Finley

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Update 10/31/10:

Just a few days short of passing into the hands of his adopting family, a tragic accident took the life of Finley. Godspeed Finley and heartfelt condolences to both his foster family and his adopting family.

Original:

Originally found as a stray in Ohio, Finley was moved to a shelter in Washington, DC as part of that shelter’s “Rescue Wagon” program. Once there, MAESSR was called, and Finley found himself on another journey to Virginia. The three hour ride to his foster home was uneventful, and Finley was a terrific passenger.

At 3 years old, Finley is a ball of energy. He is small for a male Springer, weighing in at 42 lbs, but he’s a solid boy, and, according to his foster mom, healthy as a mini horse! He loves to run around the backyard and play fetch. Finley is very curious about the neighbors and peers through the fence at them, just wanting them to come over and pet or play with him. He’s friendly with other dogs and approaches them with a smile and a fiercely wagging tail.

The first few days a Springer is in foster care can be a whirlwind of new experiences. Finley went to the vet, where he met a cat which he was initially curious about, but largely ignored. He also had a “spa day” at the groomer and was great! He is a gorgeous boy with a nice healthy coat.

If you want a dog who doesn’t bark, Finley’s your man! He’s adapted to the household and gets along well with the resident Springer. He is not possessive of his food or toys. Finley is crate trained and settles down quickly, with no barking and no whining! He sleeps in his crate at night and goes out first thing in the morning to gallop around the yard like a Tennessee Walking horse. After his potty break, Finley comes back inside, gobbles up his food, and then runs through the house waking everyone up and getting the party started!

Overall, Finley had good house manners. He doesn’t jump on people, nor is he big enough to counter surf. He is also not a trash digger. He had a couple of accidents when he first came into his foster home, but is doing well after a weekend crash course in housetraining. Finley doesn’t know many commands yet; he does know “down” and “no” and his foster family is working on teaching him “sit” and “stay.” While Finley pulls on the leash initially, he settles down after a few minutes and then can easily be walked by a 10-12 year old child. Finley is also a love bug and will try to stealthily sneak up on your lap while you are sitting on the couch!

Even though Finley is your typical “attention starved” Springer, he will willingly share you with other dogs. He’s quiet, enjoys the safety of his crate, and is on the smaller side so he would not be too overwhelming for younger children. Finley’s perfect forever home would include a houseful of kids, another dog or two to play with, and a big fenced yard to run around in because he loves to be outside.