Meet Levi (#0218), a lovable big lug of a one-year-old red-tri Australian Shepherd. His coat is a lush dark chocolate brown and he has adorable freckles on his nose and paws. Levi was surrendered by his owner due to landlord problems. He really is a gentle giant of a dog who savors chewing on his toys (but not anything else) and playing tug with the toys and you. He is 100 percent housebroken and is kenneled at night with no problem.

Levi is neutered, up to date on vaccines, heartworm tested negative, and is on monthly heartworm and flea preventatives. When he first came to his foster home he weighed a hefty 76.5 pounds and was 10-15 pounds overweight. He has been on a diet, goes on walks almost daily and plays vigorously several times a day with his foster family's dog. Levi now weighs in under 70 pounds and is on his way to making his New Year's resolution come true. He's great on car rides and will usually either calmly lay down or look out the window. He sometimes pulls when on walks and we have had good luck occasionally using a Gentle Leader to minimize the pulling.

Levi's a very happy guy who constantly has a smile on his face. He craves tummy rubs along with an active, social lifestyle. So, Levi would really like to go to a home to a family with a fenced in yard and another dog his size as a companion so they can keep each other entertained. He has never shown any aggression toward his foster family's dog or others, although he gets very excited when meeting new dogs or humans. As a puppy, he will try to jump on you as a greeting, not realizing how big he is. Therefore, Levi would be better suited for a family with older children. He has little interest in cats if they are dog savvy but, if they decide to run, he'll follow for the fun of the chase.

Levi is a smart character, as well as being a lovable big "moosh." He knows "sit," "down" and "shake". His foster family is working on "off," "stay" and he learned "kennel" within just a few minutes so, as a youngster, he has great potential to learn plenty of other commands and tricks after he becomes familiar with his new owners.

Here are a couple of short videos of Levi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj_LguoSdtg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz-Vb7-FZ54&feature=player_embedded

Levi is currently being fostered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email Protege Rescue at info@protegerescue.org. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Protege Rescue
Iowa

Twist (Protege #0213) is an adorable 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 month old terrier mix puppy. He is up to date on vaccinations, and neutered. Twist is a tiny little guy at 8 lbs and isn't expected to get a whole lot bigger. He is playful with both humans and dogs and has loved everyone he has met thus far in his life. Twist loves playing with toys. He is learning how to fetch and is a crazy little tugger. He is a good eater, however he does guard his food from other dogs who want to steal it. He let his foster mom take away several bones he was chewing with small growls, but no snapping whatsoever - his tail was also wagging during this time.

Twist is completely crate trained and sleeps quietly through the night. He does not like to be outside unless a human is outside with him, and he is still working on housebreaking but doing very well. Twist is currently learning sit, down, come and stay. He seems to learn very quickly.

He is good with kids of all ages and sizes!

He is too short to jump on the furniture, but is figuring out ways around that - such as jumping on a small chest by the bed, to help him get onto the bed. His foster mom is trying to not allow him on the furniture, but he's so adorable that she sometimes can't say no. Oops!

Twist is good in the car. He pulls on the leash, but would learn quickly to walk nicely if given regular chances. He loves playing with his doggie foster brother and his (human) foster mother. Twist does like to chew things, but he hasn't done anything you wouldn’t expect a puppy to do. His foster mom has caught him carrying around socks and underwear, but when she tells him "no" he immediately drops whatever he has. He has not put any holes in anything he's "stolen" from his foster mom so far.

Twist is a high energy dog, and would do best in a dog savvy home. He's smart and won't be satisfied being a simple "stay at home dog;" he will not be a couch potato. Twist would do well in an agility or flyball home, or even a home where he can get regular trips to the dog park to play.

Here is a little video of Twist playing with his foster brother:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJcb7u60vLg&feature=player_embedded

Twist is currently being fostered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email Protege Rescue at info@protegerescue.org. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Protege Rescue
Iowa

Meet Tommy (#0214), a five year old black-tri miniature Australian Shepherd; he's a larger mini at about 30 lbs. Tommy was found as a stray, and when he first came to Protege he was underweight and in some serious need of grooming. When Tommy lived in his first foster home he would frequent the dog park and got along great with the dogs there. He also gets along fine with kids. His first foster parents had a cat and because he would chase the cat we prefer that Tommy go to a home without cats. Tommy was moved to a new foster home just for this reason.

