Things are looking a little different for Rocky, who held the record as the dog with the longest stay at Domestic Animal Services (DAS).

The three-year-old was at the shelter for over 300 days. This left volunteers scratching their heads as to why the friendly mixed-breed hadn’t found his forever home.

Today, Rocky’s living in a whole new world. For a start, he’s now Oberon, or Obi for short.

While his new family fell in love with him instantly, they weren’t so keen on his name.

He now bears the title of the fairy king in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which the family felt was a much better fit.

“Well, he’s just so gentle. When we picked him up, he was wearing a big studded collar and I felt that it was too much of a stereotype. A tough-sounding name (Rocky) and a tough collar for a tough-looking dog,” his new mum, Kate, said.

She and her family are keen to do away with some other misconceptions too.

“One of the best things about Oberon is how chilled out he is,” Kate said.

“But some people have definitely been nervous … not wanting to come too close. A number of times we’ve come across people with small dogs who have picked them up as we passed.

“On the other hand, plenty of people are happy for Obi to approach their young children. A 12-year-old told me he ‘knows not to judge a dog by the way it looks,’ which was great to hear,” she said.

Adopting from Domestic Animal Services helps people like Kate give a dog a second chance, regardless of their breed, looks or age.

“Working at DAS has really opened my eyes to how many dogs are actually already out there in desperate need of love and a home,” DAS kennel hand Amity said.

“Working with these desperate animals, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience the selfless nature of a shelter animal, as well as their beautiful personalities. These incredible dogs are just searching for a sense of security and compassion, and once it is given to them, they never cease to please!”

While many people look for puppies when deciding to add a dog to their family, Amity urges Canberrans to look beyond years.

“Most people won’t adopt as they wouldn’t have been able to raise the dog from a very young age. However, what most people don’t understand is that disadvantaged dogs can have a higher sense of gratitude and appreciation to the family that takes them home.

“Gaining trust is so much more important to these shelter dogs, so they are willing to go so much further to show their new owners just how appreciative they are,” she said.

“Not only is adopting a dog from DAS rewarding, it is also an extremely easy and inexpensive way to find the one you’ve been looking for.”

There are many dogs currently looking for their forever home at DAS.

View dogs up for adoption or visit DAS in Symonston to meet them in person.

DAS is open from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 3pm on Saturdays.

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