Georgie 2

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Update 2/07/2013:  “This generally well-mannered guy still has a bit of the mischievous scamp in him. A loose dishcloth or sock is an open invitation for a little thievery.”

Georgie continues to be a funny, sweet, and loving guy who is always up for a walk, pulling the stuffing out of toys, or popping a tennis ball. A lover of the outdoors, he’s suffering from a little cabin fever with the rest of the crew due to recent inclement weather. When going for a walk is possible, Georgie continues to have impeccable leash manners. This happy little wiggle butt continues to melt his foster mom’s heart. 

Winter weather means heavier coats, which is what Georgie currently sports. He is quite handsome with his thick, soft fur! Georgie continues to be in very good health and has not needed to see the vet since his initial visit. It must be that a grain-free diet, along with lots of love and exercise, agree with Georgie! 

This generally well-mannered guy still has a bit of the mischievous scamp in him. A loose dishcloth or sock is an open invitation for a little thievery. It could be that Georgie just likes to see a tidy house, but he’d like nothing more than a fun game of tug-o-war with the absconded item! 

Pleasing his humans seems important to Georgie. If his foster mom occasionally needs to use her “stern” voice with him or one of his foster siblings, Georgie might show his timid side by hiding out under a table or gently “talking” to show his concern or contriteness. 

Great progress has been made by Georgie as he continues to work on controlling his “excited” barking. Although he’s a pretty quiet guy most of the time, exciting events still might elicit some vocalization. Georgie is recognizing his foster mom’s non-verbal cue to quietly sit, learning that he can be excited……just quietly excited. Good boy, Georgie! 

Georgie’s foster mom has grown quite fond of this sweet boy. It will be a bittersweet moment for her when Georgie finds his forever home. If you’re looking for a funny, playful guy, look no further than Georgie!

Update 01/07/2013:  “He got wheels for his dog crate (who even knew they made them!), so his foster mom can easily roll Georgie’s crate to vacuum underneath it now………and maybe even give him a little ride in it?”

By some measures Georgie had a fairly uneventful Christmas but it certainly was a very good one. It was uneventful in the sense that he did not un-decorate a tree or redecorate the house……not all bad. Georgie didn’t visit Santa to personally make his case for having been a good boy this year. Of course, Santa already knew that and left dog pillows for him and his canine buds. Early on it seems Georgie prefers the pillow in his crate and has only laid on a new one for a couple of seconds but there have been other distractions. He got wheels for his dog crate (who even knew they made them!), so his foster mom can easily roll Georgie’s crate to vacuum underneath it now………and maybe even give him a little ride in it? He also enjoyed having human guests in for Christmas dinner. He was excited by the busyness and wonderful smells but graciously accepted being gated out of the dining room while they ate. 

Another distraction has been the snow. Georgie loves the snow. There was a foot of white fluff within a couple days at his home so he took full advantage……… running around in it, rolling a bit, and then eating the crunchy parts. He likes barking at the squirrels leaping from one tree to the next while he’s out too and does that with vigor. By contrast Georgie has found his “indoor” voice. His nuisance barking has diminished to little whimpers at times now, a quieter way of letting people know that he’s excited. He continues to be a sweet boy who delights in going for walks, mealtime, and popping tennis balls. 

Georgie’s wishing everyone the very best in 2013. His resolution is to find and adopt a family with a few basic needs……a need for light daily exercise, a need for someone to co-host family gatherings and, most importantly, a need for unconditional love in their lives. And yes, if this family has squirrels to keep in their place………that is, in the trees……he will help with that too. Please help Georgie keep his resolution by asking to meet him. He’ll take it from there!!

Update 11/25/2012:  “He especially likes to groom his foster sibling who patiently puts up with this very individualized attention.”

Georgie continues to be a cute wiggly-butt who enjoys getting lots of positive attention. He loves life and gets especially excited at mealtime and when going outside for walks and may favor you with his Tigger imitation. Someone has forgotten to tell this middle-age boy that he is not supposed to act like a puppy! 

