Entered: 04/15/2007
Status: Adopted
Age: 14
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Berryville, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, dental health improved with one extraction and cleaning, living well with hearing loss and cataracts
Temperament: Good with people as young as five, good with dogs, reported chaser of cats
Updated 5/18/07: Rusty is settling in nicely at his foster home. He is eating very well since his dental work and is gaining weight. He has figured out where the treats are stored and will wiggle when he sees his foster mom going near them. He devours his pigs’ ears and is always ready for meal time. He will jump in the air and do a little dance when his foster mom is making his meal. Sometimes, while doing his dance, Rusty will land on his side. Then he looks around to figure out who knocked him over! Oh my, oh my!
Having quickly grown into the comforts of indoor life, Rusty has stopped his counter-surfing ways. He is not interested in getting in the trash or chewing on non-edible items. His foster mom thinks that he may not have always had a constant supply of food or water. Now that he gets his meals on a predictable schedule, he doesn’t feel he has to scrounge for food. He is still a beggar but he is doing better at not jumping up to get food. Unless he needs to get someone’s attention, he is a quiet boy.
Give this boy a tennis ball and he will play fetch to his heart’s content or until his foster mom’s arm is tired! Rusty doesn’t mind if one of the other dogs catches a ball, but he does expect that another ball should be coming his way. He has a good time running around in the fenced yard and sniffing for interesting things. He looks forward to his walks on leash and he ignores cats, squirrels and other animals that cross his path. After all that exercise, Rusty is happy with a good scratch and a soft place to lie down.
Rusty is doing better since starting his incontinence meds and has cut back on his water intake now that he knows there is always more coming. His foster family was gone unexpectedly for 11 hours one day recently and Rusty was flawless the entire time. His medication is given once a day, is chewable and he is good about taking it in his evening meal.
Though not surprising, it’s so heartening to meet a senior like Rusty who is enjoying his senior years. A credit to his breed, he is adaptable and has adjusted quickly to indoor life with his foster family. Having his modest health needs met has been important and has surely brought greater comfort to his days. Getting to play ball, to go on walks, and to roam around in a yard also keeps this guy in good spirits. He’s ready for one more move and would love to be part of a forever family who will enjoy these kinds of opportunities with him. In return, he will dance in your kitchen for his meals. What a little joy this is twice daily!!……… and he will thank you with those sincere, adoring eyes every time you lay a gentle hand on his sweet, soft head. Got room for Rusty in your home and heart?
Original: Rusty came to MAESSR because his previous owner got married and moved where Rusty could not go. He lived outside but loves to be inside with his foster family now. His foster mom calls him “Velcro dog” because he is always by her side to get attention and love from her. Rusty loves to be petted and scratched. He loves everybody and thinks people are coming to the house to pet him! Rusty is even very tolerant with young children but he could accidentally knock a toddler down when he gets excited. That’s why it is recommended that he be placed with children five and older.
Rusty is housetrained but he is on incontinence medication. He will need a home that has a doggie door or someone to let him out every six to eight hours otherwise he will have an accident. His foster family monitors his water before bed and before they go out for the day. Rusty walks well on a leash and loves to go for a stroll. He likes his crate with the door open but is not happy when he is closed in it. He is fine staying home and sleeping when his foster family leaves him.
At forty pounds, Rusty is underweight; however, his appetite is good and his foster mom is hopeful that he will be at a healthy weight soon. Due to prior poor nutrition, Rusty is missing patches of hair on his back, but it is starting to grow back with quality food and a supplement. He will counter surf and try to highchair surf to get food. His foster family is working with him on these behaviors. Rusty will also try to jump on people who have food. He was fed table scraps at his previous home and is learning that he does not eat people food anymore.
Rusty’s hearing loss seems somewhat selective. He will sleep right through his foster family coming in the house. However, he can hear water filling into his drinking bowl from two rooms away. His cataracts only bother him in the dark and he will just follow the resident dog to get around. His health is fine, otherwise.
Rusty likes when his foster home is calm and will pace in big circles when his foster family is moving around. He will also pace in the car and needs a doggie seat belt or a crate for a safe car ride. At night, he is happy to sleep on his pillow next to the bed. He wakes up his foster mom, so he can go out at about 5:30 AM. Like most seniors, he is early to bed and early to rise. Do you have a spot next to your bed for this sweet boy?