Entered: 03/12/2011
Status: Adopted
Age: 8
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 52 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Dumfries, VA
Health: UTD, HW-
Temperament: Good with adults and teens, good with other dogs, will chase cats
Update 09/25/2016: “If you need a nudge to keep your kitchen counters free of snack food and leftovers, ask about meeting Walter. He’ll be on his tippy toes to keep you on yours!!“
Walter, originally Frisbee from the Class of 2011, has returned to MAESSR. His attentive young owner went away to college and the parents in Walter’s home did not feel he was getting the attention he needs.
Walter was originally surrendered to MAESSR because his family had small children and he was “grabby” with food. He is a counter-surfer champion and has continued this habit at his foster home. He eats anything he can find if he is left in the house alone. His previous family placed him in a crate if they left the house. He has full roam of house at his foster home, so all food has to be kept out of reach. He is not destructive in the house to anything but food…J).
This gent is surely not going hungry; he is fed twice a day in the kitchen and has not begged for food. He gets treats during the day. He is walked several times a day. Walter gets anxious if he sees another dog on a leash. He will pull, bark and lunge at another dog. If quieted and asked to sit before he sees the dog, he is better behaved; it helps to keep telling him to be good. If he gets off lead, you can call him and he comes right back. When he is loose, he wanders the property and visits the neighbor’s house for better smells.
In his foster home Walter is living regularly with one dog and gets along. If he gets too close to her space, however, she will protest and he will not back down. There can be a lot of posturing between these two but neither bites. A busy week for this one at his foster home…there were 6 dogs in the house and Walter became immediately socialized. He is much different for the opportunity. When walking with 5 other dogs, he does not notice other foot traffic on the street. He still needs to be separated, as they all do, when it is feeding time or treats are being offered.
Otherwise, well-mannered, he does not dig or chew and knows “sit,” “down” and “shake.” He shows no aggression toward people and is good at vet visits. He will cower when he first sees a stranger but warms up when he knows everything is OK. Walter is good with children and toddlers…as long as there is no food around. He does not guard his own food but will grumble if someone tries to take food away that he has snatched. He is not afraid of thunderstorms but, if his family is target shooting, Walter would prefer to be indoors. He likes to play fetch with tennis balls. He is compliant with the house rule that no dogs are allowed on furniture or the beds but gladly sleeps in a doggie bed in his foster family’s bedroom.
Walter had free roam of his owners’ 8 acres; with his foster family, he is now taken to a farm two times a week for exercise and running. He plays in the water there but does not swim. Both going and coming home from the farm are not Walter’s favorite parts of the outing as he becomes car sick. His family is working on this by offering a common spice before each ride to settle his tummy. Walter had been home groomed by his owners and is now groomed by his foster mom. She finds he does not like to have his ears and feet tidied up, but limits his discontent only to pulling away.
Walter is a great Springer who will do well in a family with older children. He could enjoy being in a home by himself or in one with other dogs who are willing to share their space. He is happy to lie by your side where ever you sit. Walter is an easy, loving boy who just needs to be watched around food. If you need a nudge to keep your kitchen counters free of snack food and leftovers, ask about meeting Walter. He’ll be on his tippy toes to keep you on yours!!
Original: “Well, after the ride to his foster home, Frisbee decided that he kind of liked her and an hour later he was sitting in her lap on the couch kissing her face.”
Frisbee spent his first two years with his Delaware family, complete with two young children and another dog. Unfortunately, he developed the bad habit of grabbing for food when the toddlers in his home dropped it on the ground. Concerned for the safety of their young children, Frisbee’s owners made the difficult decision to surrender him to MAESSR, knowing they would find him an excellent forever home.
Overall, Frisbee is a very gentle and submissive boy. When his foster mom first met Frisbee, she thought to herself, “Wow, it is going to take a while for this dog to warm up to me.” Well, after the ride to his foster home, Frisbee decided that he kind of liked her and an hour later he was sitting in her lap on the couch kissing her face. Frisbee can be shy when first meeting new people, but makes friends quickly and then LOVES to be petted and have attention paid to him. He does have a history of submissive urination when he is intimidated by a new person, but if he is greeted calmly by someone kneeling to his level, he does just fine.
They say you only get one chance to make a first impression. Lucky for Frisbee, the other canines in his foster home are the forgiving sort, and quickly forgot that he was a little grumble-y when first meeting them. Once he got over the typical canine greeting of sniffing, circling and licking, he made fast friends with both the young pup and the 3 year old female. Now he and the puppy chase, wrestle, and tug the day away. Once Frisbee is worn out, he will curl up on the couch next to the older female for a snooze. Overall Frisbee is good with other dogs, but can be a little possessive over high value treats or his favorite toys. Although his prey drive seems high with respect to birds, squirrels, and other small animals outdoors, Frisbee has been very good with the cats inside his foster home. Typically, he doesn’t bother them except for a sniff or two in greeting, but he will occasionally give them a run for their money through the house.
Frisbee knows the commands “sit” and “down” and he also comes when called. In addition, this handsome boy is accustomed to being walked with a prong collar. When that collar is on, he rarely challenges the leash, pulling slightly only when he sees a squirrel or bird that requires chasing. Because he seems sensitive to correction and eager to please, Frisbee’s foster mom is beginning to transition him to being walked with a regular collar and leash. So far, so good!
One thing Frisbee is not a big fan of is the car. While he will hop in willingly, he drools when he is nervous and has a history of getting car sick. He rides well both in a crate and on a backseat. He seems a little more comfortable when he is out of the crate, and even sits up on the seat to look out the window. Frisbee has not had any traveling issues with taking quick trips to the groomer, the vet, and the dog park. While at the vet, Frisbee got a clean bill of health and the groomer thought his coat was just beautiful. It turns out both of those car rides were worth the good news!
Although Frisbee will “kennel up” when asked, it does not seem to be his favorite way to spend the day while his foster parents are at work. Because his house manners have been wonderful, they have left him in a bedroom with the older resident Springer. He seemed to prefer this arrangement and slept quietly the whole day. Frisbee is comfortable sleeping in his crate at night and settles down easily. He is happiest when he knows his foster mom is near.
Frisbee was relinquished because of his habit of snatching up dropped food. This is only an issue he has had with young children. If an adult drops food and reaches to get it, Frisbee will back off immediately. Once, Frisbee’s foster mom dropped a paper napkin she had been using at dinner and Frisbee picked it up and took off. When she went to get it, Frisbee willingly gave up the napkin without protest. Because of his history, Frisbee will not be placed in a home with small children, but he would do just fine with older kids or in an adult-only house.
It is clear that Frisbee was very loved and well taken care of by his previous owners. After a day of getting acquainted with his foster family, Frisbee made himself right at home. He loves to lie on the furniture and groom himself, greet his foster mom when she comes home from work, and play with his foster sisters until he is too tired to stand. This guy has one fantastic Springer butt wiggle, going from his little tail all the way to his shoulders. Be sure to catch this Frisbee!