Black dogs are the most overlooked, when it comes to rescue and shelters, and it's such a shame people might miss out on a dog like Bernie! He has been the most delightful guy from the second he arrived at his foster home, wanting to snuggle immediately with his foster family. And despite living in a backyard or a cage all his life, Bernie has wonderful house manners and is a very easy boy on a leash. He's not even into chasing the squirrels he sees on his daily walks! Bernie loves other friendly dogs and all humans. He is blissfully unaware of his size and the impact of his full body wiggles, so we'd recommend he go to a family with kids who can't be knocked over. We would like Bernie's family to show him new things and expand his world at his pace. Bernie can sometimes still be fearful of loud noises and new things, so ensuring he has plenty of positive new experiences and celebrating his bravery would really help boost his confidence. He's such a sensitive guy and feels safest with his favorite people, once they have won his trust.
Bernie is available for adoption to qualified adopters in the contiguous 48 states. ABR would prefer approved applicants to come to TX to meet their match, with their family and dog(s), but we recognized this isn’t always possible. In such cases, approved adopters should be willing to participate in video interviews with the entire family to meet their match virtually. Adopters must also provide a transportation plan for their new family member that will require approval from the ABR Board. This needs to be paid for by the adopter, in addition to the dog’s adoption fee. Adopters need to also be prepared arrange safe transport back to the Austin area, should adoption not work out. Please be prepared to provide vet and personal references in your application for us to contact when considering your family.