Tommy gets along well with his foster brother. He enjoys getting chased around the back yard. Sometimes he will initiate the chase by teasing his foster brother a little bit. He likes to run up and down the fence line with the neighbor dogs, and enjoys wrestling with his foster brother. Tommy can entertaining himself, too: he will grab a stuffed dog toy and prance around the house squeaking it for a while. He does not chew on anything inappropriate. Tommy enjoys going for rides in the car and often curls up in a little ball on the front passenger seat.

Tommy loves learning new tricks and picks them up very quickly. He knows sit, down, come, shake and is currently making progress on “turn around.” Tommy is housebroken and crate trained even though he would prefer not to go into the crate. He does go in nicely for a treat. Tommy is very affectionate. He LOVES to give hugs. He will come up and put his head in your lap then roll into you or nuzzle your neck if it is within reach. He does think he is a lap dog sometimes, thank goodness he doesn't weight too much! He really loves it when his foster mom does yoga: Tommy likes to roll around on the yoga mat and then will roll around and nuzzle with his humans as they work.

Tommy can be leary about some men occasionally, but if you reassure him that it is ok he is fine. He is a velcro dog and prefers to be within eyesight of his humans. He is a great snuggler and likes to snuggle up with his humans on the sofa in the evening. At night Tommy sleeps in his foster parents’ bedroom. Most of the time he sleeps curled up on the dog bed, but sometimes he will jump up and sleep at the foot of the bed. During the day when his parents are away he stays in a crate; however, he is currently being eased into roaming privileges.

Tommy has gotten an ear infection while is foster care; we only mention it to tell you that he was actually a pretty good sport, and even pretty comical, about getting the meds. He would sneer and try to avoid getting the meds at first, but then he would walk over to get his meds -- still sneering. As his ear drops were applied, he would lay his head down on the floor and put his paw over his eyes and snout. After one ear was done he would shake and then come back and put his head down on the floor again so that the meds could be applied to the other ear. So he was not a bit difficult to handle, unlike many dogs in this situation.

Tommy would love to find his forever home. He is neutered, up to date on vaccines, heartworm tested negative, and is on monthly heartworm/flea preventatives.

Tommy is currently being fostered near Iowa City, Iowa. If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email Protege Rescue at info@protegerescue.org. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Protege Rescue
Iowa

Meet Bandit (Protege #0207)! Bandit is a handsome blue merle Aussie with beautiful blue eyes. He is approximately 2 years old and weighs 47 pounds. Bandit was found as a stray by the local humane society before finding his way to Protege Rescue. Bandit is neutered and is up to date on his vaccinations. He is also on heartworm and flea/tick preventative.

Bandit is a very happy boy with loads of young dog energy. He is a classic velcro Aussie, so if you are looking for a dog who wants to stick right with you and be your best pal, consider this enthusiastic fellow. Bandit enjoys meeting new dogs and people. He likes to play a little fetch and will definitely need a home with an active family who can provide him with opportunities to think and run. We are working on some clicker training with Bandit, teaching him sit, down, and to wait before he charges out the door when it is opened. He has some collar sensitivity, so we're also working on desensitizing him to make it easier to snap on his leash and to buckle his collar. He's eager to please and the training is going well. Bandit will benefit from some obedience classes to continue his training.

Bandit has made some trips to the local dog park and is a perfect dog park dog: he loves to run and meet the other dogs and people, but follows you as you walk on the trails and checks back in often. He will come from all the way across the park when called; the dog park is a great place to run off some of that energy! He also ran along on his first bike ride recently and after a one mile trial run, he still pulled his foster mom home the last two blocks - no peddling required. (He is a strong boy.)

Because he is a little sensitive about having his leash clipped on, sometimes he takes a minute or two to settle into a walk; but once he's on track, he walks quite nicely on a leash, pulling ahead but not too forcefully. Recently Bandit went to the Cedar Rapids Farmers Market and did really well there around a lot of people. He rides very nicely in the car and will wait while you run into the store on an errand.

