Entered: 09/24/2011
Status: Adopted
Age: 6
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Montpelier, VA
Health: UTD, HW+ and undergoing long-term treatment, good in all other areas
Temperament: Good with people as young as six, good with other dogs, will chase cats
Original:
Henry started life with a North Carolina family who loved him, but quickly became too busy to care for him properly. He lived outside for about four years until a dog loving neighbor decided that he needed to help Henry. Henry came to live with the neighbor and his wife until he got healthy and re-acclimated to living in a house. This loving couple then turned him over to MAESSR to ensure Henry would find a loving forever home.
When he went to be checked out by the vet, Henry tested heartworm positive. There is currently a massive shortage of the immiticide used in the heartworm treatment process. This means that MAESSR can no longer get the medication needed for the treatment. We have decided to use the “slow kill” method for heartworm treatment. The slow kill method involves giving the dog a Heartgard (heartworm preventative) every month. This slowly kills the adult heartworms. Most dogs will totally clear the heartworms within a year; some take up to two years to do so. MAESSR will supply the adopter with one year’s worth of Heartgard. The adopter will be responsible for ENSURING that Henry gets his “pill” every month. MAESSR will pay for the heartworm test at the end of one year. If Henry is then heartworm free, everything will be fantastic! If Henry is NOT heartworm free, MAESSR will provide the adopting family with another year’s supply of Heartgard and will pay for the heartworm test at the end of the second year.
Henry is housetrained and will go into a crate, but prefers to not be crated. He has free roam of the house when his foster family is out and he has been great. He does not get into anything but tissue paper. He adores shredding tissue paper! Go figure!
Since Henry does pull on the leash when being walked, his foster parents have started using a gentle leader on him. Now he walks fairly well on leash. His recall of leash is still a work in progress. Rather than responding immediately when recalled, Henry continues to check things out. His foster parents have tried finger snaps to keep Henry’s attention before he gets out of range. Smart and quick to learn, Henry is a good student who loves learning new things. He now knows sit and come along with a few other commands. Additional obedience lessons will definitely help both Henry and his forever family. Henry has now been on several short car rides and has done very well. He will readily sit in the backseat and likes the open window. Throughout the drive he is content to lie down.
Henry has been groomed by his foster family and has done very well with hair trimming and nails being cut. He has been fine having his ears, teeth, and feet being handled, too. The ear cleaning isn’t his favorite thing, but he tolerates it. He loves to get baths, though.
When it comes to play, Henry likes to fetch, chase a soccer ball, and go for walks. He has never been swimming, but since he loves water, it is surmised that he will like to swim.
Henry is a lover and a lot of fun. Don’t let the heartworm issue stop you from adopting this SWEET boy.