Riley 6

Original: Riley’s owners adopted him four years ago from a Pennsylvania shelter that had taken him in as a stray. He was much loved by his owners and coexisted peacefully with their cat. But, when two children were born into the family, Riley was not a happy boy. When the toddler did not respect his space, Riley would grumble at him. As a safety precaution, the owners sadly contacted MAESSR and asked us to find him a new home without small children. Riley arrived with a letter from the owners that called him the best dog they’d ever had.

Riley’s foster parents certainly think that he is a very well-manner dog. He doesn’t counter-surf, chew on inappropriate objects, explore trash cans, or drink from the toilet. Housetrained and crate-trained, Riley has free reign of the house when his foster parents are at work. He is crated at night but would prefer to sleep with his family, a preference he states rather fiercely after his crate door is closed for the night. As for commands, Riley knows sit, down, come, in your crate, shake, and rollover. He is used to being allowed on the furniture but will get off on command. His foster mom usually has to hide a smile first, because Riley somehow plumps up the couch pillows so he can rest his head comfortably. A bit restless in the car, Riley rides best while restrained in a doggie seatbelt.

Riley started out in another foster home but did not get along with the resident male Springer and had to be moved to a one-dog only household. He is leash-aggressive towards other dogs. His foster mom is working on this behavior through clicker training and the watch command. Riley is highly treat motivated, so he has made noticeable progress within a week. Riley, however, will need to be an only dog in his forever home.

As an only dog, Riley’s a real charmer. After a week of settling in at his second foster home, he became quite playful and invites his foster folks to play fetch, chase me, or tug-of-war. He likes to start his daily walks with a toy in his mouth and will prance around proudly to show off this prize. He barks happily when people come to visit and will soon paw at their arm for attention. He immediately stretches out on the floor when he sees his grooming brush and lets his foster mom handle his feet and ears without complaint. In fact, Riley has accepted all kinds of attention gently, whether his foster mom was forcing his mouth open so he could swallow the antibiotic he was on for a week or combing tangles from his long ears.

Riley will stay with his foster family a bit longer until his leash manners improve. Watch for more on Riley’s progress toward canine socialization!

Update 03/28/09: Riley is gradually learning that other dogs are not a threat to the safety of him or his people. Whenever he sees a dog, his foster mom starts tossing treats his way. When another dog gets close, his foster mom puts Riley in the sit position and has him watch her as the other dog goes by feeding him treats all of the time. Riley now associates an approaching dog with treats and circles back to his foster mom in anticipation. He is getting better at remaining seated and focusing only on his foster mom. He can be walked by some dogs with barely a look in their direction, so long as the treats keep coming. Riley’s foster mom is convinced that, with the help of several more pounds of cheese, Riley will become a good canine citizen. She will continue Riley’s training until he and other dogs can pass each other reliably without a reaction.

Riley’s foster family thoroughly enjoys his playful personality, although it surfaces at odd times. His original owners used to let him out of his crate at 6 a.m., and then let him into their bed until they were ready to get up. Riley sees no reason to change this pattern. His foster mom confesses that, some mornings, she has been too tired to instruct him otherwise and has snuck him into the guest bed. After a short nap, Riley is again raring to start his day. He will paw gently at his foster mom and then stare at her intently, as if to ask “She dead, or just playing?” He will repeat this pattern until he gets a reaction. Riley, by the way, can play dead. According to his first foster family, he also will sleep in his crate as long as needed if he is allowed to sleep in the master bedroom.

Riley truly loves his toys. Whenever he gets a new one, he wants to take it on his walk for public display, even if he has to run through the house to find it first. He then will run up to a person in the street to show it off and may allow them to tug on it. Oddly, he only wants to carry the toy until he does his business. Then, it’s up to his foster mom to carry the toy home. Cute, cuddly, and quirky, Riley will be a delightful addition to any family, particularly if there are lots of guys. Even though his foster mom gets up first in the morning, lets him out and feeds him, Riley will run back upstairs and lie outside the master bedroom door until his foster dad is ready to start his day.

Update 05/08/09: Riley’s training continues. He has worked his way up to butt sniffs with selected dogs, which is a good thing in a dog’s world. He also was an attendee at MAESSR’s seminar on The Language of Dogs where he demonstrated that, in the right hands, he could even walk with another dog and sit quietly nearby a group of equally beautiful Springers.

His repertoire of tricks continues to surprise and delight his foster family. When he returns all wet from the outdoors, his foster mom just has to say, “Play dead, Riley” and he rolls on his back, paws up. This position makes it very easy for her to rub his belly and feet dry. His newest favorite game is find. Each night after dinner, his foster parents put him in a stay position while they hide a few tidbits around the house for him to nose out. He waits very patiently until released and then charges off for his big hunt. It’s always a thrill for him to discover his treat, be it under a rug or on a shelf. A clever fellow, he has learned how to nose up the corner of the rug or use his paw to retrieve a treat that is underneath a table.

For a young Springer, Riley is amazingly calm in the house. He is content to sit by his foster family’s side, with just an occasional paw on their arm to remind them that he is there for the petting. He is an easy walker unless a squirrel appears. He ignores the many cats he sees on his daily walks. While he is not a digger in the garden, he is a sitter. As all dogs know, a damp, freshly watered flower garden is a delightful place to rest. If you love a good companion, and don’t mind a few squished plants, Riley is the dog for you.