Bandit prefers not to be kenneled and doesn't need to be. He can be left loose without any concerns. He is completely housebroken and has never had an accident in his foster homes, doesn't chew inappropriately, doesn't counter surft, and doesn't bark when left alone. As he settles in to a new home, we anticipate he will have some separation anxiety at first and he does whine when he is concerned, but he seems to get accustomed to new situations fairly quickly.

Here are a few short videos of Bandit that will give you an idea of his personality. The second one we saved even though it's a little fuzzy because we wanted to show you how much he enjoys running at the park. The super nice thing is, he runs BACK to you just as fast as he runs OUT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cn3vqfedXU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sewqllBc74
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFgVqpvEklQ

Bandit is currently being fostered near Cedar Rapids. If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email Jayne at mcjayne@yahoo.com. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Protege Rescue
Iowa

Introducing Layla (#0211)! Layla is a 6 month old Australian Cattle Dog mix. She is spayed, up to date on vaccinations, and currently on heartworm and flea/tick preventatives. Layla is an exuberantly happy girl with LOTS of puppy energy....and puppies don't get much cuter than Layla! She is motivated, and quite the smarty-pants ~ she learns what you are asking of her very quickly.

Layla is moving along well with her housetraining. She seldom has accidents, just occasionally in the morning when she has been holding it all night and we don't get her outside quick enough! She does not mess in her crate, and is able to go all night without needing to go out.

Layla loves to play with any other dog who may be up for a romp and a roll, and her exuberance and puppy energy could possibly be too much for a home with a timid dog in residence, but she would do very well in a home with a confident dog who also loves to play. Layla is very excited by cats and is rough on them, so we recommend a home without cats. Layla thinks toys of all kinds are great, and can entertain herself (and in turn entertain us with her antics!) for long periods of time just flipping her toys around and chasing after them. On a scale of 1 -10 with 1 being low energy and 10 being nonstop energy, we rated Layla an 8. She needs mental stimulation to work her sharp mind, and physical exercise as well, but when these needs are being met, Layla knows when it is time to settle down.

Layla is seeking a fun-loving and active home where the family is committed to providing her with the training and exercise she needs to become a cherished, well-mannered member of her new family. Layla thrives on attention from people and is very affectionate. She will be a dedicated and loyal companion when she has bonded with her new family. Layla may be too active for a home with small children, but should do well in a home with older children. We think Layla would be an excellent candidate for agility, flyball or other dog sports as well. While in foster care Layla will begin learning new behaviors through clicker training, going to doggie daycare for socialization and exercise, and getting out and about in the community so that she is a well socialized pup.

Here are a couple of nice videos of Layla:

http://youtu.be/W6al-j8ihzk
http://youtu.be/nV1KIP_HZvw

Layla is being fostered in Cedar Rapids. If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email Jayne at mcjayne@yahoo.com. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Protege Rescue
Iowa

Meet Dex (#0186)! Dex was recently returned to our program, which makes us all very sad as he is such a great, fun, and personable boy and deserves his perfect forever home.

He is a 1 year old, red-tri neutered male Australian Shepherd who loves to play. He has a lot of energy and is very intelligent. As a puppy he was abused and suffered a broken femur on his back left leg that was never corrected. Because of this it healed slightly shorter than his other three legs and during prolonged/intense exercise he tends to pick it up and run like a three-legged dog. The vet says he is not in pain and Dex seems to agree, it doesn’t slow him down one bit. His leg is not sensitive to touch either so he and his foster parents tend to forget it’s even an “issue.”

Dex has been in several different homes throughout his short life and really just wants to find his forever home. He enjoys watching T.V., going on walks, running in the yard, fetch, and learning/performing tricks; of which he knows sit, stay, come, shake, lay down, up (stand), get up/get off (furniture), turn around, speak, go potty. Here is a little video of one of Dex's tricks -- he learns so fast! We call this one "Dex Knows English:" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6PCLTsriU8. Since he is housebroken, all you need to do is ask him if he has to go, if not he ignores you, if so he whines and gets antsy. Because Dex doesn’t always lift his back leg to urinate, from time to time he gets a little dribble on his front leg (not unusual for a male dog – but we mention it because this was one of the reasons his most recent home returned him). We just use baby wipes real quick and it’s not a problem.

