Jake 32

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Update 10/16/2024: “Now that he knows what treats are, Jake LOVES them.”

Recently, for the first time in what feels like forever, Jake received a clean bill of health by his vet. Jake spent the summer being treated for anaplasmosis and then an intestinal infection. The prostate tumor seems to prevent his bladder from completely draining at once, which makes him more susceptible to UTIs, too. Because of his illnesses, it’s been difficult to gauge how much of his temperament is because he hasn’t felt well and how much has been the medication. Now that he’s healthy, his foster parents are evaluating his medications for his anxiety. While Jake is better than he was, he is still not at his best, and the vet and his foster parents are looking into what to try next. In the meantime, his vet has advised against the entropion surgery given Jake’s inability to fight infection. He is a good boy at the vet and allows everyone to handle him, but he would rather not be at the vet at all.

Jake refused to swim this summer, but he also was coordinated enough that he didn’t fall into the pool, either, which has been an issue. His new arthritis medication has made him so much more comfortable. He loves to explore the yard and needs to be supervised. His low vision means he explores with his nose, so when he’s near flowers, he needs more supervision, so he doesn’t stick his nose into a bee! He gets regular eye ointment to help with his entropion.

Jake continues to be afraid of new people and new situations, which again, perhaps will be helped with the right medication. He still will not allow the neighbor to greet him without hiding behind his foster parents or attempting to retreat to the front porch. Increased exposure and attempts at improving his positive association with yummy treats have improved in that he will take the treat, but the training isn’t changing his overall response.

Now that he knows what treats are, Jake LOVES them. He mimics the resident Springers, looking to them to determine if something is food or worth eating. Jake will still mouth things that are not food to explore them, and his foster parents sometimes must take things from him (he went through an acorn phase last month, for example.) Another thing Jake learned from one of the resident Springers is how to counter-surf. His foster dad heard rustling in the middle of the night and discovered Jake with a torn-open bag of caramel rice cakes that he was chowing down. This is the first time Jake has ever stolen food, and his foster parents thought the bag was far enough back. It is unclear whether one of the resident Springers provided an assist in reaching the snacks…

Jake is an excellent example of the love and care MAESSR’s foster families provide for all dogs, even those with significant health challenges.

Update 05/06/2024: “Jake’s foster family has worked diligently with Jake on his health.”

Jake is trying some new medication to help with his anxiety and reactivity. His foster parents are patient while he struggles to get through the change in the regimen. He loves to cuddle and seeks out physical affection–he is a big lover of chin scratches.

Jake and his foster sister are best friends and are frequently curled up napping with each other. His monthly medication for arthritis has made such a difference in his mobility–his stiffness is gone, and he loves to jump jump jump! Jake is waiting for the swimming pool to open, and his foster parents hope he will swim this year to help strengthen his hind legs.

Recently Jake was treated for another UTI and has blood in his urine again, so he is back on a previous medication. Jake continues to turn heads when he goes to the vet, and he gets high marks from the entire vet staff for his cooperation when they treat him.

Jake’s foster family has worked diligently with Jake on his health. This is wonderful example of MAESSR’s desire to help every Springer achieve the best life possible.  

Update 02/05/2024: “Jake prefers to be close to his foster parents and has become a world-class cuddler, sleeping with his back pressed against the nearest human.”

Jake had a recent vet visit. He received his second injection of the new arthritis medication to help with his mobility, and he has begun a medication for anxiety.

Just recently Jake has taken exception to the resident male which has never been an issue previously. This is only with one resident dog, and not always. While his foster family and vet do not know the reason for Jake’s recent grouchiness, it’s possibly due to pain or his eyesight, or both. His entropian surgery could possibly help as it will improve his vision, but that has been postponed until Jake’s new medication is more established in his system.

Jake prefers to be close to his foster parents and has become a world-class cuddler, sleeping with his back pressed against the nearest human. He also will cuddle with the other resident pups.

Jake’s foster parents are determined to get this sweet boy into the best possible health, no matter what it takes. That’s the way MAESSR rolls!

Update 09/11/2023:“Jake is patiently waiting for entropion surgery because his vision issues make him clumsy and he crashes into walls and furniture, especially when he is moving quickly.”  

