'Gorgeous' Shelter Dog Looking for Forever Home After 197 Days in Shelter

A shelter dog who spent his whole life living in a backyard with little in the way of care or training is ready to find a new forever home.

Hunter the Alaskan Malamute has spent 197 days in the care of the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (DSPCA) to Animals in Ireland, having been rescued in less than ideal condition.

According to the DSPCA, when he first arrived at the shelter Hunter's coat was extremely matted and dirty. He had no idea what a collar or lead was and he was terrified of everything around him, preferring to hide away from the world in his kennel.

Gillian Bird from the DSPCA told Newsweek that Hunter "had very little socialization" and has required a significant amount of additional care.

"Staff have spent a lot of time socializing and training him to walk on a lead," she explained.

That work has helped to transform Hunter into an entirely different dog, one who sports a beautiful coat and regularly catches the eye of those who pass his kennel.

Unfortunately, Hunter has yet to catch the eye of a special someone who might consider adopting him. That's through no fault of his own though.

Studies have previously highlighted how the odds are often stacked against shelter dogs attracting a potential new owner. A 2014 study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science highlighted how the average shelter visitor interacts with just one dog per visit and that the interactions last just eight minutes at a time.

Hunter has been attracting plenty of attention online, though, after the DSPCA posted an appeal to Facebook urging followers to consider adopting this "gorgeous" dog.

"He's a very handsome boy. I'm surprised no one has come forward to adopt him," one user wrote. "He's a beauty and looks so sweet," another added, with a third commenting: "He is one good looking boy...He is going to make someone a very good friend for life."

Hunter is more than ready for a forever home but requires a very specific type of owner. According to the DSPCA, he is best suited to a home in which the owners have experience with larger breeds and is best suited to individuals, couples or families with teens age 16 and over.

It's important to stress that he is not able to live with cats and will need to be the only dog in any home he moves into. However, in many ways Hunter is like any dog—he loves his home comforts. Bird said: "Hunter loves his soft toys and a warm bed."

For now, Hunter is waiting for a bed to finally call his own and an end to his long wait for a happy ending.

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