Duke 13

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Update 10/03/11:

Duke is like a new boy! He remains shy and very sweet but has left his former life behind and has come out of his shell. He now comes up to people, sits in front of them and bows his head but he no longer creeps around on his belly or crawls to move somewhere. This is huge for him and totally heartening to see! He has finally come off his couch and will lie down to relax on the floor. He is a couch potato who can run and swim but would rather just lay at your feet. He just wants to be loved. 

He walks with his foster mom twice daily which is important to his routine. When he sees something new or meets a new dog, he will sit behind her legs but is far braver than when they began walking together. Once he gets acquainted with a new dog, he is fine when they meet the next time. He is great off-leash and comes when called. 

For 4 short months Duke’s social skills have marched steadily forward. He has become a more confident dog and now enjoys the well-rounded life that a pet should have. He has learned much about living indoors as part of a family and thrives on the human companionship that brings. His foster mom sums Duke up in a few short words, Duke is so easy to care for. Shortly he’ll be ready to walk with his forever mom and his life will be complete!!

Update 08/30/11:

Duke continues to thrive in his foster home. Some days his foster mom is so proud of how much he has improved, and then a little relapse occurs. While his submissive urination has improved significantly, occasionally he will pee due to something he finds scary.

Receiving two walks a day helps Duke stay on a schedule to do his business. He goes out each morning about 6:30 AM to empty his bladder. Never wandering from the yard, Duke comes right back inside the door. He eats and later has a walk to take care of some more business. During hurricane Irene he held his pee until it stopped raining the next morning! Way to go, Duke! 

This sweet, little guy has many great qualities. He is a quiet dog who does not bark. He requires little care and only wants to be loved and show his love. Duke gets along with other dogs, and he likes to lie next to another dog in his foster home for company. He does not get on furniture except for the one couch in the family room that is his sanctuary.

Duke is finally learning how to play a little, and his foster mom is so excited to see him run around the front yard just being a happy puppy. He also enjoys lying in the water. Recently he ran around in a stream and even swam a little. What a surprise!

A family with older children or a single person would be a good fit for Duke. He is shy and all new things scare him. He just needs a loving, patient family to reassure him that the rest of his life will be wonderful. Can you open your door and your heart to Duke?

Update 08/04/11:

During his two months in foster care, Duke has come a long way. He now happily goes outside and does his voiding in the morning. As basic as this sounds, it is an achievement for him. And, with this progress, much of his submissive urination is now under control. Being certain that Duke is not rushed and has time to relieve himself every time he goes out during the day has reduced accidents to a couple of drops at a time. His foster mom feels keeping Duke on a regular schedule of trips outdoors will be important in his adopting home as well.

Duke continues to find sanctuary on the couch in his foster home. It is the only piece of furniture he uses and is his substitute for a crate. He’s not possessive about it and will share the space with the resident dogs. With growing confidence, Duke will now come when his foster mom calls him off the couch; he may cower but he does come – a giant step forward from earlier when he would remain firmly seated and looking at her.

This boy may always be a couch potato but, in meaningful ways, Duke is coming out of his shell. Some of his behaviors are amusingly puppy-like. He has just begun putting things in his mouth. He will nibble on a pillow with his front teeth and pull the towels hanging from the stove off and shake them. During a recent visit to the family farm, he picked up an acorn several times and tried to chew it. He is becoming braver in water and will play and lay down in the cool stream there. 

Though good with the resident dogs, Duke is cautious of new dogs while walking on a leash and avoids greeting them by waiting beside his foster mom until he feels more confident. His big no-no is that he will stand up on his hind legs to receive a greeting from a human. He is so gentle about this touching but is learning that humans enjoy greeting him most when he is sitting. He is also working on giving a paw and on sitting up.

His foster mom has earned Duke’s trust and finds she can do anything with him – training, touching, calling him from the couch – all steps to improve his socialization. He is a sweet boy and loves to be loved. He will need a patient adopting family who’s willing to continue working with him on this new beginning. In return, his family will have a wonderful companion in their lives. Please check back for continuing progress.

