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: My name is Omar and my foster Mom says I’m a beautiful, brindled, brave, bighearted, beefcake boy!
There’s one other 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 they almost forget that I’m blind! I don’t let it slow me down at all. I’m really brave and just go for it! I’m not scared of much and still love outdoor adventures, toys, new experiences, new dog and human friends, and all of the pets and kisses. It took me less than a week to figure out how to navigate around my new home, and this really impressed everyone!
My blindness just means that my human and dog family will need to have a little extra patience and thoughtfulness in communicating with me and making sure I feel and am safe. Things like 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 and my foster fur sister’s collar so I know where they are (especially on walks), being creative with basic training, and being consistent with verbal cues are important. My foster parents even made a glossary for my verbal cues so that we’re all on the same page. I’ve already got ‘step up’ and step down’nailed!
What else about me? Let’s see…
Temperament: I’m an easy-going, mellow, snoozy, snuggly,sweet boy. I have the occasional short burst of playfulness, but I’m otherwise pretty low-key. If you’d like snoozy, cuddly dayswith your dog, I’m your guy! My foster Mom says I’m like a shadow because I love to take walks around the house by her side – I like to explore and just really like to be by my people.
Cuddling: The only thing aggressive about me is my cuddling - I am an absolute cuddle monster and will sometimes even hold you down to give you kisses! 60-pound lap dog, anyone??! My foster Mom says I’m the best weighted blanket she’s ever had. I’d love to be your couch-potato-snuggle-buddy for cozy winter days at home.
Home environment: My foster home is a really quiet, mellow place, and I like that. I get to lay in all the comfy spots, and I like that, too. I also like that my foster parents spend a lot of time at home. Though once I get settled into a new place, get to know the people and pets there, and get my crate training down, I think I could be adaptive to a more active household.
Toys: Squeaky and crinkle toys are life and they kind of make me lose my mind! They make me so excited and so happy! I can rip them apart pretty quickly though, so supervised playtime is best. I like to try to play fetch, but finding the ball can be a little tough, so some assistance is appreciated. I also really likepuzzles (with hidden treats, of course) and bully sticks.
Potty training: When I first got to my current home, I markedjust a few places that I frequently bumped into to help me know where I’m going. I haven’t had any accidents inside since figuring out the lay of the land, though! I keep my kennel cleanand I tolerated wearing a belly belt while I was getting adjusted to my new environment.
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!). I love outdoor adventures! My longest one so far with my foster family is 3 miles and I could have kept going. I’m down to go anywhere, but I do I really enjoy quieter, more open settings like parks and nature trails.
Dog friends: I really love having a mellow and patient dog sibling that can help show me the way. I love going on walks and having yard time with my foster fur sister, or just snoozing next to each other 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. Foster Mom says the slow introduction was so that I knew 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 human friends. 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 are hard time about, but I’m really chill about it. I tolerate baths just fine, too, and LOVE getting brushed.
Car rides: Car rides are fine. Since I like being close to my humans, I do try to get to the front seat. My foster mom solved this by using a special seatbelt buckle that clips onto my harness and making sure I have a cozy blanket to snuggle up in.
Crate training: This is the one thing that’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 mischiefovernight. 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. My foster parents give me my meals and high value treats in there, so I know it’s a good place. They also have me practice going in for shorter periods of time both when they’re home and not. 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!
