Chip 12

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Update 04/24/2022: “Chip’s foster parents have seen an improvement in his behavior since he has been regularly taking an anti-anxiety medication prescribed by their vet.”

Chip’s foster parents have seen an improvement in his behavior since he has been regularly taking an anti-anxiety medication prescribed by their vet.  This medication has had a calming effect on him so he is more comfortable in the house and yard.  

Walking with Chip outside of his yard still is not a possibility, but Chip gets plenty of exercise in his large fenced yard playing fetch with his foster parents’ grandson.  The grandson has seen an improvement in Chip too since Chip has been consistently medicated.  Before Chip’s would be so excited to see him that they could barely play together without Chip accidentally hurting the boy with his jumping.  Now the grandson has a winning strategy.  When he first arrives, he gets up on the top bunk in his room and waits about the fifteen minutes until Chip calms down; this is a vast improvement over the hour it would previously take Chip to settle down enough for play.  Then, the two venture into the yard to play fetch together!  

Watch for more about Chip as he benefits from his new meds.

Update 09/17/2021: “When his foster mom went on vacation for a few days, Chip did well with a sitter.”

Chip’s foster mom reports that he is doing somewhat better as long as he takes his anxiety supplement. However, the summer was a difficult time when a grandchild visited. It would take Chip at least an hour to calm down enough that he could be left off his leash or he would just knock the child down.

Instead of going for a walk near the house, Chip’s foster mom has been trying to walk him at a park. She was able to get him to walk a little further, but he then just pulls to go back to the car.

Another vet will be consulted soon, one willing to prescribe a medication to help Chip with his anxieties.

When his foster mom went on vacation for a few days, Chip did well with a sitter. Putting him in a kennel would not be advised.

Chip’s foster mom hopes to report more progress in the near future.

Update 06/07/2021:  “Chip’s anxiety is still there, but his foster parents have seen a decrease since adding the supplement to his daily regimen.”   

Chip has been to the vet who suggested a different diet to help Chip with his anxiety issues. He also was put on Composure, a supplement for anxiety, to see if a natural product would help before starting on a prescription medication. Chip’s anxiety is still there, but his foster parents have seen a decrease since adding the supplement to his daily regimen.  

A trip to the groomer has not yet been tried as his foster parents fear the experience might be too much for him right now. They are able to bathe and brush him themselves, although they have not tried cutting his hair other than a mat or two. Chip has been to a trainer twice so far. She had many good suggestions but advised his foster parents to avoid testing him with other dogs at this point because of his unpredictable behavior and his anxiety.

Chip is still a crazy man when the grandson comes over so it is hoped that more training helps with this issue especially since two grandchildren will be spending prolonged periods of time at NanNa’s house this summer. His foster parents will be going away for a few days on vacation and have lined up a sitter to stay at the house with Chip while they are gone. The sitter has been over to meet Chip and it went well, so hopefully his “staycation” will be a pleasant one for him.

Lately Chip has taken a herding mentality with the resident 20-year-old cat, who likes to sneak out the new screen covering on the sliding glass doors. He will follow her out and then nudge her back towards the door until she goes back through the screen. It is funny to watch but it’s doubtful the kitty enjoys it much…she ends up all wet from his nudges. 

He still is not taking walks, but his foster mom has managed to get to the end of the block and back before he tries to bolt for the house door. As for doing his business, Chip is finally on a good schedule for going outside.

Chip continues to chew things if he can reach them, especially his foster mom’s clothes. His foster dad has hung baskets from the ceiling to keep her shoes in so Chip can’t get to them. Necessity is the mother of invention!

Since the thunderstorm season has arrived, Chip is showing signs of anxiety during storms, so his anxiety supplement is increased before the storm arrives. He doesn’t seem to be bothered by fireworks which happen on a regular basis around his home. There is one commercial that comes on the TV that immediately sends him barking. There is a whistle in the background that he just doesn’t like! The poor mailman has been scared on several occasions by Chip’s barking at him through the door. The same man comes everyday around the same time, so his foster parents close the door when they see him coming.

Chip is a very sweet boy who just has some issues that his foster parents are working on diligently. It is hoped that he will become calmer as the efforts they are making start to make a difference for him.  

Update 02/26/2021:  “Stay tuned for more updates as Chip progresses and works toward becoming a more confident pup.”

Chip is still learning in his foster home while they are working to help him with his anxiety. Stay tuned for more updates as Chip progresses and works toward becoming a more confident pup.

Original:  “This sweet boy is very loving. He will snuggle up to his people, especially in the evening, and just wants to be petted and get a belly rub.”

