Entered: 01/20/2009
Status: Adopted
Age: 4
Color: Liver/White/Tan
Weight: 45 lbs.
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Aston, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, good in all areas
Temperament: Good with adults, good with children if correctly introduced, good with male dogs and indoor cats
Update 04/12/2013: “She’ll need to be an only dog or just live with males in any adopting home going forward.”
Ginger has been returned to MAESSR twice for not getting along with other female dogs in her adoptive homes, both with other alpha females and with a submissive younger female. At times she has gotten along great with other female fosters for a while but, long term, Ginger usually gets around to overreacting to their requests to play or to share attention from the humans and resorts to fighting with them. She’ll need to be an only dog or just live with males in any adopting home going forward.
This tricolor girl is affectionate, fully-housebroken, knows “sit”, “down”, “roll-over”, “give paw”, and “give other paw.” She loves to go for car rides and swims in creeks in any season. In the summer, she enjoys a romp around the yard and doing circles in a baby pool to cool off afterwards. Good on leash, and trusted off leash in areas where there are no critters to chase, she comes when called and will “go” in the direction she’s pointed if you have her attention. Inside she’ll rarely bark unless the UPS man knocks. Her other trick is to check if you’re watching and pretend to have a ‘fit’, rubbing her head against her rug and making moaning noises……but only if someone is watching!
This food-motivated gal will tend to counter-surf if bread is left out, so she’s gated out of the kitchen when her folks aren’t home; otherwise, she has free roam of the house. She sleeps in a dog bed at night, though she’d prefer the sofa or real bed, and also crates quietly if need be. Outside, she’ll play fetch or tug-of-war or go for long walks or trots. Inside she likes to tuck under a table or desk near her foster mom’s feet. She’d like to get on furniture and has in the past but knows “off” when told. Despite her short stature, she can easily jump up atop picnic tables outside and window seats indoors.
Ginger displays some on-leash aggression towards other unknown dogs and is a bit fearful when walking on leash at night without an extra dog to make her brave. She has a fair amount of prey drive towards squirrels and chipmunks but mostly ignores birds. She’s used to the coming and going of humans in her home and is trustworthy for 5 hours or so without any issues on weekends while her folks are out. On a recent trip to Tennessee, Ginger was a real hit with assorted nieces and nephews from 6-16 years. She was quite the sport when doing her tricks, putting up with brushing and occasional outfits being tried on her.
Ginger would love a home of her own where she didn’t have to share attention with another female dog, could swim from time to time, or romp in the woods. As friends have said about her, if a person wanted to feel really loved, Ginger’s the dog to do it, with her eyes shining up with joy at being the center of attention.
Original: “At the dog park, she goes up to small children for belly rubs, and tolerates young pups sniffing and pawing at her.”
Ginger was surrendered to a Pennsylvania shelter by a family who purchased her and a male littermate from a breeder and found they had too much to handle with them. They kept the male and the shelter called MAESSR for help in placing Ginger.
Ginger is a calm girl who learned some manners at her previous home. She doesn’t chew on inappropriate things, destroy toys, or get up on furniture. She does consider counter-surfing but is learning “no.” She also knows “sit,” “down,” and “bed.” Currently, she sleeps in a crate at night to avoid bathroom issues and she keeps her crate clean. She is mostly housebroken if she’s taken out first thing in the morning and after playing. Ginger has an occasional issue with submissive urination if she hasn’t been out in a while and she thinks she’s in trouble. Hopefully, her initial shyness will decrease and her bladder control will increase, and she’ll be past that soon.
Ginger loves everyone–dogs and people–but tends to think that the resident terrier growling at her is an invitation to play and bark. The resident dogs also taught her that “no means no” when she wants to play with the older dogs and they aren’t interested. When being fed near the other dogs, she shows no food aggression. In fact if she thinks there’s a chance of a walk or tummy pet, she tends to leave her food to the mercy of the other dogs.
When it comes to riding in the car, Ginger is a champ and she is learning to stay in the back. She also likes the dog park although she tends to hang too close to her foster mom while there. At the dog park, she goes up to small children for belly rubs, and tolerates young pups sniffing and pawing at her. At home her favorite game is “stick keep-away” from the other Springer and vice versa, but at 40 pounds she tends to dive-bomb to get the stick back instead of being subtle. She loves getting lots of pets, tummy rubs, and exercise. Her foster folks are exposing her to different situations, all of which she seems to take with no major concern.
Ginger would make a sweet, loving companion for a family!