Dune

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Updated 8/26/06: Dune is continuing to do well in his foster home. With more time to settle in, his foster parents are really seeing his personality emerge. They feel he will be a wonderful companion for someone who is home a lot.

His crate is a safe haven. Dune does not like loud noises, or to be startled by people, although thunder doesn’t seem to bother him. When he’s comfortable, as he has become in his foster home, he’ll come out of his crate to be petted and given a treat. If people, adults or children, rush the crate when they first arrive, he will grumble, but after he sees that they are staying, he’ll relax, come out, and take treats from them. When a 5-year-old grandson visits the foster home, Dune is content to ignore the little boy entirely. At the vet’s office, or at the groomer’s where, there is a lot of activity and people, he just sits quietly.

Dune’s not really playful with toys, but he has a duck in his crate that he’s quite fond of. When he’s adopted, it will definitely go with him. Dune is still marking but only once in a while. Once neutered, this behavior will probably disappear completely. He stays out of his crate during the day, retreating only if something scares him, like when something drops on the floor. His crate door is now left open at night, and he usually settles in the bedroom. He doesn’t really bark. Instead, when he has something to say, his message comes out sounding more like a hound. He can “WoooWooo with the best of them, but usually only when he wants his foster mom’s attention or food!

Dune is a very sweet gentleman. He likes his foster sister and brother. Uncrated cats are still unknown. His walk looks very much like that of a show dog. He enjoys going for walks but is mainly an indoor dog. He does not chase birds, rabbits, or squirrels. He would most enjoy settling with an adopting family who lives a somewhat quiet lifestyle, one in which he can feel secure, and one in which he can share much of his people’s time.

Updated 8/1/06: Dune is doing excellent. It’s hard to believe he’s the same dog who arrived just one month ago with such a badly soiled coat and obvious lack of recent care. The contrast between his “before” and “after” pictures on his webpage is not as evident as the change is to his foster family and those who met him at the outset of his rescue. He has passed all his trials and tribulations with flying colors. He’ll go to the vet soon for another checkup and other shots, and, after that he should be cleared for neutering and a dental.

Dune is eagerly waiting this last phase because shortly after, he’ll be ready for a family out there that wants a super dog. Other than some marking behavior, his foster parents really can’t say a negative thing about him, and this too shall pass with time. They feel Dune will make a great dog for a family who wants a calm, good and beautiful boy! Dune deserves the best and his adopting family will be getting the best too!!!

Updated 7/17/06: Has it only been two weeks??? Dune is doing very well. He’s finished his heartworm treatment and was the star at the vet’s office. Everyone wanted to know about him. He looks like a different dog since he was groomed. He paid no notice to all the cats, dogs, smells, etc. there. A little girl came over to ask about him and then he let her pet him! That’s the first time he’s been around a child. He’s not overly active so his foster mom doesn’t think he would bowl a child over. There will be more opportunities to meet children soon.

Despite all he’s been through, Dune’s a sweet dog with few problems. He gets anxious on car rides, but he’s always been going somewhere “not for pleasure.” He walks nicely on the leash and doesn’t pull. He has marked a few times when out of the crate, but he’s good about going to the door to go out, too. With his upcoming neutering, it is likely that this little bit of marking behavior will disappear. He stays dry in his crate all night. Dune sits with his Springer brother to get treats like a gentleman.

It’s really pleasing to see Dune’s progress. He doesn’t seem to have a mean bone in his body. He would do well in a household with another dog for a buddy. He’d make a nice dog for an older couple who would lavish love on him and take him for walks. It won’t be long until a car ride will take him to join his adopting family. That ride will definitely be “for pleasure” and a beginning of the life that he truly deserves. Stay tuned for more………….

Original: “Dune is going to make an excellent dog for someone,” and this coming just one week after meeting his foster parents! Like the others in the Sixpack, he is a Velcro dog. Dune really likes to be close to his foster family. He also gets along well with the resident Brittany lady and Wyatt, the Springer. When he arrived in his foster home, Dune was in dire need of grooming. His foster family can’t wait to see how great he is underneath all those mats. That transformation will come soon, but until then, he has not had much free time in the house. He accepts his crating easily and has only had one accident in there. It did seem to upset him. It may be that he’s liking the clean sheets and good surroundings that are part of the comforts in his new home!

Dune is eating well and sits like a gentleman to get his treats. It seems he wants to please. After he walks outside, he’ll come back to his foster mom and sit. When he’s out of the crate in the kitchen, he tends to put his front paws on the counter next to his foster mom as if to ask, “what are you doing?” She’s sure that if there was food there, his instincts would be to take it. But then, what self-respecting Springer wouldn’t at least try?!? When it comes to his food, Dune is quite secure and will let someone pet him, or even take his dish away, mid-meal.

He’s also very quiet. Dune’s only barked twice, both times at his foster mom when she’d been out for a while and entered the room. Rather than alarm, the message that she got was that he missed her, very acceptable!

The only problem his foster family has had with Dune is that he clearly doesn’t like a visit to the vet. When he went for his first check-up, he refused to walk in. He had to be carried in, carried to the scales for weighing, carried into the exam room, and then back to the car. Once home, he jumped right out of the car! Somewhere in his past, he must have had a very scary experience in such a place.

Fortunately, Dune let everyone poke, pry, draw blood, and give him his vaccinations and microchip without a sound. He tested positive for heartworms and will be starting treatment very shortly. His teeth need cleaning which probably will be done when he’s neutered. There were lots of crated cats in the vet’s office, but Dune paid them no mind. So far, he seems like a mellow work in progress who deserves a better life. He’s on his way, more will be added as he makes progress!