Second Chance Dog Rescue

NAME: Maverick
LOCATION: Newport, Wales
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UK
AGE: 1 Year (Feb 26)
SEX: Male
BREED: Golden Retriever
SIZE/WEIGHT: Large (35 Kgs)
NEUTERED: No
OTHER DOGS IN HOME: No
CATS IN HOME: No
CHILDREN IN HOME: Yes, age 18+

Maverick is one of our UK-born dogs who, until recently, had lived with his family since puppyhood. Sadly, due to financial strain, increased work commitments, and a recent move into a small rental property where pets are not permitted and space is very limited, they were no longer able to meet Maverick's needs.

He has been very well loved and his family want nothing but the absolute best for him. They feel that a home with more time, structure and experience will allow Maverick to truly thrive.

Maverick is a bright, affectionate and intelligent young Golden Retriever. He is house trained, crate trained, and highly food motivated, which makes him very responsive to positive reinforcement training. He already knows sit, down, paw and place/bed, and loves engaging his brain through learning and enrichment.

As a large, young dog, Maverick can be bouncy, boisterous and occasionally mouthy when excited, so continuing to teach boundaries and helping him manage his arousal levels will be important and will make a big difference to his progress.

He is a happy, healthy boy and is up to date with vaccinations, flea and worming treatments. He is currently awaiting his second testicle to descend; this has been checked by a vet and there are no concerns at present.

Maverick enjoys his walks, however after being attacked by two off-lead dogs over the summer, he can sometimes bark at other dogs when on lead. This is easily managed with reassurance and treat-based redirection.

He has also shown some mild resource guarding, which is very common in adolescent Golden Retrievers, after all, retrieving and holding onto items is what they were bred to do! This has mainly involved items picked up on walks or things accidentally dropped at home. His family managed this successfully using treat scattering and redirection.

Any adopter will need to be willing to continue this work, allow time for trust to build, and support Maverick as his confidence grows.

Maverick enjoys fuss, handling and being brushed. He is less comfortable with baths, nail trims and vet visits at the moment, so ongoing gentle desensitisation will help him feel more relaxed and confident with these experiences.

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

Ideally, Maverick is looking for an experienced, adult-only, pet-free home where he can receive the time, training and consistency he needs. He would love a family who are happy to continue his training journey and support him as he matures into the wonderful dog we know he can be.