Bobby 4

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Original: “A whole new world is unfolding for Bobby now that he is living in his foster home.  He is very shy and unsure of most all things he encounters.”

Bobby came into MAESSR’s care when his Virginia kennel owner died.

A whole new world is unfolding for Bobby now that he is living in his foster home.  He is very shy and unsure of most all things he encounters. His foster family is exposing him to all sorts of things he has never seen before from inside appliances to outside traffic.  He has been around children whose ages range from 4 to 12 and he has been fine with them.  Good boy!  Learning to go outside to eliminate is also new and he is doing fairly well with his housetraining.  Bobby even signals his need to go outside by sitting at the door.  His foster parents need to be prompt in responding to this cue or there will be a puddle at their feet.

Bobby is crate trained and probably spent a good deal of time crated when he lived at the kennel.  As a result, he does not like the crate.  At night he is crated in the bedroom and his foster mom keeps her hand inside it to comfort him.  He has not been left alone to date; he goes everywhere with his foster family—even to work!

House manners are being learned too.  In his favor, Bobby does not counter-surf or get into the trash; however, he does like to get up on the furniture and his foster parents are working with him on that.  Another issue is inappropriate chewing with shoes being Bobby’s favorite target.  Operation Closet Door Closure is in full swing!  

Since Bobby knows no commands, he will need obedience training.  Note that MAESSR will require his adoptive family to take him through a series of obedience classes within 90 days of adoption.  MAESSR only places puppies – even older ones – in homes that are committed to training and bonding with the pup in obedience classes. Puppies require a lot of care, attention, and patience.  MAESSR believes the decision to get a puppy and raise it to be a healthy, happy, and well-adjusted dog is a serious commitment.

Bobby is actually very good on leash except for his weaving back and forth in front of his person.  This is a typical hunting instinct of Springers and once he attends obedience classes he will learn to walk at a heel.  Bobby is very frightened when he meets others when being walked, even to the point of hiding behind his foster mom.  So, for right now, Bobby is generally only walked on their farm.  That said, he is slow to warm up to strangers but once he does he loves them. However, any quick startle or sound and he’s afraid. Bottom line is he just has not been exposed to anything.   At least he’s getting plenty of experience at riding in the car as Bobby goes to work with his foster parents.

Meeting new dogs is frightening to Bobby.  He has lunged repeatedly at the ten-month-old lab puppy belonging to his foster parents’ adult son.  He is now leashed when the puppy is around.  Hopefully, exposure to more dogs at obedience classes will dissipate this fear. 

Still a puppy himself in many ways, Bobby loves to play!  Toy ropes for playing tug, any toys that squeak, and antler bones for chewing are all things that Bobby enjoys!   He is playful but can also chill out with his people nicely. His foster family has not observed any toy or food aggression in him.  He gets fed three times a day in the mud room   

Bobby would like an active home where family members would keep him well exercised with walks and playing.  He would like to be the center of his new family’s world and be loved on always.