Shepard mix found me

[Libby]

   

I was at work and noticed this guy running around the parking lot.  Come to find out he was a stray.  There was a guy that had found him and was waiting for his realtor to bring a scanner to see if he was chipped.  She just happened to also work with a rescue.
Well a friend and myself waited with them until she showed up.  No chip of course.  A new black collar with no tags.  And not neutered yet.  He had been roaming around a church for about 3 days and I know this guy took him in and had had him about 3 days.  It seems like this dog had been dumped or that the owners just didn't care that he had gone missing.  Signs had been posted around the church and no one in the church knew where he belonged.
I had to go back to work but I exchanged my number with them because I needed to help this dog find his owners or at least a home.  I had already sent out messages and calls to my fiance, Kasey, and his dad.  I hoping we could at least foster him.  The rescue lady was more than willing to have me foster him and put him up on all the adoption sites.
So back at work I continued to talk to Kasey about the dog.  The conversation was a lot of well if we foster him I'd rather just keep him.  And his dad's only concern was that there would be someone at the house to care for him.  I wasn't hearing a no on taking him in.
Well we pick him up tomorrow and get to bring him home.
Kasey said, "I get to name him right?" 
Which I responded with, "We will both suggest names and agree together."
I like picking names based on personality.  We have a list and it's really interesting how of all the different names we suggested that Shepard was on both our lists for different reasons.

List of names so far:
Gandalf (the white)
Pippin
Shepard
Fox
Remus
Riker
Mulder
Loki

We will of course continue to look for owners but after a week it's already to the point of needing a permanent home which Kasey and I are more than willing to give him.  If something falls though and we do find his owners Kasey has already said we just need to go ahead and get a dog.  I already know of several that need homes.

   

[Tobi]

Libby, what a story! That doggie is really lucky. For that man's realtor to also work in animal rescue, so that dog wasn't just scooped up and put in the dog pound within ten minutes....and then for you to be involved, and to be right there!
This kind of has the sound of "really meant to be" about it.

It sounds as if you've got yourself a dog. And what a lovely-looking dog.

I like all the names. Loki's quite a nice name; short and sweet, but Loki was a real loose cannon in Norse mythology. Ended up going to the dark side....
Pippin is nice. That's the name of a British apple! Cox's orange pippin!
Shepard sounds quite good too.


Keep us posted about what happens. I like that dog's face.

I don't suppose there's a website for reporting a lost dog (with the hope of finding his people)? There is one in UK. But then again, the UK's a much smaller place.
And it's hard to know if finding his people is a great idea or not. Even if they want to be found.

In 1986 we found our dog Toby that way. Huge music festival....white dog following me around, wouldn't let go. Went to every single tent over the 5 day period but that dog was "nobody's dog". Took him home. Didn't even have any dog food on the first night. He had scrambled eggs and Ryvita crackers for his first meal with us! Two weeks passed with me searching for his people, but no-one claimed him. So....that was our dog. { RIP Toby 1985-1999}

By the way, he chose his own name. Our idea was to say lots of different dogs' and boys' names and see when he turned round and stared at us. "Toby" was it.

[Libby]

The guy had already had him for a few days and before that he was running around a church for 3 days before he took him in. Honestly the guy that has him is kinda an idiot and was just letting the dog run lose in the parking lot. Which is what caught our attention. So he's actually been unclaimed for at least a week now. I wanted to get him tonight but unfortunately schedules didn't match up. He doesn't have a fence so he just lets the dog run lose. He lives in a more rural area BUT even this area isn't really rural. I really can't wait to get him home and safe.
He's really rambunctious and energetic with no training so I'm going to love getting to train him.

[Catherine]

Dogs do have a way of finding their way to you. It is meant to be. Anyone else could have taken him, but no one did. He is meant to be your dog. (the your is plural this time)
If someone wanted to find him they could have done it by now.

