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Balou

Mixed Breed · Male · Adult · 4 years

Unsure, stormy, curious, puppy-like playful Balou has been living since October 2022 in a foster home in Oberhausen. There, he lives with a female dog and a male dog, as well as two cats. Generally, he is good with dogs and also cats. Due to his (still) young age and size, he can be stormy and ruff. It is important that he is shown boundaries by his people with kindness. With people, he is unsure but initially friendly. He tends to stiffen up quickly when feeling insecure, which must be closely observed. Putting the harness on is still unpleasant for Balou, and he only allows it reluctantly. Walking on a leash must still be practiced with him. On his foster placement, he now remains alone for a maximum of 4 hours at a time, where he has visual contact with the other dogs. In dealing with other dogs, he is initially unsure but generally shows curiosity. He orientates himself in the house according to his people, if they can read him well and set clear boundaries. On walks, he is very independent but needs support with things like dog encounters or situations he cannot assess. Driving is a major stress factor for him. He shows cooperative behavior and now willingly gets into the trunk or onto the back seat, although he experiences a lot of stress during this. It is assumed that he gets carsick, resulting in vomiting or salivating. On the foster home, work is done in small steps on this topic. As he grows from a small, fluffy puppy into a now medium-sized male dog weighing around 23kg, it becomes clear that it is important to him to inform strangers or unknown sounds. He has tendencies to claim resources and spaces for himself, which is currently being worked on with him. In Balou, a very large part of a herding dog is present. For him, we are looking for people with experience with this breed or who are willing to seek professional support. Balou knows the muzzle and wears it in certain situations quite relaxed. Anyone who feels up to this challenge and wants to meet our charming Balou, can contact his foster parent directly.

DE·Show original

Unsicher, stürmisch, neugierig, junghundtypisch verspielt Balou lebt mittlerweile seit Oktober 2022 in der Pflegestelle in Oberhausen. Dort lebt er mit einer Hündin und einem Rüden, sowie mit zwei Katzen zusammen. Grundsätzlich ist er gut mit Hunden und auch Katzen verträglich. Aufgrund seines (noch) jungen Alters und seiner Größe kann er stürmisch und rüpelig sein. Hier ist es wichtig, dass er von seinen Menschen wohlwollend Grenzen aufgezeigt bekommt. Mit Menschen ist er unsicher, aber erstmal freundlich. Er neigt dazu, sich bei Unsicherheit schnell steif zu machen, das muss gut beobachtet werden. Das Anziehen des Geschirrs ist für Balou immer noch unangenehm, er lässt es nur ungern über sich ergehen. Das Laufen an der Leine muss weiterhin mit ihm geübt werden. Auf seiner Pflegestellt bleibt er mittlerweile maximal 4 Stunden am Stück alleine, wobei er dabei Sichtkontakt zu den anderen Hunden hat. Im Umgang mit fremden Hunden ist er zunächst unsicher, zeigt sich aber grundsätzlich neugierig. Er orientiert sich im Haus an seinen Menschen, wenn diese ihn gut lesen und klare Grenzen setzen können. Auf Spaziergängen ist er sehr selbstständig, benötigt aber Unterstützung bei z.B. Hundebegegnungen oder Dingen die er nicht einschätzen kann. Das Autofahren ist für ihn ein großer Stressfaktor. Er zeigt sich kooperativ und steigt mittlerweile freiwillig in den Kofferraum oder auf die Rückbank ein, allerdings hat er dabei großen Stress. Es wird vermutet, dass ihm während des Fahrens schlecht wird, weswegen er sich erbricht oder speichelt. Auf der Pflegestelle wird in kleinen Schritten an dieser Thematik gearbeitet. Im Laufe seines Älterwerdens wächst aus dem kleinen plüschigen Welpen ein mittlerweile mittelgroßer und ca. 23kg schwerer junger Rüde heran. Es wird deutlich, dass es ihm wichtig ist, fremde Personen oder unbekannte Geräusche zu melden. Er hat Tendenzen, Ressourcen und Räume für sich zu beanspruchen, daran wird aktuell mit ihm gearbeitet. In Balou steckt ein sehr großer Anteil Herdenschutzhund. Für ihn suchen wir im besten Fall Menschen, die Erfahrungen mit dieser Rasse haben, oder bereit sind sich professionelle Unterstützung zu suchen. Balou kennt den Maulkorb und trägt ihn in bestimmten Situationen recht entspannt. Wer sich dieser Aufgabe gewachsen fühlt und unseren charmanten Balou kennenlernen möchte, meldet sich gerne direkt bei seiner Vermittlerin.

