If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to walk with a polar bear, Max could be the boy for you. Debates about his parentage abound, and there definitely seems to be German Shepherd in there, but Maremma Sheepdog has also been suggested as a constituent.
Whatever he is, Max is 9 years old and a Very Big Lad, weighing 56kg and standing 73cm to the shoulder. If you imagine a polar bear in your living room, it might help you decide whether Max would fit in. He’s in an Oldies Club foster home in West Devon, almost in Cornwall, waiting for someone to offer him a permanent home.
About Max: Max recently moved to this foster home. He has had his hair shaved at the vets as it was very matted. When his coat grows back he will look truly splendid. Maintaining that coat is a big job though, and when his coat was matted he, understandably, didn’t like to be brushed, but his foster carers are getting him used to the brush and keeping him looking wonderful.
Max would like a home as your only pet where he will receive all the love and attention he is so clearly getting used to. You will need experience of large dogs and breeds that tend to be protective of their people and home. Max originally came to us after being moved from place to place after the death of his owner. He had stayed with people who didn’t have time for him and it seems he may have been kept crated for long periods. This has made Max extremely fearful of crates and confined spaces.
Shortly after arrival at his new foster home
Waiting to see the vet to be sedated and shaved
Doing well in foster: Max settled at his new foster home very quickly. His first night went well and he was a calm boy from the outset. Within 3 weeks he seemed fully settled.
Taking a blueberry wheat very gently
Likes to have someone around: Max was left for short periods in his previous foster home, but his current foster carers don’t leave him at all as he does tend to howl when they’ve tried it. A home with someone around all day would be best for him. He loves a trip out in the car so he’ll be very happy to go for days out with you.
OK with most dogs: Max shared his first foster home with another large dog and they got on well. He’s the only dog in his current foster home, and although he tends to ignore most dogs he meets, he does sometimes take exception to an occasional one. He would be best as your only dog.
Will chase cats: Max thinks that cats are for chasing so he needs a cat-free home. We were told by the people that relinquished him to us that he cannot be trusted around livestock.
Older children: His foster carer’s young grandson loves Max, but it is thought that Max would be best in a home where any children are older, as he can be a bit of a grumpy old man about certain things.
Good on the lead, until he sees a cat: Max is normally good on the lead and walks steadily, but he will suddenly pull very hard if he sees a cat. If Max wants to go a different way to his handler it is not easy to move him due to his size. He is a very sweet boy but can be stubborn. Max is currently enjoying 3 or 4 walks per day of about 30 minutes each, whatever the weather. The main comment his foster carers hear when they are out with Max is: “Oh my word, he’s huge!!”
Loves to go out in the car: Max is very good in the car and loves to have a trip out with you. In fact, he’ll jump in the car at any opportunity. The car just needs to be big enough for a tame polar bear.
Max’s favourite pastimes: Max really enjoys walking around the village and the country lanes. He also likes chewing tennis balls, but they are very much his and he will guard them. He carries cuddly toys around too. His previous foster carers said that he liked to dig and bury his toys. Anything that involves water is a big love of Max’s: he loves rivers and will happily play with the hosepipe. He enjoys chewing a marrow bone.
Max’s dislikes: Big Max is frightened of loud noises such as thunder and fireworks. He doesn’t like strangers coming to the door and he feels that he needs to guard his family. He will bark and growl and this can be quite intimidating due to his size. Max’s new owners will need to have experience of sensibly managing this trait. Max has a fear of going to the vets and this needs careful management as he can become aggressive. He is also like this if you try to take him to a groomers. Max has a terrible fear of crates and confined spaces.
Max’s ideal home: Max is doing well in his foster home and is very relaxed. A quiet, rural home, where his people are at home, is what suits him best. In his foster home he has the run of the house and he sleeps wherever he likes, including on his foster carers’ bed!
Health notes: Max is neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and has been wormed and flea treated. Keeping Max’s ears clean is very important as he has a chronic ear condition for which he takes Apoquel tablets daily. His foster carers are cleaning his ears every day, which Max isn’t entirely happy about but he is getting used to. If his ears are not kept clean, a black yeasty discharge very quickly builds up. The daily ear cleaning must be continued in his new home, as must the daily brushing to keep his coat in good condition. His fur is growing back well and mustn’t be allowed to become matted again. The vet found several cysts on Max, including one on his shoulder which is quite large and is being monitored. He also has a skin tag which bleeds if he knocks it. Max had muscle wastage and loose tendons, and so it is important that he has his three, steady 30-minute daily walks to build up his leg strength. He sometimes drags his back paws due to muscle weakness.
More from Max’s foster carer: “Max has a double coat which needs grooming every day, otherwise it matts and last time that happened (before we started fostering) he had to be sedated and shaved at the vets. Keeping Max clean is an ongoing task due to the colour of his coat. I use wipes and a detangling spray on him. He has a delicate stomach and sometimes has diarrhoea, at which times I cook him fresh chicken and rice. Saying that, Max trusts us now after being with us for a couple of months. We love him and treat him as part of the family.”
If you would like to offer Max a permanent home, please read our Adoption Procedures for information about the adoption process. You can then contact an Oldies Club Rehoming Coordinator as follows:
Email: rehome@oldies.org.uk
Telephone: 0844 586 8656
He can be rehomed anywhere on the UK mainland – the closer to his foster home the better – subject to a satisfactory home visit. Note that you will be required to travel to the foster home to collect him.
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If you would love to offer a home to an oldie but your circumstances aren’t suitable, perhaps you would be kind enough to sponsor one of the special oldies we are caring for that, due to health problems, are unlikely to be offered a permanent home.