BANDIT's story

　　Theo, now Bandit, was originally brought to the shelter as a stray so not much was known about him. Bandit was adopted by a family with an older child and they spent 3 months together, however, they returned Bandit to the shelter because they felt like he was not a good fit for their home environment. Primarily, they were concerned with Bandit''s reactions to strangers entering their home. Bandit is very protective of his home and family, and does not react well to strangers coming into his terrritory. Bandit will require understanding people, consistent enforcement of appropriate greeting behaviors and slow introductions to new humans to avoid a misunderstanding. Bandit also needs time to adjust to any canine co-housemates; he has a rough and tumble play style and tends to be dominant, so mutuals with other dogs is a must. Bandit did well with the family''s child but they were concerned that his high energy level would be too much for a younger child or baby. While at the shelter, Bandit has shown that while he likes to play with children, he is generally just too much for them and may accidentally injure them because he is not aware enough of his body, movements, and what''s going on around him, so we suggest that Bandit go to a home with only older (teenaged) children, if any. Bandit has a high prey drive and will NOT do well with cats, small animals, or livestocks. Bandit''s previous owner states that he is a sweet, affectionate and enthusiastic young man who would enjoy being in a household with an active lifestyle. Bandit''s most recent family was intending to start obedience classes with him but were unable to make it happen- they remain convinced that he would benefit strongly from some basic training courses to help him focus his energy, bond with his new owner, and become comfortable experiencing new situations and meet new friends both canine and human!