Nikki

Hiking AND Travel Buddy Extraordinaire!! Saved from the county shelter, Nikki was scheduled to be put down for being scared, untrusting, and not walking on a leash. We have no record of what her life was like prior to arriving at the animal shelter, but from what we can tell, it was a very unkind one with her possibly being a bait dog. Despite her past, Nikki is a gentle soul who doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. She patiently allows all handling and is learning that human touch can be a good thing. We have been working on rebuilding Nikki’s confidence, and this girl has been a real trooper. She dutifully follows the humans she’s learned to trust, and she now walks like a pro on the leash!

Our veterinarian thinks Nikki is a younger pup – around 3 years old. At 38 lbs., Nikki is a smaller girl, and our best guess is that she is a Labrador/Border Collie Mix. While she isn’t a high-energy dog, Nikki LOVES to be moving and be outdoors! If you want a do-it-all hiking buddy, Nikki would love to accompany you. She doesn’t pull on the leash, and calmly walks past runners, bikers, and other dogs on the trails. Nikki settles easily in the car, and would be a great candidate for van life (Exploring new places every day? That’s right up her alley!).

SPECIAL NOTE: While Nikki is part Labrador Retriever, it appears her lack of early socialization means she is not your typical happy-go-lucky spirit that most adopters tend to associate with labs. She is very much a project dog who needs a patient handler that is experienced in working with low-confidence dogs. An active handler is also a necessary requirement as movement activities (walks, hiking, parkour, etc.) are Nikki’s love language. She simply comes alive when she is doing something active by your side! And no dog parks for this girl. A dog park would be way to overwhelming for Nikki.

If you give her a chance, you’ll see Nikki is at heart a fun (sometimes goofy!) and curious dog that desires a connection with the world around her. Although Nikki had a rough start at life, we are certain there is a home out there that can continue to patiently polish her into the sparkling gem she was intended to be.

(While our rescue typically does not adopt out beyond Phoenix, in order to best meet Nikki’s adventure needs, we will make an exception and accept applications from outside the Phoenix metro area.)

**$200 Adoption fee includes: vaccinations, dewormed, spay, and microchip.