To make life a little easier for Georgie, he is being switched to an oral flea medication. Using topical flea control had created anxiety for Georgie which carried over to brushing and bathing him. Once he no longer has to dread the topical method, Georgie will be a much happier pup. He recently went to the groomer to have his nails trimmed and did fine with that necessity. He’s looking great! 

There’s been a new discovery about Georgie. His foster mom learned that giving Georgie a bone to gnaw on does not work well as he tends to resource guard it. He was given a bone while outside so his foster mom could do some yard work without worrying if Georgie was digging while she was busy. He certainly didn’t dig but he didn’t want to give up the bone either………must have been a choice one. 

While Georgie’s nuisance barking has been somewhat annoying to the other dogs in his home, Georgie continues to get along with them well. He especially likes to groom his foster sibling who patiently puts up with this very individualized attention. Georgie could live with other dogs in an adopting home, or, his life could likely be complete with humans to give all his attention to………..and to receive lots of attention from! Georgie is very handsome, very expressive and very much wanting to be part of his new family for the upcoming holidays. He’d especially like to find a bone with his name on it when presents are opened! 

Adopt today…………love for a lifetime…………and at 8 years young, Georgie will bring heartwarming companionship to those all around him!

Update 10/18/2012:  “Georgie’s a star when out in public.”

Birthday wishes to MAESSR’s newest senior. With the passing of his 9th birthday, Georgie is now the youngest senior in foster care and enjoying his new status! 

Georgie’s a star when out in public. He recently shined as a MAESSR ambassador at a large pet expo where he spent five hours meeting and greeting hundreds of people. There was a smile and a wiggly butt for everyone, and he occasionally went belly up for a tummy rub! He allowed kids of all ages to pet and hug him and didn’t bat an eyelash when encountering individuals in wheelchairs. Georgie met dozens of dogs, and only one caused him to grumble. His foster mom was incredibly proud of him despite the fact that he frequently tried to shoplift dog treats from the rescue group at the adjoining table! 

Georgie is a dog who needs mental and physical stimulation such as regular walking and playing. Grabbing items such as a dishcloth or socks continues, but he’s doing well about giving them back; sometimes with verbal prompting but requiring a treat at other times. (He’s a great reminder for forgetful family members to pick up after themselves!) His foster mom also must be diligent on walks by scanning sidewalks and streets because Georgie cleans up after litterbugs! He made quick work of a discarded paper towel by eating it. 

In general Georgie gets along with the other dogs but, after many years as an only dog, he doesn’t seem to understand that excitable barking or jumping annoys them. Georgie never retaliates if one of the dogs puts him in his place. His foster mom continues to work on the nuisance barking and is seeing progress. At times he is held back while the other dogs go downstairs, which reduces the barking. Before eating or being let out, Georgie must display “quiet sitting” in order to get what he wants. Sometimes this takes some effort from Georgie and patience from his foster mom. At mealtime, after he is done barking with excitement, he will sit and wait for foster mom to give him the okay to dig in before eating his supper. What a good boy! 

Usually an excitable guy, Georgie also can be shy or timid about some things, most notably getting flea medication applied or having his ears cleaned. His foster mom tries to secretly apply flea medication while he is being brushed, but recently was caught in the act. Since then Georgie has been reluctant to be brushed, but submits to a brushing if put on a leash to keep him from walking away. 

Georgie enjoys chew bones, pulling the stuffing out of toys, and tennis balls. During a yard clean up, foster mom found seven tennis balls out in the yard! Apparently Georgie carries them outside without being noticed and them there. Of course, all the tennis balls were split because Georgie chomps on them. The resident Springer can hardly wait for Georgie to find his forever home….he’s tired of all his tennis balls being split open! 

