Entered: 06/09/2020
Status: Adopted
Age: 11
Color: Black/White
Weight: 45 lbs.
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Alexandria, VA
Health: UTD, receiving treatment for being HW+, treatment completed for Lyme disease
Temperament: Good with people as young as 12 and likely good with children of any age, lived with other dogs but wary of strange dogs, unknown with cats
Original: “This good girl has perfect house manners.”
Chloe was surrendered to MAESSR, along with three other Springers, due to her Virginia owners’ divorce. Despite living in an outdoor kennel, Chloe seems to be fully housetrained. She hasn’t had a single accident while in foster care.
When Chloe wants to go out, she stands quietly by the door. What a polite girl! Since arriving at her foster home, Chloe has been crated when left alone at home. She doesn’t seem to like being crated and reportedly barks the entire time she’s crated. She has not been left alone in the house yet but, based on her behavior when her family is home, she would most likely be trustworthy and non-destructive when the humans are away.
This good girl has perfect house manners. She hasn’t made any attempts to counter-surf, get into the trash, or steal or chew any items left within her reach. She doesn’t bark at noises, cars passing by, etc. The only time she’s barked at all was when she’s been crated.
Chloe has made a few half-hearted attempts to get onto the couch, but when told, “No” she quickly gave up. She attempted this with furniture that’s lower to the floor (a couch and a child’s bed), but made no attempts with higher furniture. At night Chloe sleeps on a dog bed in her foster mom’s room.
Testing indicated that Chloe was positive for both Lyme disease and heartworms. She currently is being treated with the “slow-kill” method. This involves giving the infected dog Heartgard tabs over the course of a year. (Doxycycline therapy is sometimes done as part of the treatment as well.) At the end of the year, the dog is re-tested for heartworms. MAESSR will supply the medication to the dog’s adoptive family and will pay for the follow-up vet visit and heartworm test. Although most dogs are heartworm-free after one year, MAESSR will pay for another year of treatment if the dog is still heartworm positive.
Chloe didn’t seem to know any commands upon arrival and doesn’t respond to her name, but it hasn’t been an issue at all since she’s so well behaved. In the week she’s been with her foster mom, she has learned “sit” and “come.” She does better with these commands in the house than when outside, but is getting better by the day.
On leash, Chloe is a pleasure to take on a walk. She doesn’t pull at all and makes no attempt to chase squirrels, birds, or other wildlife. She walks closely at her foster mom’s side, only venturing a few feet away to sniff. She has been allowed off leash in both fenced and unfenced areas. While her recall still needs work, she doesn’t venture too far away while off leash.
Chloe loves to meet people while on walks. She will approach any people who pass. She does so calmly and gently (no jumping), and if anyone doesn’t want to stop and pet her, she just continues on with her walk. When meeting other dogs she does growl if they approach, but she has been friendly with other dogs that stopped and waited for her to approach them. Despite the initial growling, she has never bared teeth or made any move to go after the other dogs. She is currently with her foster mom at the home of extended family members, and reacted the same way with their dog; as long as he’s left her alone, there have been no issues.
On car rides, Chloe travels in the back of an SUV. She will whine for maybe the first 30 seconds to a minute of the ride, but then rides perfectly for the rest of the trip. On a recent three hour car ride she was an excellent passenger. She rides so well that it’s almost like she’s not even in the car.
Chloe has picked up some toys from a basket on the floor of her foster home. She didn’t play with them very much; she mostly wanted to carry them around.
Chloe loves being with people. She has interacted so nicely with every person she has encountered including several adult family members and a teenager. She also has visited a nursing home and was friendly with the residents.
There has been no resource guarding by Chloe. In fact, when she has gotten a few things she shouldn’t have while outside (she found a dead animal and tried to eat it!) Chloe allowed her foster mom to take it from her with no problem. At mealtimes Chloe is fed in a laundry room. She is not food-motivated and does not seem to have a strong appetite. She will let a bowl of food sit until she’s hungry and will then eat.
Currently Chloe’s energy level is low. She does like to go outside and walk around, but doesn’t generally run. She likes to take lots of long naps throughout the day and still sleeps through the night. Her energy picked up some in the week she’s been in foster care and likely will improve more as her Lyme and heartworm treatment continues and she begins to feel better. Her appetite will probably pick up as well.
Chloe hasn’t yet been to the groomer, but she reportedly did very well when having her matted fur shaved off when she came into MAESSR’s care. Given the temperament she’s displayed so far, her foster mom doesn’t think she’d have any issue with being groomed or having her nails cut. She didn’t enjoy having her ears cleaned, but allowed her foster mom do it with no negative response. She was reportedly very good at the vet when she first came into MAESSR’s care.
Chloe would most likely do well in almost any home. She is a calm, quiet, gentle girl. She has had some trouble with stairs. She has no trouble going up carpeted stairs, but does slide some on her way back down, and has had difficulty with both wood and cement stairs. A home without stairs or with carpeted stairs only would be best for her. This former outdoor girl is such a gentle soul that is just looking for a loving new family to call her own.