Pogo was rehomed at 14 months old in March 2021 from Turkey after being saved from the streets at 6 months old. During this time he was in AFOT foster care with his brother, both lovely dogs who had no issues, they appeared to be confident happy dogs. Pogo appeared to settle well initially, although it became apparent quite soon he was struggling, along with his new owners who were also struggling due to lack of experience with a rescue dog.

Unfortunately the trust wasn’t there both from Pogo and his owners and without trust Pogo became more and more insecure, guarding habits were formed and so began a cycle that resulted in the owners requesting to relinquish him in Oct 2023 and we set about looking for the right home for Pogo.
In April 2024 Pogo was able to move to his second home which we had secured after careful vetting, monitoring and visits. This home was an experienced rescue home, with experience of guarding issues. Sadly they too asked to relinquish him in August 2024 some 4 months later, we were very sad for Pogo and disappointed that more time wasn’t given, but the owners although they had a measure of good success felt it had become untenable due to an older resident dog and elderly family member.
Pogo moved to our emergency kennels in August 2024 where he stayed for 18 months, Pogo was happy in kennels as it allowed him to relax, nothing was asked of him and he could do things in his own time. In January this year (2026) a couple spotted him on our website, fell in love with him, went to visit him and subsequently adopted him. After one week they returned him to our kennels….. Despite everything we had said to them, no notice was taken and Pogo was put under pressure yet again.

In May this year (2026) we decided to send Pogo to a Canine Rehabilitation centre, to not only assess, but to work with him and gauge his specific issues, trigger points and to tell us what kind of a home he really needed, as we had unsuccessfully re-homed him 3 times and it was simply not fair to Pogo to end up in the wrong home again or to have to spend the rest of his life in kennels. He is 6 years old now and deserves to have his own home, we wanted desperately to help this lovely boy.

The following is a summary from the Canine Rehabilitation Centre which identifies his needs and the home he would be best suited to.
Summary
Pogo is currently with us on a rehabilitation stay and has been doing very well. He’s essentially been having a complete “reset” — building confidence, learning structure, and developing safer, more predictable ways to cope with day-to-day life.
Pogo has struggled in the past with aspects of domesticity and being in a home environment. Due to his background as a street dog, it’s important that his future home prioritises security, predictability, and space, with domestic expectations introduced thoughtfully and at his pace.
Ideal Home Environment
Pogo’s ideal home would be rural or semi-rural, with a generally quiet day-to-day feel.
Must-haves
A good-sized garden
Secure 6-foot fencing
A quiet household overall
Household preferences
Adult-only home preferred (or older, sensible teens only)
Child-free is ideal
Pet-free is ideal
Other Dogs
Pogo is ideally an only dog.
However, a cautious, well-managed multi-dog home may be possible with the right match and set-up: – Dogs must be separated initially – Dogs must be separated whenever left unattended – Introductions must be structured and paced to keep pressure low
Cats / Livestock / Small Furries
Pogo has not been tested with: – Cats – Livestock – Small furries
Any home with these animals would need to be approached as unknown and discussed in advance.
Strangers, Visitors & Introductions
Pogo can worry about strangers and can be triggered by unfamiliar people. He has been learning a structured, on-lead meet-and-greet system with us, and this will need to be continued in the home environment.
A suitable home must be comfortable implementing: – Controlled, on-lead introductions – Clear boundaries and calm routines – A plan that prevents Pogo being overwhelmed by visitors
Decompression Space (NonNegotiable)
Pogo will need his own dedicated decompression area within the home.
This is not a crate requirement — it’s a proper, full-size space that functions as his main “den”, where he can: – Eat and drink – Rest and decompress – Choose space away from domestic activity – Feel safe if the household becomes busier
This space must be respected. Pogo should be able to go there without being followed, crowded, or pressured.
Handling Rules (Plain and NonNegotiable)
Pogo does give clear signals when he is worried. His future family must be willing and able to notice and respond to his communication.
Do
Let Pogo approach you — don’t crowd him
Keep handling slow, predictable, and consent-based
Use a calm voice and calm body language
Give him space when he chooses to move away
Keep routines consistent and low-pressure
Don’t
Do not force fuss, cuddles, or physical contact
Do not reach over his head or lean into him
Do not corner him, block exits, or follow him into his safe space
Do not allow visitors to “just say hello” — introductions must be structured
Do not punish growling, barking, or warning signals (these are communication)
Grooming & General Care
Pogo can be wary of grooming, but he is improving steadily with confidence-building and supportive handling. His future family must be happy to continue this progress patiently and without force.
Behaviour History (Safety / Risk Notes)
No bite history
Has shown a warning snap in the past, with no contact made
Ideal Adopter / Handler
Pogo’s ideal family will be: – Street-dog savvy – Experienced with dogs who can be fearful and show low-level fear reactivity – Calm, consistent, supportive, and happy to work at Pogo’s pace
Ongoing Support (Included)
CBRC will support Pogo’s adopting family week-by-week, at no charge, as part of his continuing rehabilitation support programme. This support is designed to: – Help Pogo settle into home life – Guide the family through management, routine, and introductions – Maintain consistency with the work he has done in rehabilitation
Personality
Pogo is a fab character — he’s rightly called Pogo because he can bounce up and down like a little pogo stick. He has good boundaries, is good on lead, and once he trusts you, he really does trust you.

We have hope that the right home is out there for Pogo, with the Rehab Centre’s invaluable ongoing help anypotential adopter will have the peace of mind to have the tools they need to help Pogo become the dog he was always meant to be, a happy, secure loving one. (Please note this is compulsory and will form part of any adoption process)

We would ideally look for any potential adopter to be able to travel to Devon to visit Pogo at the rehabilitation centre and get to know him first, along with meeting Joy, his handler, if this can be done more than once this would be constructive.

Please ONLY apply if you can meet the criteria above (along with AFOT’s individual criteria, although each application will be looked at on it’s own merit)

Any adoption donation for Pogo can be discussed with the potential adopter taking into consideration his age and past donations received. In the right home with an adopter who is willing to give him a chance and work closely with Joy from the Canine Rehab Centre, Pogo will thrive, learn to trust again and the adopter will gain a truly remarkable dog and best friend.