Update 07/02/11:

Duke is an amazing boy. He has just begun running around his front yard to have fun! His submission urination problems are nearly gone and he is a happy if shy boy. He is trusting of his foster mom and allows her to touch him all over and even clip his feet and ears with an electric trimmer. A milestone is that he now knows it’s OK to do his business while on his two daily walks. His foster family feels maintaining a regular schedule of walks in his adopting home will help Duke continue to be successful with his housetraining. 

Duke requires little care but lots of love. He loves to sit next to his foster mom on the sofa for TV and petting in the evenings. He has free run of the house and finds comfort on the couch when his foster mom isn’t there beside him too. He remains good with her 5-year old granddaughter but is not comfortable with smaller children. His foster family feels he will do well in a family with older children or with a single person. Duke isn’t a playful dog, right now, but is a great snuggler and loves being close to his people. 

The change in Duke’s world has been huge since becoming a MAESSR boy. With patient guidance from his foster family, Duke has transitioned well into home life as part of a family. With an adopting family to pick up right where his foster family leaves off, his best days are yet ahead! Keep an eye on this adorable boy.

Update 06/23/11:

Duke’s a sweet boy and an increasingly more confident one as days go by. His submissive urination persists but is diminishing. If he is happy and excited about something new, he jumps around and is accident-free now; if he is unsure about something or does not want to go out, he still may diddle. Given the progress he’s making, there is optimism that time will resolve this issue.

He continues to walk regularly on leash with a 5 year-old. Of course, his foster mom is always closeby, which is not lost on Duke. If she gets a little too far from him when they are headed away from home, he will sit down and refuse to move. If they are headed home, he is most willing to keep moving, though he still checks on just where his foster mom is. 

When visiting the family farm there are other outings for Duke. When his foster mom kayaks down the creek, Duke follows on the bank. When they are at the edge of the creek together, she can see Duke thinking about swimming but he is not sure enough right now to step in. In the fields he enjoys running around after the 4-wheeler and comes in a tired boy!

In other ways Duke is inching forward. He comes when called now and will sit in front of you and can look up into your face. Wonderful to see!!! He likes being kissed but does not reciprocate yet. He likes laying on the couch. He is most comfy when laying next to one of the resident dogs and doesn’t like to be left alone – unless he’s alone with his foster mom. He has started to play a little with a pull toy rope.

Duke missed out on a lot in his earlier life but is growing into the opportunities coming his way in foster care. His best days are ahead! More to come!

Original:

Duke spent his first two years confined by a 10×10 dog kennel and being used as a breeder’s stud dog. His Virginia owners got him out of that situation, but then found that they were not able to provide for his needs and relinquished him to MAESSR.

Duke is a sweet boy who is learning how to be an indoor dog and doing very well. He is shy when meeting other animals, but gets along well with both dogs and cats. Duke is also good with children and on walks, even behaving nicely with a five year old at the other end of the leash! He is a typical Velcro Springer, and stays in the yard at his foster home when off leash. 

With no chewing, counter-surfing, or trash diving, Duke has great house manners. He is also housetrained, although he does not signal when he needs to go out. Besides enjoying a nap on the couch, he does not get on any furniture. Duke has the run of the house whether his foster mom is home or not. He rides in the car well and loves to run at his foster family’s farm. His foster mom describes Duke as a couch potato and says that he is not active unless his person is engaged in activity with him. 

Overall, Duke is a low maintenance boy. His only issue is that of submissive urination. Since he is so submissive, nothing is demanded of him at his foster home. This has resulted in the incidents of submissive urination decreasing significantly. Duke is happy just to be by his foster mom’s side and has settled in well. At first, Duke would crawl to his foster mom and lie down when she called him. Now that he is feeling more secure, he is starting to walk up and sit in front of her instead – big progress for this shy guy!

Duke has been a great guest for his foster mom. He knows sit and come and gets along very well with the other dogs in his foster home, even sharing a dog bed with them at night. He eats his own food quickly, but does not bother the other dogs’ food when he finishes. 

Duke will be a great pet for someone looking for a dog with a little lower energy level. If you’d like a companion who enjoys a walk or two during the day and hanging out on the couch at night, this Springer sweetheart might be a great match for you!