Meet Benji.

Minneapolis, MN · 5 years 5 months · Australian Shepherd / Poodle (Miniature) / Mixed (medium coat)

Listed since Dec 5, 2021. Listing dates do not establish shelter intake or continuous availability.

First seen by Goodmorph Oct 30, 2026.

Rescue last updated: Jul 27, 2026

In the shelter’s words

Hello, my name is Benji! I am a very handsome young adult male Mini Aussiedoodle who doesn’t like a lot of commotion, but I love to cuddle, and I prefer women. Truth is, I am highly sensitive and reactive to ‘stranger danger’! That’s right, I react to people approaching the front door, coming into the house, and even people approaching my kennel. I know…it’s not something I’m proud of but I’m working on it…really, I am!! In fact, foster mom is trying to help me associate new people (strangers) with positive outcomes and I am confident that I will be successful in time but for now it is still a work in progress. In the meantime, mom sometimes puts a muzzle on me and although it doesn’t bother me at all I prefer, of course, not to wear it so my new family will need to commit to working with me on training. Muzzle training may make me look scary, but it allows me to safely meet and work on my training so I can be happy! After all, consistency, patience, loving encouragement, and LOTS of mental and physical stimulation are the keys to my success!!! I am good with older kids, cats, and other dogs; and my favorite activities include going on my daily leashed walks or car rides; hiking; exploring; eating treats like plain Greek yogurt or pumpkin; playing with small squeaky toys and other dogs; chewing on Benebones; and running zoomies in the yard so the yard at my new home will need to be fenced! Hee, hee!! I also hope to have a small, confident doggie companion who might help me overcome some of my anxiety about strangers!!! By the way, I almost forgot to mention that I am a prodigy…no, really! I know everything from how to do my business outside to a deluge of commands like “sit”, “down”, “come”, “kennel/crate”, “wait”, “leave it”, “outside”, and “go potty”!! Thankfully, I enjoy learning, especially when I have a strong, confident, respectful leader, and I really love pleasing my people!! Anyway, foster mom says that I am the “most affectionate” dog she’s ever met and as hard as I try, I simply cannot disagree with her! Hee, hee!! All I need in my life now is YOU…a patient, unconditionally loving forever family who will not only NEVER give up on me but will commit to helping me overcome my fears!! I promise that not only am I totally worth it, but I will enrich your life in ways you could never imagine!!! Love, Benji Some of our dogs are obtained from commercial breeders where they spent their lives getting comfort from their canine friends. Others have come from various situations where they are lacking confidence in humans. In turn, most require another companion dog in their forever home in order for them to feel safe. If you are interested in a particular dog, and do not currently have a dog residing with you, please understand that your home might not be the right fit for many of our dogs. This dog has received grooming with us at Underdog Rescue, but was likely neglected of grooming attention until he came into our care. It can sometimes take months to get their coat healthy as Doodle mixes require daily brushing. Grooming appointments occur every 3 months and cost on average of $150 per appointment. Adopters should be prepared for such expenses. Underdog Rescue cannot guarantee the non-shedding or hypoallergenic qualities of this dog. ***Be sure to check your spam/junk folder as sometimes our emails end up there***

RescueGroups record ID: 17524525

What this home needs

• Other dogs

  Mentioned by the shelter

  “Feed checkbox: Yes”

  Not a verified observation — ask staff about the context. A positive shelter report may support search results; it remains unverified and needs confirmation.

  Shelter statement ↗
• Cats

  Mentioned by the shelter

  “Feed checkbox: Yes”

  Not a verified observation — ask staff about the context. A positive shelter report may support search results; it remains unverified and needs confirmation.

  Shelter statement ↗
• Children

  Mentioned by the shelter

  “Feed checkbox: No”

  Not a verified observation — ask staff about the context. A positive shelter report may support search results; it remains unverified and needs confirmation.

  Shelter statement ↗
• Still to ask the shelter

  housing and stairs · medical and care. These details are not documented here; unknown does not mean no.

Roster last seen: Nov 1, 2026, 6:08 AM UTC
Goodmorph last synced: Nov 1, 2026, 6:08 AM UTC
Availability confirmed by a person: Not confirmed

Shelter staff and authorized volunteers: add a dated observation

This shared profile remains available for up to 90 days after it leaves the source roster, unless removal is requested sooner. Adoptions and applications are handled by the shelter.