Adopt a Akita / Boxer / Mixed (short coat)

Update 10/22/17

Maxwell Smart is the most descriptive nickname of this adolescent mixed breed puppy.  He is 65# of strong, well-muscled (but lean), deep chested boundless energy.  He awakens in the morning with a big stretch in his wire kennel and then emerges and pounces on you for a cuddle.  And I do mean pounces!  And after the rambunctious pounce, comes the sweetest nuzzling and burrowing that is more typical of a small dog.  Max is definitely a one-of-a-kind dog.  And we know that the right family is out there looking for him.  We just need to find the way to connect with them.

Max's foster parents are dealing with a major health issue themselves right now and so Max has come to our Director's house.  We have enlisted the services of Ed Russell, trainer extraordinaire, to show us what this large and busy puppy still needs to know.  Collies and Shelties are pretty docile in comparison to a Great Dane/Boxer mix with a tiny spark of "heaven only knows what" mixed in.  Those of you who love a giant breed may be more familiar with a stubborn attitude.  If our Maximus only had opposable thumbs, he might take over the world.

There has never been a smarter dog than Max.  His latest photos show him with Ed, the trainer, giving him a refresher course in basic obedience.  The #1 most important command any dog needs to know is "watch me." Once that relationship is established, all things are possible.  All of us rescue folks who love Max have spoken repeatedly about what would constitute a perfect home for the boy.  The humans must be active.  Max is not a couch potato.  The family must be willing to continue with his training.  And that means they must be at least as smart as Max is.  I could imagine Max hiking over trails, far and wide.  Maxi has gone out for coffee in Estes Park and hung out under a table, people watching.  He has climbed through Big Horn Sheep Canyon and rested by a mountain stream.  He has his very own harness and seat belt for Bob's Jeep so that they can continue exploring wilderness areas here in Colorado.

Max bonds easily to both his human pack and his doggie friends.  He plays hard, loves the rough and tumble with his pals and when he rests, he seeks out a lap to put his beautiful head on.  He looks up at you with his golden brown eyes, lets out a big sigh and is asleep in a heartbeat.  Who wouldn't love that?

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March, 2017

Albuquerque Max is a Collie mix puppy that was languishing in one of the municipal shelters in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Because we have so few dogs that are adoptable right now, some of our doggie friends have been doing some outreach on our behalf.  We have offered to take half a dozen dogs that might have escaped our notice.  Max is just one of them.

He is actually in transit while I begin his bio.  I will have more information when he reaches my arms on 3/25.  He is 6-9 months old, a neutered male, about 50#, heartworm negative, microchipped and completely vaccinated.  I am told that he is a bit shy which is no surprise for a stray from a shelter.  He seems to like Bill, the volunteer who scooped him up on our behalf.  And who wouldn't?

Our thanks go out to Julie and the staff at the Albuquerque East shelter for processing our application so quickly and making it possible for us to work with Max.

Max needs a fabulous foster home where he will learn everything a puppy should know.  He will be in Colorado on 3/25 and will go to our Director's home first.  My guess is that whoever fosters this fellow will fall in love.  Wanna bet?

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Update 3/30

Max is learning as quickly as any puppy ever could.   One of his first discoveries was that if he pees outside, his foster mom gets happy!  He is picking up dog-to-dog manners with the help of the pack and responds appropriately to a corrective growl.  And he is very funny with toys.  He tosses them up in the air and catches them and celebrates, all on his own.  Mastering the doggie door is a big deal to Max.  In and out is lots of fun!