Cocoa 16

---

Update 11/27/11:

Cocoa, renamed Jude by his adopting family, was returned to MAESSR because he was not comfortable in the high traffic home. He has done wonderfully in his foster home, which is a much lower key household, with both other dogs and people. His foster mom feels Jude would benefit from having another dog around for security and guidance. 

Jude’s perfect home would include no children under sixteen, another dog, and people who are willing to continue his training. Are you ready to help this sweet Springer boy become all that he can be?

Original:

As a ten-month-old Springer pup, Cocoa is sweet, fun-loving, and of course, energetic! His owners felt that he had too much energy, and attempted to remedy this problem by leaving Cocoa tied out in the yard. When that proved unsuccessful, they relinquished him to a Pennsylvania shelter. Cocoa spent time in two temporary homes on the journey to his current foster home, and won over hearts all along the way. 

The canine members of Cocoa’s foster family warmed up to him quickly – especially once he was healed enough from his neuter procedure that he could have a bath and grooming! Because he was so dirty and matted, the groomer had to clip Cocoa’s coat very short. It won’t take long for his coat to fill in beautifully now that he is getting the proper nutrition and care that he needs. Cocoa enjoys playing with the resident female puppy who is about his age, and has learned to respect the 3-year-old’s personal space. Cocoa remains “unknown” with cats, despite there being no less than three indoor cats residing at his foster home! Unfortunately, the other foster Springer in the house is not good with cats, and the three of them have not ventured out of the safe haven of “their” room since his arrival in foster care. As Cocoa is young, and seems to be fairly sensitive to correction, he would probably do well as long as the cats were dog-savvy.

Cocoa has an adorable puppy face, which is a good thing since he still had a lot to learn about house manners when he arrived at his foster home. Being a puppy, everything is new, exciting, and requires thorough investigation by that cute Springer nose. If caught with something not appropriate for dogs to chew on, Cocoa surrenders it willingly with his big brown eyes staring up – “I didn’t know I couldn’t have that, honest!” With some consistent corrections, Cocoa is learning to stay “off” of counters and table-tops, and to leave the trash can alone. He also had some housetraining and marking issues his first few days, but again, those have dissipated with regular trips outside and frequent praise for making the right decisions when it comes to bathroom breaks.

Cocoa LOVES car rides, but he can be a little of a “wild child” if left loose. He believes that the best spot for him is right in the driver’s lap! If tethered to a safety harness or crated, Cocoa settles quickly and rests until his destination is reached. Like many pups his age, Cocoa also pulls while on leash. His foster mom has been working with him on his leash manners, but this work will need to continue when he arrives at his forever home. Cocoa is a smart pup, and had already picked up on the “sit” and “down” commands that were taught to him on the way to his current foster home. He and his new family will enjoy learning together during the obedience class that is a requirement for MAESSR adoptees under 1 year of age.

It seems that Cocoa had not been exposed to many normal household activities, so it is great fun to see him adjust to noises like those of the dishwasher or vacuum, and to see him begin to play with toys. The first time Cocoa heard his foster sister squeeze a squeaky toy he jumped back and uttered the first sound his foster mom had heard him make to that point – a long and low howl! Now that he’s decided that squeaky toys are no threat to his safety, he enjoys tossing them into the air and catching them before settling in for a good “squeak” session. He also likes chewing on Nylabones, and wrestling around with the other dogs in his foster home. Once Cocoa has worn himself out with these activities, he plops down on the closest bare spot of floor for a nap!

This boy could stand to put on a few pounds, and it doesn’t help that he will share his food with the other three dogs in his foster home – who do not need to gain any weight! In fact, Cocoa shares everything, including toys and bones, willingly. Cocoa is crated at night and when his foster parents are at work. At first, Cocoa needed to be backed into the crate because he would not enter head first, but now he runs right into the crate knowing he’ll be rewarded with a treat. At night, Cocoa will voice his discontent at being crated for a few minutes before settling down. This has decreased substantially since his first night, but he does not yet settle in immediately.

Cocoa is an incredibly sweet puppy who is ready for his forever home. Cocoa repays kind words and pets on the head with a fantastic butt-wiggle and and roll onto his back to request a belly rub. He needs a family who understands the energy requirements of a young Springer pup, and who are willing to show him the good life as a treasured family member.