Entered: 08/03/2013
Status: Adopted
Age: 5
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 45 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Bethesda, MD
Health: UTD, HW-, epilepsy controlled with medication
Temperament: Good with adults, unknown with children, barks at other dogs, unknown with cats
Update 08/25/2013: “The most comical thing he does is to close doors behind him.“
Buster has improved much since coming into foster care. He is so quiet and loving when he’s with his foster mom around the house. No barking! He loves to play with any kind of ball. It’s so much fun to watch him. He takes a ball in his mouth and then turns onto his back, using his paws like a soccer player to play with the ball. He entertains himself for long periods of time. He’s picked up baseballs and softballs at the local park, and now checks the tennis court every time he’s there for stray balls.
The most comical thing he does is to close doors behind him. When he goes into a bathroom or bedroom, he nuzzles the door to make it close once he’s in. One day Buster was in the bedroom for 1/2 hour by himself after closing himself in……………what a tease to find!
His family continues to work on Buster’s barking, as he still barks at new people coming into the house and when he’s arrived at the park and before getting out of the car. The barking is not as excessive as it was earlier and should continue to correct with training. He catches on to things fast and is a quick learner.
If Buster has enough exercise, it reduces his anxiety. So, his family is always on the watch for opportunities to give him a lot of room to run and run and run in. He’ll be taking a day trip to visit another MAESSR family with a huge fenced yard and other Springers to play with. Here’s hoping Buster has a great time and comes home a very tired boy!
Buster visited the vet recently and was found to be a healthy 45 pounder. He’s continuing his medication for seizures and will need to be tested in 6 months again. This guy is absolutely loving and wonderful! He’d make a great addition to a family who wants a fabulous companion and has a structured schedule. He’ll soon to become “available” but won’t be looking long for a new family to entertain and close doors for……….. :)).
Original: “MAESSR’s Ohio import will be working with a trainer on his barking issues and looking for forever parents who can establish regular patterns for him, provide him with a good amount of activity and reassure him that he is going to have a happy life.”
Buster was purchased from a breeder and lived with a loving family in Ohio. When his folks’ circumstances changed, they felt he was not getting enough attention, and asked MAESSR for help in finding this handsome fellow a new home.
Described as a diamond in the “ruff,” Buster is just now settling in to his MAESSR foster home where he is very loving and sweet. He knows how to “sit” and “shake,” and answers to a few other commands. He is content to share his food and water with a visiting dog. Completely housetrained, he is also well mannered in the house—no chewing on furniture or clothing, counter-surfing, begging for food or trash diving for this guy! He is not crate trained but has shown he is trustworthy alone in the house. Buster sleeps next to his foster mom’s bed. While he sometimes shares the bed, he seems to prefer the carpeting on the floor.
Life has been confusing lately for this 5 year old, and he’s been expressing his generalized anxiety through obsessive barking and licking. As he has grown used to his foster home, Buster’s barking has subsided substantively. When he arrives at the park, he will still bark at other dogs and at the visiting dog as if to say, “I want to play, but I don’t know how to ask you!” An increased level of activity has helped lessen his licking habit. He likes to be outdoors walking, smelling and playing fetch with his beloved ball. Leash walking is a necessity for this boy as a recall command is not yet part of
his vocabulary. Buster rides well in the car but does bark some when the car first starts and when it stops. He has been fine with ear cleaning, but other grooming and vet procedures are still in his future.
MAESSR’s Ohio import will be working with a trainer on his barking issues and looking for forever parents who can establish regular patterns for him, provide him with a good amount of activity and reassure him that he is going to have a happy life. He might be best as an only dog or sharing a home with a calm companion, but much more is to be learned about this “diamond in the ruff.”