Entered: 08/22/2006
Status: Adopted
Age: 2
Color: Black/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Male
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, Lyme-, good in all areas
Temperament: Good with all people, good with dogs, unknown with cats
Original: Tristan was picked up as a stray by an animal shelter in eastern Pennsylvania. He is beautiful with a thick wavy coat, trimmed feathers and ears. There isn’t one mat on this guy. He weighs 42.5 pounds which is on the light side for his size. He is not underweight but may put on a pound or two now that he has been treated for intestinal worms.
He has a calm, gentle disposition and tolerated his vet visit, bath and ear cleaning all in stride. He actually closes his eyes and sighs in contentment when his ears are rubbed after cleaning. He likes to snuggle up and get his belly rubbed. You can touch any part of his body and take his food or a toy away. He also rides well in the car. He is good with children and doesn’t jump but does mouth a little. He is not a barker. He is crated at night and when his family is out.
Two resident female springers met Tristan when he arrived at his foster home. He tried to boss them around at first. The submissive one allowed him to do that, but his foster mom didn’t, and the dominant one told him to take a hike, doggy-fashion. He now gets along with both, fitting somewhere in the middle. He has just started to play with the dogs, but it doesn’t seem like something that is important to him. He is more interested in staying close to his foster mom, usually within eyesight of her.
When its time to go outside, Tristan will ring the bell. He is reliably housebroken but has done some marking. The marking is expected to settle itself with a little time since he has been neutered very recently. His appetite is great. He often carries the food bowl around……..just in case someone has forgotten it’s mealtime. He has a little red staining on his chin, probably caused by panting a lot due to all the recent changes in his life. He was started on cranberry capsules to give him a little assistance with this.
Tristan has had some obedience work. He knows “sit” and “down” and “no.” He would check out the trash if it wasn’t covered. He doesn’t beg or counter surf but does pick up items left lying around by the two children living with him. He gives things up easily. If he didn’t have the “owner of all toys and rawhide” as a foster sister, he might choose a dog item to chew instead!. He does get to chew in the evening when the dogs can be well supervised and he does enjoy it.
Tristan is a determined fellow, requiring an equally determined human. An obedience class with his new owner would be a great way to help Tristan understand that his new human is also the leader of his pack. Putting some irresistible items out of reach will be important in his new home as well. His foster mom found him on top of her desk, trying to retrieve a rawhide that was taken away………but not quite far enough away! Tristan would like a fenced in yard to keep him safe and sound and tired at the end of the day. He will be an excellent companion for an active family and will even pick up after the children if they will allow him the chance…….:)).