Jessie

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Update: Sadly, due to issues with her disposition that made her unsuitable for adoption, Jessie was sent to the Bridge.

Updated 6/10/05: Jessie has returned to MAESSR’s care. In her new foster home, her foster mom finds that Jessie is a happy, friendly, lively little girl. She is affectionate and likes to be with her people. She has good house manners. She only jumps up a little, would like to be on the furniture but gets off when requested and has the run of the house when left alone.

When it comes to play with humans, Jessie needs a little guidance. She does fine when fetching her squeaky toy or playing tug with a towel, but without a toy to intervene, she will wrestle with a human as if she was playing with a dog. Her foster mom hasn’t yet had her with other dogs, but feels she would probably do well with another dog available as a play outlet. She is happy to greet visitors to her house but can get overwhelmed by a crowd. This is easily overcome by allowing her to introduce herself at her own pace. Given the space to approach visitors when she is ready, she is soon making the rounds and sticking her head in everyone’s laps. Jessie understands two of the most important rules of dog behavior and is good at them, that is, to fuss over your humans when they come home, and when your mom sits at the computer, bump her elbow, and climb in her lap, or sleep on her feet!

Jessie’s true passion is chasing critters, real or imagined, inside the house or out. She will rid the yard of squirrels and birds. Although the rabbits will no longer eat the prize flowers, fencing the beds may be necessary because Jessie does dig. The good news is that a little foot-high decorative fence is a sufficient deterrent. Jessie is also obsessive about stalking. If she is engaged in staring at a corner where a mouse might have been once, or the spot in landscaping where the chipmunks hide, she does not want to be disturbed. She will growl if touched when she’s “onto” something. However, if she must be moved, her foster mom can walk away, call her, and Jessie will come right over to see what other exciting possibilities her mom has found.

Jessie has had some history of being food bowl aggressive. Her foster mom has not yet seen this because she (mom) has been keeping sole custody of the bowl at mealtimes. And, Jessie has had no problems with this arrangement.

Life with Jessie will require a strong dog-owner bond, with the owner establishing that humans make all the decisions. Obedience training would be a very good way to approach this. For Jessie, this will not be a one-shot deal. Training, either in a formal class or at home, will be a lifelong game. She has an aptitude and might be a good competition dog. In return, her new family will find her a lively, affectionate companion who will make them laugh every day.

Original: Miss Jessie was given to a shelter because her family did not want her anymore. Fortunately for her, the shelter staff was willing to work with MAESSR and she moved into her foster home after a short stay with them. She was in good health when meeting her foster family but has a few short-term conditions to work on. One is kennel cough from which she is recovering with the help of meds from her vet. The other is her overweight condition, and with the help of her foster parents, she is in the process of losing extra pounds. She is a lovely gal and is distinguished by a liver colored “snowman” design on her left side!

Her foster family has found Jessie to be a warm and very fuzzy dog. She loves to be in people’s laps and does not mind being handled at all. She gets along with other dogs, but she herself likes to be dominant. Playing outside with Buddy, the foster family’s dog, is a favorite thing to do. When not outside, Jessie is not an overly active dog. In fact, her foster parents feel that she could easily be a couch potato, if not given regular opportunity and encouragement to get out for play and exercise. She’s a lucky gal and gets to sleep on the couch in her foster home, but would rather be on the bed!

Jessie is housetrained and will walk to the back door when she needs to go out. She loves people food and will do some begging from a distance. When it comes to eating, as well as with bones and toys, she has some aggressive tendencies. Her foster family is trying to eliminate this behavior, but feels that for this reason, she should not be placed in the home with younger children.

Jessie is a cutie. She needs a forever family who really wants her and will keep her active enough to maintain a healthy weight. And she probably would be happiest with a family who is ready to share their couch with the newest family member!