Entered: 07/29/2011
Status: Adopted
Age: 0
Color: Black/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, treatment complete for Lyme disease
Temperament: Good with adults, good with children as young as 6, good with other dogs, good when meeting cats
Original:
Oreo was turned over to a Pennsylvania shelter along with her brother Rocky when their owner could no longer provide for their care. The shelter quickly contacted MAESSR and the siblings were moved to foster homes to begin their new lives.
This doll baby is a beautiful girl with a full tail. Not long after arriving at her foster home, she had won the hearts of her foster family. She seemed at ease with most normal household activities from the minute she walked in and met the resident dogs with no issues.
Oreo had a few accidents during her first day or so in foster care but has had none since. Her foster mom takes her out regularly and watches to be sure Oreo is taking care of business. Since she is the kind of girl that could run out and then back in without doing anything, Oreo needs to be monitored for her success. She has no trouble holding her urine all night. One night, Oreo woke her foster mom up barking and needed to be let out. This hasn’t happened since. Oreo was most likely still getting used to the diet switch from home to shelter to home. Diet changes can be hard on a girl’s GI tract!
Oreo is not fond of the crate. When her foster mom goes to work, Oreo is crated and she howls her displeasure. Her foster mom tried gating her but Oreo easily jumped the gate. So, poor Oreo was back in the crate. When her foster mom is going out for a short time, Oreo isn’t crated and hasn’t caused any issues. She also has free run of the house when her foster mom is home and can watch carefully to direct Oreo away from inappropriate things. This smart girl is a very quick learner and knows that ah means she shouldn’t be doing what she’s doing. Oreo is a Velcro girl and keeps very close to her foster mom most of the time.
For a young girl, Oreo has pretty good house manners. She hasn’t trash picked or counter surfed. She does not show any guarding behavior. Oreo generally only barks when she is spooked by something or if the other dogs get barking about something. She does get on the furniture, as do the resident dogs. She also likes to sleep in bed and rest her head close by her foster mom. On her first night, Oreo walked into the bedroom and got right up on the bed and seemed 100% comfortable squished between all the other dogs.
At first Oreo didn’t really want to get in the car, but she has learned she gets to go to cool places and she sees the other dogs LOVE it. Now, she is doing better. An empty tummy keeps her from getting car sick, and, being tethered ensures that she doesn’t try to sit on the driver’s lap! Oreo rode a few hours to the shore for the weekend with her foster family and did just fine. She also did wonderfully spending the weekend at a different house and meeting more new people.
Oreo does not seem to know any commands besides sit at this time. She does offer the sit without asking when being fed and when a treat is held. Oreo doesn’t pull on leash but isn’t exactly walking straight ahead either. She needs a bit of work to figure out what direction she should be going.
A playful puppy, Oreo likes to carry a few toys around and chew on bones. She does LOVE water – puddles, baths, showers, baby pools and even the big pool! She jumped right into the pool the first time she saw it. She needs to learn how to get out, but won’t be practicing again until her spay sutures come out.
Oreo was a great girl at the vet. She didn’t mind being poked or having her ears checked. She is fine with being handled anywhere on her body. She weighed in at about 44 pounds. Since she is just 6 months old, she will likely be a big girl!
Oreo can get herself a little spooked and show her chicken side from time to time. She went to a local pet event with other MAESSR volunteers and dogs and was initially barking and a little overwhelmed. She was very curious about a large stuffed horse at the horse rescue’s booth. Until she got nose to nose with it, she was anxious. At home, Oreo gets a bit spooked at shadows in the windows at night and reflections in mirrors. Her foster mom distracts her when this happens.
Equally comfortable around people and dogs, Oreo seems to be an adaptable Springer. She LOVES people. If she had a wish, it would be to make herself small so she could be in her human’s lap all the time. Oreo still needs a little work to learn not to jump up on people. She is also very good with other dogs. She lives with three other Springers – ages 1, 4, and 8, both male and female. She often licks the muzzles of the older dogs and gives them play signals. Her foster mom got to see Oreo and her brother together; they were a closely bonded pair. Oreo isn’t yet playing with the resident dogs like she did with her brother, but might soon as she learns to trust them.
Oreo is an incredibly sweet, loving Springer girl. She just adores attention and petting, often rolling over on her back to get belly rubs. At this point, she is more of an average energy level girl. She likes to run around a bit but is not over the top. Oreo would do well in most any home that has the time to give her lots of love and attention. She would be happiest living with another dog. This girl is a gem, beautiful inside and out. Some family is going to be incredibly lucky to be owned by Oreo!