What If We Stopped Asking Who Wants a Dog, and Started Asking….
What if we stopped asking whether someone wants a dog... and started asking whether they're actually a fit for one?
We're looking for a very specific kind of human for two remarkable dogs currently featured in You Had Me At Woof's Placement Pilot Program.
If you've been following this rescue journey over the last 18 months, then you already know who Cowboy and Ava are.
You've watched the twists.
The setbacks.
The heartbreak.
The victories.
And you've watched their stories unfold.
Now we're looking for the people who might become part of it.
Not someone searching for an easy companion.
Not someone looking for a dog that fits neatly into a picture-perfect life.
Someone *willing to learn.*
Someone *curious about dog psychology and behavior.*
Someone who *wants to understand why dogs do what they do—and how the right environment can completely change a dog's future.*
Whether you're a trainer, behavior enthusiast, experienced foster, working dog handler, or someone committed to learning at a deeper level, this may be an opportunity unlike any other.
Let's meet the dogs...
COWBOY
Cowboy is one of the softest souls you'll ever encounter.
He's highly sensitive and forms profound bonds with the people he trusts.
He isn't motivated by pressure, intensity, or conflict.
He's motivated by safety.
Patience.
Understanding.
Consistency.
By knowing he belongs.
After being passed repeatedly through instability and uncertainty, what Cowboy craves most is permanence. A predictable environment. A calm, steady human. A relationship he can trust.
Strong, assertive, forceful personalities tend to overwhelm him. He thrives with softer, more feminine energy, thoughtful leadership, patience, and emotional steadiness.
Cowboy doesn't need someone to fix him.
He's not broken.
He needs someone willing to create the safety he's been missing.
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More About Cowboy
1.5 years old
Neutered at 12 months
Up to date on vaccinations (following Dr. Jean Dodds' protocol)
Clean raw food diet
Soft energy
Highly sensitive
Low drive
No cats
No children
Best as an only dog (Not because he can't live with other dogs, but because he's incredibly soft and has been through so much. Another dog may be possible under the right circumstances and with the right match.)
Fully fenced yard strongly preferred
Southern California
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And then there's Ava...
AVA
Ava is Cowboy's mother and is opposite in almost every way.
Confident.
Assertive.
High-drive.
Resilient.
Adaptable.
She walks into the world ready to engage with it.
Ava doesn't need rescuing from her strength.
She needs someone capable of understanding and channeling it.
She thrives with confident leadership, clear boundaries, and a human who can match her energy without being intimidated by it.
With softer personalities, Ava often feels compelled to take responsibility for the environment around her. She naturally steps into a protective role.
What she needs is someone she trusts enough to let go of that responsibility.
Someone who can confidently say: "I've got this" and take the lead... so she doesn't have to.
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More About Ava
Approximately 3 years old
Spayed at 2 years
Up to date on vaccinations
(Dr. Jean Dodds' protocol + titer tested)
Clean raw food diet
Strong energy
Highly sensitive
High drive
No cats
No children
(Although wonderful with children under structured circumstances, we are not seeking a home with children.)
Best as an only dog
Fully fenced yard required
Southern California
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Neither dog is the problem.
The problem has been **compatibility.**
That's exactly why this pilot program exists.
Not to find people who simply want these dogs.
***But to find the people these dogs have been waiting for.***
Both dogs come with something else that is rarely offered:
FREE training, coaching, behavioral support, and mentorship FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
This is part of my continued commitment to them—and to the people willing to honor their commitment to these dogs.
You will not be doing this alone, and for those looking to beef up their understanding and skills in dog behavior, training, and psychology... they'll be extraordinary teachers.
Whether you're fostering or adopting, you'll have ongoing guidance, support, and access to decades of behavioral experience for as long as these dogs are with you.
The need for fosters or adopters is urgent as we're up against an impossible timeline.
If you're in the dog world, consider this an opportunity to do something deeply meaningful while receiving hands-on mentorship, guidance, and real-world experience that simply can't be taught in a classroom.
Both Cowboy and Ava have been through far more than dogs their age should ever have to experience.
We're working within a very real timeline to secure safe, appropriate placements for each of them.
Transport anywhere in the United States—and even Canada—can be arranged for the right match.
These dogs don't just need saving from their circumstances.
They need someone capable of meeting them where they are.
And for the right person, that journey may change both lives.
To learn more about Cowboy, Ava, and the Placement Pilot Program:
Contact: kimberly@kimberlyartley.com
