Sid

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Update 01/24/11:

Sid remains as sweet as they come. He’s feeling much better with treatment for minor health problems behind him and is beginning to think about what he would most like in his adopting home. He’s thinking he would enjoy a home in which all the people are not away all day. Being a typical Velcro boy, he is slightly more clingy than some youthful pups and would love to have a family that is home more of the time than less. In many ways, Sid needs a momma in his life. He needs someone to be his partner in obedience class and his champion as he learns new skills. He wants someone to pat him on the head, give him a hug, and tell him what a good boy he is!

Another dog in his adopting home would be great too. Sid would love one that is young enough to play with and old enough to learn things from and one that will there with him, so Sid has less time to be lonely! Though he isn’t living with cats in his foster home, his foster mom doesn’t see him as being one who would have a problem with felines in the home. To Sid a doggie-friendly cat might well be one more companion in his life. 

This is a great pup. If you’re looking for a young Springer to train, nurture and love on, Sid would like to meet you!!

Original:

Sid was picked up as a stray and taken to a South Jersey shelter. When no one came and claimed this sweet boy, MAESSR stepped in and now Sid’s worries are over! Since Sid sounds a lot like sit, he is often called Pupp by his foster family.

Puppy arrived at his foster home a bit frightened and overwhelmed. It quickly became apparent to his foster mom that Sid had a UTI and that he probably had very limited access to a home in his past. Sid didn’t seem to know very general things like which way a door opened or not to jump up near the stove. Initially, he spent a lot of time pacing and looking around. Every day, Sid is getting better at navigating his new world and learning the ropes.

Since Sid had a UTI, housebreaking had to wait a bit until he was physically able to hold his urine. He is now feeling much better and is doing superbly, having no accidents in the past few days. Kept on a puppy training schedule, he is taken out frequently and watched very closely while inside the house. When taken outside to relieve himself, Sid looks back cutely at his foster mom while he pees and just loves her praise for a job well done! 

When his foster mom goes out, Sid is put in a crate but doesn’t like it. It seems to frighten him. He would probably be happier in a gated kitchen, but his foster home’s kitchen is too open to gate. His foster mom will explore other options in the coming weeks. 

For a pup that wasn’t given much guidance in his young life, Sid has fairly decent house manners. He stays very close to his foster mom, so it is very easy for her to teach him what she’d like him to do and what not to do but he needs to be watched for his safety. His foster mom opened a lower cabinet to put a mixer away and couldn’t understand why it wouldn’t go in. She bent down and there was Sid who had climbed in and was looking out at her! Sid might be interested in the trash, but it’s kept in a dog-proof container. He does jump up on the counters but that’s discouraged. One day he jumped onto a chair and was set to jump onto the table to snatch up something when he was caught. He will get up onto the bed, as do the resident dogs, but he doesn’t usually stay there long. Sid sleeps in the bedroom with his foster mom at night, making himself comfortable on a blanket on the floor. One morning his foster mom felt something on her nose and there was Sid an inch from her face, watching her! So, he might be a boy that would like to sleep with his humans once he got comfortable in his home.

Initially, Sid was a bit nervous going in the car, but he has adjusted since he and the resident dogs make several trips a day to transport the kids in his foster home to and from school and sports. He usually wants to go but sometimes chooses to stay home if someone is there with him. He generally jumps into the car and is tethered inside for safety.

As for commands, Sid currently knows sit and although additional obedience training is needed, the current focus is on teaching Sid to take turns and to wait for his turn and, of course, to get comfortable being an inside boy! He has had limited leash walking experience, if any, so he pulls on a leash. He will need work in this area. With Springers who are a year and younger, MAESSR requires that their forever family take them for obedience training. Sid and his new family will both be grateful for this learning experience.

Sid is just getting comfortable enough to play with toys and chew bones. He loves to toss a tennis ball around, but he doesn’t seem to understand about bringing back the ball yet. He also loves to play with the resident dog that just turned one. They run and wrestle all around the fenced yard. Sid is still figuring out his role with the four and six year old resident dogs. Initially, Sid spent a lot of time attempting to mount the dogs and has been corrected by each. Neutering should take care of that problem as well.

This puppy guards nothing. The resident one year old takes every toy Sid is playing with and also eats Sid’s food. Sid doesn’t seem to mind at all. His foster mom has bathed him and touched him all with over with no issues. Sid is even OK with ear cleaning! Good Puppy! Sid seems to be just fine with people. He will bark if people come to the door but quiets when he can meet them. The resident dogs just love all people which helps Sid realize people coming to visit is a good thing. Since Sid can be a bit mouthy and does jump on people, older kids would be best in Sid’s forever family. 

Sid would like a family where people aren’t away all day every day. He has a lot to learn and needs his folks around to assist him. This absolutely precious boy will bring lots of love and joy to his people!