norman

Norman: Surprise! You Ordered a Miniature Poodle.Meet Norman. We were told he was Miniature Poodle, coming out of a puppy mill. So his foster went to meet transport, and when he came out of the crate, SURPRISE!We had received the Standard-ish Poodle upgrade! No additional shipping charges. No returns accepted.At about 7 years old and 32 pounds, Norman may not technically be the giant poodle you were expecting, but he has a BIG personality waiting to emerge.Norman spent about seven years in a puppy mill, where he was likely used as a breeding stud. So when he arrived in rescue, he had some catching up to do. Things most dogs take for granted, like people, toys, mirrors, being alone, figuring out what the heck a treat is, are all relatively new concepts to this handsome guy.And watching him discover the world is pretty darn wonderful.Norman is ever evolving. When he first arrived, he was understandably nervous and unsure. As he gets comfortable, his silly side comes out. He can be playful and happy, but he also knows how to settle down and chill. He sleeps peacefully in his crate next to the bed, enjoys lounging on the couch, and has even decided that beds with humans and other dogs are perfectly acceptable accommodations.He is still scared and unsure about people. Not in general. People can pass on the street and he is fine with it, but at the vet or the groomer, he freezes. It appears that people have not been kind to him in his life thus far. But once he is used to you and you are deemed "good", he is your ride or die.He's also discovering the joy of toys. Unfortunately, Norman has apparently interpreted “stuffed toy” as “stuffed toy that must be immediately assassinated.” He is a stuffy killer, so his future family will need to stick with hard toys and safe chews to keep his impressive destruction skills from becoming a gastrointestinal emergency.And then there are the mirrors. Norman LOVES himself. Not in a vain way. More in a “Sir, why is that handsome dog staring at me and why does he refuse to leave?” kind of way. He will literally stand there and talk to his reflection for extended periods of time, so his foster family has had to cover the mirrors.Norman is good with other dogs and currently lives with two female Mastiffs. He would do especially well with a confident, playful canine companion who can show him the ropes. After seven years in a puppy mill, nobody taught Norman how to properly “dog,” and a good dog friend could be a wonderful teacher.He's also doing well with cats. His foster home's cats have had multiple nose to nose encounters with him, and Norman responds with curiosity and a wagging tail, not chasing or predatory behavior.He's good on leash and has already shown us that the big world isn't nearly as scary as he once thought. On a mile long walk along a busy bike path, Norman was completely non-reactive to bikes, runners, cars and motorcycles. That's a pretty impressive accomplishment for a guy who is still learning that the world is a safe place.But Norman does have one important request for his future family: please don't leave him alone all day. He doesn't like being alone and will let you know about it. With time, he does settle, but the initial howling, whining and barking can last a while. For that reason, no apartments or homes with shared walls, please. A family that is home more often than not would be ideal.Once Norman trusts you, we suspect you've got yourself a ride-or-die kind of dog. Road trips? Yes. Hiking? Absolutely. Beer garden patio? Norman would like to review the menu. Sitting beside you on the couch while you do absolutely nothing? Also excellent.He's still working on basic commands and isn't terribly treat motivated yet, so formal training is a work in progress. But he's smart, responsive and learning more every day. He is housebroken on a schedule, and will alert to go outside, but may need to be reminded to finish his business outside. He starts, gets excited, and forgets to finish. He is wearing a belly band in the house to prevent marking, which should not be an issue once he is neutered (prior to adoption)He does best with patience, positive reinforcement and people who understand that progress isn't always linear.Norman is currently in Mequon, Wisconsin, waiting for someone who sees what we see: A dog who spent years simply surviving and is now learning how much fun it can be to actually live.He's got the soulful brown eyes.He's got the poodle brain.He's got the toy killing skills.He's got the mirror obsession.He's got the potential.And apparently... he's got a little more poodle than we ordered.Norman wasn't the Miniature Poodle we expected, but he just might be the big surprise your family didn't know it needed.Albert's Dog Lounge is a specialty rescue focusing primarily on senior and special needs dogs.Our process includes an approved application, reference checks, a homevisit, and then a meet and greet with the dog. Adoption fee is $350 ($600 for a pair). Learn more about Albert's Dog Lounge, our mission, and adoption policies by visiting Albertsdoglounge.org.Begin your application process by copying this link into your web browser: https://www.albertsdoglounge.org/applyWI Dept. Of Agriculture License Number: 474085-DSNOTE ABOUT AGING A DOG: Aging a dog, based on looking at them, is unreliable and usually inaccurate. We get to know each dog as an individual and will do our best to describe each of our dogs based on personality and their needs.Puppy - Under 6 monthsYoung Adult - 6 months to 2 yearsAdult - 2 years to 8 yearsSenior - 8 years to 12 yearsGolden Oldie - 12+ years