| Entered: 03/31/2007 Status: Adopted Age: 1 Color: Black/White Weight: Gender: Altered Male Location: Fayetteville, WV Health: UTD, HW-, good in all areas Temperament: Good with adults, unknown with children at this time, good with other dogs, unknown with cats |
Updated 5/10/07: Buster is surely one of the happiest dogs his family has fostered. He does everything with enthusiasm, whether it’s sniffing out new smells in the meadow, wrestling with the resident springer, or performing a command for a treat. Like most springers his age, Buster will continue to be a work in progress but, for the most part, he has left behind his initial “naughty” boy reputation. His progress with basic obedience and house manners define him as a trainable boy and one that will beam ever brighter as he matures.
When Buster arrived, it seemed that all he had been taught was to “sit.” He was confident with indoor living and absolutely nothing scared him, but training has helped make him much easier to live with from day to day. Buster has learned to “give paw,” wait for the “OK” before diving into his dinner bowl and is very cooperative about following his foster mom up or down the narrow stairwells in the house. He has learned that it is gentlemanly to “wait” for people to go through doors first. He sits quietly (but not for long!) for his leash to be put on or off. He “loads up” onto the tailgate when a road trip is at hand and goes into his bedside crate at night when the family calls it a day. With settling he has made no effort to mark in the house for weeks.
Buster’s biggest training challenge has been leash work. He is so eager to get moving that he pulls with vigor when his leash is attached to his flat collar. Once he was introduced to a Gentle Leader, he almost instantly fell in beside his foster mom and with more practice, it is hoped that the head collar can be phased out. He has also learned that counter surfing is not acceptable when his foster mom is looking. Work continues!
Buster has visited a dog park where he met a number of large dogs in normal doggie fashion. He also spent a morning with a professional groomer for a clip and WOW! Do his freckles ever show up now! He is always ready for whatever the day brings and can mellow out for a quiet evening when he has had a combination of exercise and training to wear him out during the day. With simple and informal training, Buster has become an easy boy to live with and an easier boy to love. He still rewards his foster mom with kisses at every opportunity and will surely carry that giving to his forever family.
Original: The staff of a shelter in eastern Pennsylvania met Buster when he arrived as a stray. They recognized a winner immediately but visitors didn’t and he remained with them for 2 months. By the time he left to become a MAESSR boy, he had become a favorite and tears were shed when his MAESSR transport volunteer picked him up. When he visited the vet with his foster mom, he was found to be in very good health and at a good weight of 55 pounds. He has a lush coat, flashes a full tail and accepts home grooming with great patience. He will stand in a noose but prefers to lie down when being brushed and having his feet trimmed.
Buster has met the resident springer and gets along well with him. The two get into vigorous play sessions daily and will also sit alongside one another to take treats, politely, of course. Buster can be self-entertaining too and will spend 30 minutes at a time chewing on a Kong. He is crate trained and spends 2 4–5-hour sessions daily in one while his foster family works. He is also crated, bedside, during the nights, until he proves his trustworthiness to have run of the bedroom. For the most part, Buster is reliable with his housetraining, but he was persistent with efforts to mark when he first arrived. That is diminishing quickly but he is watched closely right now.
It’s easy to think of Buster as a naughty boy; he is as comfy when standing on top of the couch as when he is standing up against the bare kitchen counters. He eyes the bed longingly and launches on as a last-ditch appeal. He has no sense of how to behave on a leash and blasts ahead full steam, but just because he is so excited about what may lie ahead. He will play keep away if his foster mom asks for a toy back and teases her to chase him. He will race through the house and “come” when it suits him. Of course, in reality, this boy is an untrained youngster.
What saves Buster are his loving eyes and immediate willingness to roll for a belly rub. His answer to any correction is a kiss if he can just get close to a hand or face. Ear massages are at the very top of his list. He will surrender a toy with grace when cornered. He will also let his foster mom remove his food mid-meal. Buster has a fun-loving and indomitable personality. He has not had the training that shapes a springer’s house manners but Buster is beginning to learn. He will “sit” and “down.” He is beginning to understand “stay” and will completely roll over with a liver treat for a lure. He hears “off” frequently and is beginning to respond correctly. When Buster’s ready, he will need a family to continue his basic education, shower him with attention and be ready to cherish his big springer heart