Description
Hi, we’re Izi and Jessie. With heavy hearts, we’re looking to rehome our much-loved Labradoodle, Elton John.
We adopted Elton when he was just four months old, and he’s been a huge part of our lives ever since. As we weren’t in contact with the breeder directly, we don’t have full details of his litter – but we do have a photo of his Dad and are happy to share this if you’d like to see his handsome pa!
We’re currently in the process of adopting a child, and sadly, Elton no longer meets the safety requirements due to a recent incident involving his reactivity.
Elton is loving, cuddly, intelligent, clumsy 😂 and full of goofy personality. He also looks super dapper in a bow tie. He’s brilliant with people – including men and children – and is calm and relaxed in the house. He sleeps soundly downstairs on his dog bed, has zero separation anxiety, and is crate trained. He’s very obedient, knows a range of basic (and fun!) commands (sit, lay down, paw, twist, middle, touch, leave it, heel, stop), and is extremely food-driven – which makes training enjoyable and effective. He’s also fantastic in the car (falls straight to sleep) which has been a blessing for long journeys. He is whistle trained for recall however we keep him on long-line if other dogs are going to be present.
Elton walks well on the lead in quiet areas and is confident around traffic, livestock, and busy places. His struggle is with other dogs when out on walks – he is reactive and needs space.
He has only bitten once in all the time we've had him. A nearby dog barked suddenly from behind a gate, triggering a reactive moment. In trying to get to the dog at the gate, Elton bit my wife on the thigh to get free from his lead. No hospital treatment was needed, but there was bruising and teeth marks. At the time, we weren’t using his usual lead setup (we didn’t expect the other dog to be present), so couldn’t apply our normal training practices, which have always helped manage similar situations.
That said, Elton *can* live with other dogs. He spends time regularly with our parents' family dog (pictured), and they get on really well. For Elt, the key is careful introductions in a neutral, controlled setting. Once he knows a dog, he is completely relaxed around them and shows no signs of reactivity – the difficulty lies with unknown dogs he encounters out on walks or dogs who come over to him off-lead!
Elton will thrive in a dog-free home or with another well-matched dog, provided introductions are slow and considered - this is likely the same for living with cats. He needs kind and patient owners who understand reactive behaviour and can continue to support him with patience and structure. We know that with consistent training – something his food motivation makes easier – he has every chance to continue improving.
We’re heartbroken to be making this decision, but we’re hopeful there’s someone out there who can give Elton the safe, loving home he deserves.
If you think that could be you – or if you can help with his rehoming – we’d be incredibly grateful to hear from you.
Thank you so much for reading,
Izi & Jessie