When an elderly couple in Pennsylvania adopted Chip as a puppy, they were not expecting such activity in their new family member. When they could no longer handle him because he was too energetic and strong for them, they asked MAESSR to help find him a better family match.

Since his former family could not take him for walks, Chip does not know how to walk on a leash. It appears that Chip had little socialization, so walking is a scary experience for him. His foster family has just begun working with him using a new type of harness, but he is taking baby steps. He loves to run free in his family’s backyard, chasing squirrels and birds. He loves to fetch stick but does not often bring them back to continue the game.

Chip has spent time with his foster parents’ four-year-old grandson, but Chip gets very excited when he comes to visit and has knocked him down several times. He wants to “puppy play” with him and sometimes it is fine; sometimes he just gets too excited. With adult family members he’s met Chip gets very excited and jumps on them.

The one experience Chip had with a family member’s dog did not go well. Chip lunged opened mouthed at the other dog. He was extremely nervous. Chip is very curious about the resident cat. He often follows her around and smells her and tries to play with her. The cat is old and cranky and just swipes at him; Chip will generally back off. If he were around a shyer cat it might not go so well. 

Chip is still learning to go outside to go to the bathroom. Since joining his foster home, his parents have worked on housetraining. He does a good job with peeing outside but often comes in from being outside and then poops on the floor in the house. They must catch him at the right time to get him out; if he starts to circle the rug, that’s the signal that he needs to go out. 

His former owners said Chip was crate trained, but it took some trial and error to get him to go into the crate; it is still not his favorite place. Over Christmas he needed to be in the crate while his foster parents were gone for a couple of hours and he did okay other than chewing up the foam pad on the bottom of the crate. He has not been left free in the house while they go out because he would probably find an unsafe way to entertain himself, like eating a pillowcase, which he managed to do even when his foster parents were home! Chip is still very much a puppy even though he is over two years old. He tends to go after clothing and shoes and chews them up if they are left within reach. 

Chip is a big-time counter-surfer. If anything is left near the edge of the counter, one can count on it being gone. His foster parents installed a gate across the opening to the kitchen before Christmas so cookies could be made without worrying about Chip eating whole sticks of butter…which he did before the gate was installed!

This sweet boy is very loving. He will snuggle up to his people, especially in the evening, and just wants to be petted and get a belly rub. As soon as the sun goes down, he is ready to check out for the night. He sleeps upstairs with his parents on a day bed and will sleep through the night without a sound. He will stay off the furniture if told “off” but still sneaks up if his parents aren’t watching. 

Chip knows the commands “sit” and “down.” He is currently working on “off” for when he jumps up on people. He gets very excited when his parents come in from outside or if they are out in the yard with him. He will jump up on them to get their attention. He rides in the car very nicely and if the passenger front seat is occupied, he will stay in the back seat.

Chip eats in the kitchen. He does not resource guard his food. He receives reward treats when he goes outside to go to the bathroom or if he listens to a command. He loves pepperoni dog treats! He plays with a stuffed squirrel and a stuffed Santa in the house and has not yet attempted to tear them apart – although the squeaking sends him over the top crazy!

It is unclear how Chip will react at the vet or groomer as he has yet to visit them. Reportedly he was trimmed by his previous owners, so it is likely that he has never been to a groomer. Chip will let his foster parents brush him to some extent, but often it just ends in a playful battle over the brush.

Chip, although two years old, is still exhibits puppy tendencies. MAESSR will require the adoptive family to take him through two series of obedience classes within 90 days of adoption. MAESSR only places puppies – even older ones – in homes that are committed to training and bonding with the pup in obedience classes. Puppies require a lot of care, attention, and patience. MAESSR believes the decision to get a puppy and raise it to be a healthy, happy, and well-adjusted dog is a serious commitment. These classes will help Chip bond with his family, become socialized, and learn proper Springer behavior. Love bug Chip will be well worth the effort!  

A forever home for Chip would be where he can run and get lots of exercise in a fenced-in yard. Getting him into a training class to learn to walk on leash and curb his undesirable behaviors will be most beneficial. A home with older children who could help him burn off some of his energy with play would be a good fit. His home should be cat-free unless the cat is able to defend itself against Chips’ attempts to play. He is very easily excited, over the top excited, so a calm atmosphere with not too much stimulation would serve him well. His foster parents are around much of the day so that makes for a happy place for Chip. If he had to spend extended amounts of time in a crate, it would not be to his benefit.

Young Chip just wants to love and be loved; he just needs a family willing to work with him. The time put into his training will be well worth it.