Entered: 02/05/2014
Status: Adopted
Age: 11
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 55 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Aston, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, cherry eye correction complete
Temperament: Good with adults, has done well with meeting children briefly on walks, good with other dogs, ignored shelter cats
Original: “Surprisingly spry for his age, he’ll hop up onto the window seat to look out or for petting; he trots around the yard like a dog half his age.”
Flash was an indoor dog for the first 4 years of his life. He came to his foster family, as a relinquishment from Pennsylvania, after living outdoors for the last 6 years in a modest pen. He was in need of immediate grooming which a volunteer stepped forward to help with quickly. Flash tolerated his shave down with no issues and only the occasional treat/bribe. Since then he’s had his nails trimmed and didn’t fuss about that either. What an appreciative boy!!
Flash’s been a good house guest, quickly remembering his manners. He had one minor accident on his first night in foster care, after drinking lots of water, but has been perfect with his housetraining since. He just stands by the door when he needs out to do his business.
This handsome gent will crate quietly but since he’s trustworthy, he’s only crated at night and then just because the resident female dog sleeps in later in the mornings with company nearby. During the day while his foster mom works, he’ll kick back, either in an open crate or on a nearby chair if he can find one. He’ll also wander quietly around checking at the windows for squirrels on the bird feeders. Surprisingly spry for his age, he’ll hop up onto the window seat to look out or for petting; he trots around the yard like a dog half his age. While he’ll occasionally put a paw up on the counter, he’s not actually taken anything; he just likes to look.
Being food-oriented, Flash can be convinced to do about anything if you have a treat in your hand. Since he’s not been out on leash much in recent years, his leash manners are a work in progress but he likes his humans and will respond to “look at me.” In safe situations, he could probably be trusted off leash. In the car, he settles immediately, occasionally looking out but otherwise just flopping down until he gets to where he’s going. He does like to get out of the car when the door opens, so he should be tethered if frequent stops are being made.
Other than carrying a toy around from time to time, he doesn’t chew anything he shouldn’t. Flash has rarely been heard to bark, the exception being when he joins the resident pack if the UPS man happens by. He likes toys and will fetch them, but doesn’t quite understand tug-of-war with the resident hound. She runs around the yard with him and gets him to play a bit, but he prefers humans for toy tossing. He’ll drop toys in his foster folks’ hands for throwing if asked. He doesn’t guard his toys and seems to drop them if the younger resident swoops by and grabs them.
Since Flash eats quickly, he’s fed separately from the resident dogs, but only because the others linger over their food. He shows no aggression if you put your hand in his bowl. Sometimes if you leave the room, he’ll wait by the door until you return to continue eating.
Initially reserved about meeting folks, he soon warms up to them with his tail wagging. The process is really sped up if the new person has a treat. While little is known about how Flash would do with children, he has done well with those he meets briefly when out on a walk in his neighborhood. He seems to have no problems at all with being grabbed, held or moved around by his foster parents. With colder weather, it’s not known if he’s a swimmer but he sure doesn’t mind snow!
A visit with the vet completed Flash’s one remaining health issue. He had a bit of a cherry on the corner of one eye which the vet corrected with a minor surgery. Flash is almost ready for a new home where he can start the rest of his life, hoping to make up for all the time he’s been separated from people. He’s not clingy but does love attention or just hanging out nearby his folks. While his foster mom was typing this, he’d gone over to an open crate and curled up near his foster sister. He’ll make someone a really handsome companion soon…………