Introducing Rusty!

Please welcome to NYCSR, Rusty, a beautiful sesame colored male shiba who is about 9 years old. He’s come to us because his former owner changed jobs and was unable to dedicate the time needed to care for a dog. Rusty is about 28lbs and has a little chubbiness to him that his current foster family is watching to make sure he doesn’t gain more weight. They are exercising him and watching the amount of food and treats he gets each day.

Rusty is in good health and may have had seizures in the past, but so far, there have been none reported since he’s been with us but he does have a vet exam coming up soon and we will let you know if we find any concerns.

He’s friendly with adults, affectionate, and curious. He’s also true to his shiba nature and can be aloof at times as well. When Rusty passes dogs on the street he shows curiosity or ignores them most times but a few dogs he has shown some aggression towards and we’re trying to figure out what may trigger that reaction.

Rusty’s foster family told us that he is friendly to people he knows and curious but wary towards strangers. It takes him a little time to warm up to people to visit the apartment or those who want to greet him on the street. Rusty is neither toy nor food aggressive. He had very good manners when it comes to treats–never snapping them out of your hand or stealing them. He was very quiet and mild when he first came into our home but he has become more playful.

Rusty knows some of the basic commands such as sit, down, and stay but also knows high five and speak! Rusty has a weird snapping behavior where he snaps at the air in front of him. It can seem aggressive because he is baring his teeth but if you put your hand in front of him he will avoid it. Rusty snaps when he is excited, bored, or wants your attention. He has bursts of energy when he paces up and down the apartment and snaps at the air. During these times he gladly welcomes somebody to play with or will quiet down once he gets it out of his system.
Whoever is lucky enough to take Rusty into their home will have to learn his language a little bit to understand what he’s trying to convey.

When on walks Rusty is generally good. Though sometimes he wants to cross the street without being given any direction and will walk in circles around you at other times. He quickly comes back when corrected but tugging on the leash. Rusty’s goal in life is to kill all bugs, flying or otherwise. He does chase birds sometimes but other times is completely aloof towards them.