Jake has come so far and is a completely different boy than the one who came to rescue a year ago. While he is still afraid of strangers (including neighbors he sees often and should know), he is confident and pushy in the house. He seeks out treats and loudly announces mealtimes and bedtime, and if he’s not on his foster parents’ big bed, he loves to hang out at the top of the stairs where he can watch the front door for his people. He gladly shares dog beds with the resident female Springer, who is a few years older than he is, and will often snuggle with the two male resident Springers.  

Jake continues to wake up several times a night to relieve himself and will wake his foster dad to go out. The vet had prescribed more piroxicam to see if it was beneficial in curbing the midnight potty trips, but it turned his urine dark, so his foster parents stopped giving it to him, given his previous issues with blood in his urine. He had a stomach issue a couple weeks ago that led to him having some accidents in the house, but that passed on its own and he’s back to being accident-free.  

Jake loves to play, but his sense of humor is often lost on the resident Springers. When he gets excited, he smashes into them and, in several instances, head-butted his older Springer brother under his back legs and flipped him in the air. He also will snatch toys from the other Springer boys and will growl loudly while doing so, which has made the others a little uncomfortable (the resident female Springer has lost most of her hearing and is oblivious to his vocal musings.) Jake frequently decides he should be in charge and will growl if told to go outside or in his crate or anything else he doesn’t feel like doing. His foster parents stay near him when he does this so he does not think he can just get his way and then when he’s quiet, they persuade him to follow directions through higher-value treats, but some days, it’s a process.  

Jake is patiently waiting for entropion surgery because his vision issues make him clumsy and he crashes into walls and furniture, especially when he is moving quickly.  

Despite his grumpiness, Jake makes his foster parents laugh and they love watching him learn new things. Because he has grouchy days, Jake will need a family without children and may do best as an only dog, although he loves being part of the pack.

Updated 08/02/2023: “He will often growl if he is told to do something he doesn’t want to do, like take a bath, go outside, or move from where he is standing….His foster parents continue to work on redirecting him without the dramatics.”  

Jake celebrated his “gotcha” day in style, having a doggie ice cream cup on the deck outside. A year ago, Jake refused all food for days, and now Jake understands treats and loves them! He loves strawberries and blueberries, and despite his persistence, he really does not want to eat tomatoes. Cucumbers are a big turn-off, too.  

Over the past month, after stealing the blueberries out of the grocery bag, Jake has gotten bolder and now steals all manner of things. Last week, he stole an entire jar of jam out of a grocery bag when it was brought in, and he also hid a pair of scissors that he took from a table in his crate (his foster parents could not believe he would steal items off a table! Jake is certainly making himself comfortable!).  

Jake did not get a chance to return to the underwater treadmill because he had a GI infection. He has been learning to swim in the pool, and while he does not go in without coaxing, he will participate for treats. Yesterday, Jake suffered some kind of irritation, possibly a mosquito or insect bite, that is making him bite at his back leg and irritate it, so he is pouting about wearing a donut and being disappointed in his foster mom for putting the hydrogel spray on it to help it heal. His foster mom is hoping Jake will leave it alone and not let it develop into a hot spot.  

Jake’s vet decided he did not need another ultrasound because there is no longer blood in his urine!  Yeah!  He will be kept on the drug piroicam for a few more months to see if Jake can get to the point that he can make it through the night without having to urinate.  His foster dad has been a saint getting up twice a night to let Jake out to relieve himself.  Another thing on Jake’s doctoring list is to have entropion surgery so his eyelids will no longer fold inward, irritating his eyes.   

Last week, Jake asked to hang out in the front yard while his foster dad did some planting, but Jake wanted to play in the dirt and not sit in the grass the whole time. The friendly neighbor came over to say hi to Jake and Jake went “nope-nope-nope” and hid by the front door of his foster family’s house and refused to look at the neighbor, whom he has met many times (and always runs away). His fear of anyone who doesn’t live in his foster family’s house continues, although his foster parents try to get him to trust other people.  

