Chip 9

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Update 08/14/12:

Chip has settled in nicely at his foster home. He’s excited to go out for his walks, and today, he decided he wanted to run, not just walk around the yard! He has lost 4 pounds and needs to lose about 8 more. He’ll be like an Olympic athlete when he reaches his goal! He is doing very well with his new healthy lifestyle, getting much more playful and active as a result.

He tries to keep up with the two resident Springers, but their legs are much longer! Chip likes to follow them just to make sure he doesn’t miss out on anything exciting that might be going on. He was very interested when they were playing fetch with a tennis ball, so his foster mom got another one out just for him. He hasn’t quite caught onto bringing it back to be thrown again, but he really likes to chase after it!

Chip’s foster mom has been working with him on “sit” and he does very well. She hasn’t had to work on “come” as Chip tends to follow wherever she is and, if she tries to slip away, he tracks her down– must be those Springer hunting genes.

Chip did well on a recent visit to the vet where she praised him on his weight loss efforts. He was a good boy and enjoyed meeting both the staff and the other patients! He has a “dry eye” condition similar to humans and he will benefit from daily drops. He seems to know they are helpful as he happily sits still while drops are given.

Petting has revealed a ticklish spot on Chip’s back by his tail. He loves to be scratched there and wiggles his hips like he’s dancing. He’ll be happy to do his dance just for you; indeed, he’ll dance his way right into your heart!

Original:

When his New Jersey owner fell and broke her hip, she realized that she could no longer care for her beloved Springer. So, she relinquished him to MAESSR, knowing that we would find him a new loving family. So, she sadly said goodbye to her Mr. Chip.

Although Chip is only eight years old, he has a smattering of white through his black coat making him look every bit a distinguished gentleman – which he is! Some of the ladies think he’s the George Clooney of Springers!

Since arriving at his foster home, Chip has shown excellent manners. He only jumped on the couch once and at night sleeps soundly on the bedroom floor by choice without trying to jump on the bed. A fairly quiet guy, he doesn’t have much to say; it was a few days before he joined in with his two housemates when they barked a greeting at the owner’s arrival home to say, “Yay! Let’s go out!” Housetrained and reliable, Chip is fine when left alone while his foster mom is away. There is no need to crate or confine Chip; he has full run of the house with no accidents. Because of his smaller size, there is no need to worry about counter-surfing either. He politely eats his food and his bowl can be moved or taken away with no problems (but he’d like it back, please!) 

As of yet, there hasn’t been any interactive play with the two resident Springers, but everyone is getting along just fine. Chip would be fine in a home with another dog or as an only dog. Initially, he’s a bit reserved or maybe a little shy when meeting new people, but warms up quickly to a friendly pat on the head. Chip is small in stature but big in heart. His favorite song is obviously “Me and My Shadow” as he loves to shadow his foster mom around. He follows from room to room just to make sure he doesn’t miss out on any opportunity for a quick pet or scratch on his back. If she’s working in the home office, you’ll find him lying quietly on the floor by her feet. In his foster home, Chip has not had the opportunity to meet any children or cats yet.

Chip has been living the good life and with limited exercise, so he’s put on a few extra pounds. His foster mom is taking him out for several short walks each day to ease him back into a more active lifestyle. He walks nicely on the leash after a tug to get him moving and he enjoys following the other Springers around the yard. Although Chip is not quite ready to run after his canine companions, he happily trots along to check out all the corners of his two acre yard. This additional exercise will help him shed some of those unwanted pounds. Chip is a very laid-back, well-behaved dog, but he has been initially unresponsive to commands given to him by his foster mom; she thinks this may be due to the adjustments he is making so he is not listening to her yet.

A sweet, low-energy Springer, Chip would be perfect for a family who would love a smaller, affectionate Springer without high-energy demands. You won’t regret saying, “Hello” to this Mr. Chip!