There have been lots of questions about Bailey, a wonderful dog who has been with us for well over a year. See below for a very long post which gives more details into her history and why we are looking for an experienced adopter. Thanks for reading - she's worth it.
Bailey's story
Bailey was originally surrendered to DCHS on 2/13/23. The owners had her for 2 months after getting her from someone on Facebook. Bailey needed training that they were unable to provide. They were a young, active family and Bailey was getting overstimulated by the kids, and she was also not being provided an outlet for her energy.
She was adopted within 2 weeks and returned immediately because she and the other dog got into an altercation when both were in a hallway in the home. The family had a young child who got nipped in the process. The nip was an instance of the kid being caught in the crossfire with no substantial injuries, but the family was unable to work through the issues in their home while keeping their young kids safe.
April 1, 2023, Bailey was adopted and returned within a week because she was extremely territorial in the home. She absolutely bonded and loved just her mom. She guarded her kennel, her room, her food, her toys, and her adopted mom primarily guarding everything (and nothing) from her adopted dad. This resulted in 2-3 incidents of aggressive behavior with her dad. She also exhibited poor behavior with the teenage kids including jumping up at their faces with an open mouth. This was not a positive experience for anyone in the home, other than mom, who cried upon returning her.
In June, 2023, Bailey was adopted by a single man. Unfortunately, his work schedule and personal life left Bailey home alone for hours, sometimes days on end. She would bark and bark and work hard to get out of the house (she's a husky after all). The situation wasn't ideal. Neighbors were concerned. Law enforcement was involved. We were happy to finally welcome her back in September 2023. In this home, she did occasionally attend doggy daycare.
In October 2023, Bailey was once again adopted. The adoption seemed truly perfect. Bailey had the look and characteristics of the owner's previous dog and Bailey took to him in an instant. However, the resemblance was too much for the adopter and he needed more time to grieve the loss of his previous pup, so she was returned within 3 days.
At DCHS, Bailey is able to be in playgroups with other dogs. However, these playgroups are supervised, controlled and in community space. There are no treats or food around. Bailey will cause harm to cats.
Bailey is extremely smart and somewhat stubborn. She's like a child who exhibits attention seeking behavior. We know this is a product of her life so far, but it is her reality. We are looking for adopters who are either willing to get training for themselves and Bailey or who are already very experienced with harder dogs. She needs an extremely confident handler who is going to give her the time and patience she needs to finally become a beloved family member.
Our job at DCHS is to keep all animals and people safe. Have we been too cautious with Bailey? Maybe. But we take safety very seriously. We also know that being passed around is contributing to Bailey's issues.
If you took the time to read this entire post, then you must have some affection for this dog who has been with us for over a year. We appreciate you following her story. If you think you could be a good home for Bailey, please stop in. If you know someone who would be good, please tag them. She truly is a very sweet, young girl with unlimited potential if she can find the right fit.
