Entered: 04/26/2008
Status: adopted
Age: 3
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Robesonia, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, treatment for intestinal worms complete
Temperament: Good with people over twelve, good with dogs, good with cats
Original: Rocky is a handsome field bred springer with lots of ticking and a full tail. He lived with his mom and owner/breeder for three years and was surrendered to MAESSR due to the owner moving into a condo not allowing multiple dogs.
At his vet check, Rocky checked out great. He is 47 pounds- just about right for this boy. He was nervous but behaved like a very good boy as he was poked and prodded. When the vet was done, Rocky gave the once over to his paw which had the blood drawn and waited nicely for his treat. He is being treated for intestinal worms and will be neutered shortly. The vet noted that the muscles on one of Rocky’s rear legs seemed stronger and more developed than the other – possibly explaining why he looks like he favors one side when he runs.
Rocky is living with two resident springers and two human kids in his foster home. He doesn’t yet want to play with the dogs but gets along with them very well. He was quick to figure out their personalities and decided he likes the quiet, submissive girl best. He often lies right next to her touching her lightly. He also likes the kids, especially when they pet him!
Watch for updates on Rocky as he settles into his foster home and his personality emerges.
Update 03/20/09: Rocky is an energetic, now 4-year-old, field Springer who has returned from a department of corrections canine unit. He had been in training for a career as a drug detection dog but, upon completion, was considered “too fast.” That puzzled his foster family initially, but the answer soon became apparent. Everything Rocky does he does quickly, from walking to running to eating to snuggling. Since he was trained as a search dog, he has a sharp instinct to search rooms when entering. Bathrooms are high on the priority list, since those areas of prison cells are high target areas for contraband. Smart as a whip, Rocky’s very well-behaved, comes when called, sits when asked, and doesn’t counter surf a bit.
Rock-Star, as his family calls him, gets along great with his two Springer roommates and the resident cat. He barks when the doorbell rings but welcomes guests immediately. Since he has so much energy, he’ll need a home with a big fenced-in yard that will give him the proper room he needs to run which he does, of course, very fast. Part of the reward system when he was working in the “big house” was to play catch with a tennis ball, so he’s very fond of this activity. His family uses the Chuck-It toy to really lob the ball and he’s on it almost before it lands. All this activity leads to wind-down activities that see this boy ready to cuddle at a moment’s notice.
This boy has a lot of love to share and embodies all the great aspects of Springer spaniels – a joyful disposition, affectionate, playful, obedient, and a real looker. Plus, by having Rocky in your home, you can be confident that your bathroom will be completely safe to use!