Entered: 11/05/2016
Status: Adopted
Age: 9
Color: Black/White
Weight: 53 lbs.
Gender: Altered Male
Location: New Cumberland, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, early stage kidney insufficiency that is responding well to diet and inexpensive medication, benefiting from OTC eye drops as needed for seasonal conjunctivitis, medication for conjunctivits complete
Temperament: Good with adults, will require a home without children, good with dogs, unknown with cats
Update 06/20/2017: “He accepts people being in the kitchen while he eats, and, his family accepts that they will let him eat without bothering him…very doable all the way around.“
Riley has achieved that enviable status of “available” and is eagerly looking for his perfect match. He’s entering his senior years in overall good health and continues to do fine on the meds that will keep him fit.
The training his family had done with him that revolved around his mealtime has brought good resolution for all. He accepts people being in the kitchen while he eats, and, his family accepts that they will let him eat without bothering him…very doable all the way around. When outdoors, he will come for treats unless he is “busy in the woods.” Then, he understandably ignores his foster mom.
Beyond these tidbits there’s really nothing to add that hasn’t been well-said about Riley. Summertime is a great time to add a dog to one’s family. If you’re ready to share your home with an engaging companion who asks for little but peace at mealtime, ask about meeting Riley. He’s his own best advocate!
Update 04/08/2017: “He will plop himself in front of you so you have no choice but to pet him. He loves head and butt rubs.“
Riley is a sweetheart that just loves tons of attention. He will plop himself in front of you so you have no choice but to pet him. He loves head and butt rubs. He is fine with grooming and has let his foster mom cut mats from between his pads.
He was a big hit at the vet’s office and had no problems with one more visit to finalize assessment of his health. Riley has early stage kidney insufficiency. His protein/creatinine levels are normal; this is good news and means his daily medication is doing its job. He won’t need another urine test to track the protein for a year. At times Riley continues to experience eye irritation which the vet thinks is seasonal. Over-the-counter eye drops work fine if there is redness. If his eyes get too irritated, he has some antibiotic drops that help.
At times Riley may sometimes ignore you but, overall, he is doing better on re-call with treats. His family is still working on this. He loves his walks and gets very excited when he knows he’s going. He walks nicely on leash. When off leash he does always stay within sight and comes back to “check in.” He will investigate every bush or brush around. His nose is always sniffing something. He likes car rides and hops right in if the door is open…even if you are just getting something out!
Other training continues with nice progress. His family can be in the kitchen with Riley when he’s eating. His foster mom can touch his back and pet him. She is still doing some behavior modification toward touching his dish or around his dish. However, he is fine when eating with other dogs and he is fine when not being bothered while he eats. He always sits before getting a treat and a meal. Sometimes he will also give his paw…always a sweet offering.
As Riley begins his golden years, he can offer the best of what we love about seniors to an adopting family…stable health, excellent house manners, classic enthusiasm for the out-of-doors and unabashed devotion to his people. If this matches what you want most from your canine family member, please ask about meeting Riley. He’s a treasure!
Update 02/28/2017: “He loves to sniff everything and checks out every pile of brush he finds.”
Riley continues to blossom in his foster home. He is a great guy who loves attention. Although he does wander on walks, he comes back. He loves to sniff everything and checks out every pile of brush he finds.
Every dog has his quirks, and Riley’s is that he just needs to not be bothered when eating. His foster mom can be in the same room and even touch him, but cannot be close to the food.
This senior fellow is still looking for his furever adult-only home where he’ll be able to eat in peace and explore the outdoors to his heart’s content. Spring is coming and the outside smells are going to really call to this guy!
Update 01/31/2017: “Positive reinforcement works with this love, and he is learning to be a very good Springer boy.”
Riley is a great boy who loves affection, petting and following his foster mom around the house, especially the kitchen where he loves to counter-surf. Fortunately, this good boy doesn’t go in the kitchen unless his mom is there. He is housetrained and likes to go outside frequently.
