Skylar, STAR # 1712

 Our super lovable goofy boy Skylar was adopted by the Thompson family. They reached out early on when we very first posted his incoming photo. When we told them that Skylar was a big goober and a handful, it only made them want him more. Thankfully, Skylar’s new mom is a behavior therapist, and both are ready for the challenge to continue to mold this big lump of clay. Skylar was found in a shelter in Louisiana by Elaine .   Thank you to Don and Lynn for the transport and first foster home to get him vetted and neutered. Thank you to the Doran family (alumni) for fostering him. And huge thank you to Dennis and Carey for digging in and decoding Skylar’s bad behavior and help him with making good choices. We have all loved to see the progress he made. Thank you Leslie for the home visit.

From Skylar’s foster mom..

“Meet Skylar aka Skysky aka Skybug!

Skylar travelled from Louisiana, and he has those long legs built for wading the bayous and outrunning gators!

Initially his big thick coat was a disaster. He must have thought the clippers were alligators and it took four people to hold him down and get him washed and trimmed, which unfortunately meant he got a closer haircut than typically preferred.

Skylar is a BIG boy – he is still underweight at 65lb. Because we don’t know his history, we assume he spent some time on his own. Skylar was definitely owned at some point though! He loves people and greets with them enthusiasm, perhaps too much! Like all Aussies, he loves his people and is very affectionate and gives those full body wiggles we all know!

Unfortunately, Skylar also suffers separation anxiety and struggles with being left alone. He is on a medication regimen and STAR has consulted with an experienced behaviorist to create a plan for addressing his challenges. After just a week, Sky has been learning that a calm dog gets all the best things. He crates very nicely at night with his stuffed Kong and his nighttime routines have become a nonissue.

Skylar has great house manners – he does not try to jump on the tables or counter and does not try to take things off those surfaces!  He is housebroken but is still learning that he will always have access to water that isn’t full of gators so he drinks a lot of water and needs frequent potty breaks.  He has learned that his foster parents spend a lot of time on phone calls during the day and this has become his nap time, so he is quiet and relaxes for several stretches at a time.

He is very athletic and LOVES to run. He has a lot of energy (shocking, right?!) but since he’s a lot larger than normal Aussies, he is very strong. He has learned a lot in his foster home, but still has roads to cover. He loves to play with other dogs, but he is essentially a big puppy and hasn’t learned when it’s time to stop. He would do best with a very sturdy and stable dog who isn’t afraid to tell him playtime is over, or as an only dog where he will get to work in setting new agility time trials (he has absolutely no fear!) or learning frisbee or flyball, or even setting new distance records for dock diving.

Skylar would love to meet you, regardless of your status. We can provide you advice on how to continue his training and build a strong bond with a very special boy.”

Skylar is available to the right home.. One that will continue to work with him as an ongoing project..This is not a dog that will be ignored.. He is neutered and totally vetted including a microchip.. If you are interested in hearing more about Skylar, meeting or adopting him please go to our STAR website, read about Adoption and submit an application.. His foster home is in Austin..