Entered: 06/22/2010
Status: Adopted
Age: 5
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Catawissa, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, treatment for a minor skin condition complete, treatment for whipworms complete
Temperament: Good with people as young as 8, good with other dogs, good with the resident cats at the veterinarian’s office
Update 07/26/10:
Chip continues to be a very well behaved and calm boy in his foster home, with no negative incidents to report. Well done, Chip!
Shy at first, his foster mom was delighted to see Chip become animated and playful, rolling around for a belly rub, wagging his tail, and mimicking one of the resident dogs with a little “woo woo” when excited during treat time or when it’s time to go outside. Chip also has gotten more comfortable with his paws being touched, since his foster mom taught him to give his paw when getting a treat or a petting. He now associates his feet being handled with good things!
Very good on the leash, Chip is now given opportunities to run off leash in a secluded area with the resident dogs. He has a great time wading in the small stream and comes back when called. Once Chip has formed a strong relationship with his adopting family and they are confident of his recall with them, he will enjoy doing more outings like this!
Chip is not a huge fan of the crate anymore. He doesn’t really require using one but will go in when asked with some extra coaxing. Once preferring to be in the same crate together, Chip and his long time companion, Moose, now prefer to be crated separately; but, since Chip’s house manners are great, crating is minimal. Most of the time, Chip is free to roam in his foster home.
Following the behaviors of the resident dogs, Chip occasionally sneaks up on the sofa, but he does respond quickly to “off” and gets down right away when told.
Chip still is slightly nervous when there is a lot of activity at hand, so he may do better in a home without the busyness and curious hands of young children. Chip continues to interact minimally with the resident dogs; he prefers to be near Moose, lying side by side with him or following his lead. If this pair is separated for adoption, Chip’s foster mom can see that there will be a period of adjustment while he becomes accustomed to new people and/or dogs. Chip is sure to impress his new owners with his loyalty and devotion, which is so common with this breed. He is a handsome and loving boy who cannot wait to see which way his new path in life will lead.
MAESSR will consider re-homing Chip along with his buddy Moose if the right family were prepared to adopt them both. As we all know……Springer Spaniels are like potato chips: you can never have just one!
Original:
Chip and his longtime buddy Moose became MAESSR boys because of the difficult housing market. When their owner’s house went into foreclosure, Chip and Moose were temporarily left alone in the house until their owners could figure out what to do. The owners were not sure how much longer the dogs would be safe there, so they contacted MAESSR for better living arrangements for these two. Luckily, they were able to be fostered together, since Chip and Moose are always side by side and are very attached to each other.
After only a few days in his foster home, Chip’s foster mom was so impressed to learn what a well behaved dog he is!
Good in the crate? Check! Good on car rides? Check! Good in the house? Check! Good on a leash? Check! Good at the groomer’s and the vet’s? Check, check!
One very sweet, well-behaved dog? … Priceless!
Chip doesn’t get on the furniture, he doesn’t have accidents in the house, and he doesn’t chew things, beg for food, or counter surf. He doesn’t make a sound at night, and he doesn’t guard his food. He’s just learning to play with toys and sits and watches the resident dogs chase them around. He’s getting better about having his feet touched, and he doesn’t like to be in an area where he cannot see Moose, but he also doesn’t act out. He just anxiously waits until he can see Moose again. Well, these are a lot of things he doesn’t do.
So what DOES Chip do, you ask?
Chip steals your heart! And he makes sure he is the best companion he can be for his good buddy Moose! He sidles on up to you and wags his tail and burrows his head in your lap for a good ear rub. He looks at you with those serious “I’m all business” eyes, but then wiggles his bum when you tell him he’s going for a walk. He sits when asked, stays off of the furniture, goes into his crate when told, and enjoys learning to catch treats with the resident dogs.
He also guarantees that he will be the best he can be, as long as you allow him some time to adjust to his new surroundings. When he first arrived at his foster home, Chip chose to be in his crate for the better part of a few days, and he steered clear of the three resident dogs, slightly nervous, deciding he wasn’t ready to make any new canine friends. But as he became more comfortable and secure in his surroundings, he decided that this being in a new place was not so bad after all and now he gets right in the mix when it’s time for treats or to be leashed up to go outside. He can now be found at his foster mom’s side or relaxing at her feet in true Velcro Springer style! He is exceptionally calm and well-behaved in the house and outside in the yard, and if you decide to adopt Chip and his best friend Moose together, you will be sure to enjoy this engaging Springer pair for many years to come!