Size
Large
Age
Adult · 4 years
Location
🇩🇪Essen
Shelter
4animals e.V. — Hundeauffangstation HASt
Living with Balou
  • Vaccinated
  • Neutered
  • Microchipped
  • Good with dogs
Cared for by 4animals e.V. — Hundeauffangstation HASt · EssenLearn about Mixed Breed

Listed 3 months ago

Bringing Balou home

What you'll need for Balou in week one.

Hand-picked · prices indicative

  1. 01
    Required by most shelters

    Trixie Transport Box

    Sturdy plastic carrier — what most shelters require for pickup.

    View on Amazon
    €35–45
  2. 02
    Editor's pick

    Folding Wire Crate

    First-week safe space. Shelter dogs settle faster with a crate.

    View on Amazon
    €50–80
  3. 03
    Legal · EU

    Car Seatbelt Tether

    Legally required in most EU countries for transporting dogs.

    View on Amazon
    €8–12
  4. 04

    Adaptil Calming Spray

    Dog-specific pheromone diffuser. Worth it for the trip home.

    View on Amazon
    €18–25
  5. 05

    Orthopaedic Dog Bed

    Worth the upgrade — rescues often have joint issues from kennels.

    View on Amazon
    €30–60
  6. 06
    Safer than a collar

    Padded Y-Front Harness

    Escape-proof for spooky rescues. Safer than a collar in week one.

    View on Amazon
    €20–35

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About Balou

What life with Balou looks like

Balou is a large adult mixed breed dog waiting at 4animals e.V. — Hundeauffangstation HASt in Essen.

An adult dog fits most household rhythms once the first couple of weeks of adjustment pass. A larger dog like this one needs daily off-leash time when possible — a fenced yard or regular access to safe walking trails. Plan a "decompression fortnight" — quiet routine, no visitors, no off-leash adventures — to let them settle.

🇩🇪Adopting from Germany

German rescues typically require an in-person home visit (Vorkontrolle) or detailed video home check before approving adoption. Animals leave the shelter sterilized, microchipped, and with a valid EU pet passport. Adoption fees usually fall between €250 and €450, covering veterinary preparation.

Essen, Germany browse more dogs in Germany.

Frequently asked

Adopting Balou, answered.

How do I contact the shelter about Balou?
Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. 4animals e.V. — Hundeauffangstation HASt handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Balou on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.
Can I adopt Balou if I live in another country?
Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — 4animals e.V. — Hundeauffangstation HASt will tell you what they need (EU pet passport, rabies titer, transport coordination) and whether they handle transport themselves or refer you to a partner. Plan for an extra €100–€350 in transport costs depending on distance.
Is Balou already vetted, vaccinated, and chipped?
Most dogs on TailHarbor leave their shelter with sterilization, current vaccinations, microchip ID, and an EU pet passport included in the adoption fee. The vet status on this page reflects what the shelter has reported — ask them directly if you need details on specific vaccines, recent bloodwork, or chronic conditions.
What happens if Balou isn't the right fit?
Every reputable rescue accepts an animal back if the adoption genuinely doesn't work — that's part of the standard contract. Talk it through with 4animals e.V. — Hundeauffangstation HASt early rather than rehoming privately; they know Balou and can place them more successfully than a second-hand listing can.
Why does the description sometimes read awkwardly?
TailHarbor translates shelter descriptions into English from the source language (DE). Translation is imperfect — names of streets, donors, and shelter-specific terms occasionally slip through unidiomatically. For the cleanest read, click the source link to see the shelter's original page.
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