Entered: 02/11/2011
Status: Adopted
Age: 2
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, overall good health
Temperament: Good with people as young as twelve, good with other dogs, unknown with cats
Original:
Max was left at a West Virginia shelter by his family for unknown reasons. Lucky for Max, MAESSR was standing by, ready to spring him from the shelter and get him into foster care. Max was moved to a temporary foster home for a few days and then traveled to his current foster home thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers. As Max was riding to his foster home, his foster mom looked back at him sitting in the third row of seats in the van and said, Hi Max. Max looked up, cocked his head to the side, and seemed to say, And how do you know my name?! His foster mom laughed, and she and Max have been great friends ever since.
Currently, Max shares his foster home with three other Springers. It seems as though he previously lived without canine company. For the first few days he spent in foster care, he was overly excited around the other dogs and was so anxious that he couldn’t eat or sleep. He also didn’t seem to know how to play. He finally settled down and is learning the joys of play with the assistance of his foster mom. Max is starting to chew bones and play with toys as well. He is learning to like the resident 15 month old Springer’s favorite game of chase me. It is very heartwarming to see Max start to enjoy life.
Max is doing well in his foster home. He is generally very easy to have around, with the exception of a need to check out the counters and trash, and a bit too much jumping up on people. Max’s foster mom suspects that he may have started stealing food since he wasn’t getting enough nutrition for a growing boy. She is working with Max on these behaviors and sees improvement daily. Max’s forever home will need to continue to keep the counters clear and the trash protected. Now, Max only gets treats, attention, or meals if he is sitting calmly. An obedience class will really help Max learn how a good dog behaves.
Although he had a few accidents when he first came to his foster home, Max is now accident-free. His foster mom attributes the early incidents to anxiety, confusion, and having just spent a week in the shelter. He is now doing well with his housetraining. He is let out to relieve himself often and watched to be sure that he is taking care of business and not just smelling the bushes.
This free spirit does not like to be contained by crates or gates, but fortunately there is no need to do so. When Max is confined to a crate, he becomes very upset, cries, and gets so worked up that he makes himself sick. His foster mom tried gating him but soon learned that Max can and will easily jump any gate. Now, just a few doors are closed when his foster mom goes out and nothing has ever been chewed or damaged during her absence.
Max does get up on the sofa in his foster home, as do the resident dogs. At night, the resident dogs sleep in bed with their mom. Max will jump up thinking he’d like to join the pack but usually jumps down after realizing there is little room in bed to stretch out. Instead, he prefers to sleep on the floor beside the bed where there is plenty of space.
Riding in cars seems to be a new experience for Max, and he sometimes gets anxious during trips. Because of this, his foster mom has been taking several short trips with Max, dropping kids off at school and stopping at a local drive-through that gives dogs treats. In time, Max will hopefully grow to love car rides as much as the resident dogs.
At this point, Max does not seem to know too many commands. He does sit and can offer a paw. He walks okay on leash but could use some more practice. He is a quick learner so once he finds his forever home, he’ll be anxious to start learning all sorts of new things with them.
This easygoing boy does not guard resources. His foster mom can take anything from his mouth and touch him all over his body. She often holds his food bowl and can take food away or add to it with no problem. The other dogs will stalk Max’s bowl while he eats since he eats slowly, but he never growls, even if they stick their heads into his bowl! The younger resident Springer routinely takes bones and toys from Max, and Max just allows him to do so.
A moderate energy Springer, Max has his moments where he goes into the yard and runs, but generally, he just pokes around smelling or playing with the other dogs. He can get spirited in play but is learning to tone it down so all dogs are having fun. When he comes inside, Max is happy to pick up a bone and chew it or take a nap. Even with some of the other dogs are running around the house like madmen, Max chooses not to partake.
Max has successfully met many people since coming to his foster home. Max’s first interaction with his foster dad occurred when he returned home after midnight one night. His foster mom was worried that a midnight arrival by a stranger would be scary for Max, but he handled it well. He has also met kids and done well with them, but any kids in his forever home should be a bit older since he sometimes has a tendency to jump up.
Max currently weighs 44 pounds, but should probably weigh about 50 pounds. He has a full tail with cascading fur and a soft, silky field coat which won’t require too much grooming. His feathers are just starting to come in and the fur on his ears hasn’t grown long yet. Ideally, this gorgeous boy’s forever home will have another dog as Max can get anxious when he is left all alone. Max will need some guidance as he continues his journey into adulthood. The lucky family that adopts him will be rewarded with a fun-loving and faithful companion.