Behavior modification is the name of the game with this lad; his foster mom is guiding him through this training and he is doing quite well. If he has a bone or something good, he will trade it for something better and his recall is improving with treats. He has learned to sit nicely before eating and treats. While Riley can resource guard around his food or bones, he is fine when left alone to eat.
Riley’s vet has proclaimed him to be a middle-aged fellow, but he still loves running in the woods and smelling everything in sight. He always keeps his person in view on walks and handles nicely on a leash. He does well with other dogs, and the females sometimes boss him around!
MAESSR’s handsome black-eared guy needs to be in an adult-only home and one whose residents will commit to continuing the behavior modification techniques begun by his foster family. Positive reinforcement works with this love, and he is learning to be a very good Springer boy.
Update 12/27/2016: “And, he doesn’t just want any food…only the best will do for this handsome guy.”
Riley continues to be a work in progress. While he is an absolute sweetheart and will follow his person everywhere, he shifts gears when food is involved. He thinks counters and tables are his to command! And, he doesn’t just want any food…only the best will do for this handsome guy. Riley’s foster mom is keeping him leashed close to her to manage his impulsive behavior and to try and convince him that he can be a better boy.
At the same time Riley is working on two health issues with his vet. Uveitis, which is an inflammation in the eyes, can be quite painful. Fortunately in Riley, it’s responding to oral meds and eye drops. He’ll also visit his vet again for evaluation of a potential kidney problem.
Dogs, like their 2-legged friends, have many different personalities and problems. And rescued dogs often need time to learn appropriate manners and to make health gains. Watch future updates for Riley’s progress.
Original: “Although he doesn’t seem to know ‘down,’ if a foster parent points at his favorite rug and says, ‘Lie on the ground and roll around making grunting noises,’ he tends to do just that.”
When Riley’s owner passed away he was taken to a Pennsylvania shelter where he was neutered and updated on all of his vaccinations. Coincidentally two other Springers came into the same shelter as strays and all three were taken by MAESSR to find them new homes.
Riley was a good passenger in the car that took him to his foster home. He just hung out untethered in the back. Upon arrival he met the resident dogs at his foster home with no issues.
When presented his meals, this boy showed total disinterest in dog food; he seemed to have a real fondness for human food. Although it’s not known if he was fed just normal chow at his original home, his foster folks learned that a few sprinkles of rice or yogurt on his dog food elicited more interest.
While he was a resident of the shelter, Riley was taught to “sit” and “give paw” for treats. He’s now learning “easy” for his quickness in snapping them up. Although he doesn’t seem to know “down,” if a foster parent points at his favorite rug and says, “Lie on the ground and roll around making grunting noises,” he tends to do just that.
Riley will put a paw up on the counter, even if the humans are looking, but he’s learning “off.” He doesn’t seem to grab anything; this curious boy just wants to take a look up there. The trash hasn’t been disturbed by Riley, but it’s covered. At bath time Riley hopped right into the baby pool for a good scrub down, but he then proceeded to roll in yard leaves until covered…inside bathing is the way to go with this scamp.
Not a fan of a crate unless it’s left standing open, Riley is left uncrated at night and sleeps quietly from last call until someone comes downstairs to let him out in the morning. He has taken care of his business with no issues, although he doesn’t appear to have a signal for going out. Once done, Riley gives an “arf” at the door to return inside.
Riley hangs out with the resident female hound but doesn’t really play with her or with any of the toys. The two keep the fenced yard a squirrel-free zone. Riley seems to be a fan of smells and isn’t very critter obsessed. He might make a good hiking/running buddy if he can be convinced that forward motion without sniffing back and forth in front of the human makes things easier. While it’s unknown how he will do with children, he didn’t seem to mind neighborhood children when out on leash.
During the day, Riley makes a nest in one of the dog beds if he can spot an empty one; otherwise he flops on the hard floor near a human. He’s a little insecure about his new life, not yet sure what his role is now. With time and given something to do, Riley should settle in nicely. Keep an eye out for more news on Riley.