Laurent
The VIP (Very Important Placements) program at BARCS identifies dogs with medical challenges, behavioral challenges or those not handling the shelter environment well, who urgently need homes to prevent their decline. With our shelter at or near capacity nearly every day this year, and new dogs arriving daily, it's critical to find these dogs placements quickly. By doing so, we aim to save them from the risk of euthanasia due to lack of space. Adoption fees are waived for all VIP dogs.
Shelter ID: A0056692814
Location: 2490 Giles Road, Baltimore, MD 21225
Sex: Male
Age: 3 Years Old
Current Weight: 75 lbs
About Me
Meet Laurent, an adventurous and curious dog who's ready for his next chapter. Laurent loves to explore the yard, running around with excitement, and his sharp mind makes him eager to learn new tricks. He’s gentle, well-mannered, and shows a playful interest in other dogs as they pass by.
Laurent has met several dogs at the shelter and does best with gentle, polite friends. If you have other dogs at home, a meet-and-greet would be essential to make sure they’re the right match. He’s also eligible for social sessions at BARCS, post adoption, to work on improving his play skills and build confidence with new canine companions.
Laurent’s past wasn’t easy—he came from a situation where he was tied up in a yard, tangled up and unable to move, wearing a very tight collar that caused a neck wound. Despite this tough beginning, Laurent has shown resilience and is ready to thrive in a loving home. He’s healing well and is excited to find someone who will appreciate his playful spirit and love for learning.
Why is My Status Urgent?
A dog’s behavior in a shelter can be very different from how they act in a home once they have time to relax. In the shelter, dogs spend a lot of time isolated in their kennels, meet new people constantly and are surrounded by other loud barking dogs, new smells, new sounds and new routines. This environment can keep their stress levels elevated for days or even weeks, which can cause them to act out in ways they wouldn’t in a home. Because of this, what we see in the shelter are just observations and not promises of how the dog will behave later. A dog’s true personality often shows up once they’ve had time to settle into their new home–that’s why fostering and adopting is so important!
The following are the observations of my behavioral challenges in a shelter environment:
Dog Selectiveness: Dog selectiveness is when a dog may get along well with some dogs but might have a poor reaction or be avoidant with others. Selective dogs may need carefully managed interactions, intentionally selected playmates to ensure compatibility, supervised play with other dogs, and avoidance of situations where they feel threatened or overwhelmed.
Lack of Formal Training: A lack of formal training means the dog may not know basic commands or proper manners, leading to unruly behavior. If the dog lacks training, they may need basic obedience lessons, positive reinforcement, and patience as they learn new skills.
Leash Reactivity: Leash reactivity happens when a dog becomes overly excited, anxious or reactive on a leash, often responding to other dogs, people or moving objects. To manage leash reactivity, the dog may need to be kept at a safe distance from triggers, with positive reinforcement for calm behavior, and possibly work with a trainer if the behavior persists.
