Ozzie had a rough start in life, and he continues to be fearful about many things, including refrigerators, flag poles, some men, and doorways. He would prefer to live in a female-only home where he can be the only dog. He needs a home that will be ready to help him work on his reactivity with some fun training games. Ozzie is a big fan of dehydrated chicken treats, which can be a great training incentive!

Ozzie tends to bond deeply to his preferred person, and once he feels safe, he can be very affectionate, and will even turn belly-up for pets. He enjoys being brushed and will give kisses to say thank you. Ozzie is still a young dog, and gets frequent bursts of puppy playfulness. He LOVES his toys, and is talented at quickly disemboweling them to remove the squeakers. He is thrilled when his harness comes out because it means he gets to go for walkies, and he gets equally excited about taking his anti-inflammatory medication each evening. He bounces up and down like a bunny when he sees the bottle.

Ozzie was found as a stray in Stockton, and when Animal Control picked him up, he was entirely unable to use his back legs, and was dragging them on the ground. Ozzie spent a few days at the shelter more or less immobile, and then he suddenly popped up and began hopping with his back legs. He has now regained full mobility, and loves a long, leisurely walk in a peaceful environment.

Ozzie will only be adopted out to an adult-only home with a dog-savvy guardian who does not have frequent houseguests and is willing to work on his behavioral issues with a professional trainer.