Dixie 5

---

Update 06/11/2019: “Also, this middle-aged gal has lost six pounds while in foster care—you go, girl!!”

Great news for Miss Dixie!!  A visit to the vet and a urine test showed that her new kibble has reduced the pH level in her urine to normal so medication for that problem is no longer needed.  Also, this middle-aged gal has lost six pounds while in foster care—you go, girl!!

Dixie attended the MAESSR Jarrettsville picnic and had a great time running in the yard, hanging out with her foster mom, and taking an occasional swim. She accepted some attention from the people at the picnic, and, while she did not interact with any of the other dogs, she had no problems with them that day.

At home, however, she did object when a visiting former MAESSR Springer tried to play with her. This resulted in some growling and showing of teeth on several occasions throughout the weekend visit and some minor nose biting on one occasion.  Dixie’s foster mom had never witnessed this type of behavior during Dixie’s entire eight week stay.  While Dixie wants ALL the attention, she has been submissive to the resident Springer.

Dixie is normally a pretty quiet Springer, but recently has barked quite loudly when friendly “strangers” entered through the sliding back door if she saw them before they entered the home.  Dixie’s foster mom thinks she is just trying to protect her home—she’s becoming very comfortable with her foster family.

Dixie is indeed becoming ready to leave for her furever home.  She would prefer an adult home with no other dogs, with a fence because she loves to run around on her own, and with someone who likes to hike and go for walks and loves a shadow Springer. 

Update 06/01/2019: “Dixie is very distracted by the stream right beside the vet’s office and her foster mom is quite sure that she would love to play in it!”

Dixie continues to be a joy in her foster home! The closer she can get to her human for petting, the happier she is. In fact, she believes her presence is required on trips to the bathroom! She is constantly wagging her tail and is a very happy girl!

Daily walks combined with a reduced amount of kibble, has thus far resulted in a two-pound weight loss! Dixie’s recent dental cleaning resulted in the extraction of one of her teeth that had a large crack down the entire middle of it. She was on an antibiotic for a week and has had no problem since the extraction. She also has started a second medication for mild incontinence and hasn’t had any leaks in two weeks. Dixie’s urine also has a high PH level that was being controlled with an inexpensive twice daily chewable tablet. Her vet mentioned that a change in kibble could possibly adjust the PH level naturally so her foster family has transitioned her slowly to a new food. After two weeks on this new kibble, her urine will be re-tested to determine if this regimen has brought her PH down to a normal level. If not, she will need to continue with the medication which just gets added in with her dog food twice a day.  

Dixie is very excited for twice daily walks and continues to use the Gentle Leader head collar. She still tries to paw it off her nose a few times during each walk but doesn’t resist having it put on. As long as she’s moving, she doesn’t get distracted by it. Dixie has made a large improvement with leash walking over the past seven weeks. Squirrels and rabbits are still quite the distraction, but she doesn’t pull as hard to chase after them as she did the first week. 

Dixie’s forever home should have a fenced in yard so she can spend ample time outdoors. It is her favorite place to be! She has much interest in her foster family’s fish pond water, but has not made any attempt to enter the swimming pool. Dixie is very distracted by the stream right beside the vet’s office and her foster mom is quite sure that she would love to play in it! 

Dixie experienced her first party on Memorial Day with approximately 25 family members. There were many children attending, as young as three years old. There were no concerning interactions with the younger children, but Dixie spent most of her time hanging with her foster mom, occasionally soliciting attention from the other adults. Her foster mom feels she would do best in a home with only adults or families with teenage children only.

Dixie has a lot of love to give and deserves a lot of love in return! 

Original:  “Dixie is the perfect mix of energy; she loves being outside yet has plenty of calmness to be content indoors.”

For the past nine years, Dixie was a wonderful companion for her Pennsylvania owners who liked to take her on trail walks.  When a baby entered the family and started crawling, Dixie started growling at her. To ensure the safety of the baby and to provide a young child-free, loving environment for their beloved Dixie, the owners contacted MAESSR. 

Dixie was very well-behaved at her vet appointment and loved by the whole staff. Although overall a healthy girl, the vet felt that Dixie should lose about five pounds to get to a healthier weight for her build.  A daily exercise regime of walking should help her achieve this goal with ease.  Dixie had some minor urinary incontinence which has been remedied by daily medication.  She is scheduled to have her teeth cleaned too.  She didn’t mind having her nails trimmed or her ears checked by the vet and was such a good girl for her bath.  She was anxious when she went to the groomer, heavily panting and barking (something she never does ordinarily). Despite all of this outward drama, Dixie was not aggressive and she cooperated with all that the groomer did. She got up on the table when asked, let the groomer clean her ears, and went into her kennel afterwards on her own. Good girl, Dixie! 

Dixie has blended into her foster home seamlessly. She enters her crate on command and didn’t mind spending the first three nights there while her foster parents slept on the second floor of the home. It didn’t take long for her to gain the trust of her foster parents and now she sleeps uncrated on the first floor of the home at night with her foster sister.   Whenever her foster family is not home, the two dogs have the run of the entire first floor of the home.

Shown to be housetrained and crate trained, Dixie has not had any accidents in the house other than some earlier mild incontinence the first few days which has been subsequently been controlled by medication.  She has not signaled to go outside on her own, but she hasn’t needed to as she happily obliges to run out to the yard anytime the resident Springer wishes to run the fence line with the many deer she sees throughout the day in the back yard.

Dixie has excellent house manners, does not chew inappropriately, counter-surf, or get in the trash cans. She does enjoy lounging on the furniture but knows the meaning of “off” and doesn’t hesitate to oblige. She does get very excited to see her people first thing in the morning and when they come home and will jump up in excitement. She is learning this is not acceptable behavior; only four on the floor gets acknowledged. 

Dixie knows “sit,” “off,” “no,” “paw,” and her version of “down” which is to roll on her back for belly rubs! She is working on “wait” but it’s hard for her as she is a very enthusiastic girl! Dixie is the perfect mix of energy; she loves being outside yet has plenty of calmness to be content indoors. She does not resource guard anything. . She never hesitates to get in the car to go anywhere but is anxious on the ride. She is crated in her foster mom’s car and does lots of heavy panting. It isn’t as bad with the window down, though. 

Thriving in her foster home, Dixie knows how to nudge one’s hand when she wants to be petted and does so often!  Being with her people is the thing she loves best.  Occasionally, Dixie will engage in play by retrieving a squeaky toy when the resident Springer is playing with her family. She will drop the toy directly at one’s feet or will allow her person to take it gently from her mouth.

Dixie gets along very well with the resident Springer. Dixie’s foster sister has tried to engage her multiple times in interactive play, but Dixie would rather just be with her people than dog romping. She loves to be outside and gets very excited when the leash comes out. She is learning to sit to get the leash on and wait nicely at the door for the “okay” command to exit.

Waiting is difficult for Dixie, but not as difficult as loose leash walking. In order for her foster parents to enjoy twice daily walks as much as Dixie, it was necessary to introduce her to an Easy Leader head collar to prevent pulling and she is adjusting to it nicely.

Dixie has met several dogs on her walks and chooses to ignore them. She is very interested in rabbits and squirrels, and looks for birds in the air. She has not yet been exposed to cats with her foster family and the youngest child she has interacted with thus far was her family’s 12 year old granddaughter with whom she was fine. 

Dixie is a very happy girl with a great disposition. She needs to be in a home without young children and with someone who is able and willing to take her for daily walks and provide the attention she deserves.