Imagine being a strong young worker, desperately wanting a job, and being passed over time and time again. Such is the life of Max the hound.
Max came to Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue Society (M2BL) in April 2021 as a skinny, untrained 5-month-old Redbone/Majestic Coonhound puppy. After a period of transition, getting him up to weight and ready for adoption, a family with kids and another dog adopted Max and for a time he was in his element.
However, this family didn’t have a job for Max either and his pent-up energy became more than they could handle. He was returned to Meant 2B Loved in October 2022 and has remained in foster care ever since, unable to fulfill his potential.
When Max returned to M2BL it was discovered that he had been living with a ruptured eardrum and an ear infection. Under care of a veterinarian, it was discovered food sensitivities were the cause. Though his ear must have been very painful, but he endured it like a champ and with a change in his diet and some pre-and-pro-biotics, his ears no longer give him trouble and he’s ready to find the perfect job.
Max is stuck between two worlds. He loves being with his people in the house, lying on the couch, or bed (if allowed) but he’s a hound and can’t help himself but to follow his instinct to chase things and to bark like a typical hound. His leash skills also need work. He had some professional training, but his extremely busy foster just doesn’t have the time to continuously work on the exercises provided, so he has no recall at this time. If Max were to find his forever home, M2BL would cover the cost of a few more training sessions.
Max is now 70-75 lbs, neutered, microchipped, and up to date with core vaccines.
Where would Max’s ideal home be? He loves his people so needs to live inside, not in a kennel. And it is very important for him to have a job, so he can expend some of his energy. If properly trained Max would be a great hunting partner or even a search and rescue dog, due to his incredible sense of smell.
Max would like his people to be experienced with hounds and have a good, fenced yard (he’s a digger, which is typical for the breed). With the right amount of exercise and mental stimulation, many of these negative behaviours are likely to dissipate. He just doesn’t know what to do with all the pent-up energy he has.
At just three years old, Max has been rejected by many as ‘too old’ and they have never given him the chance to be the good boy he wants to be. All it would take is the right person, willing to work with him and help him to become the hard-working cuddle bug he is deep down.
His foster says, “He has been pushed around and really deserves to find his forever home and a job that will fulfill him. He’s waited so long.”