Mingo was found on a busy street in an industrial type of area and picked up and brought here in late November 2019. It's difficult with so little information to understand Mingo's past but since he has been with us we have tried to put some of the pieces together.

He is not dominant or aggressive. He is very curious though. He has gotten into a couple of fights, not out of aggression but through misunderstandings within the pack. This makes me think he was taken away from his mom at a very early age. It also makes me think that he didn't spend much time with other dogs despite the fact that he seems to get along very well with others and is actually very playful.

Mingo seems to have mastered the art of entertaining himself, catching flies or just looking curiously at the things around him. I get the impression that he spent a lot of time alone with very little to keep him occupied, perhaps tied up or enclosed in a small area.

When he arrived I really struggled to communicate with him. We weren't able to understand each other, he seemed very confused by everything and unsure of what was expected of him or what he wanted out of life. Walking him was a nightmare; no amount of yanking on the chain would communicate that he needed to lay off on the dragging.

With this info I assume he didn't have much interaction with humans either. He didn't know how to appropriately react to affection and had probably never been on walks. Despite probably being neglected he was not abused. He doesn't respond negatively to raised arms, quick movements or loud noises.

Mingo also doesn't know how to control his excitability. This is something we have worked on because if he gets too over stimulated he reacts with teeth. Mingo is a passive, non dominant dog but he can also be very destructive if it comes to a fight.

It is clear that Mingo must have escaped from where he was. He is a good 4 maybe 5 years old so it's possible he was stuck in a small space with a poor quality of life for that entire time, until he figured out how to get out. Mingo quickly figured out that this property too, has weak points and he found them all. The best, we decided, was to control Mingo's excursions and turn him into an inside dog. He goes out, always accompanied and always on a leash.

This decision turned out to be frustrating for Mingo at first but forced him to learn to communicate with us. He is exceptionally expressive with his face. Communication also includes routine. He loves routine and when things run according to a schedule he is very relaxed.

Mingo has also learnt to show affection and to receive it. He has learnt to walk marvellously on a leash. He understands that he may not go out unless on a leash and doesn't even try to squeeze out the door. He is willing to please.

I have a lot of concerns when it comes to putting Mingo up for adoption. I have learnt that control and routine, allowing fun and play time yet curbing it before things get carried away, keeping him away from conflict between other dogs are crucial to managing and enjoying Mingo. Anyone that adopts Mingo would need to be trained to handle him, be patient and possibly not have other dogs simply because a small misunderstanding could turn into bloodshed.

I do not want him to go back to being a guard dog, since that’s what it seems he was. It’s no life for him or any dog. I also don’t feel that being a finca dog would be appropriate with too much freedom, not enough supervision and control.

Mingo could possibly get away with being a big dog in a small house as long as he got a walk every day, regular outings to do his business and no way to let himself out at all. The more time he spends with people the more his personality develops and the more expressive he becomes.

I still have not found his motivation. He enjoys dog biscuits and hotdog treats just like any other dog but it doesn’t get him running. He enjoys affection now that he is learning about it, but he is awkward. The click of the leash does get him running, it’s figuring out how to use the walks as a regular reward.