Spruce

---

Updated 1/11/07: Poor Spruce had to spend his 11th birthday in foster care, but it really wasn’t so bad.  One of the resident dogs was having his birthday the day before, so the 2 boys had a joint celebration. Spruce has adjusted well to his move and now has complete run of his foster home while everyone is gone. He’s simply much happier that way and trustworthy. Like all self-respecting springers, regardless of age, Spruce really enjoys a good run when he gets outside. He’s not been trusted off leash, except in his foster family’s vineyard which is enclosed with an electric deer fence. When he visits there with his foster dad, he makes the most of the opportunity!

Spruce’s coat hasn’t grown since he came into foster care. It is noticeably short except on his feet and between his pads, giving him quite a distinctive appearance. Everyone who has seen him thinks he’s very cute and is very surprised to find out how old he is. With his short hair, he really does look puppy-like unless you look closely. To be sure that an underlying health issue wasn’t at play, his thyroid was tested with the results coming back as normal. He was also tested for diabetes since he drinks quite a lot of water but, again, everything came back normal. His love of water just means that his trips out need to be a bit more frequent.

The comforts of living as part of a family are not lost on Spruce. Every night he asks to be allowed to sleep on the bed, and every night his foster mom tells him he can’t. He’s fine with that but certainly is persistent about asking! During the holidays, Spruce visited at the homes of other family members and did fine. He is a very personable and well-mannered young-at-heart senior. He would love to adopt a family who will enjoy outings with him and share their cuddles at day’s end, or even better, through the whole night.

Original: Spruce is a very sweet, low-maintenance boy. He certainly does not look or act his age. According to his registration papers, he will be celebrating his 11th birthday on December 27. He was relinquished to MAESSR by his original family because, as their 9-month-old baby began to creep and approach Spruce, his reaction was to shake and pace. He never snapped at the little one but his family did not want to risk that happening.

He is fairly small, at about 40 pounds, and 20 inches at the withers. Spruce hears well and his eyes are fine; he doesn’t miss much going on outside his front window. He looks to be clipped short all over which means very little dog hair to vacuum up!!! His owner said his hair really hasn’t grown in several months which his vet attributed to the aging process. As unusual as this sounds, Spruce himself is a most unusual color, so giving him a little more time to grow out will help fix this boy’s official color. His small size, his short haircut, and his lack of gray hair make him look much more puppy-like than a senior dog.

The resident springer in his foster home has been an “only” dog for quite some time and having another dog in the house has been a good experience for him. Spruce spoke sharply to him when he sniffed one too many times during their introduction and, after that, they have gotten along fine.

Spruce is very communicative. He is quite clear about letting you know when he wants to go outside, when he wants his meals, and when you are expected to give him a cookie. In his original home, he was rewarded for going outside to potty and, if his foster mom forgets to give him a treat when he comes in, she is quickly reminded. His owner also reported that Spruce will bark to come inside after being out in his yard, but since there is no fencing at his foster home, he is walked on-leash all the time. He does not pull on the leash and is extremely efficient on his potty breaks. Although he was free fed at his prior home, he has adjusted very well to a twice-a-day feeding schedule in his foster home. The first night in his foster home, he asked to go outside at 2:00 a.m. Since then, his foster mom has picked up the water bowl after dinner and he has been fine through the night.

His owner reported that Spruce does not crate well, so his foster parents have so far not attempted to re-introduce that training. Spruce and the resident springer are kept gated in the bedroom when no one is at home. So far, that seems to be working fine. He does whine and fuss a bit when left but has not escaped. He always seems content and glad to see his people when they return. Despite his age, Spruce has absolutely no problem with jumping on the bed or on the chair in the bedroom but will get off when asked.

Spruce is a gentleman when it comes to ear cleaning and lets his foster mom pick him up with no problem. He has let her pick up his feet, but his owner used to send him to a groomer to have his nails trimmed. Perhaps with a little more settling, that can become a home task. He knows some basic commands, “sit” and “down,” but does not yet have any concept of “stay.”

In his original home Spruce grew up with three cats and reportedly not only loved them but mimicked their behavior. He learned his grooming tips from them and will lick his paws and rub his ears as felines do. It’s really funny to watch him do this. Spruce will make a great companion for someone who is looking for a gentlemanly dog. He will always enjoy daily exercise but does not require hours of activity before being ready to cuddle. He isn’t looking for a lot of action but rather is perfectly content to curl up for a snooze on the sofa or a lap alongside like-minded people. Being a senior himself, Spruce might be the perfect match for seniors who know how to make the most of their leisure time