Entered: 10/15/2016
Status: Adopted
Age: 2
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 48 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Aston, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, happy and healthy
Temperament: Good with adults, reportedly good with children, good with other dogs, unknown with cats
Original: “His foster folks can see him look at a problem and figure out how to solve it.”
Popcorn and a female spaniel were brought to a hunting dog kennel in northern Pennsylvania by someone who had almost hit them with his car. The kennel owner was able to locate the dogs’ owner but that person, who may since have gone to jail, never came to get them. A home was found for the female, but the kennel folks wanted MAESSR’s help with Poppy (as he’s fondly called by his foster folks) since he’d been in the kennel for three weeks.
This cute almost two year old has a muscular build for his compact stature. Since he’d been an outside dog, his foster mom didn’t know what to expect with housetraining, but he’s not had a single accident inside nor has he been in any tiffs with the resident dogs. Because he tosses down his food quickly, he’s tethered at mealtime so he doesn’t get in trouble for trying to share bowls with the others.
Poppy knows “sit” and will self crate although though he doesn’t love being shut in a crate. He is mostly quiet and calm while the humans work but is so fond of attention he has a hard time keeping his feet on the ground when his folks focus on him after being away or sleeping. He doesn’t jump up but seems to levitate a bit in happiness. He has some energy, but during the day can usually be found flopped on the floor near the resident dogs. He sleeps on whatever dog bed or rug he finds at night and is trusted with the run of three rooms while his foster folks are away. He doesn’t dig, counter-surf, trash dive or get on the furniture. Sounds like a perfect little guy? Almost. His leash manners are……well, let’s just say he gets to use his foster sister’s full harness for neighborhood walks.
Outside, he patrols the fenced yard for critters, plays gentle chase with the resident hound and practically begs the humans to try to get his soft toy to toss. He has a gentle mouth, letting go of the toy when his mom can get close enough to touch it. He would do best with a fenced yard as he would probably tend to run off after critters if not contained at this point in his life. His folks still need to discover if he likes to swim.
Popcorn loves being brushed, enjoys both rubber and soft toys for playing, doesn’t seem to have the concept of “’stranger” down at all, shows no aggression if his food, feet or head is touched or if he is ordered out of the room. The old resident dogs have told him “no” a couple of times (“No, you can’t use my crate while I’m in it.” “No, you can’t drink out of my water dish while I’m drinking out of it.”), and he just walks away to see if he can find something else to do. His foster folks can see him look at a problem and figure out how to solve it. Tangled in the leash? Step out of it. Humans eating dinner and tell the dogs to go away? Mimic the younger hound and just make yourself invisible under the table in case something falls. This love enjoys his car rides also but needs to be tethered to keep him in the back seat.
With his always smiling attitude, good nature with both humans and dogs, and athletic abilities, Poppy would do well in many situations although small children may be bumped around a bit in his enthusiasm and smaller ones just might be licked in his joy that they’re at his level. This intelligent guy would benefit from obedience training. He’d make a great running companion, probably has more hunting skills than his suburban dwelling foster folks have noticed, would love to hike or perhaps dock dive. He’ll make someone a great companion as well. He’s not at all needy but very loving. How about Popcorn to enjoy next to the fire this winter?