Entered: 12/01/2018
Status: Adopted
Age: 13; born 03/01/2006
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 40 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Dumfries, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, benefitting from medication for anxiety, receiving medication for possible arthritis, treatment for UTI, ear irritations and tail dermatitis completed
Temperament: Good with adults, previously lived successfully with a child but has met none in foster care, inconsistent with other dogs, appears tolerant of cats
Updated 04/02/2019: “Some dogs require more attention; Ranger does not. He will, however, be a devoted friend to his new family.”
Ranger continues to do well in his foster home. He likes all people – adults and children – it’s just other canines he’s not crazy about. Although he still doesn’t get along with the resident Lab, the two know and tolerate each other.
This old boy continues to spend many of his waking hours……napping, a true testament to the adage that it’s a dog’s life. He really likes having his people around. If his foster mom is outside working on the lawn, Ranger will bark to join her. When outside, he stays around the house and does not wander off. He’s good for a mid-day walk; but with his morning and evening walks, he prefers to keep it short.
Ranger doesn’t require much care. He doesn’t have stinky breath, but his foster mom cleans his mouth daily to keep the plaque at bay. For a senior boy, Ranger is in relatively good shape.
Some dogs require more attention; Ranger does not. He will, however, be a devoted friend to his new family. Consider adding this easy-going boy to your household.
Updated 03/03/2019: “Ranger’s foster mom notes that he’s a ‘great old boy’ that doesn’t demand a lot of attention.”
Ranger is doing well in his foster home. He and the resident female dog tolerate each other. If he snaps at her, he gets the worst of it as she’s proficient at putting him in his place. Generally, they stay away from each other, but they walk well together outside. The resident Lab knows that Ranger is older and has issues and just leaves him alone. Ranger cannot see the black Lab well in poor light. He gets nervous when he sees a form coming toward him in low light and will bark.
Although he still is nervous in the car traveling to his foster family’s farm, Ranger slowly settles down. He’s better on walks, too. He will bark when he sees movement; his foster mom will tell him to be quiet and he complies.
Ranger’s foster mom notes that he’s a “great old boy” that doesn’t demand a lot of attention. In fact, he’s often found sleeping away most of the day. He’s let out as needed and quickly takes care of his business off lead in the yard, ready to return to the house. Ranger’s needs are few, but he longs for a home where he is the only canine in his new family.
Updated 01/31/2019: “He does have selective hearing. He can hear food wrappers but not his mom calling him—typical Springer! “
Because of disagreements with a resident male Springer, Ranger was moved to a new foster home; he did well for the first week but then began challenging the dominant resident female and seemed unhappy with a visiting male.
Ranger seems to be feeling better at this home. He is not so pokey on walks and will keep up the pace better. He still will pant a little, and, when really nervous, his teeth chatter. When he pants, foster mom gives him kisses and pets him. If his teeth chatter, she tells him he is o.k .and he needs to stop this and they move on.
He is walked approximately four times every day and does “his business” promptly. He has also been to the foster family’s farm twice. The first time he walked for about 40 minutes, but the next time he walked and ran for about 40 min. He is not into running but seemed to enjoy spurts of this.
This senior still has periods of anxiety when something is new. He wants to bark at people on a walk and is kept next to his mom and told to be quiet. He seems to be drinking a lot and is on a high protein diet. He does not play with toys and sleeps most of the day.
Ranger needs a home with a fenced in yard. When off lead at his new foster home, he just walked around the neighborhood and was found in one of the neighbor’s back yard. With the passing of time, he is learning to stay in his yard. He does have selective hearing. He can hear food wrappers but not his mom calling him—typical Springer! He will give a little growl if rushed to come inside.
Watch for future details as this guy learns the ins and outs of his new foster home and relaxes after having so many changes in his life. He is basically a grumpy old man who should be the only dog in the family. He just wants to be by his person and able to put his head in his/her lap to be petted.
Original: “Beneath his cloud of anxiety, his foster mom could see that Ranger was a sweet and much-loved Springer.”
