Miley

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Update 01/03/11:

The holiday season is a busy time for everyone, and Ms. Miley was no exception. With her foster family and their two resident Springers, Miley took an 8 hour trip to Ohio. On this much longer ride she voiced her discontent at being in a crate, but quickly settled on a blanket on the back seat when given the opportunity. This little girl much prefers to be within an arm’s reach of her foster parents.  Miley’s least favorite part of the trip was understandably a visit to the vet for her spay. During the surgery, the doctor discovered that Miley had an umbilical hernia which he was able to repair. Like the trooper she is, she bounced back from both procedures quickly and was soon demonstrating how she earned the nickname “Wiley Miley.”

All in all, Miley’s health is now excellent. Those mangy mites are gone and her fur has grown back nicely. A daily dose of fish oil has helped to get her skin healthy and her coat gleaming. Miley nearly didn’t make it back from Ohio. She was such a good house guest during her stay that her foster grandpa almost reconsidered his “no more dogs” rule. After some heartfelt goodbyes from her foster grandparents, Miley did make the trip back to Maryland to ring in the New Year with her foster family. Her only wish for 2011? A loving forever family to adopt her!

Original:

Miley came into MAESSR’s care when her Pennsylvania owner realized that she did not have the time or resources to help this pup grow into a healthy and happy Springer adult. Miley entered foster care with an eye infection and demodectic mange, which resulted in hair loss around her backside and face.

Demodectic mange is present in all dogs, but a young dog with a compromised immune system may be subject to overpopulation of these mites. The good news is that this condition is not contagious and easily treated. Miley was also a tad underweight. After a week of medication, her eye infection has cleared up nicely. Being fed a high quality diet each day helped her put on a few pounds and her coat and skin are already looking better. 

After a few pecking order checks with the older female resident Springer, Miley settled in well with her temporary pack. She enjoys running, playing, and wrestling with the younger resident Springer as well as the other foster dog residing in the home. She loves playing fetch, as well as chewing on a Nylabone. She also thinks it is great fun to chase a ball as it bounces along the pool cover in her foster family’s backyard. Her foster mom keeps telling Miley that the pool cover is not a trampoline, but she seems to think it is! Miley is curious about the cats in her foster home, but they are doing their best to teach this young whippersnapper some manners.

A true Velcro Springer, the only thing that would make Miley happier than being next to her foster mom on the couch is being in her lap! She seems to think that all furniture is free range for dogs, but her foster family is working with her on that. Miley is crate-trained and stays there while her foster family is out, as well as at night. At night, Miley stays quietly in her crate and sleeps till morning. During the day Miley does bark for a few minutes but quickly settles down. Miley’s house-training needed a little work when she first arrived, but after a few days of consistent positive reinforcement for appropriate bathroom behavior, and a regular feeding and potty schedule, she has caught on well and hasn’t had any accidents since her second day. Another item that Miley is working on is her leash walking. With all the energy of a typical Springer pup, Miley is quite a puller. If she comes across anyone during a walk, she becomes very excited and if she sees a squirrel, brace yourself! Using a harness has helped to improve Miley’s leash manners. She has also been on a few car rides. After the first few miles, Miley settles in nicely and is a good travel companion whether riding in a crate or not. 

Miley doesn’t know many commands, but she does respond to sit. She is a very smart pup, and would greatly benefit from an obedience class with her forever family. This would help her learn what is expected and be a great bonding experience for her and her new family. Miley is a very submissive girl, so she thrives when she receives positive reinforcement for demonstrating desired behaviors. She is sensitive to correction, so gentle redirection is all that is needed if she is ever engaged in any less than ideal behavior. Although she is young, Miley does not chew on inappropriate objects. She does not trash-dive, but she is extremely curious about what is going on up on those counters!

This sweetheart of a Springer pup just needs to complete her treatment and be spayed and she will be all ready for her forever home. She would love a home with an active owner or another playful dog (or both!), so she can be sure to get enough exercise each day. If Miley’s forever family includes a member or two who would love to cuddle with an adorable Springer, all the better!