Rescue Story
Sven was rescued from Building C of Namyangju puppy mill. The entire place was hell, but Building C in particular was the worst of the worst, which might be why the dogs in that building were the most afraid of people. It was so dark in there that you could only see with the help of a phone flashlight, and it was hard to breathe or keep your eyes open because of the stench from decades of accumulated waste. The dogs in there had never seen bright light, breathed in fresh air, or walked on level ground. Sven was used as a breeding tool all his life, unable to get treatment for his illnesses, waiting perhaps for the day his pain would end. He finally escaped that hellhole last winter when WEACT rescued him.


Personality
After a lifetime spent in a puppy mill, Sven found humans really scary. But after meeting lots of nice aunties and uncles at The Home and now at his foster home, Sven is slowly learning that there are good humans in the world too. He wants to be around people, but he still tends to run away from them. He needs to be approached with lots of patience – if you build up some trust with him using his favorite treats and approach him slowly, he’ll allow you to even if he doesn’t quite feel comfortable. If you refrain from trying to touch him too suddenly or getting too close too fast, Sven will probably understand your intentions and open up to you!


With humans
Sven is still in the process of opening up and learning how to get to know people he’s meeting for the first time. If you call his name in a friendly voice, he’ll approach and lick your finger with his little tongue to show that he’s pleased to see you. Sven is timid and gentle, and it takes him a bit of time to open up to new people. If you suddenly reach for him or suddenly approach him from a spot that was out of his line of sight, he sometimes has potty accidents due to fear. Sven likes to be touched, but he’d prefer for you to approach him slowly so he has time to get to know you.


With dogs
Sven is a gentle, sweet dog who finds comfort in having other dogs around. He loves his canine friends, and he’s a very dependable friend himself – when he sees his friends getting pushed around, he’ll bark as if to say, “Don’t you dare mess with my friend!” But Sven is also a shy boy who gets slightly flustered when others get near his butt. He looks happy and comfortable when he’s with his friends, but when he’s left alone, he often shows anxiety, perhaps because he’s lonely. We hope his new family members can show him that they’ll be there for him even if his dog friends aren’t around!


With cats
Sven has never met a cat.


Energy Level
Sven can’t go on walks yet. He does walk and move around a lot at home.


Shedding/Barking
Sven hardly sheds. He barks in very specific situations – for example, he barks to wake up his foster parent so he can get breakfast, and he also barks out of excitement when his foster parent comes home.


Needs help with
Sven still lifts up one leg when he pees. He’ll pee on the potty pad that’s pasted to the wall, but it would be great if you could teach him to be a little neater. Sven also sometimes eats his friends’ poop if he isn’t full after eating, so please show him that there are way tastier things out there in the world than poop. Sven is afraid of baths, but when his foster family holds him, he’s perfectly capable of being bathed and dried. Please take things slowly when bathing him so he has time to adjust and feel comfortable. Sven is a smart young pup who can accomplish anything in no time as long as he has a loving family by his side.


Health Specifics
Sven is healthy.


Ideal family
A family composed only of adults would be best as Sven would not do well in a home with young children running about. Sven is afraid of people but likes to be near them, so it would be great if he could find a family that accepts and understands this and can wait for Sven to become more comfortable. Sven often finds comfort in being around other dogs, so it would be ideal if he could go to a home with another dog of a similar age with a calm personality. He needs a family that understands that they need to give him enough time to open up instead of rushing at him because he’s so adorable. If he can meet such a family, Sven will slowly but surely open the door to his heart and become a loyal family member and friend. We hope he can find a supportive family he can rely on to teach him how to get used to all the different ways in which humans express affection!


More photos and videos
https://www.instagram.com/gmlrod2/