LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Fourth of July is notorious for being a difficult holiday for dogs, and for Louisville Metro Animal Services, that means tomorrow will be the busiest day of the year. The shelter is already overcrowded, so staff are working hard to get dogs out into foster homes and adoptive homes as soon as possible, including "Just-a-Swinging."
"He's really big and beefy. He's very handsome. He's very silly. He's kind of like the beefy, brawny football player, but he is a silly personality and a heart of gold,” LMAS staff member Stephanie Jackson said.
Jackson meets a lot of dogs every week, but sometimes one will just steal her heart and Just-a-Swinging has done just that.
"He would do well with anybody, and I'd be really excited not to see him behind a kennel, crying and whining for attention," she said.
Just-a-Swinging is a young mixed breed dog with a goofy personality that gets along with everyone. He does great with other dogs and shows signs of house training by keeping a clean kennel.
His energy is moderate, as he likes to walk and play, but he doesn’t require an active family. He also knows basic commands like ‘sit’, but is treat motivated, meaning training should come easily.
"I think because he is so big hungry, he will probably do a lot for food,” Jackson said.
When it comes to finding the right fit for Just-a-Swinging, Jackson said a loving home with a family that is looking for furry friend is the only requirement.
"I think that his heart wants him to go into an active home because he's big and could stand to lose a couple pounds, but his body is probably saying I want a couch life," she explained. "I think he could blend into any home easily -- any lifestyle, active or lazy."
The sweet dog is one of the hundreds of dogs at Louisville Metro Animals Services waiting for a family to take him home.
Right now, Just-a-Swinging is available for adoption at The Animal House on Newburg Road. You can meet him any day of the week between noon and 6 p.m.
Don’t forget the 3-3-3 rule.
When you adopt an animal from a local shelter, it's important to remember it may take time for them to truly settle in and show their true personality. Hence, the 3-3-3 rule.
The first three days after you adopt a dog, they won't be comfortable enough to be themselves. They may hide, avoid food or water, and feel overwhelmed.
After three weeks in the home, they'll start to settle in, hopefully feeling comfortable enough to explore and let their guard down. You may notice behavior problems, and this could be a good time to work on training.
But realistically, it will take three months for the animals to be completely comfortable in their new home.
Shay McAlister will be introducing you to a new dog every week in our WHAS Shelter Stars series. You can watch on WHAS11 at 4 p.m. every Thursday.
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