All about this dog…

Taco

TACO ❤️ Beligian Shepherd Malinois - approx 18 months old 

In a shelter in Cyprus , stressed 

Tacos  story is one of utter sadness .Having been found wondering the streets of Nicosia in an emaciated state  , Taco came to the shelter in a most sorrowful condition 
We really can't be sure what led him to  be abandoned so thin and neglected but we do know he was scared , skinny and a very worried boy when he was first admitted 

Taco has learnt in the 8 months whilst at the shelter that people do care and are kind.  initially he continued to loose weight due to the stress of the shelter but that has settled, his overall health improved 
It took Taco some time to de stress from his experience of neglect and abandonment but to also come to terms with the new surroundings of another stressful environment of a shelter 
For some time Taco couldn't share a kennel with another dog 
His pacing and anxiety meant he could set other dogs on edge 

In recent months Taco has settled more , gained weight and improved generally in his health and well being however if there was a dog who needed to be out of a shelter it is Taco .He's clearly a sensitive boy who struggles in the pressure cooker environment shelters can sometimes be 

Taco holds many of the characteristics you would expect for his breed 
Incredibly loyal , very human orientated, adores human interaction which has a calming effect on his mood .He's hugely loving, enjoying nothing better than one to one close up kisses and cuddles
His main driving force is to be close to people  , this brings a broad smile to his beautiful face 
True to his breed, he is medium to high energy 
He's ideal home would be with someone with some Mali experience or working dog knowledge 
Who will harness all that intelligence , challenge his clever  mind in the best ways possible .Taco would enjoy plenty of exercise and interactive learning / training to keep him motivated and engaged 
He's strong on a leash but will settle once his initial excitement calms.  Taco would make an excellent running partner or Canu cross buddy with training, he'd be in his element running along side his human 

So far , in a shelter setting , Taco has not been good in the company of most other dogs . He's reactive , it should be considered that his current environment does not lend itself to the best assessment of this behaviour .He has for instance recently been sharing his kennel with another calm female dog .Taco would need to be an only dog and close monitoring of interactions with other dogs observed .
We don't think Taco would be good around cats although he's not be tested 
Taco could live with families with older children 12 yrs plus however he's ideal home would be an adult only one , with dog / Mali experience who are prepared to take on the challenge of helping him .He will likely be a working progress yet a hugely rewarding one who'd  give back ten fold to those prepared to invest in him 

Taco has known nothing but fear , neglect , abandonment, starvation , anxiety and stress in his short life. He's only ever known the streets of Cyprus or the four walls of his kennel 
It's our goal to change Tacos future and  not  allow him to be defined by his past 
He should be able to experience what being loved and cared for means. To be treasured and adored 
He deserves this so much

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