Adopt Maci!

Maci lived in Albany, NY the first 5 years of her life, where she was not treated very well by her family. She was forced to live outside without human contact and to pretty much fend for herself. She was then put on Craig’s list and sold. Her recent family brought her home, dirty, with skin issues and with some pretty nasty behaviors.
The couple who purchased her cleaned her up and has given her some formal obedience training, which has helped with some of Maci’s behavior. They have had her for about a year and a half, but recently had a baby that Maci has not been able to deal with. Maci has always had a history with guarding (probably a result of living outside for 5 years) and now that the couples baby is mobile and can crawl by or touch Maci’s things, she has started to growl at the baby. The couple felt it was only a matter of time before she bit the baby. Maci does have a history of what was described as “nipping” when she is upset. There have been no reports of broken skin.

Maci is a rescue placement!
Maci is a French Bulldog/English Bulldog mix!

Date posted: 09/19/2012
Date last updated: 09/19/2012
Location: Puyallup, Washington state
Age: 6.5 years old (DOB 10/16/2005)
Gender: Spayed Female
Color: White
Weight: 30 lbs
Activity Level: Maci is very active and loves to go for walks and play. She loves fetch (although she doesn’t always bring it back) and a good game of tug a war.
Dogs: No. Maci is jealous of other animals and due to her guarding behaviors she really needs to be an only dog.
Cats: Not safe with cats
Kids: This dog has a bite history – absolutely NO children!
Resource Guarding: Doesn’t like to share bones or treats
Aggression: Will try to bite when handled for medication or toenail clipping.
Medical Status: She is current on all her vaccines and is micro chipped.
Handicaps:  A touch of arthritis. Living in a wet, rainy area doesn’t help!
Medical Issues: Health Concerns: Maci has the usual Frenchie allergies to wheat, corn and soy. These make her itch and cause serious stomach upsets. She does well with Wellness dog food and organic wheat free treats. She enjoys it if her foster mom cooks for her. She loves BBQ chicken and steak as well as strawberries.
Crate Trained: Yes, although she has not been crated since arriving in foster care. She is placed in a gated area when needed. Her previous owners used a crate.
Temperament Issues: She can be aggressive when being picked up or moved on and off your lap. Maci is stubborn and likes things her way.
Housebroken: Yes
Obedience Training: Yes, basic obedience. She will sit and stay.
Shipping: No
Cost to Acquire: 600.00
Our rescue dogs are placed without registration papers

Pictures of  Maci

Maci loves all toys. She likes playing fetch and tug of war. She likes antlers and nylabones to chew. Her favorites are soft toys. She needs the toughie soft toys, otherwise she will shred it in about 15 seconds. Also, if she sees you open the freezer, she may run in and beg for an ice cube to chew on. She loves to go for walks, and is trying to learn some leash manners. She still pulls pretty hard. She loves car rides and will get excited if she gets to go in the car.

Because Maci came to FBLCR with more than her fair share of baggage, we need any potential adopter to be very aware of her particular issues. This is what her foster mom has to say about her:

Bite History: She has not bitten anyone since arriving into foster care, but not from lack of trying.

Triggers for Aggression: Maci’s aggression is set off when you want her to do something she doesn’t want to. Usually this is being picked up or moved on or off your lap. This is the only time we have seen her become people aggressive. Otherwise she loves all people and enjoys the attention and being petted. She has shown no stranger aggression and will allow strangers in or out of the house to pet her. What triggers most of her aggression is other animals. It upsets her if other animals look at, walk by or touch anything that she thinks belongs to her. She has started to tolerate the resident Frenchies and will allow them to play with the toys with her. She has taken on an intense dislike for the resident Pekingese. She is not allowed to be around him at all anymore as she would likely hurt him. All he has to do is look at her!

Food Aggression: She eats in her gated area away from the resident animals. She has shown no food aggression with people.

Necessary Precautions: We have purchased a special muzzle for Maci. We used it when we were working on being able to pick her up. She hates that thing so much, that all we have to do is show it to her now and she stops what she is doing.

Requirements for Further Training: Maci needs an experienced bulldog owner, that can give her a balance of structure and love. She is very smart and will learn quickly if she can get away with bullying and take over the house. She has been allowed to pretty much run the show in her previous home. It was my impression that her previous owners were a little afraid of her, and I think she preferred it that way. She knows the house rules and when she breaks them she will now put herself in time out.

That Perfect Home: Maci’s perfect home would be a active adult or family of adults, with no children or other pets. Maci lost her home because of a new baby and she should never have to go through this again. Maci reminds her foster mom of a bit of a tomboy. You need some energy to keep up with this dog.  She loves the outdoors and spends quite a bit of time playing or lying in the backyard on nice days. She needs someone patient and willing to work with her as she continues to work on her trust and fear issues.

Maci loves to be with people, but she has been gated in foster care and has had no problems. Her foster parents work.

Maci would love the attentions of a dogwalker or petsitter, as long as she was given the opportunity to get to know the person.

A fenced yard would be ideal, as Maci likes to be outdoors, but an apartment is fine, as long as she had her daily walks.

A last word from her Maci’s foster mom…

My husband and I were unsure and a little worried when we picked up Maci and brought her home. We had heard quite a lot about Maci’s aggressive behavior and were not sure we would be able to handle her or give her the care and training she so desperately needed.

Since coming into our home, it has not always been easy and some days have been quite challenging. She and the resident dogs would have daily fights. There were fights over toys, attention. You name it… they were fighting over it. Maci would not let me or my husband or anyone for that matter pick her up or even attempt to pick her up without the possibility of blood and finger loss.

As Maci began to trust us more each day, she started to soften some. I really believe that with all Maci has been through, her aggression is triggered by a lack of trust with most humans. You have to earn it with Maci.

Maci has responded well to structure and praise. We are able to pick her up now and we can clip her nails and give her bath without fear for our lives. Quite often now, Maci can be found lying with me on the couch watching tv, or curled up in bed with me as I read or play video games.

She is one very funny and smart little bulldog. My husband and I find ourselves laughing quite often at her crazy antics. She is silly and just wants to be loved. She is comfortable playing and rough housing and just as comfortable curled up with you watching television. Be warned she does bark at animals on television.

She will need someone to continue her training and trust building. She needs a firm but loving hand. Most of all she needs a very patient person.

I think back to the day we picked her up and how worried I was that I would not be able to give her what she needed. All Maci really needed was someone to give her some love and a second chance. If someone is looking for a energetic and playful dog, Maci would be perfect.

Our house will be quiet without her, but she deserves to find her special person(s).

Maci hopes that you will fill out an application!

If you would like to adopt Maci, please complete our adoption application