Dog of the Week: Louis V

Louis V, which is short for Louis Vuitton, is a timid little guy looking for someone to give him a comfortable home where he can settle in at his own pace.  Estimated to be around seven years old, we don’t know Louis’ full story but from the way that he was found to the way that he acts now, we can only imagine the rough start this little guy has had.  Our best guess is that he was used for breeding; he is very fearful of people and does not seem to be familiar with anything other than hunkering down in a kennel. Louis was on the run in Delaware County for many days before he was caught. He was finally able to be captured when a couple driving down the road saw him sitting frozen in the middle of the road.  When they pulled over to approach him, Louis ran in fear.  With some soft words and slow movements, they were able to gain Louis’ trust and get him safely into their car.

He was so badly covered in fleas and his fur dirty and matted that the water ran red with blood from the fleas. He was so terrified but let us clean and care for him.  In the days that followed we updated his vaccines and transferred Louis into a foster home to let him decompress. Louis is very fearful of the world around him; it seems that he is in a near-constant state of panic or high alert.

In his foster home he has settled nicely into a routine, found companionship in the other dogs in the home, learned to slowly start trusting people, and found a newfound appreciation for younger children.  Louis still startles very easily and when startled his natural reaction is to jump and run away quickly.  Because of this and his history of being so hard to catch, we do think that a fenced-in yard would be safest for him.  He would, however, benefit from a home that would encourage him to go for leash walks and he will need another confident dog to help show him the ropes. As fearful of loud noises and quick movement as Louis is, he has shown very little fear and doesn’t react nearly as much with the young female child in the home.  He lets her approach when he’s eating and has also learned to enjoy snuggling up to her in bed when she sleeps.  He may have found comfort in this young child because she’s an easy target to steal snacks from, but we’d like to believe it’s because he can sense that she won’t hurt him as many humans seem to have done in his past. Louis will be okay in a home with children so long as they will listen when asked to give him a little space.

Louis is neutered but he is not potty trained.  He will dutifully wear a belly band in the home and will follow the other dogs outside to potty.  He can be scared of coming inside at times, but with some gentle coaxing, he comes around quickly. A leash-walking routine may also help him with his potty training! Louis is far from “perfect,” but we know that the perfect home is out there for him.  Someone who will give him the time and love needed to earn his trust will be rewarded with soft eyes and the ultimate bedtime snuggles. Louis will start to show you his playful side, he may steal your dirty socks if they don’t make it into the hamper in time and if you aren’t careful he’ll nab your snack when you aren’t looking! He’s been known to be playful with another friendly dog near his size, even going so far as to play bow and initiate play with them!