At night Dex sleeps on his foster parents’ bed, the floor right near the bed, or out on the couch. However, because he has been bounced around so much in his short life, he has some separation anxiety, so when left alone he needs to be crated. He doesn’t mind his crate (it’s his safe place) and doesn’t usually make any fuss. He gets along great with children and cats if they are willing to play with him.

Dex is up-to-date on all his vaccinations and is on flea/tick and heartworm preventative. He’s is a super happy boy and wants more than anything a family to call his own who will keep him active and teach him new things forever and ever.

Dex is being fostered in Iowa City. If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email Jayne at mcjayne@yahoo.com. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Protege Rescue
Iowa

We are happy to introduce Miss Sammie (#0210). Sammie is an older girl, about 11 years, a beautiful black-tri who is in extraordinarily good shape for a senior, fairly trim and quite active. You would never guess her age, except maybe from the gray on her face. Sam is a delight to have around the house. She has no bad habits, very much enjoys human company though isn't clingy about it, loves car rides and going for walks and walks quite nicely on-leash. She comes when called and knows sit and down.

Sam was turned in by her family because the mom had developed allergies to the two dogs in the home. She came to us infested with fleas and whipworms and with nails so long it was clear they hadn't been cut for a very long time. We've gotten rid of the parasites and have Sammie on appropriate preventatives now -- and she had a bath to get rid of flea remnants; we're working on her nails,a bit each week. We have finally succeeded in getting the flea bites beyond the horrible itching and scabbing stage; we're sure Sammie is appreciating her non-itchy life at last.

Though Sam came from a home with two young girls and loved them dearly, we think it may be better for her to go to a home without young children, as from the sounds of it, she was a little too protective of them; while it's good to have a defender, you don't want one who may overreact. Besides that, Sam's 11 now and ready for a calmer life than she might get with a house full of kids. She is okay with cats, though may be curious at first.

If you are looking for a first dog, a grown up with no bad habits who is ready to fit right in, please consider Sammie. She loves to get pets and belly rubs, and to sit in the bay window watching the world go by outside. She's very tolerant of nail trims and is fine for a bath. Sammie is not a barker; at first she had some separation anxiety when her foster mom left but she's mostly over that now. We expect that may happen again at first in a new home; it's stressful for an older dog to change environments. But as she settles in and gets love and attention, she will become accustomed to comings and goings.

Sam is completely housebroken and is good in a crate, although she was never crated with her family and does not need to be. A couple of foodie things have gone missing from the counter, so we suspect she will help herself if no one's watching, but we haven't seen her even hint at doing this when we're around. Except for jumping up into the bay window (where she is welcome), Sammie hasn't seemed to be inclined to get on furniture.

Sam visits the local dog park and is very happy to meet the many many dogs and their owners. Even when she runs off to meet someone new, she comes right back to her foster mom when called. She is fine with other dogs and her little foster brother can even get her to chase him around the backyard now and then. She ignores her foster sister, who is about her age, and that's mutually agreeable.

Here are a couple of short videos of Sammie at the dog park; as you can see, you'd never guess she is 11 years old!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0f-NBFR9V0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7-wV_fR-ws

This girl is a gem; please don't think twice about her age. She is happy, healthy, and easy to live with. After life with the same family since she was a puppy, we know she will appreciate some stability in her life again, though she has made the adjustment to life in a foster home very easily. She'll fit in just as easily with you, and you'll have the most fun with her. Please consider providing Sammie with a loving home for her senior years.

Sammie is spayed, up-to-date on vaccinations and on heartworm and flea preventatives. She's ready to go to her new home today, so as soon as you spot her, fill out an application and let us know you've found the dog of your dreams! She is being fostered in the Cedar Rapids area.

If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email Jayne at mcjayne@yahoo.com. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Protege Rescue
Iowa

Brie (#0205) was a stray at the local humane society before making her way to our care. Brie is an adorable black and white, medium coat, Border Collie mix and is approximately 6 months old. She is a funny, happy, playful young pup. She has adapted quickly to a house full of dogs of all sizes and is respectful of each of them. She enjoys the company of children and isn't jumpy. She sits nicely and is a quick study. She is submissive and will roll right over for a belly rub upon meeting you.

