Entered: 10/06/2009
Status: Adopted
Age: 2
Color: Black/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Goochland, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, good overall health
Temperament: Good with people as young as six, good with calm dogs but defers play with more active ones, will chase cats, benefiting from an inexpensive medication for anxiety
Update 02/22/10:
Short but the absolute sweetest news on Miss Chloe! She has made huge strides in her quest to be a normal Springer. She recently spent several hours with her foster mom at a huge pet store that allows dogs to accompany their humans when shopping and attending store events. Chloe did very well with all of the activity and noise. She has started readily accepting visitors into her foster home and now will approach them to be petted.
This girl is ready to find a forever home that will continue to expand her horizons! With her leash in the hands of a patient, supportive and loving family, the days ahead will be sunny ones for Chloe!!
Update 01/13/10:
Extreme patience coupled with loving encouragement from her foster family has helped Miss Chloe move her socialization ahead. Her family is investing the time to work with her at her own pace. This can easily take months (if not longer) but makes gains for a lifetime that are all the more rewarding to see.
To further assist Chloe, she was started on an inexpensive medication to help with her extreme anxiety. It has made a world of difference. Chloe will now follow her foster family around and let them love on her. She will occasionally still get scared and back off, but she has come a long way.
Once this girl figures out that the world is a safe place and that people are wonderful, she is going to be a special addition to someone’s home. Her adopting family will be all important in easing her transition into her ultimate goal, a nurturing home where she feels secure and loved. Keep an eye on Chloe if you can offer this part of her future!
Update 10/22/09:
Chloe is settling into her foster home nicely and making significant progress in socializing with people and other dogs. Chloe does fine with dogs who are passive and aren’t too jumpy or excited around her. She seems to enjoy the interaction with a calm dog, sniffing and being curious. However, if the dog gets a bit too friendly and attempts to play with her, Chloe prefers to leave the situation.
This beautiful girl has been to many new places with her foster parents, including the farmer’s market, nature parks, stores that allow dogs, the bus stop, etc. She warms up to people much quicker than when she arrived but still makes sure to stay close to her foster parents. Her preference for men also seems to have disappeared. Chloe prefers anyone as long as they are friendly and gives extra credit to those who get down on her level and play with her and her squeaky toys.
The best in life is ahead for Miss Chloe. Her world has widened every day since arriving in foster care. She’s been a bit cautious along the way but shows a steady ability to embrace new opportunities. Half the fun of life with Chloe will be witnessing her continuing development. The other half of the fun will be making it happen!
Original:
Chloe came into MAESSR’s care when her previous owners felt they didn’t have the time to provide her with the attention and exercise that she requires. Crated in the garage which was attached to a doggie door, she was allowed inside the house only on rare occasions.
Currently, Chloe is loving life inside of the house and outside of the crate while her foster parents are home! Although she is housetrained, her inside manners need some polishing since she counter-surfs and tries to get up on furniture. Since she just knows the words “no” and “sit,” Chloe will require more obedience training– something to which her new owner has to be dedicated. Chloe does great in the car. She rides in the back and enjoys looking out the windows. On longer car trips, she will eventually lie down and fall asleep.
In her previous home, Chloe had no exposure to other dogs and as such she does not interact freely with the resident dogs in her foster home. She and the senior resident male dog do not get along and she just ignores the resident female. When Chloe encounters strange dogs on walks or at the vet, she barks at them. She would do best as an only dog or in a situation where she is the dominant dog.
When her foster parents are at work, Chloe is crated and she is crated at bedtime. She currently goes into her crate voluntarily when she is tired after a long walk or when she has a toy that she wants to play with alone. However, she does not prefer to be in the crate at other times and requires some encouragement to go in.
With new people Chloe is a bit shy, but warms up quickly. She loves to be around people and sometimes whines when a person is not in her sight. Chloe seems to prefer men. She interacts with women but seems to be drawn to men and engages in play with them more often. When she spots someone she knows, she gets a crazy wiggle butt. A very high-energy dog, Chloe jumps on people when she is excited. Although her foster parents are working on this behavior, this would not be an ideal situation for a toddler or small child. Chloe has been around older children and thoroughly enjoys playing with them. With Chloe’s level of energy, there should be no children under the age of six in her new environment. There probably should not be a cat in her new home either since she has attempted to lunge at one she saw. Her interest in the cat lasted until it was out of eyesight. Then, she forgot about it. She has the same behavior around squirrels and birds.
Chloe seems to have an unlimited supply of energy and could walk forever. Her foster parents currently walk her three times a day. She loves sniffing and exploring; however, she is very aware of her surroundings during walks and can get spooked at other people and dogs. Sometimes the crackle of a leaf of a falling acorn will disturb her. This is the only time she pulls on her leash.
Chloe LOVES toys of all kinds, the squeakier, the better! She plays fetch and keep-away with them and enjoys chewing on them. She happily plays alone when there is a person near her; however, she doesn’t play with her toys when she is not in the presence of a person. Chloe plays like a puppy at times, gently using her teeth and mouthing. Her foster parents are working on this, and this will also be something on which a new owner will need to work. Chloe does not engage in play with the resident dogs. Chloe doesn’t guard anything. Her foster parents have taken her food bowl, treats, and toys from her, and she does not react.
Chloe needs to be in a situation where her new owners have experience with active dogs and could devote the necessary time to ensure she gets exercise and socialization. Do you have a place in your heart for this wiggle butt?