpus Christi.  Traumatic by any standard and may have impaired some of her early learning with us.  In the subsequent weeks, No and Sit have been reinforced, she has learned Stay (before she eats) and is still learning Out (of the kitchen).  She loads and unloads from the car and truck easily.  She seeks encouragement, is mildly treat motivated, and does not like any sort of reprimand or punishment.

Reba’s foster home is in Corpus Christi.

Please apply here:

Introduction to the Adoption Process

Reba is a beautiful black tri female, around 3 years old and 50lbs. Her owner passed away and the family could not keep her.  She will be vetted and evaluated in a foster home in Corpus Christi and may be available early August.