Aspen

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Aspen came into MAESSR’s care when a divorce in his Maryland family meant that he was being left alone for too long each day. A sweet and handsome tri-colored boy, Aspen easily assumed his place at the bottom of the totem pole after a few discussions with the three resident Springers. He enjoys the cats in his foster home, and his interaction with them is very entertaining. He was likely not previously exposed to cats, as he tends to follow them around and stare at them silently, as if trying to figure out why those tiny dogs won’t play. He’ll occasionally give chase if one runs by, but is easily called back. Aspen’s best bud in foster care is another 11-month-old male Springer, this one a resident. The two of them will play chase, wrestle, and tug any chance they get. When they get tired, Aspen’s foster mom often finds the two of them lying next to each other, chewing on opposite ends of the same toy. 

Typical for a young dog, Aspen’s manners need a little work. He will put his paws onto counters to check things out, but hasn’t successfully taken anything. He seems to think he belongs on furniture, but will generally get down when asked. If he doesn’t respond right away, he can be easily enticed to move with the help of a toy. Aspen hasn’t checked out the trash, and, most importantly, he’s fully housetrained! Aspen is also crate trained, and stays in his crate at night and while his foster parents are at work. Since he came into foster care with the reputation of being a chewer, Aspen is crated when he’s not being directly supervised by his foster mom. So far, he hasn’t shown any interest in shoes or other inappropriate objects. Having plenty of bones and other toys, as well as a willing playmate, is likely keeping his mind off the things he shouldn’t have. Aspen sits when first meeting people, but will jump up after they begin giving him attention. His foster mom is teaching him that he only gets attention when he keeps “four on the floor.”

MAESSR only places puppies in homes that are committed to training and bonding with the pup in obedience classes. Puppies require a lot of care, attention, and patience, and they do chew on things! The decision to get a puppy and raise it to be a healthy, happy, and well-adjusted dog is a serious commitment. To reinforce this commitment, MAESSR requires all adopters of dogs under 1 year old to enroll their puppy in an obedience class within 60 days of adoption. Aspen is sure to be a star pupil, as he has already learned “sit,” “down,” “shake” and “stay,” and is eager to please his people. 

Aspen’s first day of foster care was quite busy. He went to the vet and greeted her and her techs with a Springer butt wiggle and some puppy kisses. Aspen got a clean bill of health overall, but was sent home with orders to slim down. He weighed in at 53 pounds, and the vet felt his maintenance weight should be around 45-47 pounds. Reduced portions and an increase in playtime should have this active boy looking trim in no time. After the vet, Aspen paid a quick visit to the pet store groomer to have his nails trimmed and feet shaved down. That groomer reported that he was fine with having his nails cut, but was not happy when the clippers were used on his feet. Later in the week, Aspen went to his foster family’s regular groomer for a bath and full haircut. She found that Aspen behaved fairly well for a dog who had not had previous exposure to being professionally groomed. Although he did not like having his feet handled, she felt that he was just unsure about the whole situation. With continued exposure to things like having his ears and feet handled, Aspen will likely be a very well-behaved boy for his spa days. 

Always up for an adventure, Aspen enjoys both walks and car rides. On walks, he pulls when he sees another dog or person that he wants to greet. Aspen’s foster mom has been working with him on sitting calmly and waiting for attention instead of pulling. He greets most other dogs well, but will bark at the smaller terriers he sees in his travels. In the car, Aspen settles easily, although he does need a boost to get into the back of his foster mom’s SUV. Aspen is fed in his crate, away from the other dogs to prevent any possible disagreements over food. It took him about two days to learn this routine. Now, when his foster mom starts moving the food bowls, Aspen runs to his crate and lies down to wait for his meal. What a good boy!

This happy youngster is looking for a forever family that can commit to giving him the exercise and attention he needs. He has a moderate energy level and would be a great match for another young dog, or an owner looking for a walking or jogging partner. With his combination of puppy exuberance and an adult Springer size, he would do best in a home with older children, or without kids. Ready for your next adventure? You won’t have to fly to Colorado to enjoy this Aspen!