Omar
Adoption Status: Accepting Adoption Interest
Omar is blind and considered special needs
Gender: Male
Breed: Pitbull Terrier Mix
Age: Est DOB: 11/2019
Weight: 64 lbs
Dog Friendly: Yes- needs a quiet/mellow dog
Cat Friendly: Unknown
Kid Friendly: Unknown
House Trained: Yes
History: We recently held our annual Out of the Cold Rescue Effort and welcomed back 200+ animals to rescue. This rescue effort helps animals out of the cold, frigid weather of North Dakota and welcomes them to loving foster homes at Coco’s Heart who work towards finding forever homes for these sweet pups.
A Note from the Foster: Hi everyone! My name is Omar and my foster Mom says I’m a beautiful, brindled, brave, bighearted, beefcake boy!
There’s another word that begins with a B about me, and that’s that I’m blind. My foster parents didn’t have any experience with blind dogs before me and were a little nervous about it, but now they say sometimes they almost forget that I’m blind! I don’t let it slow me down at all; I’m quite brave and fearless and just go for it in most situations! It took me less than a week to figure out how to navigate around my new home, and this really impressed everyone! I’m not scared of much and still want to live a big life! I love outdoor adventures, toys and puzzles, new experiences, and so far, I’ve liked the new dog and human friends I’ve met. More than anything, though, I love to be snuggled up next to my humans and foster fur sister.
My blindness mostly means that my family will need to have a little extra patience and thoughtfulness in communicating with me and diligence in making sure I am safe. Things like keeping my home clear of clutter or any sharp edges or fall risks so it’s easy and safe to navigate, managing slow introductions to new dogs, making sure doors to stairs or unsafe places stay closed, keeping furniture in a consistent place, wearing clip-on bells on their shoes so I know where they are (especially on walks), being creative with basic training, and being consistent with verbal cues will be important. My foster parents even made a glossary for my verbal cues so that we’re all on the same page. I’ve got ‘step up’ and 'step down’ nailed!
What else about me? Let’s see…
Temperament: I’m an easy-going and very cuddly boy. I have occasional bursts of playfulness, but otherwise I keep it pretty low-key. If you like mellow, snuggle days at home with your dog, I’m your guy! My foster Mom says it’s important that I get enough physical and mental stimulation, too, but mostly I’m a velcro dog who really likes to be right by your side. I really hope to find a family who likes to have me on the couch to snuggle and let me sleep in their bed!
Cuddling: I am an absolute cuddle monster and will sometimes even hold you down to give you hugs and kisses! 55-pound lap dog, anyone??! My foster Mom says I am the best snuggler ever, which really comes in clutch on these cold winter days.
Home environment: My foster home is a quiet, mellow place, and I like that. I also like that my foster parents spend a lot of time at home and don’t think I’d be a great fit for a family that spends a lot of time away from home. Once I get settled into a new place and get to know the people and pets there, I think I could be adaptive to a more active household as long as everyone is mindful of my special needs. Ideally, my forever family would do most of their living on one level (since stairs can be tricky for me) and have a home and yard that are kept relatively tidy and uncluttered and therefore easier and safer for me to navigate.
Toys: Squeaky toys are life! I just can’t contain how excited they make me feel and I kind of lose my mind! Supervised playtime is best, both because I tear them apart quickly and I have shown what my foster Mom calls “resource guarding” over them. I also really enjoy Lickimats, treat puzzles, and snuffle mats. I even like to try to play fetch and keep-away if you have a ball that makes noise.
Potty training: When I first got to my current home, I marked just a few places that I frequently bumped into to help me remember where I’m going. I haven’t had any accidents or markings inside since figuring out the lay of the land, though! I keep my kennel clean, too!
Leash Behavior: I am pretty good on a leash. I just need a little extra patience and direction with verbal cues (a slip lead helps, too!); this means my human will need to be diligent about surveying the lay of the land and guiding me on our walks. I love outdoor adventures! My longest one so far with my foster family was 3 miles and I could have kept going (unless it’s really cold outside – I’m not a fan of that at all!). I’m down to go anywhere, but I really enjoy quieter, more open settings like parks and nature trails so I can let my guard down and really explore.
Dog friends: I love having a mellow and patient dog sibling to help lead the way on walk and in the house. I love going on walks and having yard time with my foster fur sister, or just snoozing next to her on the couch. I appreciate that she doesn’t have an "in-your-face” energy, but we do a little light wrestling sometimes and it’s fun. My foster parents did a crate and rotate plan for about 5 days before I officially got to meet my foster fur sister. The slow introduction helped me know that my new dog friend was safe and nothing to fear. The slow introduction really set us up for smooth sailing and we are total buds now!
Human friends: I really like the human friends I’ve met so far. It helps when they give me a heads up before they pet me so I’m not startled (my foster parents use the cue ‘hands’ to let me know). I’ve even met a few strangers, and I didn’t mind one bit when they talked to me and gave me pets!
Other friends: My foster family does not have any cats or children. I guess my only concern would be that lots of activity and fast motions might be startling to me, and doors to stairways or otherwise potentially unsafe spaces need to stay closed to keep me safe. I bet dog-savvy cats and older children with a little extra patience and mindfulness would probably be just fine.
Grooming: I don’t mind at all if you trim my nails. I lay back and let you do your thing. I guess this is something other dogs give their parents a hard time about, but not me! I tolerate baths just fine, too, and LOVE getting brushed.
Car rides: Car rides are just fine. I like being close to my humans, so I will try to get to the front seat. Using a special seat belt buckle that clips onto my harness and making sure I have a cozy blanket to snuggle up on helps keep me safe in the car.
Crate training: This one’s kind of hard for me. I’m working on being okay with spending time in my crate, it’s just that I really like to be near my family. I sleep with my family in the bed just fine and don’t cause any mischief overnight. I go in my crate or a separate room when they leave the house. Sometimes I whine for a short while then settle down and snooze, and other times I protest for a long time. For this reason, shared walls might not be the best. I get my meals and high value treats and toys in there, so I know it’s a good place. I think I’ll get the hang of it soon, but it’s something I’m still working on.
Adoption Fee: $500 + tax
Adoption Status: Is this dog available? Submitting an application is the best first step to learning if a dog is still available. There is a chance this dog could have a pending adoption when your application is submitted, however our team will offer approved applicants to be put on a waiting list for that dog. Additionally, we can make recommendations on other dogs that may be a match. Pending adoptions do not mean the adoption is finalized. Why did we implement this change? We implemented this update because, unfortunately, dogs were pending for applicants for several weeks and then the applicant would change their mind. This happens more often with puppies, as applications are submitted impulsivly more often for them. Our process is great because it takes a little time, so impulsive decisions fade. However it was unfortunate for the dogs, and the foster homes, as then the process needed to be re-started. By securing a wait-list we are able to move forward more quickly if a pending adoption falls through. This is a new process for us, so your feedback along the way is helpful! Thank you for supporting rescue and adoption!
