Dawson, FKA Bonzie
1-2-year-old smooth blue merle male 
From left to right, at the 2007 Minnesota Pet Expo: Lady III, Mitzi, Shelby, Bonzie
Click here to see Bonzie’s Christmas Ornament for the Stillwater event.
All is well with the new guy. Dawson has learned his name and is a happy dude. He and Reagan are getting along well although he still tries to be too friendly to Buddy the cat and Buddy is having no part of it. No real problems, just some funny encounters between dog and cat. Dawson does well off leash, he stays somewhat close by and comes back when he is called. He is eating well and he goes to the vet next week for a checkup. He has not chewed or made any messes in the house and he and Reagan seem to sleep a lot when Melissa and I are at work. He pulls a bit (ok, a lot) on leash, but we are working on that. I am very pleased with his first two weeks of life with us. He has met many of the neighbors and they seem impressed with him as well. Bonzie is one very cool dog - just the sort of guy that other dogs love to hang out with. This is partly because he is friendly, fun loving and playful. But it is also because be has some very useful skills that other dogs can only envy. Bonzie is both smart and observant, and after watching his foster mom open a door or unlatch a gate, Bonzie can quickly figure out how to do those things for himself. It makes him very popular with the other dogs if they are planning a prison break, and it makes it a challenge for his foster mom to keep everyone where they belong. Fortunately, since coming to his foster home, Bonzie has fallen in love with his collie foster sister and has lost interest in engineering the great escape. As long as he can be by his sis, Bonzie is happy to stay at home. Bonzie came to MWCR from a shelter where he had been turned in as a stray. He is rumored to be able to leap a six foot fence and that, coupled with his Houdini skills, make it easy to see how he came to be lost. He is a handsome, one to three year old, neutered male with mesmerizing, ice blue eyes. He is smooth-coated and probably has some blue heeler mixed in with his collie genes.
Post-Adoption Update, March 21, 2007!
New to Rescue!
Bonzie is house trained, and his foster mom is able to leave him alone without any problems. He comes when called and is currently working on the basic obedience commands such as “sit,” “stay,” “lie down,” etc. He is quiet boy who is also working on his leash skills, for though he likes to go for walks, his enthusiasm sometimes gets the better of him. He really enjoys car rides and also likes to go for a swim in the lake.
Bonzie loves everyone he meets – strangers, friends, adults, children - and can’t get enough petting and attention. He is very good with other dogs and loves to play with children. He is a large dog, however, and during boisterous play, he could knock over very small children. He has a “take them or leave them” attitude toward cats and just likes to watch from a distance. His foster home has horses and Bonzie is fine with them when they are in the pasture, but tries to herd them when they are out. His only enemies are chipmunks who, in Bonzie’s world, exist only to be driven from his yard. Bonzie loves being petted, hugged and brushed, and will gently insinuate himself into any situation where there is affection to be had. In spite of his size, he is convinced he is a lap dog.
Bonzie has lots of energy and is looking for an active, forever family that includes another dog. In spite of his escape artist skills, he appears to be happy to stay home as long as he has a canine buddy to be with. He has a real fear of being confined and should not be crated, which is no problem, since he is well behaved in the house. Bonzie is an exceptionally sweet and affectionate boy with loads of personality, who is looking for a loving lap to try to sit on.
Bonzie is fostered in Ely, MN.
