Entered: 07/10/2005
Status: adopted
Age: 2
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Fayetteville, WV
Health:
Temperament:
Original:
At 33 pounds, Mia is a healthy but petite fieldbred springer and at a good weight for her. She has lots of pretty freckles and a very soft, flat coat. She was picked up as a stray by a central Pennsylvania shelter and adopted out. Her stay in that home lasted 2 months. She was returned because the family felt she had severe separation anxiety and was destructive when left alone. Fortunately, MAESSR had a foster home available for her then.
Mia is lots of fun, very playful, and loves attention. In her excitement to get petted, she will sometimes jump on adults, but she is quick to sit for her attention when asked. She knows some basic obedience and can focus well. She’s very willing to do what she is asked. While she is fun to be with on a long flexi-leash, she needs training on short leash manners. She is housetrained, crate trained, rides well in a car and has been sleeping bedside since she arrived in her foster home. She is funny in that she likes to sleep under things and can often be found under a desk or bed and also sleeps with her head under the sofa. Only if invited does she get on the sofa. She’s good about all home grooming.
There are no playful dogs in her foster home right now, but Mia gets along well with them anyway. Her foster mom thinks she would love to play with one if she could. She does not pester the 2 resident seniors for attention. And the third dog is a bit jealous and grumbles at her at times. She’s a smart little gal and leaves him alone, although she is not intimidated by him either. Her former family included 2 children, ages 2 and under. They told the shelter staff that Mia “is wonderful with children of all ages…. and that she won’t take their toys or lick them.” A trip to the park soon will help to confirm this.
Mia’s only issue is that, while she will go in a crate on request, she will start to bark and whine about a minute later. When she first arrived, she could keep this up for half an hour, but in just a week, her tolerance of not having a person in sight has increased. She’s fostered by a working family and is crated up to 5 hours at a time. When they return home, she is calm, quiet, and waits patiently to be let out. Mia has some healing injuries on her nose from “escaping” but from what is unclear. She doesn’t fight her crate and is only vocal in her protest. Her foster mom feels that, while she loves to be with people, she could be safely contained while her adopting family was away for a normal work day, if necessary.
Mia’s kisses and wiggling butt endear her to whomever she meets. She would benefit from and likely thrive on doing an obedience class with her new family. Her family will also need to be committed to crating, at least until she is well settled in their home, to keep her safe. She is a real sweetie and could be a wonderful addition to many springer homes.