Chloe 13

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Update 10/16/2016: “Now this indomitable girl is adjusting to blindness and is doing it with a wagging tail.”   

2016 has been a difficult year for Chloe. She was lost or abandoned and taken to a shelter.  Just after she had recovered her health in foster care, she developed SARDS: sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome and is now blind in both eyes.

Now this indomitable girl is adjusting to blindness and is doing it with a wagging tail. Chloe loves her walks…she moves with dignity wearing her BLIND DOG bandana which reminds people to give her an extra moment’s pause to introduce themselves and their dogs.  She is an ambassador for special needs dogs, as she greets newcomers along the way.  She’s learned that two of these dogs are deaf and another is low vision. 

Very little has changed in her foster home to accommodate her loss of vision. People and dogs have their routines; with a blind dog, you just need to button things up a bit. Chloe’s tennis ball became a ball in a sock; squeaky toys are even more enjoyed. Stairs are gated temporarily until she finishes “mapping” the downstairs and fenced yard. This is happening quickly with the aid of scented sticky dots. Soon she’ll be ready to wander the yard unleashed.  Walks are with a shorter leash and “up” and “down” will soon come naturally.  Her happy little face is reward enough.

Chloe’s main challenge was getting to feel safe. Her housetraining suffered if she felt afraid. Well, she now feels safe and cared for and her housetraining is 100%. This clever girl will come sit near you and make murmuring noises when she wants to go out. She’s remained quiet in her foster home; a bark or two to alert is about it.

Update 10/04/2016:   “Chloe is a soft-natured companion, affectionate and quick to wag her 4-inch tail. Treats make her joyous.“

She’s been off leash more. She’ll trot around the outside of the house sniffing for treasure, but quietly watch passing dogs and people. She’s not a bolter. She stays close. Chloe spent an overnight at a kennel, sleeping separately but next to the family dog, did well while there, and, came home like nothing had happened…good girl!.

Her temperament has always been gentle and sweet but lately she’s been more outgoing, showing more fun. When let out at the end of workdays, she bounces across the yard like Tigger. She’s relaxing into belly rubs and lies on her back more.

MAESSR’s travel-size springer is an amusing girl who continues to show a preference for females or quieter voices.  She’s a people pleaser; other dogs are ok but she’s not going to lose her dignity rushing about with them.   A recent visit to a dog park did not impress Miss Chloe. She was interested to watch but prefers her dog friends one at a time. She is shy with new dogs but warms up after subsequent meetings.

This low key and low maintenance girl has a soulful expression and is a good confidante.  Chloe is a soft-natured companion, affectionate and quick to wag her 4-inch tail. Treats make her joyous. She has DANCE MOVES for treats.  Open your heart and home to her and she’ll have even more to dance for!

Update 09/07/2016:  “Twice daily 45-minute walks have helped give her something else to think about and has helped her trim a bit of weight.“

It’s amazing how quickly life in a loving home can turn a stray Springer around.  In less than a month Miss Chloe’s health, house manners and sense of well-being have all improved.

Health-wise, all is well.  Her coat is improving with a premium kibble and a dash of supplement in her daily fare.  She was tested and found to be borderline low thyroid but her vet supported a “wait and see” on meds with retesting in 6 months if there is a concern; her “normal” may just be at the lower end of the normal range.  Equally as important, Chloe no longer seems anxious; she is happy and relaxed. Twice daily 45-minute walks have helped give her something else to think about and have helped her trim a bit of weight. She doesn’t drink a lot any more. Her nose has healed…all a delight to see happening!

The calm Chloe is gaining has helped in many ways.  Counter-surfing attempts have disappeared. She was approached recently by a swarm of preschoolers on the street and was shy but composed with their petting. She has been ignoring cats on the street…but not squirrels. She looks up into trees as she passes by, just in case one is lurking. 

At day’s end she sleeps more soundly when in the bedroom with her people. She can start the night in a closed crate but will wake several hours later and be restless. She sleeps more deeply when able to snuggle with a person; then she sleeps all night without incident.

Training is ongoing for this receptive student.  Chloe has a very good “sit” and is getting better at “leave it.”  Crate training has gotten her to the point where she will fly in for meals/treats but she becomes miserable with door closed. While continuing to work on this, her family is also able to work around her fear.  

Housetraining is almost there.  Her anxious pacing has declined, so now it’s easier to see that circling is her signal to go potty.  When her family is at work, she is restricted to a guest room with a wood floor. She will go on newspaper there but not elsewhere in the house.  She has been accident-free during work days when someone comes home to let her out at lunchtime.  Her best adoptive family would be folks who can guarantee her a midday break or a less than 8-hour workday separation.

Check back for news on Chloe’s continuing progress.  It may not be long until she’s ready to snuggle with her very own family!

Original:  “She’s starting to snuggle with people, and, typical Springer, she believes she has a right to sit on a sofa if there is room next to a person.”

In May, Chloe was picked up as a stray and taken to a Pennsylvania shelter. They spayed, dewormed, microchipped her, scaled her teeth and reached out to MAESSR for help in providing this love with a comfortable and safe new home.

Her housetraining was either nonexistent or she had become confused in the shelter setting. Her foster home is reintroducing housetraining and beginning crate training. One week in and a noticeable improvement has been seen—good girl, Chloe!

This pretty little girl is not noisy, but may bark once in a while. She has an average energy level having spurts of playfulness or joy (after eating). Chloe shows no sign of separation anxiety when left in the house with the resident dog, but when she was left alone for brief periods, she paced.  She sleeps through the night in a dog bed outside the bedrooms.

The new girl in the home eats her own food quickly and then comes to raid the resident dog’s bowl—smart girl, Chloe!  She seems to be accepting that this fun is coming to an end as her foster mom corrects the behavior.  She is fed and given treats in her crate now.

Miss C. is an opportunistic counter-surfer and likes to stand on her rear legs to peer up toward the counter. She’s getting better and learning “down.”  Otherwise, she has little command training.  She will now “sit” for her leash and treats; her family is working on “stay.”

She quickly became comfortable with the resident female dog, and, during the workday, the two have run of downstairs. No chewing, aggressive behavior, or guarding has been seen.  This little girl is content to run around the fenced yard–no digging or escape attempts. As she relaxes, Chloe shows increasing interest in squeaky toys, tug-of-war rope and tennis balls—great fun to chase.  She’s starting to snuggle with people and, typical Springer, she believes she has a right to sit on a sofa if there is room next to a person.

Chloe is friendly to people and dogs.  She is curious but not assertive with dogs met on walks. She has met small children on walks and first graders have come to the house for visits; she’s shy but fine with all. She must have had leash walks in her past as she’s mostly good and easily correctable when passing excitement such as squirrels and rabbits happen by.

She loves car rides and was good with both the groomer and vet. She was interested in those mewing felines—noisy things—but did not become excited.

Chloe’s ideal home might be one where she’s not alone for the entire workday. She might always be an anxious girl who finds comfort in a dog or person around her. As the days finally turn cooler, she’ll be great company on fall walks and a good snuggler on the couch during fall evenings.  Watch for future information on this Springer wannabe.