Howdy

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Update 03/22/12:

Howdy has taken a major step in his socialization! His foster mom is so excited to report that he no longer barks and charges at the neighbors. It has taken him five months of patient instruction, but Howdy now seems to “get” it.

In the yard, Howdy is a good boy who respects the property boundaries……… except when chasing a squirrel! This is a good thing since small fences would be no problem for this little fieldy boy to jump. His foster mom does not have a fenced yard, but Howdy will jump over the gate on her deck. If she catches him off of the deck, she instructs him to return, and Howdy complies by jumping the gate again to return to the deck. Good boy! 

Although he pulls just a bit, Howdy walks well on leash and will not attempt to run after squirrels when out for a walk. He’s still a bit nervous when he meets new dogs while on leash. Howdy is good with gentle dogs, but is fearful of dominant canines and may snap at the first encounter. Off lead, these encounters are better.

Recently Howdy had the opportunity to meet some younger children, ages 5 and 7. The children were asked to refrain from petting or lunging at Howdy, who just sat and watched the boys. By the time they left, Howdy was interested in meeting the boys and behaved very nicely with them. During the same outing, Howdy and his foster mom met a lady who was holding a small dog. Howdy sat calmly and watched the dog and did not go near it. When the lady left with her dog, Howdy became excited and started to jump around while on leash. His foster mom believes that he wanted recognition from the woman and her dog, but he wasn’t allowed to interact. These new experiences are becoming exciting to Howdy, who is learning how to be a polite and well-socialized pup.

Howdy is a Velcro boy who prefers to stay close to his human. This is especially true if his foster mom is busy in the kitchen making dinner. Like a circus dog, Howdy will stand up on his back legs while trying to get a peek at what she is preparing! Since there is a potential for a little counter-surfing, it is best if Howdy isn’t tempted by something left too close to the edge!

Howdy is a great youngster who has received love, patience and some much needed time to grow up. He is looking for a special family who can continue to guide him as he blossoms into the well-mannered and confident boy he’s longing to be.

Update 03/10/12:

In the three and a half months that Howdy has been in his foster home, he has come a long way! Howdy is doing better walking on leash and continues to improve. When another dog approaches, Howdy’s foster mom moves away, so his circling and jumping is not as much of an issue. He enjoys the company of other dogs when he is off leash, and loves to play with them!

Something in Howdy’s past has created a fear of some men. When he is off leash, Howdy gets into protection mode, barking and showing his displeasure toward a perceived threat from some of his foster mom’s neighbors. If on leash, Howdy will sit and pay no mind to the same neighbors. His foster mom feels that with more time and guidance, he will learn the behaviors required of Springers who are good neighbors. 

Howdy’s foster mom emphasizes that he is a terrific dog! With her loving and guiding hand, Howdy is working hard on his social skills as he prepares for his life with a new family to love.

Update 02/10/12:

Sometimes the best news for a young dog that needs time, patience, and stability in his life is that he is getting just that. Even better is when a foster family sees a dog making the necessary gains which will carry him into an adopting home. Such is what’s going on with Mr. Howdy!

His most recent progress……….what little counter-surfing there is tends to be done right in front of his foster mom! No sneak activity when she’s not looking! Howdy still pulls a little when on a leash but will continue to improve with practice. He goes to the family farm with his foster dad frequently and stays close to the barn but also gets lots of exercise this way. This and a supplement that encourages focusing have helped to make Howdy quite a good boy. In time Howdy may be weaned from the supplement but, as with most young Springers, Howdy will always be happier in the house if he has adequate time outdoors.

This very sweet fieldie is still nervous around sudden new happenings but much less so than when he first arrived. He’s gained confidence over time with consistent training and is nearly ready for one more change………..the one that takes him into an adopting home. Howdy will need patient and nurturing people to continue what his foster parents have put in place. He’s one special boy……….are you the family he needs next?

Update 01/06/12:

When he first entered MAESSR’s care from a Maryland shelter, Howdy was frightened and emaciated. What a difference a few months and some loving care from two foster families has made for him! Howdy has filled out nicely, eating a steady diet of two meals a day plus treats. He does still have a preference for women and will skip the first potty break of the day to stay with his foster mom, rather than going outside with his foster dad!

