Freya Newfoundland Dog & Border Collie Mix Ilion, NY

Freya is a beautiful, gentle girl who came in to National Newfoundland Rescue a year and a half ago with her 7 puppies. She is approximately 3 years old and located in eastern Massachusetts.

She has quite the story!

She was found pregnant at a truck stop in TX by a lovely family who took her in and whelped her pups. When she and her puppies needed homes they reached out to NNR for help! Freya went in to foster with her puppies in the northeast until her pups were weaned and she went to a medical foster to begin the difficult journey through heartworm treatment. Once she was confirmed to be heartworm-free, she was spayed and adopted to her forever family. Sadly, forever turned in to just a year and her family is no longer able to keep her. They turned back to NNR to help sweet Freya and we said, of course!

After one of our volunteers went to visit her and love on her and evaluated her, here is what we know-

Freya is a supermutt, while she is an honorary Newf, she doesn’t actually have Newf in her ancestry.

She loves her people and wants to let them know when danger is near (even if the “danger” is just someone walking past the house).

She looooves her belly rubs and adores playing with a canine pal. However, her herding instincts are strong and she believes it’s her job to chase anything that “runs”; bicycles, runners, small pets, a leaf on a windy day, you get the idea. Freya will not be placed in foster or adoption with any small pets or children.

When it comes to other dogs Freya is a little mirror, she will reflect whatever attitude she’s confronted with. If a dog challenges her she will get defensive. If a dog invites play, she will play. Her play style is much like a large dog, she will rough-house, wrestle and play bitey face like the Newfoundland her heart believes she is. There are dogs who do not appreciate this style, a lot of consideration will be given to resident pets in Freya's foster home.

Freya would adore a fenced in yard to run and play in, a playful social canine pal to romp and rough house with (but not necessary) and humans who will get a herding ball or remote control car so she can herd to her heart’s content and who will guide her to understand when herding is appropriate and when it’s not. She loves walks and loves the beach.

Freya is very engaged and cheese-motivated. She has been through basic obedience and knows, "Sit", "by my side" for heeling, "go for a walk", "go in the truck", "no ma'am", "good girl", "go outside on the deck", "down" along with hand movement down she will go onto her belly, "that'll do" is her release.

If you have a soft spot in your heart for this pretty gal and an understanding of herding behavior, please consider opening your home to Freya!