He is nice looking.  I don't know what name would suit him. I think you will need to live with him for awhile and see what works.

I like the idea of calling out names and seeing which one the dog wants to respond to. That would be an interesting way to name a dog. Names do need to fit.

Keep us posted on your new dog. Let us know when you finally bring him home.
I am sure you will have him trained in no time.

[Libby]

I have more pictures but it will take a minute to upload. We decided on a name, Fennec. Spelled the same as the fennec fox because he looks so much like a Fennec fox. We did say the names on our list like you suggested but he wouldn't respond unless I was saying a name at a high pitched sound and he responded to all of them. What is really odd is Fennec wasn't even on this list until Kasey brought it up as we put him in the car.

He is the best dog ever. After we picked him up we took him to our newly opened pet store that has a self dog wash. I wanted to clean him up before bringing him into the house and before he had surgery and we wouldn't be able to for a while. He did great and actually started drinking the water. He loves getting towel dried and would dance around like crazy. He needs a ton of training jumps badly and pulls hard on a leash and tries to bit it a lot but he does great indoors and he's house broken. Slept all night last night at the foot of the bed. He doesn't bark either! Never got up and no accidents. He lets us know he has to go to the bathroom by going to the door, coming back to one of us, and then going back to the door. I can't wait to get some training basics down. He's so smart. He started to understand no and the uh-hu sound as a no when he tries to bite the leash.

Kasey dropped him off this morning at a spay and neuter clinic this morning for all his shots, neutering, and chipping. I pick him up tomorrow and I can't wait to get to spend all day with him tomorrow.
I started looking up mix breed combinations online. I'm thinking Basenji-Husky or Basenji-Akita. Basenji because he doesn't bark and his head shape and curly tail. Husky because of the coloring and body shape.

[Catherine]

I like the name Fennec. It has a nice sound and Fennec foxes are really beautiful.

He sounds like a very clever dog. If he already has some skills in communicating you will have him sorted out in no time. I think he will feel happier and more secure once he knows the house rules. It is great that he doesn't mind grooming. He looked like he is white or very light. You will want to keep that colour of fur clean.

Interesting thoughts on what he is. I can't guess until I see better pictures. Basenji? I haven't seen a Basenji in years. I am going to have to look up a picture. I vaguely remember that they don't bark. Does he have a husky coat? The Akita coat is just as thick isn't it.  As you get to know Fennec there may be other clues as to his background.

I can't wait to hear how you do on your first days together.

Curiosity got to me, I Googled Basenji and Basenji/Husky and Basenji/Akita.
Then I went back and looked at the picture you posted. I see what you mean. He does look like a basenji mix.
He is a handsome dog. I will be interested to see better pictures.

[LPC]

I've only just seen this thread. Well, Fennec has really landed on his feet! He will have a lovely life with you and Kasey. My blessings to all three of you. More photos, please!

[Tobi]

Fennec is a great name, Libby!

The way you describe him in the 'dog wash' made me smile. And so did his considerate ways when he needs to go out.
It is so good that he now has a loving home, and especially with people who really understand dogs! Whatever he's been through he has come out very well indeed. Congratulatons on your new family member

[Libby]

Sorry it's taken forever to get these pictures up. I can't upload pictures strait from my phone because they are too big and I don't have a program on my computer to shrink them.  So I have to upload them to facebook, tumblr, or instagram from my phone then upload then download them to my computer, and then upload them to here.  Very long process.

Here is Fennec.  You can definitely see the husky and he whines and howls like a husky.  Pulls like a husky too.  He has barked some but not much.  I'm also thinking he's actually closer to 9 months old so he might be getting a little bit bigger.  Only time will tell.
He has already made friends with the neighbor dog Finnegan who is a 6 or 7 year old Golden retriever.  Mia hasn't met him yet but I can't wait to see what they think of each other.  

   
first bath. he kept drinking the water

   

   

   

   

[Libby]

This is one of my favorite pictures of him.