Georgie continues to do well being crated while his foster mom goes to work. When he sees her getting a treat before departure, he often runs into the crate. He has not been transported in the car often, and he’s a little whiny until he decides to settle down. Perhaps he just wants to ride shotgun rather than being confined to the back seat. 

Overall, Georgie is a sweet and affectionate fellow who enjoys individual attention from his people. He loves being outside and going for walks, and he displays the cutest little wiggle butt when happy. Make Georgie a member of your family and you’ll never see the wiggling stop!

Update 09/16/2012:  “His foster mom loves to watch his butt wiggling with his little tail going a mile a minute when he is happy or pleased with himself.”

Georgie’s continuing to do great in foster care and recently participated in a pet appreciation week activity in his community. He did a good job as a MAESSR ambassador! He enjoyed greeting dozens of people who passed his way during the four-hour event. Though he previously had limited exposure to children, Georgie did well when being petted by several youngsters he met. 

After two months in foster care, Georgie has been weaned from his anxiety medication but continues on a supplement for similar support. His foster mom sees Georgie as excitable or antsy at times and doesn’t consider him to be significantly anxious. His minor anxiety is usually centered on making his wants known. Being a Velcro Springer, he wants to always know where his human is and is fine once he figures out that person is nearby. Sometimes he is persistent in asking to go out in the yard but will lie down for a while when consistently prompted to do so. His family can always count on at least one tennis ball being under the couch when Georgie lies nearby on the floor and whimpers. This boy doesn’t want to play with the tennis balls; he wants to chomp on them until they burst at the seams. Alas, the resident Springer’s large collection of tennis balls is dwindling more each week! 

With no indications of allergies in his foster home, Georgie was weaned off his allergy medication. He occasionally licks or chews at his feet but not outside the norm. He is fed a grain-free food which may have helped alleviate any allergy symptoms that he exhibited in the past. Georgie was diagnosed as having an underactive thyroid several years ago but, according to his vet records, gained weight instead of losing it when put on medication. He hasn’t been weighed recently, but foster mom feels that Georgie has lost some weight since his arrival. Increased walks and other exercise may be contributing! 

His foster mom is working with Georgie to reduce some nuisance barking when he gets excited. This is getting better and more frequently Georgie can quietly walk downstairs. He’s also doing much better with giving up items he shouldn’t have. Georgie loves getting attention and is increasingly interested in being brushed. 

Georgie continues to grow and mature during his time in the foster home. Sure, he still has an affinity for paper products, plastic bags, and socks, but the frequency of having to recover these items is being reduced and becoming much easier. Often a “don’t you dare” will stop him from picking up an item off the bathroom sink or coffee table. Other behaviors are taking longer to address and some are met with compromise. His foster mom finally blocked off the outdoor area where Georgie likes to scatter dirt and mulch but, overall, he is responding well to structure and limit-setting. 

Georgie is a happy boy and likes to please. His foster mom loves to watch his butt wiggling with his little tail going a mile a minute when he is happy or pleased with himself. By years Georgie may be middle-aged but this boy is definitely young at heart!

Update 08/15/2012: “The longer Georgie is in foster care, the more he mellows and shows how smart he is.”

During his month in foster care, Georgie has been weaned off an anti-anxiety medication in favor of a supplement and his allergy meds have been reduced. He is handling the changes quite well. The small lick granuloma on his foot is growing hair again and is barely visible. Georgie’s thyroid levels are now normal. His foster mom believes he may have lost some weight since arriving but has not had him weighed. 

Georgie continues to refine his pack skills and generally gets along with the two resident dogs and a female foster; he has even made some unrequited attempts to play with them. Sometimes he will loudly bark at the other dogs when trying to get their attention. Georgie is still “kept in line” by the resident male Springer and the female foster. If he becomes pushy or too invasive, a snarl and a grumble will usually cause him to back off. The resident Beardie mix continues to generally ignore Georgie but has allowed him to drink water at the same time she does. Georgie’s socialization skills are expected to improve continually as he is around other dogs and he learns what’s acceptable and what’s not. He now eats his supper in the same room as his foster sister. He does have a tendency to want his foster mom to be visible while he eats and will leave his supper to look for her if she disappears. 

