Good morning everyone, 
This is Ivan, our very handsome Shepherd mix that has become a local celebrity for Mikey & Me Foster Care.

There has never been a dog come through the Mikey & Me kennels that deserves to find their home more than he does. Ivan is a loyal and loving dog, he is really smart, and he will make a wonderful companion for his human. 

Ivan came to us in June 2018 and he has always been a very sweet boy. But Ivan may have been mistreated because he came to us with a fear of meeting new people and he was unsure about how to trust them. So, when anyone new approached him, Ivan would bark or show his teeth or let out a soft growl to say “Hey, I don’t know if I can trust you, please don’t pet me”.  Ivan had to learn how to trust people again and how to enjoy new experiences...........and that’s where we came in. Please be clear that Ivan is not a mean or aggressive dog in any sense of the word. Rather, he has fear-based reactivity and, at times, he will react to let the person know he is afraid. 

One of our volunteers has been working very closely with Ivan for several months no w. She is taking him on weekly field trips where he encounters new places, has new adventures, and where he encounters a wide variety of people. During this training, Ivan was wearing a muzzle just to be sure no one petted him before she could talk to them about his fears. You may have seen some of the pictures or videos from these training sessions on our FB page. Or you may have encountered Ivan at Lowe’s, Wags to Wiskers, or somewhere downtown. There have been quite a few other volunteers that stepped up to help Ivan by meeting him with his trainer downtown, or by allowing him to visit their home. 

Ivan has made remarkable progress learning to accept new people approaching his space and he has done an amazing job discovering the pleasures of having new adventures. He becomes very excited and jumps up and down when he sees the leash. He is just now starting to take walks downtown without being muzzled and interacting with people he has met previously. His trainer continues to challenge him while making sure he isn’t being pushed beyond his comfort zone. 

So, where do you come in? The bottom line is that Ivan needs and deserves to find his forever home. And we think he is ready but we want to make sure it’s the right home where his new owner fully understands his fears and who is willing to continue working with him. They will need to be a strong alpha so Ivan feels safe and protected in situations that may challenge him. (i.e. someone who is willing to thoughtfully say “No, thank you” when someone asks if they can pet their dog). 

Ivan has been neutered, he is heart worm negative, up to date on shots, and he has been microchipped for his safety. To make sure he doesn’t fail, we think Ivan will do best as an only dog where he will get the attention and reassurance he needs from his new owner. Ivan loves taking long walks and he likes to run too. Having a fenced in yard to wander around in will suit him nicely. Ivan is about 90 pounds and he is between 5-7 years old. Ivan is completely potty trained. 

Please  consider sharing Ivan’s story and helping us find his forever home. As long as Ivan’s new home is near the Ann Arbor/Dexter/Chelsea area, Mikey & Me will cover the cost of four additional training sessions to help him acclimate to his new surroundings. His trainer can then work with Ivan’s new owner on how to manage and ensure his continued success. 

If you would like to meet Ivan, please message me here. Applications for his adoption can be submitted at happydaysdogandcatrescue.org.

Thanks! 
Dan DePew
Mikey & Me

Happy Days Dog and Cat Rescue microchips all dogs and cats before adoption. Microchips are implanted between the shoulder blades and are another form of identification should the animal get lost. The microchips are registered to  Happy Days Dog and Cat Rescue. The adopter's information is added once the adoption is complete. The adopter is responsible for a $19.99/Year registration fee or a $69.00/Lifetime registration fee to change information.  Dogs and Cats still need to have collar with tags should they get lost.