Ty

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Updated 1/29/07: Ty has settled nicely into his foster home. He is truly a perpetual motion dog. Something is always moving unless he is asleep. Even when he is lying down, he’ll move his feet or his head or chew on a toy. He was clearly well-trained in his previous life, but is not very disciplined. He is quite demanding of attention, pawing at his foster mom or nudging her with his head or squeezing in between her and the resident dog. He’ll push through a door and grab food out of your hand. He pulls on a leash because he is so fascinated with the world around him and wants to go investigate everything……right now.

But there is hope. Since coming to his foster home, he has learned to wait outside the kitchen for his meals, and is trying to remember that sitting politely is more likely than pawing or grabbing to get him what he wants. He even successfully completed some attention exercises while waiting at the vet’s office! He loves people, and everyone thinks he is just a nice dog. With a little more training in impulse control, he will be an excellent companion.

Original: Ty is a friendly dog with a lovely disposition that has come into MAESSR’s care because his relinquishing family had a major change in their living situation. He took easily to the people involved in transport to his foster home, and everyone at the vet’s office was impressed with what a nice dog he is. He has very good house manners and is housebroken. He stays in the crate when his foster mom is not home and is just fine. His crate is in the kitchen and he will occasionally hang out in it. Ty rides well in the car, settling in nicely and enjoying the ride.

Though Ty would probably like to snuggle with his foster mom on the couch, she has been keeping him off the furniture without a lot of effort. He has been interested in things on shelves and counters but has not been inclined to steal them. A powerful chewer, Ty tears into his toys. He even chewed a hole in a baseball! Even so, he has not chewed anything that did not belong to the dogs. Like many springers, he jumps up when greeting people. He also paws at his foster mom when he wants attention, a habit that she is working to correct.

“Busy” and “off” are Ty’s two speeds. He loves to run around the yard, sniffing under all the bushes and looking for squirrels and birds. His previous owner reported that Ty is a hunting dog, and he certainly appears to have the appropriate interest and energy level. In the house, he occupies himself by following the humans and playing with his toys. After almost a week at his foster home, Ty decided he could wrestle with the young male resident dog. Whenever his foster mom becomes stationary, though, Ty lies down as close to her feet as he can get.

Ty gets along well with the resident dog, except when food and toys are involved. Then, he growls the other dog away from those prized possessions. Although he will romp and play with the resident dog, he is more focused on people and seems to prefer human playmates to dogs.

Ty seems to be a pretty easygoing guy. He would be happy in a busy household with lots of activity, or in a quieter place with a yard he can explore. He would love having a nice walk every day. He does not seem to need another dog in the household and should probably not live with a very assertive dog. More on Ty as he settles in.