Choco

Entered: 06/22/2009

Status: adopted

Age: 3

Color: Liver/ White/Tan

Weight:

Gender: Altered Male

Location: Langhorne, PA

Health: UTD, HW treatment complete, assessment of a prior leg injury is that no treatment is the best choice

Temperament: Good with people as young as 7, good with other dogs, unknown with cats

Update 09/13/09: Great news! Choco is nearing the end of his treatment for heartworms and has weathered the treatments much better than expected. He was very tolerant of the crate and with being cooped up so as not to get overexcited during recovery. He is finally being allowed out in the yard, off leash and is free of the crate! He was such a wonderful boy during the whole ordeal that the foster family thinks he must have lived most of his three years of life in a crate and was trained as a hunting dog. He is still very excited by the prospect of being free in the house and absolutely has the typical energy of a three-year-old Springer!

Choco loves to play with his toys and will often amuse himself by throwing the rope toy or the ball in the air and jumping up to catch it! He also loves to snuggle on his foster mom and dad’s laps while they enjoy a quiet evening of television but would much rather rough house on the floor. Choco would be an ideal companion to a family with children as he loves to run and play chase! He seems to get along well with children but, because of his high energy, he should be with older children who won’t get run over by him. His foster family is thinking children older than six would be great since they could play and romp with him without being overwhelmed by him.

When Choco is in full run, you don’t even notice his limp! He has adapted to his deformity and does not let anything slow him down in his zest for life and all its rewards since being brought to MAESSR. He has very good house manners but, does tend to counter surf and will steal any food he can! He listens well to commands and walks well on a leash although he loves to walk ahead and scout out any interesting wildlife. He must have been trained as a rabbit hunter because whenever he sees a rabbit, he immediately stops, stares at the rabbit, and waits for a command. If the rabbit moves, he will take off and try to catch it! So far, he has not succeeded and perhaps that was the reason for the injury to his leg!

When walking on a leash, Choco will always run right back to his human when he reaches the end of the leash and feels the pull. He has excellent recall and always strives to please his people. He has never had any accidents in the house although he did mess in his crate shortly after each of his treatments. He will go to the door and sit to let you know he has to go out, and he can be left alone all day without any problem.

Choco gets along with every other dog he has had contact with except for a blind female who was not happy with his interest in her. The problem was not of his making, and they quickly reached an agreement to ignore each other! He would love a home with another dog if he were going to be alone for any extended periods as he loves to play. He has the sweetest face and will allow his foster mom to manhandle him, trim his feet, and clean his ears. He loves to be brushed, groomed, and getting his bath. He can be a little possessive of beef bones when first given them, but once he has stripped them of the good marrow and meat, he will share them with his foster brother and sister. He longs for a family to love him and care for him and in return he will give them many happy years of fun and enjoyment.

Update 08/01/09: Choco is so sweet and compliant with his restrictions due to the heartworm treatment. He is a good boy and willingly goes into his crate and stays there without any problems. He is quiet and does not howl or complain. He is confused by being in the crate and always looks at his mom and dad when they take him out with such a soulful look that it breaks their heart. They have tried to let him out in the evening to sit on their laps, but he gets too excited. He tries to run and jump around (so normal for an active 3-year-old) and they have had to return him to the crate to keep him quiet. So far, he has tolerated the first step in treatment well. He had one bout of diarrhea but, other than that, has been fine. He goes for his next treatment which requires a two-day stay at the hospital in the middle of August.

His foster parents have tried to keep Choco occupied as much as possible in the crate by using some treat balls. He figured out very quickly how to get all the treats at once! He also has had beef bones which he absolutely loves! He will chew on the beef bone long after he has gotten all the meat and marrow out.

Choco got a new bed for his crate which is very plump and soft and he moves it all around to suit his needs at the time. His savvy parents have placed two crates together so he has a little more room to move around in and he uses every inch of space! He plays toss and catch with his bone or ball even in the crate!

The vet assessed his leg and feels that there is an old blunt force injury, perhaps from a gun butt or bat, which fractured the bone at the top of his leg. Because it has healed without proper alignment, Choco cannot stand straight and have it touch the ground. The only thing that can be done is an amputation and, at present, there is no reason to do this. He has adapted and can run and play and do everything without pain. When he is in a full run, you cannot tell he has a limp.

All in all, Choco is dealing with his confinement as well as can be expected. He is a loving, obedient, well-mannered fellow who melts the hearts of all who meet him. He is looking forward to getting his treatment completed and having his freedom once again. He loves his brief walks on the leash and, while he likes to run ahead and explore, he does not go far ahead of his mom or dad and always returns immediately when called.