Ranger came to MAESSR because his family in Pennsylvania went through a divorce, and the husband could not find living accommodations for both himself and Ranger. Although devastated to give up his friend of over 12 years, Ranger’s owner entrusted MAESSR with finding him a new loving home.
Clearly Ranger was confused by this huge change in his life. He has done his best to settle into a new home after so many years with his former family. Very unsettled and stressed initially, Ranger’s foster family first tried giving him an over-the-counter supplement to reduce his anxiety. Poor Ranger paced a lot, panted, and exhibited anxiety when his foster mom left for a short while. After beginning a medication to help reduce his stress, Ranger is becoming much calmer. After a week, the dosage was able to be reduced. Beneath his cloud of anxiety, his foster mom could see that Ranger was a sweet and much-loved Springer.
Ranger is great with the resident Springer, also 12 years old. He is tolerating the presence of the resident cat and they keep a respectful distance, although noses have touched a couple of times. The resident dog has tested Ranger on resource guarding and both have no problem in the food arena. They are fed in separate spaces, but neither one is aggressive with the other during meal time, and they do not try to fight for treats. Ranger’s food bowl can be taken away with no problem. He will snap at fingers for an offered piece of bread…land shark!
Ranger is housetrained and had no accidents even when stressed, nor has he marked. When duty calls, he will pant a little and walk towards the door and do his business as soon as he gets outside. The two dogs are let out frequently throughout the day.
The crate is a no go for Ranger. As per his former owner, Ranger used to go willingly into the crate, but for the last two years he would have to be coaxed with treats, and then Ranger was very stressed when locked in. Early on his foster mom tried leaving for 15 minutes while he was crated and returned to find that he was having a melt-down. She tried leaving him to roam free while alone and this is a much better solution for him. Ranger is trustworthy although initially he has shown anxiety upon being left alone. Since beginning his medication, he is doing much better when left alone with his canine buddy.
Ranger sleeps quietly on the floor or dog beds several times during the day. At night, he curls up on a dog bed by the big bed. He sleeps all night and is an alarm clock at 7am. Ranger nuzzles at the edge of the bed; this is his good morning hello. He usually snoozes after he eats in the evening.
For the most part, Ranger exhibits impeccable house manners. His foster mom hopes that the resident dog learns from Ranger, but she notices that Ranger is quick to observe that he gets away with a lot, like begging at the table. This boy is extremely food oriented. He leaves the trash alone, but he was caught jumping at the table edge to investigate the food situation. He responded immediately to correction. He does not get up on furniture even if extended the invitation. Ranger usually responds to “come” or “no,” but that is about it.
Leash walks have been a struggle. Ranger seemed unwilling or disinterested in walking more than a short distance. Although he is always excited to see the leash come out, he has reluctant to move away from the immediate vicinity of the house, which provides him security. Ranger gets reactive when others are near him a walk or if people/dogs pass on the sidewalk when he is in the backyard. By getting his attention, his foster mom can get him to stop barking. As he is becoming less anxious, Ranger is beginning to walk more, albeit slowly.
Ranger came with a box of toys and chew bones, but he has not been interested in any of it or in other toys. He is only interested in FOOD and his person. He is always near and seeks out his person for pets and attention.
A vet visit confirmed what his foster mom already learned – that Ranger is a sweet boy! He was so good for the staff as he was chipped and updated on vaccines. In overall good health, Ranger was given a medication for possible arthritis in his rear leg and is now being treated for a urinary tract infection. There was no ear infection, so he received a treatment to help clear up some ear wax and irritation. He was good for his grooming and received a medicated bath for some slight dermatitis on his tail; but he got a little anxious when left alone.
Ranger is a senior who deserves a soft landing into a home with a Springer lover who can indulge his quiet activity level and give him a lot of indoor companionship and a small fenced backyard. This boy could be your shadow as he is an adoring soul who wants to be anchored by an indoor person. Right now, Ranger is a low energy dog and seems to be taking in everything very carefully and slowly.