Adoption Fee: $850

If you would like to apply to adopt please
download the application form.

If you would like to know more or have problems using a Microsoft Word document please email us.

NB: We do not rehome interstate or to applicants under 25. It is our policy not to rehome dogs in the Sunraysia area. As rescue groups have transported thousands of homeless dogs from Mildura and Sunraysia pounds over the last decade, we do not intend to send any back there.

Breed: Male Moodle
DOB: 07/08/2022
Weight: 6.5 kg
Location: Caulfield North

Can you embrace cuteness while offering firm and  kind boundaries? Then Bertie is looking for you! This gorgeous ball of floof is finding his paws and needs a good support team. Bertie has some trust issues but once he knows you’re his people, he is happy and active around the home, enjoying playing with his toys and a good game of ball chasing, with or without a human helper. Bertie is house-trained and has mastered the art of the doggy door, through which he leaps like a fluffy gazelle. Bertie loves pats from his people, is happy being handled by them and sleeps soundly through the night on a mat in the bedroom. Smart and curious, Bertie enjoys his walks, checking out the local ‘hood’ and getting in his daily steps. In care, Bertie has been left for a few hours at a time with indoor outdoor access and has been fine with this.

Bertie has had some basic training and will comply when he feels like it, but likes to march to the beat of his own drum. He is also a bit jumpy with unexpected sounds and movements, and uncertain with strangers. Out on walks, Bertie is sometimes reactive to people, taking particular offense to passing joggers. All of these behaviours are signs of undersocialisation and Bertie is currently taking some supplements to help ease his anxieties. The great news is that, after a few weeks in care, Bertie has shown marked change, suggesting that all of these behaviours can be improved with appropriate training and as he becomes secure in his new home.

Bertie will do best in a calm adults-only single-pet home with a person or people who are dog-experienced and able to provide him with consistency, boundaries and incentives to be the best boy he can be. Rewards-based training and positive reinforcement to build his confidence while forming a bond with you, along with regular exercise and mental stimulation will all help Bertie thrive. He will be okay if left on his own for a few hours at a time, provided he has plenty of people time when you are home. Given his smarts and affection for those he loves, being Bertie’s people will be a very rewarding experience of mutual love and watching this dynamic doggo become the dog he wants to be. If you are interested in Bertie please read the foster carer’s note below:

Foster carer’s note: Bertie’s great strength is his cuteness. He is undeniably cute! But his great flaw is also his cuteness. Do not be distracted by his cuteness. He was not well socialised as a puppy and, whilst he is improving, he has a fundamental fear of other dogs and strangers. He can turn from a cute ball of fluff into a snarling, lunging bundle of fear in a heartbeat. When he flips it lasts until you stop it. We can stop it fast because he trusts us. Most people are fine with it and understand, but we never let him off the lead when we are away from home. We are, of course, working on this and, as I said, he has improved immeasurably and will continue to improve, but he needs to be homed with someone who really understands reactivity and can continue his retraining. He needs a home where the humans  know that he’s not being naughty. That this behaviour is because he had a crucial gap in his early development and he’s frightened. It would be great if you already have experience with reactive dogs and helping them overcome this. It would be good if he could be rehomed sooner rather than later because he has bonded to us very closely, and the longer he stays with us the harder it will be for him to move home. But when he trusts you, then you will have the best dog in the world as well as the warm satisfaction of knowing you are giving a lovely dog his best life, after a less than optimal start.

If you are still interested in being Team Bertie, he would love you to complete an adoption application.

Microchip Number: 956000015880294
Source Number: RE120211
Medical Notes:

All our dogs are desexed, C5 vaccinated with intranasal, microchipped, wormed and flea treated. All necessary vet work such as dentals, surgery, eye treatment is also carried out. We are no longer heartworm testing as we have not had one positive test since we began in 2006. If a dog comes to us on heartworm treatment this is continued.