Entered: 04/22/2011
Status: Rainbow Bridge
Age: 5
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 52 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Goochland, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, beginning an inexpensive daily medication to assist with anxiety, overall good health
Temperament: Not suitable for adoption
Update 04/09/2013: “Despite his taking anti-anxiety meds, Freckles’ negative behaviors observed by his adopting family returned while he was in foster care.”
Sometimes there is not a happy ending to a Springer’s story and this was true with Freckles. Despite his taking anti-anxiety meds, Freckles’ negative behaviors observed by his adopting family returned while he was in foster care. His erratic aggressive behavior made him a danger to those around him, so his foster family sadly sent him to the Bridge. May he be healed there and wait for those who loved him.
Update 03/13/2013: “Freckles returned to MAESSR due to a few personality quirks that were causing his family some concern.”
Freckles returned to MAESSR due to a few personality quirks that were causing his family some concern. The first issue was that Freckles would occasionally wake up growling and snarling for no apparent reason. This was very upsetting to his family because it would take several minutes for him to “wake up” and become the sweet, loving boy they knew him to be. Freckles never bit anyone; he just scared them badly. The other thing that Freckles would occasionally do is growl when approached while laying on his bed. If his family called him to them, he was perfectly fine. His family was crushed to give Freckles back to MAESSR, but they did not feel they had the skills to determine what was going on with him.
With his return Freckles came to a multi-dog foster home and settled right in. He has done extremely well with all the resident dogs and with people’s comings and goings. It is believed that his acting out in his previous home was anxiety-based. Freckles has started on an inexpensive medication to help with his anxiety. So far, his foster mom has not seen any of the behaviors Freckles was displaying previously. All are hoping this wonderful boy will sail right on through foster care and into a forever home. Watch for news on his progress…………
Original: “Freckles has a unique way of reminding his foster parents when it is breakfast time: he sits and howls!”
Freckles came to MAESSR from a Pennsylvania shelter where his family had brought him after a change in housing had put them in a home with no fenced yard. Freckles, being an outside guy, took to wandering. From the shelter he was quickly scooped up by MAESSR and moved to his foster home on the same day that he was pulled.
This darling boy was obviously raised right! He is thoroughly housetrained, has had no accidents in the house, sleeps calmly through the night, and will crate if told to. He will even self-crate for a comfy, quiet spot to rest, but is given free roam of the house whether or not his foster folks are home. He whimpers at the door when he “really” needs to go potty; otherwise, he is fine with the residents’ schedule.
An easy-going guy, Freckles has no separation anxiety and gets along with both resident dogs, ignoring the terrier’s occasional growl and yielding food and toy ownership to the resident female Springer. He doesn’t counter-surf, though the resident dogs are teaching him to beg. He won’t get on the furniture even if asked. What a good boy you are, Freckles!
As to commands, Freckles knows “sit,” “down,” “give paw,” and “give other paw.” He is also good on leash and on car rides. Freckles has a unique way of reminding his foster parents when it is breakfast time: he sits and howls! This is a boy who knows what he wants and is not afraid to let his people know!
At a recent Springer picnic and pre-picnic party, Freckles met several children four and older, playing easily with them. He will fetch and play stuffed animal tug-of-war with his humans, but gives up the toy if the resident Springer tries to tug it. Overall, Freckles is really mellow in the house and the best foster dog his foster folks have had in years!