hello! I'm Cola

• Cola
• Mixed breed
• 9 years
• Male

View me in action here

You can find more photos of Cola by clicking here.

Weight: 30 lbs

Energy: High

Children:  Not recommended although older children who can understand his needs may be a possibility. 

Dogs: Older, well-balanced dog(s) only as he can be very reactive to new dogs if not properly (and very slowly) introduced. 

Cats: No.

Other Notes: Prior experience with dogs with behaviour issues is recommended. 

About me: 

Hi! I'm Cola, but my foster parents like to call me Bud, Boogie, Boogs, Boo, and so many other embarrassing nicknames… I'm a complicated little dude, but have come so far in my time with hart. Let me tell you, I LOVE my people. Once I know I can trust you, I love making you happy and am so content to curl up with you on the couch after a good game of fetch. Sometimes though, my love and protection of you means I don't make great first impressions with strangers.  My favourite things include fetch, snoozing, neck scratches and believe it or not, raw carrots.  Hart and my foster parents also like to tell everyone how smart I am - I love learning new things and I know lots of commands. I'm very motivated by food, toys and praise. I also happen to have a great sniffer, so a game of hide-and-seek in the house is a great way for me to keep busy.  Please read the behavioural notes on me below. I know I'm not perfect, but I am continuing to work on it every day.

Behaviour notes: I'm a hart+ dog! For information about the hart+ program, please review the hart+ adoption process.

Cola has been in hart's care for a significant amount of time. He originally came into care from Ontario, so not much is known about the first year of his life. But it quickly became apparent that Cola is not a fan of other dogs, cats, or strangers. hart does not give up on dogs easily, so to get Cola the help he needed, Cola spent a year living with a training partner. In that time, he made great progress. Now, he can approach strangers with a wagging tail and cheerful disposition, as long as he's not in a protective mind frame. Cola can also now interact with some other dogs without incident, when they are calm and submissive towards him, but admittedly he's still pretty picky about his doggy acquaintances.  Cola has also been muzzle trained to help when he meets new strangers or dogs. Cola will not do well in an apartment style condo. His ideal home will have a fenced backyard where he can show off his fetch skills, or if no yard exists, a home he can go for runs with. Cola is not a dog that can go to off leash dog parks. All of this said, Cola will make a loving dog for someone who will respect his needs, will provide rules and boundaries, and will ensure he progresses with his training.

Health notes: Cola came into hart's care in great condition and has maintained a high level of health throughout his stay. There have been no medical concerns with Cola. He is neutered, microchipped and has his DACPP, Bordatella and Rabies vaccinations up to date.