Entered: 07/30/2022
Status: Adopted
Age: 2; born 03/15/2020
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 44 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Chesapeake, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, overall good health
Temperament: Good with people as young as 15, unknown with children, good with other dogs, unknown with cats
Original: “With a lovely temperament, Artie is gentle and responds to affection and praise, as well as treats when he is in training mode.”
Before Arthur’s owner/breeder from Virginia passed away, she specified that she wanted MAESSR to place her kennel’s dogs once upon her death. Arthur was one of these dogs.
Arthur 3 (now nicknamed Artie) came to his foster family having no experience with normal family life. He was scared of everything and very nervous and timid. In the short time he has been living in foster care, he has undergone a complete transformation.
Not housetrained when he arrived at his foster home, Artie has quickly learned that he will get regular visits outside to do his business and with plenty of praise he is understanding that this is what he should be doing. There have been minimal accidents in the house. Bedding was removed from his crate to encourage him to hold on until he is let out, which has worked so far.
Artie will bark when he needs to go out but also to get attention; he is learning that he does not get attention if he barks for no reason. Artie is crated while the family works or are out of the house and calming music is played for him then. He sleeps in his covered crate at night and is learning to go in willingly as he gets a treat.
With a lovely temperament, Artie is gentle and responds to affection and praise, as well as treats when he is in training mode. Very calm, he will sit down when his people sit down, he settles well and just wants to be with his people all the time. He rarely goes upstairs, and this has not been encouraged.
Artie has never had any formal training, but he is a very quick learner. Since Artie will “sit” on command even when crated, his foster parents can open the crate door to get him out without him charging the door. He might take a minute to remember that that is what he is supposed to do, but he is pretty good at that. The same goes for walking through doorways. His foster parents always make him “wait” until they have walked through before allowing him to follow. He is learning not to jump up and when he doesn’t get a response, he quickly remembers to “sit” for his reward, praise or treat. He will “sit and stay” if his person moves backwards keeping eye contact with him and repeating the command, and then “come” when he is called. He loves doing this, but as soon as his person’s back is turned, he will move from his spot. It is early days for his training, but he is keen to please and easy to train.
He does not pull on walks and generally ignores most people he meets; however, he is friendly if they show interest in him. He shook terribly when he was first taken in the car, but now he sits nicely in the back, tethered or not. He makes funny noises as he rides, but as long as his people talk to him, he stays put.
This young boy is showing signs of being more inquisitive in the house but has not counter-surfed yet. His foster mom would not leave him alone where he could take something off the counter, though. He does not go into the trash or get up on the furniture unless he asked to do so. Also, Artie is not a chewer. Such a good boy!
Artie plays with soft toys but doesn’t destroy them. He likes picking up a ball and dropping it so as to chase it. A kong stuffed with treats would keep him entertained in his crate as an alternative to howling and crying which he typically does when crated and his parents are out. This behavior has gotten a lot better as he has realized his foster parents come back and he can get out of the crate then. He does not like to be left alone!
His foster family has a resident 13-year-old Springer that Artie ignores. Artie is fed outside at the moment so as to separate the two dogs at feeding time.
Artie has not been to the groomers yet but his foster parents have trimmed his nails without a fuss and cleaned his ears with liquid cleaner with no problem. They have bathed him, and, although he is not a fan of the water, he loved the shampooing as it involved lots of rubbing and pampering. At the vets he has been very good, calm and patient.
Artie would do best in a family where there is always someone at home. He would be ideal with someone that has the time to help him be the dog he so wants to be. Artie has shown that he wants to learn, so he needs continued, consistent practice with commands so responding becomes second nature. Artie is like most other young Springers, bouncy and full of energy. He will need an owner with a large yard, who will walk him at least twice day. He loves walks and being trained, wanting to do his best for his humans. Most of all he wants to be loved.