Entered: 02/01/2015
Status: Adopted
Age: 8
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 40 lbs.
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Fairfax, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, beginning a joint supplement for slight stiffness in hind quarters, overall good health
Temperament: Initially shy but good meeting people as young as 3, good with other dogs, unknown with cats
Original: “Her foster mom proclaims Brittany to be the most adorable Springer she’s ever fostered, which is high praise, indeed.”
Not much is known about Brittany before she came to be a part of the MAESSR family, but it is known that she was living in Maryland with a family along with two Golden Retrievers. Due to the family’s personal difficulties, all three dogs had to be given up for adoption.
Even though her name is Brittany, this is one fabulous lady who epitomizes the English Springer Spaniel to a tee! She loves to be with “her” people and follow their every move! She is settling into her new foster home well and enjoys playing with the other three dogs along with all of the children who constantly run around the house. Although she can be a little nervous at first – especially of men – when kindness and gentleness are shown she cannot help wagging her tail at supersonic speed! Sometimes she may submissively urinate just a little bit, but this appears to stop when she becomes familiar with the male in question.
Brittany is fully housetrained and she learned to use the dog door in the first five minutes – what an intelligent lady she is! If she is unable to use a dog door, she will circle around her person to show that she needs to go outside. She has a little stiffness in her hind quarters and does not particularly enjoy using too many stairs. While she can comfortably manage five stairs up and down to get outside, Brittany does not attempt the main stairs in her foster home until strongly encouraged to come up. She prefers to “chatter” at her people for a moment or so before returning to her favorite corner or dog bed. Now that she is receiving a daily joint supplement to ease her stiffness, she might find the stairs less daunting.
Brittany can be crated but is not a fan of this type of confinement. If the need arises for her to be crated, she is not disruptive but she will “chatter” and let her foster parents know that she is relatively displeased. She would much rather be curled up at their feet… or, better still, on the sofa with them! Her foster family has only had to tell her to get off the sofa once because she is a quick learner. When her people are out of the house or bedtime is approaching, she is kept in a sunroom and is very happy to settle down with her favorite chew toy, give her teeth a good cleaning, and then nap until her family returns or morning comes.
This beautiful girl knows “sit, “stay,” and “down.” Wait, there’s more! Brittany does not try to get into trash cans or counter-surf, whatsoever. What good manners! She is gentle at feeding time, only eating when she is hungry, and has no guarding issues over food or toys. She loves to go on walks, does not pull on the leash, and is very friendly – if a little timid – when she meets other dogs. Brittany rides well in the car although she does have a preference for sitting in the front passenger seat with her head out of the window, which seems better suited to warmer weather! Just imagine this pretty girl in a convertible with the wind blowing through her hair!
At the groomer Brittany is very well behaved, but she seems to have a little sensitivity to her neck area being groomed. To better assess the reason for this, her foster mom has spent a lot of time rubbing her neck and has not seen any nervousness or aggression. Perhaps it is the sound of the clippers around her neck that she does not like.
This sweetie loves life and loves her “people!” Her foster mom proclaims Brittany to be the most adorable Springer she’s ever fostered, which is high praise, indeed. For her forever home, a house with fewer stairs would suit Brittany best and, even though she does well when left on her own, she has indicated that having one of her “people” around during the day would certainly be on her wish list!
Brittany is an incredible lady who deserves love, friendship, and lots of tummy scratches! She will make some family a lovely companion.