Entered: 11/24/2008
Status: Adopted
Age: 1
Color: Black/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Seaford, DE
Health: UTD, HW-, good health
Temperament: Good with people as young as two, good with other dogs, unknown with cats
Original:
Patches was relinquished by his owner because his girlfriend and her six-year-old child both suffer from asthma and could not tolerate living with a dog. Instead of continuing to confine him to a crate in the basement, the owner made the decision to find him a new home and give him back his freedom. So, the city dog moved to the country.
Patches is a sweet and loving field spaniel. He greets people by gently jumping up and pressing his head against them. His foster mom says, “It feels like a hug.” He will also lay his head on his foster parents’ legs when they sit down and slowly try to work his way onto their laps. He understands the command “Off” and will get down when told. He sits on command and will come when called. He has just learned how to “shake. Though a little shy at first, he is now starting to “smile.”
Patches is housebroken, though he has had a few accidents. He may need to go outside more often at first. He did have some instances of submissive urination the first couple of days but only when his foster dad verbally corrected him. This stopped once he knew he was safe and no one would hurt him. Now he is constantly by his foster dad’s side. He will occasionally jump up to scope out the counters when someone is in the kitchen but gets down when told. Patches does like to remove tissues from the bathroom trash while his foster mom takes her shower early in the morning. She thinks it’s to leave a trail so she can find him when she’s done.
His foster parents like to call Patches “Springer-Lite” as he only weighs thirty pounds. The vet says his weight is appropriate with his build. However, don’t let his leanness fool you as there is a lot of power in that body of his. He does pull on his leash when walking, especially when he catches a scent he wants to investigate. At times he does very well, but he does need more training during leashed walks.
Patches loves to play with the resident male Springer. Since they are the same age, their play can become quite rowdy. They tire each other out so they both sleep well at night. This week their together time will be very limited as Patches was just neutered and needs to stay calm. At this time, Patches sleeps in his crate, but he will be tested with his doggie bed soon. He does not show any food aggression. He loves bacon-flavored treats, doesn’t seem to care for doggie cookies (!!), and prefers softer treats when being rewarded during training. He will bark when someone comes to the door, but he will stop when told. He was well-behaved at the groomer and loves to be brushed. He ignored the cat at the vet’s office, but he has had no real close contact. He loves to ride in the car and will happily jump in to go for a ride. He loves his rubber squeaky toys and “bones on a rope.” Sometimes he is reluctant to give them back but is learning the command “drop it” thanks to those bacon-flavored treats!
Patches would make a great addition to any active family. He would love a nice yard to run in. This extremely loving Springer would make a great companion to anyone willing to love him back.