Joe

his handsome fella is Joe, the Mr Universe of Staffies weighing in at 50kg. He's a big softie at heart, but being as big as he is means he needs an experienced home who know how to handle big dogs.

Joe loves to snuggle up whether its on the couch, on your bed, and will happily play chase and run around the yard. His ideal home would be a rural property where he can run around and be a dog without the worry of neighbours misunderstanding him based on his size.

Joe LOVES people - but he is not a fan of other animals. His new family will understand this - many dogs are not great with other animals - but given his size it means precautions need to be taken to ensure everyone's safety.

Joe’s current foster family has worked really hard on his training. He is very food motivated and may even jump up on your counter and eat an entire roll of dog food in one gulp. Joe knows how to sit, drop, crawl, touch, up, down, come, leave it, take it and am now working on learning my left and right (paws)!! Joe is very clever and picks up new things quickly - he would even benefit from a home agility course!

Due to Joe’s dislike of most other animals, he MUST be the only animal in the home, no exceptions. He needs a large yard (with a super strong and secure fence) where he can explore and continue his training. A gated front area of the property is also preferred in order to avoid any accidents (such as a gate not shutting). We would suggest that all gates and doors on the property are kept locked and secure when possible to avoid any potential mishaps.

Joe is trained with all the necessary tools for adventures. He must be walked with a muzzle (which he loves and has been appropriately trained to use), balance harness, and two leads on at all times. However, if you have a large property for him to roam on then walks may not be necessary.

Joe can also get a bit anxious when introduced to new things and loud noises – anything that confuses or overwhelms him makes him on edge and he has gotten snappy in these moments. We do not allow Joe to have bones as we have found this is a trigger for him. Due to him having four homes prior to being a year old - we are of course unsure what his previous situation was. Joe does not like water (how or otherwise), and will sometimes try to protect his carer from unknown objects.

Joe’s home requirements are:
- Only animal
- No children
- Large secure yard for exercise and training
- Experience with strong willed, strong dogs a must
- Lots of attention and love - Joe wants to be the only child in your life!
- Patience and willingness to work with his current care team to continue his rehabilitation
- Understanding of dog behaviour and body language is ideal - Joe communicates very clearly when he is uncomfortable so recognising these signs is essential to his growth

Joe is a bit of a dork, goofy, but built like a baby hippo. His carers have dedicated over a year to his rehabilitation and want to ensure that he continues receiving the best care possible.

If you think you may be a suitable carer for big JoeJoe, please apply below. Please note - we are dedicated to being transparent regarding Joe's case.

Medical notes
JoeJoe is currently on Trazadone twice daily to assist with hyper-arousal and slight anxiety.