Henry

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Updated 12/21/05: Henry’s progress in his foster home is showing. He had returned to MAESSR through no fault of his own and with a continuing need to be as close to people as possible. He remains great with children, other dogs, cats, and needs to be in a home where he would not be alone too much of each day. With that kind of a foster home to help Henry transition toward another adopting family, he has continued to relax and become more secure.

One measure of Henry’s progress is that, while he has always been good with other dogs, he was reluctant to play with them unless one of the people in his life was also there. His foster mom is pleased to see that he is playing with the resident dogs now for more than 20 minutes at a time, without her being part of their fun. Another accomplishment is that Henry can now sit out on the deck by himself. In the past he became very anxious with being outside alone and would bark to get back in or resort to digging. Fortunately, as he has relaxed, his ability to wait patiently by the back door is growing.

Another stride is that Henry will only pounce and bark when he needs human attention now and is much easier to distract to another activity than when he first arrived. His foster mom feels that his hearing is “selective” rather than compromised because of his increasing attentiveness when she talks to him. He responds well to his name, has been paying good attention and is clearly listening to commands.

The only challenge with Henry to which his foster mom concedes “defeat” is his weight loss. He still needs to shed a few pounds. She has found that Henry will help himself to almost any kind of food, not because he is hungry but when he has been left alone. He will pass up bananas and oranges on the kitchen table for less healthy foods, so his foster mom has jokingly tagged him as a junk food fanatic. She also knows that unless it’s fruit, it must be out of Henry’s reach when she steps out.

Another way for Henry to slim down would be if he joined a family who likes to walk as much as he does. He would love being at the end of a short leash with the new people in his life because that would mean they were very close to him. And, that closeness is really what Henry needs most.

Updated 10/19/05: Henry has come back into MAESSR’s care because a change in his adopting mom’s job required much longer workdays.  She knew it would be difficult for Henry to be alone the additional hours and was truly concerned about his wellbeing.

He is in overall good health but has some issues that, first his owner, and now, his fostering family is working on with him. As is easy to happen, Henry had gained a few too many pounds and is on a prescription weight loss diet. It’s working and he’s heading down from 80 pounds toward a healthy number. He also does not like being confined, or alone, and gets truly upset when crated.  For this reason, there has been no effort to crate Henry in his foster home. Previous upset, as well as an obsession with light, may have led to Henry having seizures, so he is currently on an anti-seizure medication. He is also undergoing some additional blood tests and information will be added when available.

When Henry is with his people, including children, or in the company of other pets, he is a real sweetheart.  In his foster home, there are 3 resident dogs and 6 cats. Henry cuddles up to sleep with them, even some of the cats. He is most comfortable when he gets to sit on a couch or sleep on a bed.  He waits very nicely for treats and is not a counter surfer. He really likes to chew on bones and rawhides but is not above an occasional shoe, if one is left within reach.  Henry enjoys walks, does well on a leash, and is very polite and calm in public.  He has a beautiful coat and was a regular with the groomer while in his previous home.

Henry has energy spurts that last between 5 and 10 minutes and then he’s ready for a nap.  He will play with sunlight and shadows and can get excited or upset by them. His foster mom is finding that when this happens, he can be redirected with a gentle pull on his collar and an offer of a soccer ball.  He likes it because it’s too big for the other dogs to steal from him. It’s all his, and he will chase, shake, chew, and retrieve it, even after having popping it full of holes.

Henry came into MAESSR’s care the first time from a difficult situation. He was blessed with an adopting family who helped him make a tough transition, and in their home, Henry was alone only 4-6 hours a day.  Most Springers thrive on being with their people, but Henry is one who really needs companionship to get him through each day. Once his health needs are better understood, he will be looking for another family who can love him and be the companions that he will always need in his life.

Original, Oct. 2, 2004: When Henry’s owner had to move and couldn’t take him along, he was left in the temporary care of a new property owner who fed and checked on him. A mobile home door was left open for him to come and go as he wanted. Because he had been a house and lap dog, he was scared and lonely by the time a MAESSR volunteer reached him. He was also so extremely flea infested that the hair on his ears and fanny was gone, leaving leathery skin. Fortunately, he was free of heartworms when tested.

Once in his foster home and flea-free, Henry began to shine. It had been reported that Henry did not get along well with male dogs. His foster mom has not found that to be the case, allowing that it may depend on how dominate another male is. He has been running with her resident males without a problem. She says he is also good with adults, children, and cats. Henry is housebroken and likes to follow his foster mom around the house to keep her company. Something Henry does is pretty entertaining; he will find a rug, or something on the floor, and suddenly pounce on it. It’s not really clear what he is pouncing on, it’s just something Henry does! It’s reported he also likes to dig.

Henry either has some hearing loss or “selective hearing”, but he responds extremely well with hand signals. He is obedient and comes when called. He knows “sit”, “stay,” and “down”. Henry has not had much leash experience, nor is he crate trained. However, his foster mom feels that he could transition into an adoptive home easily. He rides OK on car trips, has been home groomed, and is a bit sensitive about his feet.

The hair that this poor fellow gave up to fleas will grow back in time, the skin is already beginning to pinken. Henry is an accomplished food beggar which has, in part, led to his being overweight at this time. He has been described as a very large love bug. He will soon be ready for an adoptive home that will enjoy his companionship and return the love he has to offer. Could that home be yours??