Meet Arden. Some dogs arrive here loud and wiggly, demanding attention from the second they walk through the door. Arden is not one of those dogs. Arden spent the first year of her life being failed by people. Used for breeding in a backyard situation, tied to a fence, and left to navigate a world that was never very kind to her. She learned early on that survival meant staying quiet and staying small. Somehow, despite all of that, she is still incredibly gentle.

This stunning long legged beauty is 40 lbs of sweetness wrapped up in a sleek body. We were told she’s a Border Collie/Poodle mix and honestly we’re not entirely convinced. Whatever she is, she’s absolutely gorgeous, graceful, has soulful eyes, and soft expressions that make you want to protect her forever. If anyone deserves it, it’s her!

Arden can be shy when meeting new people and needs a little time to feel safe, but once she starts to trust you, you can see the sweet dog she was always meant to be. We think she would likely do very well with another kind, confident dog to help show her the ropes and reassure her that the world isn’t such a scary place anymore.

Because Arden needs patience and space while settling in, we think a home with kids 14+ would be best. It’s not that she dislikes children, she simply deserves an environment where people can understand her boundaries and allow her to warm up at her own pace.

Arden does not need someone to “fix” her.

She just needs someone willing to love a dog who has been through far too much at far too young. And we have a feeling that once she realizes she’s finally safe, she’s going to bloom into something really special.