Kennel 11 - Sponsored in memory of William Anthony Nankivell, he was a great supporter and volunteer who really loved his dogs

Pet name -  Sarge

Race name -  Savana Sarge

Colour - Blue Brindle

Sex  - Male

Born -  30th June 2022

Arrival date - 28th March 2026

29/05/2026

Sarge — Big, Sensitive, Loving, and Looking for His Perfect Match

Sarge is a tall, long limbed lad with a gentle heart and a goofy streak. After four months in a home, he has returned to kennels simply because he wasn’t the right fit for a busy household with children. He’s a big boy with very little awareness of his size, and when he gets excited he can be boisterous and enthusiastic — far too much for little humans.

Despite this, Sarge showed some wonderful qualities in the home. He was clean indoors, settled when left for up to six hours, and generally good on the lead, though he can become strong when something catches his interest. He struggled with narrow pavements and busy roads, and he displayed some guarding behaviours (growling) toward certain male visitors and once toward a visiting child. Growling is a dog’s polite way of saying “I’m uncomfortable,” and it’s unclear whether this was stress related or part of how he copes in a home environment.

Back in kennels, Sarge has shown none of these behaviours. Staff can enter his kennel freely, fuss him, make his bed, and move around him without issue. He greets visitors politely through the open bar kennel gates and is affectionate, friendly, and engaged with volunteers — most of whom are men.

Out and about Sarge enjoys his walks and has visited the local park with an experienced volunteer. He was friendly, enthusiastic, and loved meeting people — though his size and excitement were a bit overwhelming for some small children. He can be very strong on the lead, so he’ll need an adopter with strong arms and a willingness to continue his training. The good news? He responds well when handled consistently.

His Personality - Sarge is a big, enthusiastic, slightly chaotic sweetheart who:

• Loves fuss and attention

• Gets excited about going out

• Has very little spatial awareness

• Needs help learning manners

• Curls himself into the tiniest ball when resting

• Is affectionate, friendly, and eager to please

He’s previously been kennelled alone due to his size, but he thrives on human interaction.

The Home Sarge Needs - Sarge will thrive in a calm, structured, adult only home that understands his size, sensitivity, and need for space.

He needs:

• An adult only home

• A calm, spacious environment

• Carpet or rubber backed runners (he dislikes slippery floors)

• A dedicated “safe space” such as a puppy pen area with his bed, toys, and water

• Someone confident and physically capable of handling a strong dog

• Continued socialisation with other breeds

• No cats

His safe space is important — it gives him a clear boundary where visitors know to leave him alone, and where he can retreat if he feels overwhelmed.

Overall Sarge is a loving, enthusiastic, sensitive boy who needs the right environment to shine. He’s affectionate, clean, trainable, and wonderful with the people he trusts. With structure, space, and an adult only home that understands his needs, Sarge will become a loyal, joyful companion.

He’s not a “first time dog owner” kind of boy — but for someone experienced, patient, and ready to help him feel safe, Sarge will be an incredibly rewarding dog.

31/03/2026 - Sarge has been returned to kennels after 4 months in a home. will update with more detail soon.

Sarge is a tall and long boy who doesn't quite understand his size. He has previously been kennelled by himself due to his size and a disagreement with a previous kennel mate. He is currently kennelled with Izi who is a quietly bossy female. So far the pairing has been working well and Izi is being very tolerate of his need to be close to her when in the kennel and Sarge is accepting of being told off when he pushes his luck a bit. 

Sarge is overall a very friendly boy and loves to be fussed over. He still needs to learn some door manners as he's very enthusiastic about getting out of his kennel. Whether that is for food or exercise/toilet time, as soon as the door opens he likes to try and get out like a bullet. He is learning but its a slow process. Luckily kennel mate Izi shows great patience with him and waits for him to get out of the kennel before getting out of bed. We're hoping Izi's calm in the kennel will rub off on him!

Due to needing to gain a bit of weight after his castrate he has not been out walking with our dog walkers yet. We will update as he settles in.

Sarge will need a home with either carpet or rubber back carpet runners. He does not like wet, slippery floors or flooring that looks like it may be slippery.