Meet Sebastian (ACCT-A-243248)! Sebastian is an approximately 2-year-old pup who was brought in as a stray by an APO on 2/16. While he can be a bit nervous at first, he's learning more each day that leashes, new experiences, and people aren't so scary after all. With a little patience and reassurance, his sweet personality truly shines. This wiggly, affectionate boy is slowly but surely coming out of his shell. He loves to snuggle, happily greets other dogs, and can spend hours entertaining himself with his Kong Wobbler. Above all, Sebastian adores gentle pets and soaking up attention from his favorite people. Sebastian is a young, intelligent dog who's ready to find a loving home. He's looking for someone willing to guide him, build his confidence, and take him on fun adventures-showing him that the world is full of exciting (and not-so-scary) possibilities. Behavior: On 2/21 staff noted: "I went to meet Sebastian in his crate. I said hello in a baby voice and he scooched right to the front of the crate with his tail wagging. He willing took a treat from me, was a little snatchy but not horrible. I gave him a few more treats and then left the room. I went back to his crate about ten minutes later and gave him some more treats. I opened the crate door and he came to the front and allowed pets. I brought out my leash and he immediately retreated towards the back of the crate. I gave him a treat with my leash on my arm and he took the treat. I put my leash loop on the floor and put a treat in the middle and he ate that. I continue to let him see me moving my leash around while giving him treats. I was able to eventually loop the leash around his neck and he came out of the crate. He panicked once he felt leash pressure and began backing up and gently biting the leash. I redirected him to walk towards the back of the room instead of walking to the exit and he walked willingly. we sat on the floor and he let me pet him and snuggled into my arms. I tried to coax him with treats to start walking and he stopped. A behavior staff member came into the room and carried him to my office. Once in the office Sebastian opened up and walked around the office wagging. He would gently put his paws and his head in my lap and solicit pets. He gives gentle face kisses. He was given a Kong wobbler which he quickly learned would dispense food treats! He is very food motivated, knows sit and wait! On 2/20 staff noted: "Went to Sebastian's crate, he was at the front of it and pawed the door. But then when I opened it he went to back of kennel. I was able to get the leash on him, and we walked outside. He was visibly nervous, walking with tail tucked. When we walked into the yard (both he and the other dog were avoidant of each other) he kept jumping on me. When Shugga left, he came up and solicited pets and was putting his feet up on my lap. We did a meet with Coco nugget bean (?), and Sebastian went up to the gate for a gate greeting wagging his tail. In the yard he was being avoidant but he did go up and sniff her a few times, and then was sniffing her and being a bit more relaxed. Coco didn't seem to mind but then would stiffen her face a bit and snapped at Sebastian and he jumped back. She walked away but he then wanted to continue to sniff her. They had some good sniffs where she sniffed him no issue, and she didn't seem to care about him sniffing until he sniffed around her face for too long. At one point he was on the other side of her and sniffed her face briefly, then sniffed her side and rear. She stiffened but I couldn't pull him away due to my position and she air snapped at him. A little later I walked him back inside pretty easily, and he went into his kennel the second I opened the crate door." On 2/20 staff noted: "In the back of The kennel, whale eye and lip Licks tail high, ears pasted back. Offered food which he ate, and when presented with the leash she would stop eating. Attempted to Lasso, ran by me and was loose in the evaluation room. Once in a corner was able to Lasso and leash with hunched body and dog was avoidant. Had to take my time to pick up, but was bucking on the leash so carried outside. Once meeting rock salt, avoidant, attempting to jump on me, seemingly with the intention to get me to pick him up. Rock salt was distracted with food and then Sebastian went in for some sniffs. Carried back to kennel was easy to return to crate." Sebastian and Rock Salt Meet: https://youtube.com/shorts/qWJuLsMGoAc?si=zVgV2eVUDuC0Onqm On 2/20 staff noted: "Attempted to take Sebastian out for a dog meet. He was pinned to the back of his crate when I arrived and had a low tail and whale eyes. I knelt down in front of the crate and threw a treat in. He ate some of it and slowly approached me. I then opened the crate and he retreated again. I threw a few more treats which he ate and then showed my leash and he pinned himself to the back of the crate again. I spent some time trying