Scooter

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Update 02/10/12:

This handsome (his photos don’t do him justice!) big boy continues to do well in foster care and is an enjoyable and welcome guest. The majority of his health issues are now behind him. His Lyme disease treatment is complete, and his thyroid medication has him adjusted to a normal level. He has lost at least five more pounds and most recently weighed in at 71 – good job, Scooter! Given that he weighed 100 pounds a year ago, his foster mom thinks he is doing great.

Of course, with his healthy appetite, Scooter believes his foster mom is holding out on him at mealtime. He continues to be fed grain-free dog food. To add bulk without the calories, his foster mom stirs in some green beans which he quickly consumes. Scooter also enjoys apples and bananas as a snack – much better choices than the stale Snickerdoodles he previously raided out of the wastepaper can! His skin and ears are showing improvement and his eyes are not as pasty. The vet said his eyes would continue to improve as his thyroid levels improve. Scooter requires some additional attention to his ears and eyes to keep them clear, but this is easily managed and doesn’t take much time. He receives over-the-counter antihistamines and prescription thyroid medication twice daily in a dollop of peanut butter. Not surprisingly, Scooter looks forward to pill time! 

Scooter continues to enjoy his walks and is very manageable with a Gentle Leader. He is showing improvement when passing other dogs along the way. Scooter needs to work on endurance and will undoubtedly muscle up with his increased energy and activity level and continued weight loss. His walks are usually 30 – 45 minutes long. Scooter does fairly well in the car but can be a little excitable as he approaches his destination. Just keep some Windex and paper towels in the trunk to keep the car windows clean! Scooter also enjoys being brushed and just had a second bath. He was such a good boy in the tub and, boy, did he ever feel good afterward!

This guy continues to enjoy batting a ball around when his foster mom is not available to throw it or sometimes just for the fun of it! He also appreciates a good bone to chew on and keep those pearly whites sparkling. Scooter continues to get along well with the other dogs in his foster home. He has put up with resident male Springer’s daily grooming of his face and ears without a fuss. He now softly grumbles but endures the annoyance until his foster mom redirects his buddy. What a tolerant young man! When Scooter and the resident female want to have some playful moments, his foster mom will keep the resident ESS, sometimes a real party pooper, occupied as he likes to put an end to the fun. If Scooter is not following his foster mom around, he loves sacking out on the couch or on her bed. He usually warms up the pillows for his foster mom while she gets her nightly bath but quickly gets down when verbally or visually prompted. 

Scooter is a real love bug and a gentle soul who is on the hunt for his forever home. Whoever adopts him will be getting a keeper!

Update 01/11/12:

Scooter continues to be an excellent house guest. He has good manners overall but does have an affinity for raiding the trash and occasional counter-surfing. To his dismay, his foster mom has learned to be vigilant and keeps the kitchen trash can tucked away when she goes out. The big guy has a healthy appetite and feels a need to augment his diet. Fortunately, he is not picky and will gladly eat green beans with dinner to assist with weight control.

Scooter continues on a grain-free dog food and his allergies are lessening, despite his attempts to supplement his diet with grain products! Following “The Snickerdoodle Incident,” Scooter’s eyes required ointment which nicely cleared them up again. His foster mom cleans his ears weekly, although the resident Springer assists by cleaning Scooter’s face and ears on a daily basis! While his skin is showing improvement overall, Scooter does lick his legs or feet on occasion. Medication for Lyme disease is just about complete and Scooter is beginning a low dose of medication to adjust his thyroid levels.

A real love bug, Scooter enjoys one-on-one attention. He continues to love being brushed and was a very good boy for his Christmas bath. He was welcoming to his foster mom’s family (four adults) who came for Christmas dinner as well as other adult visitors in the home.

Scooter likes to play ball and, if his foster mom isn’t available to throw it, he will bat it around with his paws. Walks are another favorite activity of Scooter’s. He is doing well on a Gentle Leader, taking about five minutes to settle down when out and about. When other dogs are encountered while walking, Scooter has a tendency to react by barking and jumping around. His foster mom is working on reducing this response and is seeing progress. Daily walks are 45 minutes long and when his walk is over, it is nap time for Scooter! 