Howdy’s house manners continue to be excellent. He doesn’t bother the trash, get onto human beds, or chew on furniture. He has occasionally cruised the counters to see what is there but hasn’t taken a thing. Good boy, Howdy! The only furniture Howdy jumps on is his foster family’s “doggy couch” where he relaxes with the other dogs. He is housebroken and can stay long periods in the house without issue. He stays quietly in the house with free roam during the day and sleeps in a dog bed at night.

On leash, Howdy walks well and does not chase squirrels. Off-leash in the yard, the squirrels are given a run for their money! Howdy is still afraid when he sees strangers and other dogs on leash during his walks. His foster mom has him “sit” and relax until they pass. 

Howdy rides well in a car and is a quiet dog. He is good around food and is fed at the same time as the other dogs in a group in the kitchen. If one of the dogs leaves food in his dish, Howdy will eat the rest of it. 

Howdy has not been to a groomer. Since he is a field-bred dog, he has a lighter coat and does not need the full grooming of a bench bred Springer. His foster mom trimmed the fluff from his tail and the straggly hair around his ears. Howdy was not happy with this. He also does not like his foster mom cleaning his ears or adding meds to his ears. 

A typical young Springer, Howdy needs a lot of exercise. At his current foster home, Howdy is walked each day and goes to the family farm to run for an hour once or twice a week. Howdy continues to stick around his foster home and come when called. 

Howdy’s ideal forever family would have older children and a fenced yard. While he loves to play with older kids, Howdy is sometimes scared of his foster mom’s five year-old granddaughter. He has played well with the older boys around his foster home while they chased each other. Howdy is a tiny dog who can squeeze under a gate. He doesn’t leave his foster family’s property, but will sneak off the deck at times. Howdy needs a loving home where his new owners will give him plenty of exercise so that he can settle down and be good for the rest of the day. He is a beautiful boy with great markings and a perfect Springer stance. Do you have some room for this handsome fieldie to run?

Update 11/27/11:

When his original foster family needed to be out of town, Howdy moved to another foster home. He has been in his new setting for almost a month and has been improving steadily. He gets along with the resident dogs and the neighborhood dogs as well. With lots of exercise, he is putting on weight slowly and muscling up. 

Since Howdy is housebroken, he has the run of his new home and is not crated. His foster mom accompanies him out in the mornings, lest this sweetie sit patiently at the door without doing his duty. Later in the day, she walks with him while he finishes his business. Howdy loves to be with her and, if she goes outside without him, he will run to the window and softly whine. If she leaves home, though, he is fine.

Howdy has good house manners. He doesn’t counter-surf but will stand tall and try to see what is on the counter. At his mealtime, Howdy sits quietly and give a paw in order to be fed. Too cute! He does not get into the trash or chew anything besides dog toys. He will get on a small sofa where his foster mom sits and loves to lay next to her, as do the resident dogs. He has a bed in the family room and one in the bedroom where he sleeps at night.

Car rides are going well for Howdy now that he will jump to the back seat on command. Leash work continues with Howdy slowly figuring out what is expected of him. He has a high energy level, like many springers his age, and loves to run, so Howdy truly enjoys and benefits from an hour of running, several days a week, at the family farm. His foster mom likens the benefit of good exercise for Howdy to the racehorse, Seabiscuit. As with Seabiscuit, a good run for Howdy means life is good!

Coupled with training for this youngster is work on his socialization. Overall, Howdy is doing well with one noticeable situation that may worry him. There are times when Howdy is uncertain about very large men, if he feels they are invading his space. He does well with his foster dad and his reaction to men he is afraid of is to put a little distance between himself and them. With a little more work, the hope is that Howdy can gain ease at meeting all men, regardless of their size!

More on this handsome fieldie as he matures into full adulthood.

