Entered: 03/11/2008
Status: Rainbow Bridge
Age: 5
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Ridley Park, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, being treated for an ear infection, diagnosed with an aggressive cancer
Temperament: Good with people as young as eleven, good with other dogs, reportedly good with cats in his original home
Update 03/25/08:
It is with a heavy heart that this update comes on gentle Ben. He was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and is now at the Bridge.
Ben was a true Velcro Springer that left a lasting impression on everyone who met him. His MAESSR family will never forget this sweet boy…
Original:
Ben, or “Gentle Ben” as his foster family refers to him, was surrendered by his owner due to financial circumstances. He came from a home with three other dogs and five cats. He reportedly got along with the cats in the house, but the foster family does not have any cats to test his behavior.
Ben is an absolute love bug who follows his foster family wherever they go in the house. He gets along extremely well with the two resident dogs, but does let the resident Brittany know when she’s out of line by curling his lip at her. Although his previous owner indicated he was food aggressive towards other animals, his foster family has not seen any of this behavior in their home. He will share his toys, bones, and treats with the other dogs and his human companions including his eleven-year-old human playmate.
Upon arrival at his foster home, Ben was bathed and handled this experience extremely well. After his salon treatment, he ran around the house like a new pup! The day after his arrival, the entire afternoon was spent grooming this beauty who fell asleep during the process!
Trips in the car are extremely easy, and Ben quickly falls asleep! His veterinary visit was one of the easiest his foster family has ever experienced, even with the doctor drawing blood. Ben is missing a few teeth and has a few chipped teeth as well, but this does not prevent him from eating dry food and chewing on bones. The vet believes that some good brushing will help remove some of the tartar on his rear molars. Ben is on the thin side and the vet would like to see him gain at least seven pounds. This weight gain should not be too difficult though since Ben is not shy about eating. He got into a 5-lb bag of kibble and completely devoured the entire bag!
Ben does well on the leash, pulling ever so slightly. He knows the commands “sit,” “go potty,” and “off” as well as knowing his name. Crate-trained, Ben is confined up to nine hours during the day without any problems while is family is at work and at school. He is not completely housetrained, but is progressing really well as his foster family reminds him that bathroom breaks are conducted outside. Gentle Ben does like to jump on the furniture and is reminded that he needs to stay off. At night he sleeps on the floor at the foot of bed after he tries to sneak up in order to get a few more hugs and kisses.
Ben has a tremendous amount of love to share with some lucky family. How about opening your heart to Gentle Ben?