Topaz

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Update 10/07/11:

This gem of a pup is certainly growing by leaps and bounds! Topaz is doing very well with housetraining and will readily run outside to do her duties! Good girl! Topaz’s interest in the cats is just a sniff or two; she accepts them as part of the pack and then checks out their toys. Way to go, Topaz! 

Topaz is in the process of learning sit and shake paw. She will readily come running when called, from the backyard, up the deck stairs, and bounding through the doggy door! Feeding time is top of the list for Topaz; she’s quite content to lie down on the floor and watch her foster mom prepare her bowl. With a Let’s go! from her foster mom, Topaz is off and running to the crate where she knows her dinner will be served! 

Crate training is going quite well. Topaz knows when it’s time for bed and will readily jump into the crate and find her spot. When lights are out, she settles down just fine for the night. Topaz is very inquisitive about everything! She readily will go check out anything that seems interesting to her. 

Topaz has been to several MAESSR events and enjoys socializing with other people and dogs. She has also visited her foster mom’s daughter’s home and her adult golden retriever. When outside there, Topaz enjoys romping in the yard. She will sit and watch the golden retriever and the neighbor’s dog at play, then she’s off running to find some sticks to play with and grass to roll in. Leash training is going well for Topaz too. She’ll stop for a few minutes to sniff out something new, but then will readily continue on with her walk. 

Topaz will soon be ready for her new family. She will easily reside with other dogs and cats. Topaz is one priceless “gem” of a pup looking for her “gem” of a forever home.

Original:

What possibly could be cuter than a Springer puppy? Nine Springer puppies! It’s raining puppies in MAESSRland since a Maryland family’s purebred Springers got together and had an accidental litter. MAESSR quickly offered its assistance to the overwhelmed family in finding good, loving homes for the nine puppies. Since this windfall came in the fall, the pups were given names reflecting the beautiful colors of the season. 

Topaz is a brilliant color and a precious jewel. And so is Miss Topaz! It doesn’t take much for this confident young pup to wag her tail in excitement! There is lots of excitement in her foster home that she shares with her sister Tawny and the seven resident dogs. There is always someone to play with. Topaz respects her place in the pack and has chosen her favorite resident dogs!

Playing with her toys and investigating all that needs investigation fill her busy day! She is a quick study in learning how to use the doggy door as she has many teachers to follow! Out the doggy door, down the deck steps, and off she goes into the backyard to run and check out everything in the yard! Even though she is a confident pup, Topaz was a bit hesitant when meeting the resident cats. She thought it was better to be on the cautious side and after some tentative sniffing, she went off to investigate the cats’ toys! What a good girl she is!

Housebreaking is going well for Topaz. Although she has wee-wee pads to use, she is more readily choosing to go outside with the resident dogs to do her duty! Topaz has learned her name and will readily come when called! Feeding time of course is a special event in Topaz’s day. She has learned the routine and will sit or lay in the kitchen while her foster mom prepares the bowls. Once those bowls start moving and her foster mom says, “Let’s go!” it’s a race to the puppy pen where the food will be served! In the morning, this fairly vocal puppy will “talk” to her foster mom, letting her know it’s time to go outside and get out of the puppy pen to start her day!

Crate training is also going well for Topaz. Though she whined a bit in the beginning, Topaz has learned the crate is not a bad place to be and she is accepting of being crated. Leash training is going fairly well, too. Topaz may stop now and then, but with encouragement, she will readily walk along. She rides very well in the car, sticking close to her foster mom’s side. Of all of the new activities she has experienced, bath time is not one of Topaz’s favorites; she tolerates the bath and then really enjoys the towel rub down afterwards!

Visiting the vet was fun for Topaz since she received a lot of attention and she loved every minute of it! Topaz does have a bout of a staph skin infection for which she is receiving medication and she is healing very well. She loves taking her medication stuck in peanut butter and quickly laps it off the spoon. Then, she and Tawny clean up each other’s lips.

A little MAESSR ambassador at a recent dog event, Topaz loved all the attention she received – especially the romp in a field with a volunteer’s daughters. A very busy day makes a very tired pup and Topaz promptly took a nap, though fire sirens were blowing. 

One may want to wear a topaz on one’s finger, but it is far better to hold a Topaz cradled in one’s arms!