Hi, I’m Mini Cheddar.
I’m lively, yet chilled and require a patient owner to help me trust humans again.
More About Me
Available to Foster or Adopt
Breed - Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Size - Medium small
Sex - Male
Age - 2 years
Colour - Black and white
Live with children - No
Live with other dogs - Unsure - potentially pending successful dog meets here at the Sanctuary
Live with cats / small animals - No
Temperament - High energy, cuddly once knows you, vocal
Knows basic commands - Sit, Paw, Down, Touch
Able to be left - 4 hours
Adoption fee - £250
All of our dogs come neutered, vaccinated & microchipped, unless stated otherwise.
Cheddar is not neutered, but instead has been chemically castrated as we needed to see what affect this would have on his behaviour.
My story so far…
Hey! I’m Mini Cheddar. I came into the Sanctuary in May 2024 when I was being tied up outside. Luckily, my carers saw and intervened - they bought me inside and were told I was a stray dog found tied to a fence up the road. The Sanctuary took me in, fed me and made efforts to locate an owner. Sadly, my microchip details were out of date, so my most recent owner was not able to be located, meaning I was likely abandoned. My carers managed to re-trace some of my steps, and they have become aware I’ve been through quite a lot. I’ve had over 20 homes in my short life and unfortunately some of these homes were not thought to treat me very nicely…
My carers learned quickly that I had issues with trusting people. This includes with handling, through barriers and when they leave my kennel. I mostly react by moving away and barking when things get a bit much for me, to warn you I don’t like that. Though through barriers, and when leaving my kennel, I can occasionally nip to warn you. I don’t mean to… I promise… But it’s so hard with everything I’ve been through. It’s scary when people leave me, and things look really strange through barriers. I usually opt to move away and bark instead, but sometimes I remember everything humans have put me through and well, I’m fearful. I don’t want it to happen again. Please don’t let this put you off me - if you show me the love I have craved all my life then I am bound to reciprocate that love, but we need to go slow to start with, so I learn I can trust you.
My carers knew early on that with the limited time and resources at the Sanctuary, I wasn’t going to get any better and so the decision was made to send me to CBRC for some residential rehabilitation using force-free methods to help me trust people and give me a chance to have some exposure to the real world - and other people. I have made great progress here so far and my trainer is really impressed with me. I have now finished my stay, and am back at the Sanctuary searching for my forever home. There are lots of noises and strangers and other dogs here, which I am coping well with considering! But I would much rather be in a home.
I am a high energy boy and love to play with my toys. I am alway s on the go here at the Sanctuary but my carers know for sure that if I had a stable home and a sofa to chill out on, I would calm right down. I can be cuddly and affectionate on my terms at the Sanctuary (there is so much going on that I need to be able to run around and see everything for myself!). My carers think I would be a cuddly boy in a home once I learn I can trust you.
I do enjoy walks but my nose takes me where I want to go - so don’t be expecting me to come back to you, hehe.
I love food which makes my training super easy especially if you are persistent! If I know what you want from me and you’re holding some of my kibble - then I will do it. There may be times when what is going on in the outside world, maybe more interesting to me than food, so I may need an occasional reminder that you have something for me!
Home I am looking for…
I would like an adult-only home, due to my past and coming in as a stray. My carers don’t know if I have ever been around children before and because of my untrusting behaviours, me and a child may struggle to understand each other’s behaviour and why we do certain things. A patient and understanding home would be best for me. Some kind hearted people, that understand I might make a mistake, but I don’t mean it. I will get there eventually. I need someone to give me a real chance before they give up and rehome me or return me. Please help me restore my faith in humans - I really want to believe you won’t hurt me but I need people to evidence this.
I have so much potential to be a loving pet. I love my toys and my food, and will love pottering around a secure garden and snoozing in my very own bed. I won’t be able to go for walks right away because I will need to take in my surroundings - everything will be so new to me! My carers will put together an in-depth care plan to send home with my adopters so that they know when they can work towards doing certain handling bits&peices with me.
When I can start going for walks, quieter and more rural settings will be much better for me, so that I can get used to walking on a lead without lots of distractions around. Eventually, with patience and training, I might be able to walk in higher traffic areas.
I may be able to live with another dog pending successful meets here at the sanctuary as my carers have found out that I have successfully lived with other dogs before. Any existing dogs should be a similar size to myself, or larger and be dog friendly and/or willing to accept another dog in the home eventually.
My carers aren’t really sure whether I can be left or not, because I was handed in as a stray, but they think when I am settled in a home environment I would be happy being left 4 hours. Adopters will need to monitor any signs of seperation issues and help me overcome them. My carers at Wythall and my trainers from CBRC will ALWAYS be a phone call/email away if adopters feel like they require any further help with anything.
Behaviour & Training…
I can be strong on the lead at times although I am really small, because I am all muscle! Following my carers and trainers advice this will get better and easier with time.
Early on in the home, there won’t be much training taking place, but mostly games and bonding exercises to help me trust you further. When our bond is already pretty solid, is when we will begin our training journey together. Slow & steady is definitely the best approach with me.
I can be reactive to some dogs through a barrier, but less so when I am on a lead. If they bark at me, I may bark back but I will more than likely try to back off from them. I am responding well to training with this, so this can be continued in the home.
I will need to wear a muzzle for veterinary procedures just in case - vets are very invasive and given everything I have been through, I don’t like being prodded and poked by strangers…
Medical history…
I have been chemically castrated rather than being neutered as we needed to see how losing my testosterone would affect my behaviour. Once settled in a home, I can be neutered but until then I will need chemically castrating every 6 months.
Things to note…
If you are kind enough to want to adopt me, or even foster me so I can get used to a home environment and some stability, then you would need to come to the sanctuary often to get to know me. Once we know each other, I will show you what a sweet little staffie I can be!