Entered: 10/26/2008
Status: adopted
Age: 2
Color: Black/White/Tan
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Goochland, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, treatment complete for an ear infection, whip worms, round worms and hook worms
Temperament: Good with people as young as seven, good with other dogs, cats unknown
Update 01/15/09: In late fall Gibson was adopted by a family and he did well there for several weeks. He then started to guard the wife from the husband. He was returned to MAESSR for more behavioral work.
Gibson has been back in his foster home for quite a while now and has done well. His foster mom believes that he needs a home that will not let him be the boss. He is not allowed to be the boss in his foster home, and he is an absolute doll. His foster mom takes things from him on a regular basis and plays in his food bowl while he eats. Gibson is going to be great in the right home. Keep an eye on this handsome youngster’s progress.
Original: Gibson was relinquished by a West Virginia family that just could not handle him. They reported that he was food aggressive and toy possessive. MAESSR felt that he was young enough that these behaviors could easily be retrained.
Gibson has done very well in his foster home. He loves to romp and play with the other dogs. A Velcro boy, he follows his foster mom everywhere. If given the opportunity, Gibson will counter surf, but is responding well to being told “no”. He loves to ride in the car and is a good passenger. He does get on furniture and would love to sleep in the bed with his foster parents. Totally housetrained, Gibson is also crate trained and will sleep happily all night in the crate.
Gibson’s foster mom has been playing with him with toys to see if he will display any toy possessiveness. The only behaviors he has exhibited with toys is playing “keep away” while wagging his tail and play grumbling. He has a really good time! Gibson will drop the toy again in a few minutes and wait for his foster mom to pick it up and play with him again…and again. Gibson’s foster mom does not feel that toy possessiveness will be an issue with him.
Gibson grumbled once when he was eating and his foster mom and another dog walked by. He was immediately told that was not acceptable. This behavior has not been repeated and his foster mom frequently pets him while he eats.
Gibson is a wonderful boy that would benefit from an obedience class and structure in his life. He wants so badly for you to be pleased with him that he tries extra hard. He’s going to be someone’s devoted pal.