While normally a clown with a sweet disposition, Jake is becoming bolder in his foster family’s home with both human and canine residents. He yells at his foster parents if they step outside without him, including going to the mailbox 25 feet away from the front door. He jumps in greeting and would knock over anyone unsteady on their feet, a habit his foster parents continue to work on. He also has found refusing to follow directions by growling is a good way to share his feelings. He will often growl if he is told to do something he doesn’t want to do, like take a bath, go outside, or move from where he is standing. He hasn’t snapped ever, but he will continue his low growl for several minutes sometimes, taking a full breath and continuing to express his disapproval. His foster parents continue to work on redirecting him without the dramatics, but for this reason, Jake will need a home without children.  In addition, his forever home will need dog-savvy adults who will help Jake with his boundaries.  

Jake is often jealous of the resident Springers getting attention and will push them out of the way to get to the humans if he is not reminded to use manners. The resident Springers spent a lot of time teaching Jake how to play with toys last year, and they often would take a toy away from the shy Jake. Now, however, the tables have turned and he will take their toys away when he gets excited. The residents have gotten better at turning their heads to tell him they don’t feel like sharing a particular toy, and he always happily accepts a substitute when it’s offered. One of Jake’s favorite hobbies is curling up on the sofa with the other Springers in the house, however, so they remain friends.  

Jake loves to play outside and can’t wait to go to the beach this summer with his foster family. His foster parents continue to be delighted by Jake’s intelligence and curiosity.

Updated 06/23/2023: “His joy at stealing a quart of blueberries out of the shopping bag and shaking blueberries all the way down the hall and into the family room was only surpassed by his realization that he could eat the blueberries! He stood guard over them, scarfing them down as quickly as possible before his foster mom put an end to the fun.”

Jake continues to discover life as a household friend. As his hips have gotten stronger, he has learned to jump and he pounces on his human (and sometimes canine) family members whenever they enter the house.  This week, Jake had his first underwater treadmill appointment and walked for six minutes, settling in quickly. His pool evaluation showed that he can be coaxed to put his paws in, but he was uncertain of doing any more than that. Jake continues to be afraid of strangers and new situations, and he would only take treats from his foster parents, not from the friendly and patient swim instructor. He is looking forward to going weekly for underwater treadmill sessions and to learn to love the water–especially because he falls into his foster family’s pool so often when it’s open.  

Continually struggling to hone his knowledge of house rules, Jake still gets confused about what things are appropriate for dogs to chew.  In the past week, he has learned that everything in the recycling can is off-limits, he pouted when told he could not gnaw on the spine OR the pages of a book, and he was told repeatedly to stop stealing the dog food scoop.  Luckily, he loves all the toys in the Barkbox he shares with the resident Springers every month. His joy at stealing a quart of blueberries out of the shopping bag and shaking blueberries all the way down the hall and into the family room was only surpassed by his realization that he could eat the blueberries! He stood guard over them, scarfing them down as quickly as possible before his foster mom put an end to the fun. 

Jake loves mealtimes most of all. He will run to his crate for food (and for treats–he dashes into his crate even when he sees a dog treat), and he has a ritual of leaving his crate to confirm that the noises he hears are definitely kibble being scooped and then gleefully racing back to his crate so he’s ready when the bowl gets there! His foster family and the resident Springers have had no luck in teaching Jake to eat or drink more neatly, although his MAESSR-alum, resident Springer sister has taken to washing his face, including lifting up his floppy lips and cleaning up before he drools everywhere. Jake’s exuberance still includes submerging most of his face into water bowls to drink, and he has ruined more books that he carried over and dropped near the water bowl this way than through actually chewing up the books.  

After several months of seeming to be completely housetrained, Jake has had a few issues with pooping in the house this past week. He continues to need to go out to relieve himself several times every night, and he is good about waking his foster dad up to take him out. He seems to have difficulty completely voiding his bladder at once and will ask to go out a few times in quick succession sometimes. His foster parents are taking him for an evaluation soon to see how his prostate tumor is progressing.  Concerning his compromised sight, two vets that saw him previously thought that entropion surgery is likely needed to help his vision. Part of his clumsiness comes from his lack of coordination and weakness in his hind legs, but part is also due to his inability to see.  

Jake is looking forward to more fun this summer both hanging out and playing in the backyard and taking trips to the beach and local parks as he gets stronger. His foster family acknowledges that Jake is a lot of work, but his silly personality makes them laugh enough that they don’t mind because he is so genuinely happy to live in a house with the other Springers.

Update 05/03/2023:“He loves having other dogs to play with, and he has decided jumping on the pool safety cover to get wet is an excellent hobby.”  