Manners toward people and in the house continue to be very good. Georgie will occasionally put his front feet on the couch to satisfy his need for attention. He likes to give sweet little kisses to his foster mom; he is an affectionate guy! Even though he is a mature gentleman, his foster mom has to be careful what she lays down within his reach as he may grab it. Georgie is showing improvement with mild resource guarding and will give up items he shouldn’t have (sneakers, mail, plastic bags…) with verbal prompting and an edible re-inforcer (no success without the edible!). It may take a minute for him to decide to drop whatever he has, but he is doing so more quickly each time. That said, it is just a little fishy how he brings the items to show his foster mom and just looks at her as if to say, “Well, where’s the treat so I can drop it?” 

Georgie continues to be crated while foster mom is at work and sleeps on the bedroom floor at night. He is resolved to being crated and, while he does expect a treat for doing so, he does not often resist going in anymore. Georgie is well-behaved in the crate and patiently/quietly waits to be left out. One evening Georgie insisted on sleeping downstairs most of the night and did so without any issues. As far as dog toys, Georgie enjoys chewing on bones, likes to pull the stuffing out of soft toys, and likes to chew on ropes. He continues to need encouragement when it comes to returning a tennis ball. 

Georgie continues to do well on walks. Atta boy, Georgie! Sometimes he can be intimidated by dogs rushing toward fences, other times he may run toward the barking dogs, but many times he will ignore them. He has not encountered dogs on leashes. He doesn’t get too excited by cats seen on porches. The heat and humidity do take a toll on Georgie so walks have been generally reserved for after sunset and for less humid days. Georgie would greatly benefit from frequent walks to reduce his weight, improve his fitness, and to stimulate him mentally. 

His foster mom has learned that Georgie has a high prey drive and does not easily give up. Recently his foster sister discovered a nest of bunnies under the deck steps and, even though they are all gone, Georgie continues to look for those unfortunate bunnies. Given his prey drive his future family will not want to keep small pets. Georgie also continues to scatter the garden mulch in order to have a cool place to lie down when he’s outside. Although Georgie is a moderate energy boy most of the time, he does become excited at times and may jump up in the air in anticipation, especially if he wants that back door opened or to go on a walk. 

The longer Georgie is in foster care, the more he mellows and shows how smart he is. He knows the commands “sit,” and “lie down” and is working on “shake” and “drop it.” He is required to sit to get his treats, his meals, the leash on and off, and now before he goes out the door. Georgie is in such a big hurry now to get outside to look for bunnies that he will push his way out the sliding screen door before it is opened wide enough. Requiring him to sit has resolved the issue. When told to “stay” when his foster mom goes out the gate in the back yard, he is usually compliant but may need an occasional reminder. If he is resistant to going in the house (after all, there could be some more bunnies out back!) all his foster mom has to do is go inside, and Georgie quickly follows. 

Georgie is ready to begin following a new love in his life everywhere……………into the house, out of the house, from room to room! He’s handsome, smart, and quite a personable fellow. Available now……….but likely not for long……….:))!!

Original:  “It was found that he has low thyroid levels which could account for some of his chubbiness, so he is now receiving inexpensive thyroid medication.”

Georgie was relinquished to MAESSR by his Pennsylvania owners when having a larger dog became too difficult for their living situation. 

Before he left his former home, Georgie was brought up to date with immunizations, heartworm check, and medications. At 60 pounds, Georgie is a bit stocky and could benefit from weight loss. It was found that he has low thyroid levels which could account for some of his chubbiness, so he is now receiving inexpensive thyroid medication. Previous records indicate that Georgie is on an anti-anxiety mediation because he began licking his paw. He takes an antihistamine to help with skin allergies which appear to be in check since there is little outward appearance of any skin issues. A vet check is pending as his foster mom wanted to give Georgie a little time to adjust to all of his life changes before scheduling it. 