Original:

When his original owner passed away, Howdy was relinquished to a local Maryland shelter. He was soon adopted, but four months later he was found wandering loose, hungry and scared. Returned to the shelter again, his adoptive family was contacted, but they did not come to retrieve him. Shelter staff members quickly contacted MAESSR this time, and Howdy, frightened and emaciated from this ordeal, came into MAESSR’s care. 

When Howdy first arrived in foster care, he suffered from digestive upset and was severely underweight. The vet ruled out anything serious, saying it was likely the recent stress of being lost on the streets and then being in the overcrowded shelter. Howdy is on a short term medication to help him get back on track so he can eat better and pack on weight. As he is recovering from his digestive problems, he is proving more reliable in the house and now can be left crated for several hours without accidents. He signals that he wants to go outside by getting his foster mom’s attention and then walking in large circles, or if his mom is near the back door, he sits politely and waits. 

Howdy hates being confined in a crate, but until his stomach problems are rectified, this is where he must be when no one is home. With much praise and positive reinforcement, he now goes in his crate voluntarily while his mom is in the kitchen and he lies down patiently. After eating in his crate, he calmly waits to be released. As long as he can see his foster mom, he’s okay. Good boy, Howdy! He still hates to be confined when his mom leaves the house, barking and spinning in the crate. Until he is more reliable in the house on his own, his foster mom is helping him calm down in his crate with medication.

During the first few days in his foster home, Howdy was nervous and showed some submissive behavior. With lots of love and positive attention, he is adjusting to his new surroundings quickly and his Springer personality is blossoming. Howdy is a spirited handsome fieldie with a long flagged tail that wags constantly; the more you talk to him, the faster it wags! His foster parents are helping him to brush up on his house manners and he is eager to please. Since he does not like people walking by in the street, he jumps on the sofa, barks, and puts his paws on the window. His mom is working quickly on stopping this behavior. Otherwise, while he would like to sit on the furniture with his people, he stays on the floor when told. If he hears curious noises, Howdy cocks his head and with his sunny, expressive face as if to say, say, “Huh?” At night he quickly settles on his dog bed when told “go to sleep!” and sleeps soundly beside his foster mom’s bed. The resident Springer sleeps on a separate dog bed beside him, and they curl up like matching bookends.

Howdy is a smart boy and a quick study. His foster mom is working with him on basics such as “sit,” “come,” “crate up,” and sitting at the door before going out. He is improving rapidly and each day brings new progress. Because of his strong prey drive and speed, he needs to learn to come on command reliably. His foster mom suspects Howdy knows what is expected and is just too energetic to bother to respond! Since this boy wants to run, he pulls on a leash, so a harness and walking lessons are in Howdy’s future. He is nervous riding in the car and must be tethered so he doesn’t bolt when the hatch is opened. At the dog park Howdy can race for an hour without tiring. He approaches strangers in a friendly manner without fear or aggression, but wants to jump up to greet them. That is another lesson he’s in store for! When another MAESSR foster family visited with their 10-year old grandson, Howdy was a friendly host. Because of his speed and strength, however, he would likely knock over younger children. 

Still very much the active pup, Howdy loves chasing balls and squirrels, tearing through the backyard with his foster sister. In the house, he loves toys, shredding the stuffed ones and plastic balls with ease. He is now the proud owner of a sturdy nylabone that he carries around with him and fetches in the long hallway. Howdy is not all play, however. When his foster mom is working or reading, he curls up quietly nearby and takes a nap. This affectionate boy just loves to be near his people, following his foster mom everywhere and settling in for scratches and belly rubs at every opportunity! 

On his first trip to the vet, Howdy was nervous but compliant. Despite being poked and prodded, he gave the tech a kiss! He came into rescue with bad mats and burrs in his ears and does not like to have his ears touched. Just to be safe, he was muzzled while the techs brushed the mats out. He was a perfect gentleman during his first backyard bath, though, and once that all the street grime was washed away, he glistens in the sun! 

Because of his high energy level and strong prey drive, Howdy will do best in a home with a strong high fence, older children, and a family that is prepared to meet his activity needs. He would do well with other dogs to play with, too. 

Watch for updates on this bright energetic boy!