Bo 9

---

Update 04/09/10:

It is truly amazing to see the adjustment Bo has made since becoming a MAESSR boy! This once timid and fearful “shell” of a dog has blossomed into a wonderful boy who is full of personality! Once known to retreat at any strange noise or sudden movement, Bo is now right in the mix of his foster household, happily wagging his tail and literally grinning from ear to ear.

Bo no longer has accidents in the house and responds to “sit”, “down” and “stay”. He may also have had some field training since it was discovered that he has a VERY strong recall and responds quickly when called. On walks in the woods, he will stop and sit at his foster mom’s feet and intently watch her as if waiting for a command. He loves to point birds in the yard and has a beautiful “spring” to get them to fly! Little does Bo know that his foster mom has no intention of shooting the birds but, with Bo around, she could if she wanted to! Bo is such an amazingly well-behaved boy that he now has the freedom of being in the yard off-leash with supervision or dragging his 20′ training lead when it’s time to play.

Bo had his mind made up when it came time to try and train him to stay off of the furniture. He learned to respond to “off”, but as many times as you can tell him to get off, he jumps right back up in a different spot! So Bo continues to enjoy napping on the sofa with the resident dogs.

Once very fearful and confused by squeaky toys, Bo is now more comfortable around this sound, although his reaction once he decided to try one was not completely positive. When Bo mimicked one of the resident dogs and decided to get a toy and squeak it, he became so intent on shaking it and even gave a little growl, that it was removed and no longer given to him. If you want to play with Bo, his favorite thing is a soccer ball! He will chase it and roll it around and do his best to carry it back to you.

Bo is still nervous around small children and would do better in a household with older, quieter children or no children at all. Bo also does not respond well to a stern tone. He responds best by being corrected with an even tone of voice or, better yet, a peppy “cheerleader” attitude.

As Bo became more comfortable in his foster home, he became very intent on pointing the resident cat and would chase her when he saw Kitty sneaking around the yard. He responds quickly to “no” but, if his forever home has a feline friend, Bo will need to be reminded that pointing the kitty is not necessary. Bo is also doing much better on his walks and has great leash manners. Once in a while something startles him, so continued daily walks will really help continue to build the confidence level he needs.

Bo will now go into the crate when directed, does bark once in a while, but settles in and then lays quietly until let out. He is great eating side-by-side with the resident dogs and, if they try to eat his food, he is so passive that he will walk away and allow them to have it. Bo needs to be supervised only to assure that he gets to finish his meal!

This boy continues to have outstanding house manners. He does not counter-surf, beg for food or chew things that do not belong to him. Inside he is very low-energy, but outside he loves to run and play in the yard which is the perfect combination! He also enjoys a good jaunt in the nearby field, sniffing for any little critters that may have recently been there.

Bo does well in the car but is a little indecisive when finding the best spot to lay down. He whimpers once in awhile and sometimes cannot decide whether he wants to be in the front or the back, so riding in the cargo area behind the doggie grill has proven to be the best spot for him. He does well for a bath and is fine with being brushed. With his short “field Springer” coat and light feathering, he is pretty easy maintenance.

Overall, Bo’s time in his foster home has proven that no matter how down and out he was, no matter how confused or scared, all he needed was a little patience and a lot of love to show him that it was okay to finally be a dog! He does exhibit slight “shy” tendencies every once in a while but, if you are willing to continue to help this handsome “fieldie” shine, then the joyful thumping of his tail and the smile Bo gives in return will truly make your day, your week, your life!

Original:

Life is often full of unexpected twists. Seven adult Springers were suddenly left homeless when their owner/breeder was killed in a freak accident. They ended up in a Pennsylvania shelter where the staff quickly contacted MAESSR for help in placing them. The dogs were in rough shape when they entered the shelter; they had not been altered, they needed socialization, many had ear infections, all were thin, and they were in need of vaccinations, worming, and thorough grooming. When the call went out for foster homes, MAESSR volunteers quickly came to their aid and opened their homes and hearts to the Pennsylvania Seven.

Bo is one of the four males of this group. Although initially very shy and very scared, Bo has quickly taken to living in a home with his loving foster family. He now craves affection and will nudge his foster mom as if to say, “Pet me more!” Following the lead of the resident dogs, Bo has learned what toys and treats are, very quickly understanding that squeaky toys are not frightening and the “clang” of the treat jar is also nothing to be afraid of.

As well as getting along well with the resident dogs and enjoying their companionship, Bo is fine with the resident cat and just ignores this feline housemate. He gets along well with children and currently resides with an eight year old in his foster home. For spending much of his life isolated from people and generally unsocialized, Bo has made great strides with his foster family.

Bo is working on his leash skills with a few small walks each day. When he was first leashed, he was very confused and would not walk at all. He is doing better each day, does not pull at all, but is still quite nervous of the different sights and sounds experienced while walking around his quiet neighborhood. His foster mom feels that as he continues to become more confident, he will enjoy walks more and more.

Upon coming into foster care, Bo was not housetrained and he is still learning that he needs to eliminate outside. Wanting to mark a few items in the house, Bo now wears a “belly band” to prevent him from having the opportunity to continue marking. Initially, he was very scared even when gently corrected for lifting his leg and would retreat in fear, so he is now given ample opportunities to go outside to relieve himself. Again, as his confidence level increases, he should have no problem understanding that urinating in the house is not acceptable. Bo does not willingly go into the crate, so there is work that needs to be done yet to get him to understand that the crate is not a scary place. His energy level in the house is very low; he enjoys napping and just being near his people. While outside on a long lead in the yard, he very much enjoys running alongside the resident dogs when they chase toys, although he does not show any interest in the actual toy itself.

Slightly underweight, Bo is being fed a high quality dog food and is slowly beginning to understand the meal schedule of the resident dogs. After not eating or showing any interest in food for almost the first whole week in his foster home, he is now becoming more relaxed each day and has recently shown an increase in his appetite.

Bo does not know any commands, but as he becomes more self-assured, he will begin training by learning to “sit.” He is a very smart boy and wants to please his foster mom, who thinks he will be a star student! Surprisingly, Bo’s house manners have proven to be very good! He does not counter-surf, go near the trash, or beg for food. He does not show any signs of resource guarding, either. When he does decide to have a bite or two of food, he is fine with having people and dogs near him. After the first day in his foster home, Bo quickly decided that he preferred to watch the happenings of this new family from the corner of the sofa. When told to get “off” from there, Bo again cowered and retreated in fear. So, once he has totally established trust and is ready to learn commands, Bo will be trained that the doggie bed is a more suitable place for his naps.

Overall, Bo is an extremely sweet, calm, affectionate, and well-behaved boy who just needed to realize that these changes he is experiencing can be a very GOOD thing! Bo will make a great addition to any family that is willing to give him the confidence, love, and affection he missed out on for so long! Stay tuned for updates as Bo continues to progress as an official MAESSR family dog!