Entered: 01/20/2010
Status: Adopted
Age: 3
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Health: UTD, HW-, excellent health
Temperament: Good with adults and reported to be good with children, good with other dogs, not good with cats
Update 01/31/10:
As Hershey becomes more comfortable in his foster home, his rowdier side is coming out. Hershey will jump up on and mouth his foster mom and dad when they return from work. He also may do this to people who come to visit. However, this big boy loves to eat and his rear hits the floor when offered a treat and told “down” and “sit” firmly. After a few minutes of excitement, he calms down completely. As he is petted for his good behavior, Hershey slowly slides to the floor for a side or belly rub.
Hershey’s family is amused by the personal quirks that are emerging. Out of curiosity, his foster mom left the shower door open during a shower. Hershey ambled in, caught a drink from falling water, and ambled out. This behavior delighted his foster mom as it may make bathing him easier as he is too heavy for her to lift into a tub. Since Hershey is not allowed on the couch, he has staked out a resting spot on the fireplace hearth in the family room. Why he would prefer cold stone over carpeting is a mystery to his foster family. Hershey also quickly learned how to open a sliding gate between the kitchen and the dining room by sticking his muzzle between the slats and pushing the gate open! Smart boy!!
Other than his initial over-excitement when he greets people, Hershey is calm in the house. He has not had any accidents, even though he has been left alone as long as 9 hours (car trouble!) and has had free roam of the house while alone. He loves to play tug-of-war and will fetch. He has no toy or food aggression and can be petted while eating. He enjoys having his ears cleaned but resists having his feet trimmed. He has shown his dislike for foot grooming by pulling the scissors from the doggie toy box and chewing on the handles. Hershey is just fine with being brushed and even having his snarls worked out.
Dogs are like a box of chocolate: You never know what you’ll get. Hershey appears to be a truffle: a little chewy on the outside, but a real softie on the inside. With a little help with manners and socialization, he can be your sweetie for life.
Original:
Hershey came to MAESSR as a hunka-hunka burning love: 55 pounds of unneutered and lively dog, intent on showing his romantic nature to the resident female Springer. Although she could slow him down with a serious growl, Hershey’s persistent affection gained him the earliest possible neutering date his foster mom could schedule. He came through his surgery without a problem and charmed the vet’s office with his affectionate nature. Hershey forgives all if he can get a belly rub in return.
Hershey’s foster family is not sure why his family dropped such a fine, healthy guy at a local Maryland shelter. The reasons given on his surrender papers were that he “is hyper and has gone to the bathroom in the house.” His foster family has not seen any indication of these behaviors. Like most dogs, he gets excited and barks when visitors ring the doorbell. However, he quiets down quickly when his foster mom offers him a treat and asks him to sit and hush. He is all affection when visitors simply walk in the door, and he responds well to a gentle reminder not to jump on them. Hershey responds to “sit,” “lie down,” “shake,” and also knows “off” and “come.” He is fully crate-trained, sleeping quietly in his crate at night and hanging out in an open crate during the day. He has full run of the house when his foster family is at home and joyfully follows them from floor to floor. Unlike previous male fosters, Hershey has not tried to mark the house.
Although he is a good traveler, Hershey prefers to ride as co-pilot. He does pull strongly on a leash, so he will need someone with a strong arm to teach him leash manners, particularly if a squirrel comes into view. Hershey also will help himself to food that is foolishly left out and unattended. When his foster mom is present, he may show his interest in her cooking preparations by rising up on his hind legs like a bear for a better view. He leaves trash cans alone, but will sip from a toilet.
Hershey is friendly towards female dogs, but has not met any males. He loves to play chase with the resident dog. His former owners reported that he was good with all people and children from infants to teenagers. His foster family looks forward to learning more about this gentle guy in the week ahead.
Hershey’s a big guy with a big heart and ready for love. Would you like to be his valentine?