Shadow Australian Shepherd Mount Airy, NC

Shadow is a very special mini-Aussie that has been through quite a bit of trauma in her young life.

At the age of 18 months, Shadow's owner had fed her to the point that she was so obese she could not walk. Due to all the weight she was carrying around, both of her rear knees ruptured. She was sent to her vet to be euthanized.

The vet refused to euthanize this girl and reached out for help from a local rescue. This is where we stepped in. Shadow went to a foster home that was equipped to handle her special needs. She spent months walking with a special harness. Her foster mom had to hold her up so that she could potty and then she had to go right back to laying down. She just couldn't handle the weight on her legs.

Shadow spent months in swim therapy and on a strict diet that helped her lose enough weight for her to become mobile again and to be able to withstand knee surgery. She had her first knee surgery at the end of August and went back to her foster home to recover. Her second knee surgery was completed at the first of December, 2021. She is now "good as new".

Shadow is house and crate trained. However, Shadow is a spunky little girl that will need a special home. She cannot be in a home with small children, as she likes to herd them and nip their heels. Although she currently resides with two children, she is with a foster mommy that understands herding behaviors and has adapted her surroundings for Shadow. She also has some issues with food aggression and resource guarding her toys and belongings. She has responded well to the training and work that her foster mom has done with her but needs an adopter that is willing to continue the routine and setup that she currently has in place. She does better with one "boss" and really pours all of her loyalty into her "one special person".

She resides with a foster dog sister. She also spends time with 4-5 other dogs when she goes to the doggy sitters. She does not bond with other dogs or spend time with them but also doesn't bother them. Her goal is mostly to ignore other dogs and pretend she is an only dog.

If you think you might be the right home for this special girl, send us a message.