This handsome fellow is a moderate energy boy and a typical Velcro Springer. Apparently Georgie was always an only dog. It has taken about a week for him to realize his place in the pack and to begin blending with the other three senior dogs in the home: two resident dogs (male ESS and female Bearded Collie mix) and an 11-year old female foster. At the beginning of the week, foster mom often redirected his behavior as the other two Springers frequently grumbled at Georgie’s pushy interactions with them. Georgie is quickly learning what behaviors are not appreciated by his foster mom and siblings, and the grumbling (foster mom’s and siblings’) is minimal now. He has gained some respect for the resident male Springer’s status and will generally try to avoid irritating him; he even allows the resident Springer to steal tennis balls from him. The female Beardie mix has chosen to avoid him right now. Currently he is separated from the other dogs by a gate at mealtime. Foster mom has not tested to see if Georgie guards his dinner, but she notes that he does take dog treats gently. Although Georgie does not jump up on people, he would be a concern with toddlers due to his size. On occasion he tends to be underfoot, wanting to be in on the action. There are no issues with separation anxiety, but reportedly Georgie likes to seek human reassurance during a thunderstorm. Foster mom noted no issues when fire crackers went off in neighborhood. 

Georgie is crate-trained but would prefer to be loose in the house as he was at his former home. He is crated eight hours daily, with a break for lunch, while foster mom works and if foster mom goes out. He can be enticed in the crate with a treat and might briefly whimper once in there. Georgie was separated by a gate at night for the first week but is now allowed in foster mom’s bedroom to sleep with the rest of the dogs. This arrangement is going well with him usually sleeping on the floor. He tries to make a nest in the dog pillow, but it often ends up in a bunch or under foster mom’s bed. 

Initially crated due to pack issues, Georgie’s foster mom has learned that even though he is eight years old, he still engages in some puppy-type behaviors. Georgie will chew inappropriately if he has the chance. Fortunately, he also enjoys chewing bones, playing tug of war with a rope, and chasing a tennis ball, although he is not always eager to surrender the ball. He would not be appropriate with younger children due to this resource guarding. With encouragement, he should learn to chew appropriate items. His former owners report at one time Georgie enjoyed a kiddie pool but has no experience swimming. There has been no submissive urination, toileting accidents, or marking in the house. Good boy, Georgie! The dogs are let out regularly around foster mom’s schedule, but Georgie will signal by whining if he needs to go out. He is learning the rules for expected behavior and responding. Initially there were attempts at counter-surfing, but this has stopped; he leaves the wastepaper cans alone. Upon his arrival in his foster home, Georgie got up on the couch for a good roll and to try to make a nest, but has not gotten up since he was told to stay down. There is minimal barking, usually in response to his siblings’ barking. Rather than bark, Georgie uses the whining technique to indicate that he wants something. He has learned that he must sit to get his treats and dinner. A smart boy, he regularly responds to the command “sit” and reportedly knows “lie down” and “stay.” 

Georgie is easily confined inside a fenced area. He has fairly good recall but previously he was not trusted off leash. Out in the yard, Georgie has been observed engaging in some digging. He enjoys going for walks and has the distinction of being the best foster dog that his foster mom has taken out on a leash. All right, Georgie! He does get a little excited about barking dogs along the way, but he is very manageable. He loves riding in the car and has been a good passenger. Georgie also enjoys being brushed and is cooperative. Reportedly he is good for the groomer, although he doesn’t like his feet handled or his ears cleaned; he is not, however, aggressive about it. Georgie is looking for a forever home where he can go on lots of walks, play ball, and be pampered with a Springer’s fair share of attention. He will require some patience to further address his minor resource guarding, but with a firm, loving hand Georgie will shine in his new home.