Faith 2

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Updated 5/8/07: Faith has adjusted beautifully to her foster family and new surroundings. She has wonderful house manners and is very reliably housetrained. She now sleeps in the bedroom with her foster parents and the resident springer. She just wants to be wherever her people are and she returns any attention with her happy-natured style.

When her family is getting ready for work Faith knows it’s time to go into her crate. She picks up a toy or bone and heads in without being asked. When anyone is home, Faith has run of the downstairs since she is a perfect little girl. If an errand takes her foster mom out for a few hours, Faith doesn’t need to be crated. She usually settles in on her favorite blanket in the kitchen for a nap and is totally trustworthy. She doesn’t try to get up on furniture, counter-surf, trash pick, jump or chew anything except her bones. She still needs some leash training and is doing better with a harness than a Gentle Leader.

Faith loves to be wherever the action is, either in the kitchen at meal-times or sharing the TV pillow on the floor with her foster dad. If anyone walks toward the backdoor, she’s right there with a ball in mouth, ready for a quick game of catch. She and her springer sister also get into rounds of rough house play, running after each other and body-slamming each other in the nicest way. Running on the kitchen floor and sliding into the kitchen cabinets is a favorite past time when the two girls get doing. When they’re done, they usually collapse on the kitchen floor to cool off.

Since Faith remains food aggressive, she eats in a separate room from the resident springer and that works out fine. Faith will occasionally guard a toy she is playing with from the other dog with a low grrrrrr, but that’s the extent of her warning. Since the resident dog is so passive, she just walks away from Faith with no issue.

This youngster is full of life, loves to play and loves to be close to her people. What more could you ask for? Considering that she is only 1 year old, she is actually very mellow for a springer!! She is ready to make one final move to join a family of her own. She’s a sweet, little girl with much to offer and deserves a family who will return her affection. If you’re looking for the perfect companion, Faith is your girl!  

Original: When Faith’s original owners felt she was not comfortable around their toddler, they gave her to a friend. There she lived in a climate-controlled kennel facility along with labs that the friend raises and trains. Faith received training from this person and he saw none of the lip curling that the original owners had observed. He said Faith was good around his dogs except when food was involved. Faith is said to have some hunting experience. Since the friend had a kennel full of labs, he relinquished Faith to MAESSR.

Faith is a beauty with a gorgeous, shiny coat and lots of freckles in all the right places. She doesn’t have much of a tail, but that doesn’t seem to bother her in the least. She merely wiggles her whole butt to demonstrate her enthusiasm and happy nature. She’s a real cuddlebug and will snuggle up to her foster mom or dad whenever given the opportunity. Faith is very comfortable in her new surroundings. She is crate trained and goes in with no problem. She sleeps in her crate at night and doesn’t bark until the morning when it’s time for a potty break. When the family is out of the house for work, she is also crated.

When the family is home, Faith follows her foster mom around in true springer-Velcro style. She doesn’t jump on furniture, even though the resident springer is allowed. She always comes when called and also knows “sit,” “stay,” “wait,” and “leave it.”  She’s learning quickly that good behavior rewards her with lots of love and attention. She doesn’t counter-surf, dig or chew up her toys. She does bark when the doorbell rings or she hears a loud noise that startles her, but once she meets and greets the guest, she’s fine. Since Faith hasn’t had much leash walking experience, she does pull quite a bit. Her foster mom is working with a Gentle Leader and is confident in Faith’s ability to learn better leash manners.

Faith loves to play and is very friendly. Her favorite thing to do is run around the fenced yard and chase balls. So, it comes as no surprise that her favorite toy is a green squeaky ball. She will chase that ball and bring it back every time, drop it in front of her foster parents and sit until the ball is thrown again. Just about any toy that makes a sound appeals to Faith. She has a stuffed fish that makes a bubbling sound and a dog that squeaks. She carries them around with her until she finds a spot to lay down with them. She is very affectionate and will gladly take all the attention one cares to give, often rolling over for a soft belly rub. In the evening Faith shares her foster dad’s TV pillow or lies next to him on the floor.

During her first week in foster care, Faith got a bath and was fine in the tub. She had a few mats which her foster mom quickly snipped with scissors and she was okay with that. She requires very little trimming as her beautiful coat is wavy and seems to fall just right. She has some light feathering and a very pretty ruffled chest.

Faith still shows food aggression around the resident springer, so they eat in separate rooms which works out fine. In time it is hoped she will see that no one is going to take away her food. She is also a bit pushy, sometimes taking a toy from her springer foster sister, but that has not become an issue. Though in general Faith gets along with other dogs, she could also likely be happy as an only dog.

Faith had a few accidents in the house when she first arrived, but now she is very dependable. She rides well in the car and was very good at the vet’s office for her exam. When extended family visited, Faith was very happy to meet everyone including the 4 year old grandson. Indeed, she was on her best behavior! Again, the more attention the better for this pretty girl.

All Faith needs right now is the perfect family to call her own. She is one great dog – very friendly and affectionate and willing to be your best friend.