Rusty 6

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Original:

Rusty has had a rough first year. He was bought by his first owner who surrendered him when she had to move. Apparently, the second owner and his kids got bored with Rusty. So, he wound up living crated in an empty apartment. He’s friendly and a bit over the top. We expect good things from him.

Rusty is doing very well in foster care. He is good with other dogs – though a bit pushy. He loves people and just wants time and attention. He really will do well in an obedience class.

Rusty is housebroken and crate-trained. 

Rusty is on hold because he needs to learn basic manners before he can be let loose on the world. We think based on his temperament that he would be a cat chaser.

At the vet’s office he met a few children and clearly loved them. He wanted them to come over and pay attention to them. He might be too physical for toddlers, but should be fine with older children.

Update:
We had concerns when he first came into the house. His second day with us, he growled at me when I tried to put him into his crate. A stern “Knock it off!” and into the crate he went. The next day he growled at Al when forced to go outside. Then two days later, he growled and lifted his lip when I tried to get him to leave a room. I confronted him and persisted until he submitted. 

There were other moments, when he would meet your gaze and hold it, challenging you in a way that his unnatural in dogs. At this point, we were all concerned and a bit frightened. Basically, he was a good dog, so we started working with him. 

We started the Nothing in Life is Free approach with him. Rusty seemed to respond and seemed to understand his place in the pack as far as people went. He continued in his efforts to dominate the other dogs, but they were handling it. He was responding well to us and seemed to be getting himself under control. I still wasn’t sure that I trusted him, but we had hope. And he was such a good dog most of the time. 

He was also about the smartest Springer that I had ever met. I thought that his brains would save him. He would learn that submitting to people was the way to get along in life.

Last Wednesday, he growled and snapped at Al because Al walked by him when he had a rawhide in his mouth. I decided to give him another two weeks to see how he would do. Except for two more minor growls, he was doing well. He seemed to be getting softer. He responded more quickly and appropriately. If you put a leash on him, he would go anywhere with you.

Then it was Sunday. Always an escape artist, he got out of the house. I opened the car and he hopped in to it. I took his collar and he whipped around, but didn’t get me. I decided he couldn’t have meant to bite me and started taking him into the house. We were walking to the house with no complaints. Then we got to the door and he braced his feet. I pulled and he swung around and snapped at me. Had his collar been any looser and I less attentive he would have grabbed me. I started forward again and he did it again. This time I felt his teeth close near my hand. Then I knew. We couldn’t save him. We could not love him or teach him out of his inclination to fight when his will was thwarted.

Monday was a long day as we waited for the appointment. To keep myself busy, I scrubbed out the crates used by the Montgomery Nine. As I did, I learned that he loved to chase water from the hose. We had a grand time playing. When the game was over, we were both soaked. The tears caught in my throat as I thought of his future. 

This great, friendly dog could have been a wonderful loving pet, if he had a breeder who had cared about his litter, or an early owner who had taught him that he had to submit to people. In return, he would have had love and affection and a long life. Instead, it would be all too short.

We took him to the vet that afternoon. I held him as they administered the shot. I shed the tears for him that his breeder would never know. I would have kept him if I could. But, he was an attack waiting to happen. All of the tail wagging, kisses and games of fetch would not offset that one time when he laid into someone and really hurt them. All I could do was cry for him.

I am sure that I will meet Rusty at the Bridge. I hope he forgives me and lets me love him and be his friend.