02/06/2026
Ember is now accepting applications
🐾 Meet Ember: A Gentle, Sweet Soul Ready for Her Soft Landing!
Ember is a 6yrs young sweet, timid English Cocker Spaniel female who left her breeding days behind her when she was surrendered to us by a commercial breeder.
Energy Level: Low – Medium
Location: Fostered in Ontario (St. Jacobs area)
Status: Looking for a patient, loving forever home
Ember is a truly sweet soul who is learning for the very first time how wonderful life inside a home can be. After spending her past life in a barn as a commercial breeding dog, she is bravely adjusting to the everyday noises, smells, and routines of a household. Watching her comfort and confidence grow day by day is an absolute joy, and she is so ready to find a family to walk alongside her on this beautiful journey.
Personality & Heart
Ember is a quiet, gentle girl who is discovering that humans provide cuddles, pets, and affection. While she is naturally shy and nervous at first, she reveals a happy, loving personality once she knows she is safe. She is incredibly happy to see her people—especially when treats are involved—and will get very wiggly and excited when it is dinner time!
Social Skills & Companionship
With Dogs: Ember has a sweet nature and would likely love most dogs. She currently lives with a senior female dog with absolutely no issues.
With Cats: While she hasn't had extensive interaction, Ember met a free-roaming cat at the vet clinic and simply watched and observed it calmly, showing no signs of a high prey drive.
With People: She is shy initially with new people but is highly motivated by patience and treats. She is learning to ask for pets and loves to cuddle on the couch.
House-Trained: Ember is fully house-trained! She is not a fan of doing her business while out on walks and strictly prefers using the backyard.
Crate Training: No. Ember gets very, very nervous in a crate and it is not recommended for her. She spent the first 6 yrs of her life living caged and is a dream houseguest being left loose.
Separation: She is comfortable being left alone for 4 hours a day and shows no signs of separation anxiety.
Handling: Ember can be a bit nervous when her paws are handled and will gently try to pull them away. She cooperates well for grooming and handling otherwise.
Leash & Walks: Walks and new outdoor sounds are a work in progress. She needs continued, gentle support to build her confidence on the leash.
Having another suitable canine companion would help her with her confidence on walks.
Amazing Progress & Growth
When Ember first arrived in her foster home, she was too frozen to leave her bed or the couch, had to be carried outside for bathroom breaks, and was too nervous to eat much. Today, she happily explores the main floor, loves her food, actively seeks out affection, and proudly claims her safe spaces.
Ember recently discovered toys and will bring them to her bed with her.
Medical Notes
Ember is in good health! She was recently spayed and had two small teeth removed. Justifiably, she experiences some anxiety in brand-new spaces, during car rides, or around sudden, loud noises. She does not show any signs of resource guarding; in fact, if someone gets too close to her food, she will politely walk away, so she is simply given her own quiet, safe space to eat in peace.
Transportation
Car rides are still a new concept to Ember, and she experiences some travel anxiety. She tends to "stress dig" on the way to appointments. Her foster family safely tethers her harness to a pet seatbelt in the back seat with a fluffy blanket underneath her. She will rearrange and dig the blanket on the way to an outing, but she typically calms down and naps all the way back home.
The Ideal Forever Home
Ember’s dream home is a peaceful environment where she can continue to blossom at her own pace. Her perfect match includes:
A Secure Backyard: Since she prefers to only use the washroom in a yard rather than on walks, and is a shy girl who is a flight risk, a home with a safely fenced yard is necessary.
Patience & Decompression Time: A family that understands she needs time to decompress. Her new owners should allow her to keep a designated safe space with her own bed and a few small stuffed toys ("her babies") while she adjusts.
A Supportive Guide: A family committed to gently building her confidence around new sounds, walks, and environments.
No Crating Required: A home layout where she can be safely left out or partitioned without the use of a traditional crate.
Ember has so much love to give to a family willing to show her that the world isn't a scary place.
How to Apply
Hobo Haven Rescue is an entirely volunteer-run not-for-profit based out of St. Jacobs, Ontario. Because our dogs are cared for in loving, private foster homes, we do not have a public shelter facility, and viewings are arranged by appointment only for pre-approved applicants.
Adoption fee $850 includes microchip, vaccinations, spay, dental cleaning and extractions, bloodwork and all other vetting completed for each dog.
100% of our adoption fees go directly toward managing vet bills and care expenses for the dogs in our rescue.
👉 Click Here to Submit an Adoption Application https://hobohavenrescue.ca/dog-adoption-application
Priority of replies will be given to applicants who match Ember's specific criteria. For any questions, please email us at [email protected].
