Entered: 06/13/2008
Status: adopted
Age: 9
Color: Liver/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Winchester, VA
Health: UTD, HW-, good in all areas
Temperament: Good with people as young as five, dominant with other dogs, good with cats
Original: Sophie was relinquished to MAESSR because her owner did not have the time to give her the attention and exercise she deserves. So, this sweet active girl needs a new home that can provide her these basics.
Sophie is a smart, very friendly, full-tailed nine-year-old, liver and white Springer. Don’t let her age fool you. This spry gal loves to go for mile-long daily walks and will chase tennis balls forever! She appears to enjoy children and was reported by original owner to have lived with toddler grandchildren previously with no problems. Sophie more or less ignores the resident cat but would love to get close enough for just one sniff! In her original home she lived with a cat for five years. Sophie loves to take rides in the car and is an excellent rider with no drooling or any signs of nervousness. Her former owner reports she does not like to be crated and her foster parents have not tried to disprove this. She is not food motivated and will not beg or counter-surf.
Sophie walks on lead very well and she has been trained in most voice commands and some hand signals. Completely housebroken, Sophie has the run of the house and can easily hold her water for nine hours with no accidents. She listens well and learns quickly, but would prefer to lie on a couch or chair next to you than her own pillow. Her prior owner reported Sophie initially shows aggression when seeing a dog for the first time, but then wants to play. When she first came into MAESSR’s care, her foster parents observed that she wants to snap and grumble at any dog that would get too close. This appears to be a dominance issue. By holding her lead firmly and immediately snapping it if she appears to tense while telling her shhh, she relaxes and will take little notice of the other dog. Because of this uncertainty around other dogs, she may be best as an only dog. Sophie only barks to greet people or to alert her foster parents to strangers; she does not bark when her foster family leaves or while they are gone.
When she came into foster care, Sophie had torn a toe nail. She is completing a round of antibiotics and is healing nicely. Her former owner reported she sometimes has shoulder pain and a veterinarian advised her to not allow Sophie to jump such as from the back of a truck. Other than that, she has no apparent health problems.
Sophie would make a wonderful, loving Springer for a single person or family wanting a mature dog that is fully trained with no health issues. She would be happiest as an only dog.