to leash him - I attempted to hold a treat through the leash and he would dodge it but would go after the treat (very snatchy so recommend tossing treats) and attempted to lightly lasso over his head, but each time he would flinch and dodge the leash. He remained pinned in the back of the crate so I continued to kneel on the floor and opened the door to continue to try to leash him. He kept fearfully dodging the leash but would respond to treats. He then quickly dodged the leash and got out of his crate. He ran between two crates and cowered and then hid under the table. I called for backup because he kept running from me and leashing him was not an option and a staff member came in and made a treat trail to his kennel and he followed it and went right back in! I went back to his kennel about 20 minutes later to throw him some treats and he would approach the crate door for them and would take them very ravenously." On 2/20 staff noted: "Changed to rescue only, staff tried to remove from crate and got loose, described as "terrified" mainly seems to be of the leash. Was told a treat trail back to the crate worked to secure the dog." On 2/19 staff noted: "Best suited for a home with kids 12+ due to shy/ fearful behavior. Would do best with a fenced in yard to help build confidence with leash walking and a quite neighborhood." On 2/19 behavior evaluation staff noted: "Kennel Presentation: At the front of the crate when I approached. Soft/ wide eyes, with ears back and tail down with stiff wag. Leash Skills: When I opened the crate door, he retreated to the back of the crate. Tossed a few treats in to attempt to lure to leash up. Had to lasso and then he came out slowly with a treat trail. Eyes darting on the walk, would stop and look around with hears back and tail down. Needs verbal encouragement and treats to continue to walk. Sociability: Submissively social. Comes over with ears back, wide eyes and tail down. Allows all handling, however would pant here and there along with dandruff. Very food motivated and can be snatchy with treats. Was at huddle today with a good amount of people, he was going between multiple people sitting on the ground. Play: n/a Dog Interaction: Came in with another dog named Ursula who when he saw her it helped him come off the truck. Return to Kennel: Needed to toss a treat in for him to go in and a pile of treats to remove leash. Color Level: Blue Recommendations and considerations: Kids 10+ due to fearful behavior. He would do best in a home with another dog who will help him build confidence and a fenced in yard." On 2/16 staff noted: "Helped get Sebastian off the apo truck. He was in the back of the truck with wide eyes and ears bac, tossed treats it and he ate it immediately. After a few more treats he gave me low fluttering tail wags. Very food motivated used cheese and meatballs. Treat lured to leash up and then did a treat trail to come out of the truck. Came out of the truck after seeing the other dog they were RAL with. Once the leash had some pressure on he started to buck back and then biting at the leash. I crouched down and was able to pick him up then carry him to the kennel." On 2/16 APO noted: 2 stray RAL dogs removed from yard. Ran and hid, low growled, ears back, whale eyes. Lashed out when on leash, bit catch pole entire interaction. Can see spine and ribs, bleeding from mouth after biting catch pole." Medical: On 2/16 staff noted: "Did not TTA, After revisiting, he approached with tail wagging but consistently retreated to his bed after only a second of being near. I concluded he just needs more time, he appears to be willing but is more unsure and fearful rather than reactive/defensive." Videos: Luna Toons, Sebastian and Carter leashed meet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe_Fav1zbJ4&authuser=0 Sebastian on a walk https://youtu.be/jEfQigvcb5I?si=GUeYWKhulW90A5w_ Meet Sebastian https://youtu.be/jEfQigvcb5I?si=oVU5GJCUBkpCtXGi Sebastian meets Shugga (sort of, avoidant): https://youtu.be/0fpz-TOuypA?si=RrnPBdWPkYNHjjI5 Sebastian meets Coco Bean Nugget: https://youtu.be/0DMCJcOj7oA?si=zx8wKRZ8lnwriQBe ACCT Philly is located at 111 West Hunting Park Ave in Philadelphia. We are open for adoptions 7 days a week. Please visit www.acctphilly.org/adopt for details. If you are a rescue interested in pulling this animal, please email our lifesaving team, or visit here if you are not currently a rescue partner: https://acctphilly.org/acct-philly-love-local-partnership-program/ Confirmed placement is considered a confirmation of an actual rescue pull. Possible placement, interested parties, and other "TBD" statuses are not considered confirmed and do not indicate an animal is no longer urgent. All animals at ACCT Philly are from Philadelphia, as the only open-intake animal shelter in Philadelphia, we are not able to accept animals from outside of Philadelphia. ACCT Philly's Pennsylvania kennel license number is 08313