Brie believes that she is a water spaniel. She spends much of her time in the water bowl trying to get her feet and face completely soaked. We are going to buy a baby pool today to see if she takes to it. She enjoys diving for ice in the water and then runs around the yard madly before stopping for more. She is quiet in her crate and sleeps through the night peacefully. She is typical puppy on leash but with proper training, she'll soon know how to walk without zigzagging and pulling.

Brie is up to date with her shots and is wormed. She is on preventatives and will be spayed prior to adoption. This young dog is a super girl with tons of potential. She could go to a house with or without children or other dogs but her new owner must be willing to commit to lots of exercise to keep her as healthy and happy as she deserves to be. Brie is fostered in Marion.

Here is a video of Brie, along with a couple of other new Protege foster dogs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn3_mFancfk&feature=player_embedded

If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email Jayne at mcjayne@yahoo.com. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Protege Rescue
Iowa

Meet Slick (#0203). He is a 3-1/2 year old, neutered male Aussie. Slick came to us from a family that loved him, but due to some family problems they could no longer care for him. He is a black-tri and his coat has been shaved, so he kind of looks like a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy. He is currently weighing in at 61 pounds, but should really weigh between 50 to 55 pounds. He is on a diet right now and has lost about 2 pounds in 2 weeks.

Slick is a happy, friendly guy. He loves to play and run, whether it is with me or his foster brother and sister. He likes to snuggle and get attention. He is also currently living with two cats. While he respects them, he also barks at them and he has chased one -- so we think it's probably better if Slick goes to a cat-free home. He loves to play with squeaky toys, sometimes though if they are stuffed ones he will chew on them. He loves tennis balls and will play fetch. He also likes Kongs when they have treats stuffed inside.

Slick is completely housebroken; he will stand at the door when he needs to go out. Slick is kennel trained and spends time in his kennel while his foster mom is at work. She doesn't leave him out while she is gone because he is a counter surfer, and while we are working on keeping his feet off the counter we don't want him to have any setbacks with that training. He is great in every other way. He is also quiet while in his kennel.

Slick has learned to sit and wait for his food. We are clicker training to improve his "sit", "lie down" and "come" commands. His is also learning to roll over and play dead. He loves clicker training. His previous owner used to take him running so he is great on a leash as long as he has his Halti collar on, otherwise he does pull.

Slick is looking for a family who will have time to play with him and just love him. He is good with kids, people in general, and other dogs. He is current on vaccinations and had a negative heartworm test. He is on preventive for heartworms and fleas. Slick is being fostered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Here are a few videos of Slick:
http://youtu.be/5axw0n2AyzE
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fvN8fdL0wh4

If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email Jayne at mcjayne@yahoo.com. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Protege Rescue
Iowa

Meet Nala (#0201), a 2 year old female Australian Shepherd. Nala is a red merle though she is so light colored she looks more like a blonde color. She was rescued from a breeder who had her tied up to a pile of bricks in a field and was using her as breeding stock. Because she didn’t have any shelter out in the field she is quite terrified of storms and either wants to hide in a closet or lay between her foster parents. Loud noises startle her but she has been making progress in this area through desensitization activities.

Nala is a very easy-going Aussie who loves to follow you around everywhere. At night she sleeps on her foster parents’ bed or in her kennel. She LOOOVES to snuggle and get any form of attention possible, but is never demanding about it. She is a very polite dog; her foster parents haven’t heard her bark a single time. When alone she is not kenneled and it has never been a problem. She also does great in the car.

Originally Nala didn’t know any tricks but she learns very fast. She now knows her name, come, lie down, and kennel. After figuring out that her foster parents wanted her to go potty outside she has not had a single accident (even if the storms cause her to wait 12+ hours!). She does fine with kids, but because of her fear of loud noises she would probably do best in a house with older residents. She is happiest when it is her and just one other person. We like to say of Nala that she has always been a good sweet dog, but is just now learning how to be a someone's good pet.

Here is a short video of Nala in real life:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gcbfBx31ug&feature=player_embedded

Nala is spayed and up-to-date on all her vaccinations; she is on heartworm and flea/tick preventative. Nala is currently being fostered in Iowa City.

If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email Jayne at mcjayne@yahoo.com. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Protege Rescue
Iowa