Entered: 04/21/2014
Status: Adopted
Age: 12
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 41 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Goochland, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, treatment for a UTI complete
Temperament: Good with adults, reportedly good with children, learning to be more comfortable with other dogs, reportedly good with cats
Original: “After getting comfortable in a new setting, Parker really loves being with his human companions and following them wherever they go.”
Parker came to MAESSR when his Virginia owner was no longer able to care for him since she had to move out of state to take care of her mother. Parker has lived his entire life with the family, first with the owner’s mother, and then with the owner beginning in 2011. Now, his is about to begin a new life as a MAESSR boy!
Since coming into foster care, Parker has gotten his vaccinations and was neutered. During a recent vet visit, he was found to have a urinary tract infection for which he is now taking antibiotics. Otherwise, he is in good health. Parker gets very anxious at the vet’s office; however, he does ride well in the car trip to get there.
Although most of the time Parker is a quiet and gentle guy at the golden age of 13, he still has plenty of energy and loves to play inside with his toys. He also likes getting exercise by chasing tennis balls outside. His favorite toy is the “rope” which he enjoys catching in the air and retrieving when thrown by his foster parents. He likes to play tug-of-war with toys, too, which he is not allowed to do very often since tug games get him overly excited.
Parker’s owner reported that he played with the neighbor’s dogs; however, his foster parents found that Parker has not fully mastered the art of meeting new canine playmates. He thinks that barking at them and running around them in circles is a totally appropriate way to make friends and play. His foster home’s resident English Springer Spaniel has found fault with these play techniques, so Parker is being trained on what not to do when he is around other dogs. He is getting better, but still needs some additional work on this so that he can interact with other dogs without creating unwanted tension. When it is meal time, Parker has shown no food aggression and will gently take milk bone treats when offered.
Although housetrained, Parker needs to go outside three or four times per day for his potty breaks. He loves his daily walks and does very well on a gentle leader. He may bark at other dogs on his walk and gets excited when he sees a squirrel. It is recommended that he have one or two walks per day.
When he lived with his owner, Parker slept on the bedroom floor. His foster parents, however, have him sleeping in a crate. Although he is crate trained, he does not like to be there when people are at home. With his good house manners, he has not shown any desire to get on the furniture or to chew inappropriately on anything. He has not yet had the run of the house when left alone in the house, though.
After getting comfortable in a new setting, Parker really loves being with his human companions and following them wherever they go. He is sometimes tempted by trash cans and does look for food in the kitchen, but he has yet to put his paws on the kitchen counters. A vocal senior, Parker barks when meeting new people and dogs, when he wants food or water, and when he wants to go outside. He must quietly and firmly be told “no” since this is not acceptable Springer behavior. His foster parents are still working with him on this issue.
This handsome senior would do well with a family that would be home most of the time since he wants a lot of attention and human contact. And don’t forget his love of daily walks! If he were to share his forever home with another dog, it would have to be a relaxed, laid back one; he sure wouldn’t mind
being an only dog either! Although Parker is mostly a gentle guy, it is recommended that he be placed with someone who has had experience with
other dogs, as he does have those periods of time when he has that extra energy. Due to his moderate to high energy level, he would be better in a home without young children.
Parker has demonstrated that once he adjusts to his new routine and surroundings, he can be a wonderful companion who wants to be with you and follow you around wherever you go.