Calypso

Calypso is a young, approximately 1-year-old, 39-pound mixed-breed dog currently being fostered in Barbados. He appears to be a mix of Caribbean Village Dog and hound, with perhaps some other breeds in the mix. When he was rescued three weeks ago, he was extremely thin (27lbs), but he has responded wonderfully to good food, veterinary care, exercise, and a safe environment. He has gained weight steadily and is becoming a healthy, athletic young dog. He is expected to reach healthy conditioning at 45 pounds. He has been vaccinated, dewormed, and neutered. A veterinarian has also examined a small, mobile fatty mass on his neck and considers it nothing to be concerned about. Calypso is exceptionally social and outgoing. He wants to greet everyone he meets and is delighted when people approach the house—sometimes a little too enthusiastically, with jumping. He shows no aggression or defensive behavior and is generally confident and easygoing. Street noise, thunder, and other everyday commotion do not seem to bother him. He is bright, observant, and learns quickly by watching what people and other dogs do.

Calypso has made remarkable progress in a short time. He enjoys other dogs and has played beautifully with same-sized and larger dogs, as well as appropriately with young puppies. He had a wonderful time with children ages 10–14, although he can become a bit mouthy when excited, so polite play is something he will need to continue working on. His leash manners are improving, and he now pulls much less except when he spots someone he wants to greet. We have introduced a Gentle Leader and are continuing to work on calm walking and greetings. His food anxiety has also improved as he has become healthier and accustomed to regular meals, although he can still become very focused if he knows someone has food or smells something particularly interesting. He is an eager learner, and we are gradually introducing training and household expectations without overwhelming him.

Calypso is currently kept in an enclosed outdoor kennel area with a covered crate/dog house, with supervised yard time several times a day and four to six leashed walks daily. He has never urinated or defecated in his kennel area and rarely deficates in the yard; he reliably waits for his walks, when he typically goes twice a day. We expect house-training to transition well, although he will still need to learn the usual expectations of living in a home. He is also being introduced to crate training. He may cry for a few minutes when first crated at night or after an especially exciting play session, but he settles quickly and sleeps quietly through the night. He almost never barks.

The main consideration for adopters is Calypso’s prey drive. He initially ignored chickens, but when one ran from him, he immediately gave chase and has subsequently chased a couple. For that reason, we would be cautious about placing him with cats or other small animals without careful management and introductions. His interactions with dogs have been very positive, and he appears to genuinely enjoy canine companionship. We think Calypso would do best with active adults or a family with older, dog-savvy children, and he could be very happy with a confident, playful resident dog. he is bright, adaptable, athletic, and making excellent progress. Most importantly, he is an extraordinarily friendly young dog who seems genuinely delighted to be around people and has enormous potential to become a wonderful companion.