Entered: 10/23/2009
Status: adopted
Age: 1
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Health: UTD, HW-, Lyme-, treatment for a mild ear infection complete, good health overall
Temperament: Good with adults, meets children ages five and older well in public, good with other dogs, met the neighbor’s cat well
Original: This little baby doll of a Springer came into MAESSR’s care after being found as a stray and taken to a Pennsylvania shelter along with a male Springer traveling companion. Since there was no history or identification on either dog and both apparently had been partners in crime with matted, muddy coats, the shelter dubbed them Bonnie and Clyde.
As soon as her foster mom picked Bonnie up, she was immediately chauffeured to her first spa treatment at the groomer. Once she was all cleaned up, Bonnie turned out to be an adorable, sweet field Springer! Her visit to the vet went extremely well, too, and she is in excellent health except for a mild ear infection which should resolve itself quickly with medication.
Bonnie appears to have had no experience with toys, bones or other fun things. What she does crave, however, is human contact. Apparently, Bonnie still thinks she is a puppy and loves giving the most endearing neck nuzzles. She does not know many commands but will sit and come when called. She will benefit from an obedience class which is a MAESSR requirement for adopted Springers a year and younger. It is a very odd puzzle to try and put together her past because although she has not been exposed to doggie experiences, she is completely housetrained.
Also, Bonnie does very well in a crate with the door closed, as long as her foster mom is around! She definitely does not like being left completely alone, especially when left in her crate. Her foster mom tried eliminating the crate, but there is a reason these dogs are named Springers. Any prospective adoptive family should not be fooled by this little girl’s size. She can easily clear a standard two-foot gate that would normally block access to a room, which her foster mom found out quite to her surprise. Although her foster mom tried a number of variations for the gates on three separate occasions, there was Bonnie shaking her wiggle butt and waiting at the door. So, she is back to the crate.
Her foster home has no children or cats, but Bonnie has met five-year-old kids well in public. She is fearful of toddlers but warms up to them after a proper introduction. Bonnie has also met the neighbor’s cat, going up to the cat and introducing herself. Unfortunately, the cat did not like Bonnie and hissed and scratched her. Unperturbed, Bonnie turned around and trotted off.
When she is taken for a walk, Bonnie walks nicely on a leash and does not pull. Her walk is a little erratic since she does not want to miss anything on either side of the sidewalk! She also rides nicely in the car but she should be restrained or restricted to one area of the car. If not restricted, she probably would want to be the co-pilot in the driver’s lap or do a great deal of window shopping.
Bonnie has gone to work on occasion with her foster mom and hides underneath her desk. She is so well behaved and quiet that the other co-workers do not even know she is there. Of course, the exception is when she hears someone come into the office, at which time she immediately comes out of her hiding place and presents herself to the visitor ready to be noticed and petted. She is such a social and affectionate dog that she would probably do best in an active family environment.
If you are looking for a sweet, loving, wiggle-butt Springer who gives great neck nuzzles, this darling is for you.