Jake went with his foster family to a dog-friendly resort for spring break. Although Jake stubbornly refuses to sit on command, he has a lovely off-leash heel with his foster mom. While the resident Springers swam in the pond, Jake played along the water’s edge on the beach and wandered in the meadow. He loved being able to run outside off-leash, although he did not appreciate that he had to take a bath even if he did not swim! He loved chasing tennis balls and curling up in front of the fireplace after a long day frolicking!  

In his foster home Jake has gotten bolder, and he has a lot to say about everything. He’s the only Springer in the house that vocalizes so often, and he loudly announces his wishes, declaring when it’s time to eat, to go downstairs, and to go to bed. Jake often plays roughly with the resident Springers, who are mostly good-natured about it. He loves having other dogs to play with, and he has decided jumping on the pool safety cover to get wet is an excellent hobby.  

Jake continues to have blood in his urine and needs to follow up with another specialist. His foster parents are hoping to get him an underwater treadmill appointment this spring when their schedules are a bit lighter, and they are working with Jake to help him lift his knees higher because his gait is still stumbling. Jake has mastered the indoor flights of stairs that he found terrifying when he first arrived, and he loves sleeping on the big bed with his foster parents and all the other dogs. He has become a world-class cuddler!  

Despite his health issues, Jake continues to enjoy life to the fullest in his foster home.

Update 01/10/2022:“Jake also learned how to climb up on the recliner with his foster dad, and he loves to curl up and nap there.” 

Due to an infection in his anal sacs Jake did not have his urinalysis yet. Now that the round of antibiotics are done, he will have another vet appointment soon; hopefully his urinalysis will be done at that visit.

Jake’s personality continues to emerge. While the resident Springers are not very vocal, Jake always has something to say and lets his foster parents know through howl-like vocalizations when they aren’t meeting his standards: he does not like when they go to work and leave him home, when they serve dinner later than he would like it, and when they stay up too late.

Jake continues to get stronger, and he works hard to keep up with the other Springers in the house. He can now run a full lap around the yard and back up onto the deck, and he loves to run! He has discovered so many things he likes after initially being afraid to try new things: he loves dog treats and biscuits, elk antlers, and so many toys! He will play with toys by throwing them in the air or working to make them squeak. He is often silly and playful (but not at mealtimes – then he is in his crate, all business, until his bowl arrives.)

Santa brought Jake many new toys and he plays with them all. He is always open to suggestions for toys and will take anything handed to him to see if it’s fun to play with…while the other pups might decide they are not even interested in exploring the toy. One of the resident Springers taught Jake how to use the safety cover on the in-ground pool as a trampoline, so if it’s not too cold, he thinks that is fun! (The dogs bounce hard enough to get wet even though most of the pool is drained.) Jake also learned how to climb up on the recliner with his foster dad, and he loves to curl up and nap there.

Now allowed access to the entire house, Jake’s favorite place in the world is on the big bed where the people and other Springers sleep. He will curl up on the bed or the sofa with the other dogs. Jake has learned how to move sofa cushions to meet his needs and will flop over a back cushion to give himself extra space…the prince of pillows!

This fun-loving boy continues to have his health issues addressed, but he is such a sweetheart through it all.

Update 12/01/2022:  “He loves to snuggle with his foster parents and takes pride in his ability to climb onto the sofa to cuddle with the other Springers.”  

Jake continues to thrive in his foster home! Although a scan showed a growth on his prostate, he is taking medication to address it. His incontinence is improving, although he sometimes still has accidents in the house. He will get a urinalysis in the next few weeks to determine if there is still blood in his urine and gauge his progress.

Jake now sleeps in the big bed with his foster parents, the resident Springers, and his foster brother. The shy dog who was unsure whether he wanted to be touched when he arrived is now the most vocal Springer in the house, filing complaints if he thinks things aren’t going the way he would like, including attention and affection. He loves to snuggle with his foster parents and takes pride in his ability to climb onto the sofa to cuddle with the other Springers. He now plays with every toy he finds, although he is sometimes confused about which things are dog toys…he had an unfortunate incident where he ate the entire spine of a hardcover book, half of the back cover, and the end papers; but it seems to have been a one-time taste test.

