Entered: 06/23/2010
Status: Adopted
Age: 3
Color: Black/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Health: UTD, HW-, treatment for ear infections complete
Temperament: Good with people as young as ten, good with other dogs, not good with cats
Update 07/20/10:
What a difference a few weeks of good living make! As you can see from Booker T’s photos, he has a doggy grin on his face almost continually. He loves not being constantly tied up; he loves his daily walks; he absolutely loves the wading pool his foster family bought so he and the resident Springer could cool off in the heat. As soon as his leash is taken off, he runs to the pool and stretches out full length with, you guessed it, a giant grin on his face!
His alternative expression can only be described as “please, please pet me.” Now that he’s completely relaxed in his foster home, Booker T tries his best to get attention. When his foster mom grooms the resident Springer first, he lies down right behind her. While making sad eyes at his foster mom, he slowly inches forward until his head is on the rump of his foster sibling…and then on her hind leg……and then he keeps moving up until he’s under the brush or she protests. “Bobo” doesn’t mind being brushed or having his ears cleaned. However, he currently is being treated for ear infections and is not too happy about the ear drops he’ll need daily for another week.
Bobo’s become a much livelier dog over the past few weeks. With daily exercise and playtime, he’s trimmed down and muscled up to be in excellent shape. He will need some obedience training as he still pulls on his leash or jumps on his foster family to say “hello†sometimes. He is learning “lie down†and to respect the baby gates in his home. Because he is a tall Springer, he can easily jump a gate, meaning that he has to learn that a closed gate is a sign to stay put. Ever a work in progress, and, always fun to work with, Booker T will be a great addition to any Springer-loving family!!
Original:
A few weeks ago, Booker T was leading a sorry life for a young, energetic Springer. His days were spent either tied outside by a short rope to a post or to a piece of furniture inside a filthy house. Rescue came in the form of the Humane Society, which seized him from his neglectful owners and asked MAESSR to help him find a good home.
Now, safe, clean and mat-free, Booker T–nicknamed Bobo or Boogie Boy–has emerged as a beautiful boy with a disposition to match. He wags his entire body with delight when his foster family wakes in the morning or returns from work. His foster mom thinks he looks like “furry jello in motion!” To get attention, he cleverly uses body blocks to keep a family member or friend from moving forward and then looks upward with a pleading “pet me” gaze.
Bobo is working hard at leaving his previous life behind. It’s clear from his behavior that he was sometimes hit after he was told to “come.” Now that he knows a call to come most likely means he’s going to be petted or offered a treat, he no longer cringes as he comes, but responds happily and with a big grin. Having free run of a house or yard is a definite thrill for him and has caused him to break out into spontaneous “happy runs” in and out of an open door or up and down stairs. He is completely housebroken and, other than being a top-notch counter-surfer when left alone, he has excellent house manners. He does not jump on the furniture or the bed or investigate the trash. At night, he sleeps quietly and happily outside his foster parents’ bedroom door with the resident Springer. He knows “sit” and is beginning to go into a crate on command, although reluctantly.
During his time in foster care, Bobo has been gentle and loving to any adult or child he has met. He also is good around all other dogs and is used to living with another dog. He has no food or toy aggression; in fact, he hasn’t figured out what a toy is yet.
Bobo does not share the love with deer, rabbits, squirrels, and cats. Anyone on the other end of his leash has to be prepared to dig in his or her heels if any huntable creature comes into Bobo’s view! When he’s not in hunt mode, Bobo may sometimes pull at the beginning of a walk, but responds well to correction. He can be walked off-leash in the woods and away from traffic. Once he’s coaxed into a car, he rides quietly in the back seat.
This sweet boy deserves a family that will shower him with affection and teach him a few tricks. Because he might accidentally knock over small children during a “happy run,” a home with older children would be ideal. Another dog would just add to Bobo’s delight.