Entered: 08/19/2009
Status: Adopted
Age: 4
Color: Black/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, Lyme+ but asymptomatic, benefiting from a daily med to correct low thyroid levels, overall good health
Temperament: Good with people as young as 10, good with other dogs, reportedly chases cats
Update 01/04/11:
Max recently returned to MAESSR. He was stealing too many items in his adoptive home and did not want to return them. When Max arrived in his foster home, his foster mom immediately decided that his thyroid levels needed to be checked. When the results came in, the levels were low. Low thyroid levels can cause a dog to be more “grumpy” and unreasonable than they really want to be. Max was started on thyroid meds and his outlook and energy level have dramatically improved.
Max is a great Springer boy that loves children and being with his people. He will play with toys and loves to steal flip flops. He does not chew up the flip flops – just steals them! Max rides very well in the car and does pull on his leash when being walked. A little remedial training on his leash manners would be one easy way for him and his new family to begin bonding.
This rascal also likes to sleep in the bed with his foster family and, though not by any means a requirement in his new home, from Max’s point of view, carrying this little habit over would give him another perfect chance to bond with his new people! Whether in the bed or bedside, this sweetie is going to make someone a wonderful foot warmer, and he will gladly inventory your flip flop collection in his spare time…:)).
Update 10/19/09:
The latest news on this handsome boy as he eagerly awaits an adopting family………Max is very loving and wants someone that will pay a lot of attention to him. He is still a puppy at 3 years old and wants to play. His foster family has not let him run off leash because they live on the water and a busy road. On the few occasions when he slipped out the front door, Max has never tried to run off at all and will come right back in.
Max will make a wonderful family pet as he is very sweet and does not have a mean bone in his body. He is definitely not an alpha dog. He is definitely a Velcro dog with his foster mom and the resident dog lets Max get away with it which is surprising. This softie will do well with or without canine companionship in his adopting home. The most important thing he is looking for are humans who are as loving as he is!
Update 09/08/09:
Max has made great strides since coming into his foster home. Since his neutering, his marking behavior has almost completely disappeared. Though naturally a big Springer, Max has lost 2 pounds, possibly even a bit more by the time of his next vet check. He enjoys free run of the house and has been good, except for a stolen slipper or two which he did not chew up.
Max’s foster mom and another volunteer are working with him on his manners when people arrive. He not only barks at men but seems to be barking at everyone at the door in excitement. With training began in this area, his adopting family will likely need to continue it as Max adapts into a new home.
Every day Max is more comfortable in his foster home. He has learned to play with toys. Recently when his foster mom threw a toy, Max retrieved it several times. What a thrill! He is also playing with the resident dogs now. If they play too rough, his foster mom can break it up. The resident male has grown to like Max, and now they sleep together in their foster mom’s room.
Right along with becoming more comfortable, Max is more loving. He will roll over for a belly rub in complete submission. His foster mom feels a family with older children would be great for Max because he really wants to play and have a lot of attention paid to him. He is a really sweet boy with lots of love to give. He’ll be ready soon and will bring a lively spirit to some lucky family!
Note: To correct a point regarding his past, Max was bred by an Amish family and not relinquished by one.
Original:
When the 12 year old daughter in his family was found to be allergic to him, Max was kept outside on the deck all morning and then went in the basement with another dog that was also penned off there. Realizing that Max deserved more in life, his Pennsylvania family contacted MAESSR to find him a loving new home.
Although Max weighs in at 66 pounds, he is not overweight; he is just a big Springer. He has a beautiful, sweet face and will make a nice family dog with older children. With younger ones, he could possibly knock them over, accidentally. When he arrived in his foster home, he had been shaved probably due to the allergy of the child in his relinquishing home, but he has curly ears and evidence of curly Springer feathering around his legs.
Although housetrained, Max had done some marking in the house prior to his neutering. Needing to be kept quiet after his surgery, Max could not be crated due to the big E-collar he has to wear, so he has the computer room all to himself and is kept on a leash when he is outside of the room. At night, Max and his foster mom are bunking in the guest bedroom while the two resident Springers and foster dad are in the master bedroom. How is that for MAESSR foster parent dedication?! Max’s foster dad is helping Max to overcome a barking problem and apprehensiveness around men; Max barks at people, especially men when they approach him. Kindness, calmness, and lots of petting are the methods of choice to convince Max that men can be just as loving as women. Max is very sweet and loving to his foster mom and hopefully will grow to feel the same way about his foster dad and other men.
Max does not play with the resident dogs yet, but he does want to play with his foster mom. He does not know anything about the toys that have been offered to him, though. In his foster home, the resident male Springer tends to pester other male dogs, so until Max heals further from his neutering, the boys will be separated. Currently, Max is afraid of this older male, but he gets along fine with the resident female Springer.
Beyond knowing his name and responding to come, Max does not seem to have had much training although he does walk well on the leash. When it comes to car rides, Max has not had much practice since his relinquishing family was Amish. A quick learner, Max is a fine passenger after he is helped into the back of his foster family’s station wagon. Max enjoys going into the fenced yard with his foster mom and would love to run around. Be patient, Max! Soon your E-collar can come off and you will be able to burn off some of your energy and socialize more with the other dogs.
Watch for more about Max and he grows more comfortable in his foster home.