Second Chance Dog Rescue

NAME: Maverick
LOCATION: Gosport
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UK
AGE: 11 Months (Dec 25)
SEX: Male
BREED: Golden Retriever
SIZE/WEIGHT: Large (35 Kgs)
NEUTERED: No
OTHER DOGS IN HOME: Yes
CATS IN HOME: No
CHILDREN IN HOME: Yes, age 16+

Maverick is one of our UK-born dogs and has been with his family since he was a puppy. They adore him, but due to financial strain, increased work commitments, and a recent move into rental accommodation that does not allow pets, they can no longer meet his needs. They want the absolute best for him and feel a home with more time, structure, and experience will allow Maverick to truly thrive.

Maverick is a bright, affectionate, clever young Golden Retriever who is house trained, crate trained, and very food-motivated which makes him highly responsive to positive reinforcement training. He already knows Sit, Down, Paw, and Place/Bed, and loves engaging his brain.

He is a healthy, happy boy who is up to date with vaccinations, flea, and worming treatment (wormer due end of December). He is still awaiting his second testicle to descend; a recent vet check confirmed it has not yet come down, but there are no current concerns.

Maverick enjoys his walks, but after being attacked by two off-lead dogs over the summer, he can sometimes bark at other dogs when on-lead. He is, however, easily redirected with treats and reassurance.

He has also shown some resource guarding, which is very common in adolescent Golden Retrievers, after all picking up and retrieving is in their DNA! This mainly involves items picked up on walks or things accidentally dropped at home. His family manages this well with treat scattering and redirection, and this behaviour is consistent with normal teenage development, lack of clear boundaries, and over-arousal rather than deeper behavioural issues.

Maverick enjoys handling, fuss, and being brushed. He is less keen on baths, nail trims, and vet visits, so ongoing gentle desensitisation will help build his confidence in this area.

Our assessor said that Maverick was a lovely, friendly boy who greeted her well and engaged in play during the visit. She felt strongly that with routine, structure, and the right guidance, Maverick would flourish.

Maverick would love a family who can offer him structure, training, consistency, and ongoing support to help him mature into the amazing dog he has the potential to be.