NOVA's story

　　Nova is a 28 lb., female Australian Cattle Dog - Australian Shepherd mix. At 5 months old, she is still very much a pup, who is playful and energetic and adorable. She loves meeting new people when on walks.

　　Typical of cattle dogs, she will quickly bond with and adore her people. She is smart as a whip, figures things out quickly, and knows several obedience commands.

　　We make feeding time a training session for Nova. She will sit or lie down and wait while the food is being prepared and served. If she moves from her spot, food preparation comes to a stop. When the food is placed she must wait in her spot until the okay is given.

　　Nova has shown some resource protection and has bit at us when we get too close to her while shes eating her special treats. However, there are many more times that she has chewed her special treats while we pet her even on her head. At this point the resource guarding is unpredictable.

　　Nova is house-trained, and rides very nicely in a car in her crate and sleeps through the night in her crate in the home. She also spends quiet times in her exercise pen, napping or keeping herself bust with a marrow bone.

　　Nova can be a wild child, who needs mental work to challenge her busy brain, as well as active physical exercise, both of which will help tire her out. True to her breed, in the absence of leadership and guidance, Nova will take the lead and make her own decisions.

　　As a result, she developed a few behavioral issues that will require some management and effort by new adopters. Our home was too active, with rambunctious children and visitors coming and going and Nova have been experiencing sensory overload. She often got overstimulated and barked and nipped.

　　The good news is that Nova is a very smart, young dog, who wants to bond with her people, wants to please, and to have a purpose.

　　For the reasons above, Nova needs someone who understands and respects the mental strength of this breed, knows how to meet the needs of a cattle dog pup, and how to motivate and work with her.

　　She is partially vaccinated (will need boosters), not yet spayed or microchipped. She is currently located in Aptos. If you are interested in meeting her, please use this link to complete our online adoption form: http://hittgv.org/index.php/adopt. For questions about this pup, please email Shannon at: [email protected].