Aaron

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Update 02/25/08:

With kennel cough behind him and overall improving health, the vet felt Aaron was ready for his dental work. The poor dog’s teeth were awful. Based on what the vet found, he feels that Aaron is older than originally estimated. Aaron has lost 4 pounds but hopefully the new teeth will help him feel better than he has for a very long time. He is on 10 days of antibiotics to guard against infection from the work. 

Aaron is just about ready for a new family. He would love a home with lots of extra tidbits to help him gain some weight. Just as important to him, he is looking for a family that wants a loving dog who just wants to hang out with them. If companionship is also at the top of your list, please ask about Aaron.

Update 02/16/08:

Slowly Aaron is moving toward better health. One thing that will help is having his dental work done. That will be soon but his vet wanted to see if he would gain weight first! He has finished his third round of antibiotics and is still underweight but his personality is blooming.

Aaron loves being with his people. He loves the other dogs in his foster home. When he was picked up by the animal control officers, it took two days to capture him. Just recently, the side gate was open when his foster mom let Aaron out to the fenced backyard. He had walked to the gate when she noticed it was open. Aaron had no leash on and she had no cookies. She said in a matter of fact voice, “Where are you going, Aaron? You are supposed to be OVER HERE going potty.” He took a deep breath, looked at her and started wagging his tail. He came straight to her. She gave him a good petting session and told him how good and wonderful he was. When they walked by the open gate, he didn’t even look out. He went inside and sat in his crate for a cookie. Good BOY!!!! His progress is showing!

Original:

Aaron and his female running mate, Annie, were strays rescued by an animal control group. They were loose on a very busy road and a Good Samaritan and a persistent animal control officer saved them from sure disaster.

Aaron was some the worse for his time on the loose. He was thin and His coat was matted with what appeared to be dried wet spots. He was WONDERFUL when his foster mom shaved and trimmed out these mats that were so close to the skin. It appears that his coat tends to mat easily. Luckily, Aaron also likes to be brushed.

Aaron also arrived at his foster home with some health issues – kennel cough and dirty teeth. He has just finished four weeks of antibiotics for the kennel cough; however, he is still running a fever. The vet vaccinated him against rabies, but he will receive the rest of his shots once he gets rid of this low grade temperature. Eventually, he will have his dental work done. The vet drew blood for a full organ panel to be done to find out why the fever is persisting and why he is not gaining weight on performance food. He wears a dog coat outside to stop his shivering in the colder weather.

Although Aaron was not crate-trained before, his foster family is training him to look at the crate as his own safe haven. He does whine in his crate, though, sometimes because he is bored and sometimes because he needs to go. Aaron is acting like this is his first housebreaking venture, also. His foster mother is a very patient teacher, and she has total confidence that Aaron will master this skill. Aaron whines in the car, too. He whined on way home from the shelter, so when his foster mom stopped at Wendy’s for her dinner-to-go, Aaron got his own French fries and plain hamburger! He liked that! (His talking and whining earned him the name Aaron since this Biblical patriarch had a lot to say and do for Moses!). Aaron was not very interested in his first breakfast of dog food. Perhaps he was waiting to see if Wendy’s comes in the morning!! Wrong! Since then, he has adjusted to his good quality dog food. With help from his foster family and the resident dogs, Aaron is learning house manners that were not there when he was brought home from shelter.

A smart boy, Aaron had shown the shelter workers that he could flip the chain link fence door-latch open. It’s a good thing it had a lock to prevent any issues! Aaron is safe since his foster family has a wooden fence. Aaron loves to run and his foster mom thinks he would do best in an active forever home. He will need a fenced yard or someone to leash-walk him because he tends to follow scents at high speeds. Aaron just loves to sniff. He pulls on the leash, but can be easily voice guided while leashed. He is fun on a flexi-leash where he can run but also respond to the stop when he reaches the leash’s end.

Aaron enjoys the loving he receives in his foster family. He is also very friendly with strangers that he meets, especially if they have treats! Keep watching the progress that Aaron makes in his foster home as he changes from a Springer boy of the streets to a Springer home boy!