Jake stands up for himself and has started to be more assertive. His foster brother, who took toys away from Jake when Jake didn’t know what toys were, has discovered that Jake will now take toys out of his mouth! Jake loves to gnaw an antler or a Benebone, too. While he still retreats to his crate when he feels unsure or overwhelmed, he spends more and more time on the sofa where he loves pillows.

Look back for news on Jake as his health and outlook on life continue to improve. He will make a terrific companion to someone looking for a sweet cuddlebug!

Update 09/12/2022: “He is curious and is filled with wonder as he discovers how to make a toy squeak or roll, and he is practicing throwing toys in the air.”

Jake continues to blossom in his foster home. He is learning to play with toys, and he often tries to mimic how one of the other dogs in the house played with a toy last, picking it up when it is abandoned. His foster family allows all the dogs free access to many toys so that no one ever feels like toys are scarce. He is curious and is filled with wonder as he discovers how to make a toy squeak or roll, and he is practicing throwing toys in the air.

Jake has become attached to his foster parents, and if he is in his crate and they leave the room, he vocalizes to make sure they know he misses them and would like them to stay where he can see them. Jake has decided having humans around is a good thing.

Jake’s hips are stronger, but he still requires supervision on stairs. He has not enjoyed the mandatory rest following his neutering two weeks ago, but everyone at the clinic loved him. His sweet nature makes him hard to resist. Despite his attempts to keep up with the resident Springers and his foster brother, Jake will often remove himself from the others and retreat to his own crate to nap. Occasionally, he will hang out in his foster brother’s crate during the day for a change of scenery. He tires easily, and his foster parents have gotten veterinary approval to see if hydrotherapy helps Jake; meanwhile he will continue medication for arthritis which helps.

Jake’s urine screening showed no sign of infection, so he will have an ultrasound. His foster parents continue to work with the vet to put together the best plan of care for Jake.

Update 08/18/2022:“Jake just had his vet re-check visit and he got some good news–his skin infection is completely clear, his ears are no longer infected, and the eye infection is gone! “

Jake just had his vet re-check visit and he got some good news–his skin infection is completely clear, his ears are no longer infected, and the eye infection is gone!  Hurray!  He will need to have ointment in his dry eyes twice daily forever, though. There is still a lot of blood in his urine–it’s dark brown still–and the vet x-rayed to look for bladder stones. No bladder stones, but the x-rays confirmed severe arthritis and hip dysplasia, which his foster parents suspected.  A urine sample was taken and results are awaited.  If nothing is growing in the urine, the vet recommends an ultrasound because the next most likely thing would be tumors, which they all hope it is not. He can keep his neutering appointment for the end of August which will help with his incontinence, but likely not whatever is causing the bleeding. This poor pup.

So, Jake is also on hold for a while.  His foster parents are very devoted to him.  They have arranged their work schedules so Jake is not left home alone much during the week and on those days when they cannot be home, a close relative comes over to let Jake out.  His foster family and their vet are working hard to solve Jake’s medical issues. 

Original: “Jake is a sweet, gentle boy who just wants to be loved.”

Upon the sudden passing of his Virginia breeder, Jake became a MAESSR boy.

When Jake came to his foster family, he was very frightened and did not feel well. He had worms and  serious skin, eye, and ear infections for which he was prescribed strong antibiotics and medicated ear and eye drops.  Jake is not a fan of the drops and that is the only time Jake is ever uncooperative.  In early August he will go back to the vet to be re-evaluated.. If his infections are cleared, he will have his full physical at that time.  He has already had a full blood screening done and the results showed no issues.  His neutering is on hold until his infections clear.

Jake’s fur is thin, but a thyroid test shows normal thyroid function, leaving the vet to believe Jake’s balding is due to the skin infection and flea dermatitis. Jake is cooperative when being bathed, and he lies quietly in the bottom of the tub while soaking in his medicated shampoo. Only once did he attempt to climb out but gave up when instructed to stay in the tub. He protests his eye and ear drops by writhing around, but he never shows teeth, growls, or snaps.

Because he is not vaccinated and was being treated for worms, Jake has been segregated from the two resident Springers for most of the time. Introductions were made to the residents one at a time in the backyard. They let Jake sniff them and they sniffed him back. Jake seems to really like them, and they are interested in him, too. He howls when his foster parents leave the room where his crate is; he likes the company of people, even if they are just in the same room.

