Matteo

Matteo is a medium/large crossbreed aged around four years old. Matteo has come into our care recently from Roxana’s shelter in Romania. He went into the shelter as a puppy along with his mum and sister and sadly grew up there. Matteo is a comical character who is adapting well to his new life but still has a lot of new experiences to encounter. He has a whole catalog of facial expressions that make us smile. He is not very brave when encountering new things but after a few repeats of them he loses his fears and is really starting to enjoy and be fascinated by life outside of the shelter. He gets on well with other dogs and would like to live with at least one other dog in his forever home. He can live with respectful children aged ten plus. He will need patience and guidance while he builds up confidence out in the big wide world. He is affectionate and cheeky with people he knows well and will make a fab addition to his lucky new family. It will take AT LEAST 3-6 months for your dog to settle-in and for you to know your dog fully (longer for nervous dogs). The slip lead must ALWAYS be used during this settling-in period. Even after your dog is settled, it is safest to use the slip lead in situations where your dog may become scared (e.g. visiting new places, around unfamiliar people, at the vet), and it situations where unexpected triggers might happen (e.g. around bonfire night). Nervous dogs may always need to wear a slip-lead as a back-up safety measure. The slip lead is a safety device and must NEVER be used as a training tool. Using the lead to apply pressure to the dog’s neck is damaging. If your dog pulls on the lead, then we can advise you on training methods that avoid harm. Once your dog is settled, you may want to consider using a harness (together with the slip lead) if your dog is comfortable with being handled when it is fitted. Most harnesses are not escape-proof, but harnesses with a strap behind the ribcage (e.g. Ruffwear Webmaster or Perfect Fit Harnesses) are safer. Retractable / extendable leads must never be used on our dogs. Fences and gates must be 5foot minimum in height and secure. Select CountyAvonBedfordshireBerkshireBordersBuckinghamshireCambridgeshireCentralCheshireClevelandClwydCornwallCounty AntrimCounty ArmaghCounty DownCounty FermanaghCounty LondonderryCounty TyroneCumbriaDerbyshireDevonDorsetDumfries and GallowayDurhamDyfedEast SussexEssexFifeGloucestershireGrampianGreater ManchesterGwentGwynedd CountyHampshireHerefordshireHertfordshireHighlands and IslandsHumbersideIsle of ManIsle of WightKentLancashireLeicestershireLincolnshireLondonLothianMerseysideMid GlamorganMiddlesexNorfolkNorth YorkshireNorthamptonshireNorthumberlandNottinghamshireOxfordshirePowysRutlandShropshireSomersetSouth GlamorganSouth YorkshireStaffordshireStrathclydeSuffolkSurreyTaysideTyne and WearWarwickshireWest GlamorganWest MidlandsWest SussexWest YorkshireWiltshireWorcestershire