Ellie 2

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Update 10/05/10:

GREAT NEWS TO SPREAD!!!

Ellie is now heartworm free! When her foster mom spoke to the vet this last time, he gave Ellie a clean bill of health. She is ready to go to her furever home, though she has endeared herself to her foster family and will really be missed.

She has been with her family almost three months. In that time she has grown to “tolerate” the resident pets. They are easy to get along with. In thinking about the best fit for Ellie in an adopting home, her foster mom feels Ellie would be happier as an only dog. She doesn’t share easily with the resident dogs and gives them the feeling that, in general, she thinks she is better than they are!

A home with children would be good, though not too young as Ellie does play a little rough. She meets children well and stops along her twice daily walks to get pets from the neighborhood kids. She also tries to steal their balls if they are playing so, though comfortable with younger children, living with older ones who might play ball with her would keep the game fun for all.

Ellie is a beautiful gal. She’s healthy, active, and extremely well-mannered. The next news on her will surely be that she has found her perfect match!!

Update 08/27/10:

Following the start of her treatment for heartworms, Ellie is doing GREAT! Fortunately, she had a very low concentration of worms and therefore only needed two treatments. She had no adverse reactions from the treatment and was back to her normal sweet self in just a few days. She returns to the vet for another checkup in a few weeks and, if all goes well, she’ll be given a clean bill of health.

Ellie now spends her days resting comfortably on the bed, loveseat, or couch. Her foster mom knows this because as soon as she puts the house key in the door, she hears the thud of Springer paws hitting the floor! And of course there is the evidence of the warm Springer-sized spot and guilty look. But how could you be upset with this cute little girl?

Treatment for heartworms requires Ellie to be kept quiet– no small feat for a Springer! She still enjoys her two daily walks but is not allowed to run free yet. Her appetite is very good, particularly for things she should not have. Her foster mom has to keep close tabs on this girl as she likes to pick up acorns, berries, and the occasional piece of human food left too close to a table’s edge. Yes, Ellie has become a “closet” counter-surfer– never while anyone is looking!

Continue to watch for news on this beautiful girl. Once those creepy worms are gone for good, she’ll be looking for her forever home!

Update 07/23/10:

Ellie has moved to a second foster home, one that can provide extended care through her upcoming heartworm treatment. She’s doing great! But, she has not yet started treatment. The necessary medication is on order but there has been a delay in her vet’s receiving it. Ellie does not seem to be in any discomfort. She has no other health issues, but the thought of creepy worms inside this sweetie is prompting her foster mom to persistent follow-up.

Fingers crossed that treatment can begin soon and that it will go without a hitch for this gal and her family.

Original:

Ellie is an awesome dog! She spent her first 3 years in Florida with her breeder where she had two litters. When she was done with her mommy duty, she was shipped up to Pennsylvania to live with family. Here Ellie learned to be a family member. She was very well cared for, learning all kinds of tricks and living a very full life with children. A break up of the family resulted in a call to MAESSR and Ellie began a new phase of her life.

Although Ellie is 5 years old, she has the energy level of a 2 year old Springer, running and swimming for hours! As much energy as she has playing outdoors, indoors Ellie has impeccable house manners. She does not jump on people or furniture and at only 19″ and under 40 pounds, Ellie cannot counter-surf or trash pick. She is perfectly housetrained and loves down time in her crate. Since she came from a breeder and was used to being crated, her first family continued to crate her as does her foster mom.

Ellie she gets along very well with children as young as 2 years old, but would be best with a family with older children who could help her burn off some energy. Although she gets along fine with other dogs, she is not immensely interactive with them and would not be the dog for someone looking for a second dog to play with their existing dog. She could easily live with an independent dog who does not care to play. Ellie is not a barker and she is not a digger when she is in the yard.

Instead, Ellie is intensely focused on her humans. She is very people-oriented and will ignore other dogs to focus on her human’s wishes. Ellie is HIGHLY trained to do a variety of tricks and NEEDS constant stimulation. She thrives on pleasing and interacting with her humans. She has been extensively trained and seems to look and wait for cues. An excellent agility or obedience prospect, Ellie is smart as a whip and very motivated to please! Her repertoire includes “sit,” “stay,” “come,” “down,” “roll over,” “spin,” “speak,” “paw,” “other paw” and of course her favorite, “fetch!”

Ellie will retrieve anything you throw bringing it right back to your feet for more. In addition to regular fetching on land, Ellie would LOVE to find a home with a pool as she is a true water dog and will jump in for a cooling swim or to fetch a ball. She is so good at swimming; she can even dive for retrieval! This little wonder girl is also a great traveler and will jump in the car and settle right down for a nice ride! She would love a family that wants an active and involved pet that will accompany them on travels and outings. This is not a Springer for a couch potato family!

When it is time for grooming, Ellie is great for bathing, clipping, ear cleaning with the exception of her feet. Ellie does not like her feet touched! Although not aggressive about this aversion, Ellie is quite determined not to have her nails cut or foot hair trimmed and she will quickly avoid this area being touched. This battle would best be left to the professional groomer or vet tech as she has been so adept at escaping, her experienced foster mom was afraid of ripping a nail in the battle! This is her only fault to note! Otherwise, she is very well-socialized and so playful.

Ellie is a joy to have. She would do best in a suburban setting where she has a yard (and hopefully a pool) with children old enough to play with her! Although Ellie has wonderful recall, she does have high prey drive and will dart on leash to chase a squirrel or bird. Is your active family looking for an active Springer girl to enter your life?