Jake finds living in a house to be strange and surprising. He is afraid to walk up or down the stairs, which is only done to access the tub–his foster dad carries him, and he does not seem to mind being carried. The television fascinates him and he is often startled by the things on the television. For most of the first week, Jake’s crate was in the front room where he could rest quietly. One of the resident Springers seemed to recognize that Jake wasn’t feeling well and took to lying down next to Jake’s crate to comfort him. By the end of the first week, Jake was awake more often and began to cry for his foster parents to come see him, so his crate was moved to the family room where his foster parents watch tv or talk and the resident dogs are fed and hang out. Jake can also see outside from his new spot by the back door, and he likes to watch out the window. As Jake’s skin infections resolve, he is becoming more interested in having his foster parents touch him and give back rubs. He likes when they scratch under his chin.

Although not happy with being in a crate (which is understandable, given that he is there a lot), Jake will go in when asked. He is fed in his crate so that makes it more positive. He is crated in the house for now, including at night.

Jake loves exploring his new surroundings outside. While he was quiet and withdrawn at first, he is settling in and spending more time watching the resident dogs and his foster parents. While initially he was only in the front yard on a leash, he has gotten stronger once he started eating and can now walk about 1/3 of a mile at a time–huge progress! He is still wobbly on the front steps and deck steps and stumbles, so he is closely supervised. He has also been allowed off leash now in the large fenced backyard, and he loves to sniff and follow the resident Springers–he really wants to be part of their pack but he does not yet understand what they are doing, chasing balls and playing with toys. Jake will chase a tennis ball and touch it with his nose, but he will not take tennis balls or toys in his mouth. His energy level is still easily drained and he will ask to go back in the house, so his foster family takes him outside for about fifteen minutes every two hours or so. The heat has been oppressive and Jake prefers being outside in the early mornings or evenings. When he is tired, he makes a beeline for the door to go inside.

Jake had a bit of an adventure his first day off-leash in the backyard. He was looking in the swimming pool, lost his balance, and went in headfirst (he had watched one of the resident dogs diving into the pool earlier). He did not panic and began swimming, allowing his foster dad to guide him to the molded steps so he could get out. Although he was more careful when he went to sniff something floating in the pool after that, flattening himself out so that he would not fall in again, he does not avoid the pool. His foster family is hoping he will learn to like swimming so he can strengthen his legs and hips.

There was an incident where one of the resident Springers had a ball that the other wanted, resulting in a chase that ended on the outdoor dog beds (the resident Springers both use both beds, so there isn’t any territoriality). Jake saw them running and joined the chase, and when the female, a MAESSR dog herself, flopped down on the bed, Jake crashed into her. She barked at him firmly, setting her boundary, and Jake seemed flustered. His hair on his neck went up but he backed off, although he seemed surprised that she barked at him (the resident Springers rarely bark, and that was the first time Jake had ever heard her). He did not get aggressive and gladly came to his foster mom when she called him. Jake seems to really want to be part of whatever the resident dogs are doing, but his foster parents are working on teaching him how to be more dog savvy.

Jake has a soft mouth and takes cheese, his favorite snack, gently.  Tucking his antibiotic into a bit of cheese works to get him to take pills, too. Jake still does not have interest in dog treats. At the vet, he cooperated with his exam and was praised for how gentle and calm he was while they evaluated him and gave him his shots. He allowed them to handle his ears and paws, examine his teeth, and give him injections without complaint. The vet tech said Jake did not mind them clipping his overly-long nails.

Jake is not housetrained yet but does not have accidents, even overnight in his crate. He is learning “out” and “go potty.” Progress is slower because he has been weak and not feeling well.

Jake is learning to walk on a leash and knows his name. He does not pull but isn’t quite sure where he is supposed to go and often walks in circles trying to figure out what he is supposed to do. Jake is also learning to enter his crate on command although he still needs nudging. When Jake is in the car, he whimpers when driving in town, where there are a lot of stops and starts. He settles quietly when the car is moving on the highway, and in time, he should be a good car companion.

Jake’s personality and interests are becoming apparent as he gets stronger and feels better. He is a friendly, mellow dog who craves attention and wants to be with people and the resident dogs. Jake would love a forever family that has lots of time for him.

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