His foster mom has not crated Scooter often, but he was crated for two hours while the resident dogs went for a visit to the vet. He also spent time in his crate when another foster came into the home because Scooter initially was upset by “the intruder.” Once he adjusted to the newcomer’s presence, he calmed down and has been fine with her. He continues to get along with the two resident dogs and will play with the female Beardie mix unless the resident male Springer intercedes to stop the fun! 

This sweet boy would be thrilled to join a family of his own. Just remember to hide the cookies!

Original:

This easy-going boy comes to MAESSR from his Pennsylvania owner who found that Scooter did not easily coexist with her children, aged one, two, and three. While he never snapped at or bit them, he was uncomfortable when they petted his head. His owner felt he would be happier in a home with teenaged children or adults. 

Scooter was obtained from a previous owner through a Craig’s List ad. He weighed in at a hefty 100 pounds and slimmed down to 76 pounds in the six months he was with his new owner. To say the least, this has made a significant difference in Scooter’s fitness and energy level. Overall Scooter’s health is good, but he recently tested positive for Lyme disease and has skin allergies. To alleviate his allergies, he is fed grain-free food and has started on an antihistamine, twice daily. Additionally, his foster mom cleans his ears every other day and wipes the crusties out of his eyes several times daily. His eyes are starting to improve already. Scooter has several lick granulomas on his legs which were treated with a topical spray. Treatment for Lyme disease is underway and should help his skin condition too. Scooter was a good boy on his trip to the vet and a real trooper when he was micro-chipped! 

Well-behaved in the house, Scooter has proven to be a very good houseguest and a real pleasure to have around. He gets along well with the resident Springer, and, this gentleman apparently prefers blondes, as he thinks the resident Bearded Collie mix is pretty darn cute! This Velco Springer would love to be a lap dog but gets down with prompting. When he is feeling a little needy, he will repeatedly nudge his foster mom’s hand or bat her with his paw until she gives in. Not to worry! When his foster mom is busy or has had enough, Scooter will go lie down. 

On one occasion Scooter indicated the need to go out but, with using a schedule, there have been no accidents. He has not bothered his foster mom’s possessions at all! What a good boy! At night he sleeps on a dog pillow in his foster mom’s bedroom, though his preference would be to sleep in her bed or on the couch! Scooter has not been crate-trained, so his foster mom has started him on this. He has limited free rein of the house with the two resident dogs while his foster mom is at work and has been trustworthy. Of course, it is pretty obvious that Scooter takes advantage of his foster mom’s absence and sacks out on the couch! 

On occasion Scooter has counter-surfed, recently snatching half a bagel off the back of the kitchen counter! He will try to grab food from his foster mom if it is in close proximity. Scooter would like his foster mom to share her meals with him and will sit and stare in hopes that his wish comes true. Eventually, he gives up and lies down when he is unsuccessful. Scooter also will get into the trash if it’s accessible. He is physically separated from the resident dogs at mealtime as he will eat their dinners if the opportunity exists. He is a neat eater but a rather sloppy drinker! Keep a towel handy to tidy up after this boy! 

Scooter is not much of a barker and he doesn’t dig, chew, jump the fence, or submissively urinate. He knows the commands “sit,” “down,” and “shake.” If prompted, Scooter moves to the back seat of the car when travelling and rides comfortably.

Although of moderate-energy, Scooter gets really excited on walks. He will need a little work on the leash to reduce pulling but does settle down once he’s underway. His foster mom has used a Gentle Leader on him and, although Scooter wasn’t crazy about it initially, it made a BIG difference. On a walk around a pond, he did not react to the ducks or the water. 

Currently enjoying a fenced yard at his foster home, Scooter does not seem to be a flight risk and has had good recall. He will bat a ball around all by his lonesome to amuse himself. He loves to run, play fetch, and go swimming according to his previous owner.

With a grooming completed just before his surrender, Scooter hasn’t required much. While he doesn’t care for his feet to be handled, he loves having his ears cleaned and will moan while it’s done. He did enjoy it when his foster mom brushed him too. 

Scooter’s foster mom feels this big boy will make someone a great companion and that his stay with her will sadly (for her) be a short one as he will no doubt quickly find a home. Scooter has a very simple wish list: a quieter home with lots of love to spare. Someone out there will be very lucky to adopt Scooter!