Willie 4

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Update 02/22/2017:  “…his foster mom reports he’s a love and she does “luv” him!!”

The good news continues for Willie.  He is still on incontinence medication (and probably will always need this support), and has had no accidents.   Other dogs still sometimes present a struggle for this handsome fellow, but his foster mom reports he’s a love and she does “luv” him!!

Willie has had a good start in 2017, and, since he is currently living in the northern part of MAESSR territory, is certainly looking forward to spring and the joy of warm weather!!

Update 01/15/2017:  “Knowing what is expected of him and knowing what he can expect is building his confidence and setting boundaries for him that he understands.”

How sweet to share the latest news on Willie…

Willie’s meds are still working great for day and night incontinence.  A stable environment and a structured day have helped him become more secure and stable.  Knowing what is expected of him and knowing what he can expect is building his confidence and setting boundaries for him that he understands.  Woohoo!!

Willie and his family hope you all had wonderful holidays!  And, to them, may 2017 bring the very best…

Update 12/05/2016:  “Willie’s foster mom feels he could live in an adopting home that includes submissive dogs but also feels he would be content in a single-pet household and one without kitties.“

Some Springers enter MAESSR’s program and become “available” at the end of the minimum two-week stay in foster care.  Most take a month or two to ready for new families.  Remaining is a small number of dogs…good dogs…who have something to resolve that’s going to take longer.  Sometimes it’s a health issue; sometimes it’s behavioral; it may be both.  These dogs may require a great deal of daily attention, vigilant vetting, and patient guidance with some ups and downs along the way to meaningful progress.  Fortunately, there is a niche of foster families among MAESSR’s volunteers whose passion is working with these dogs. Fortunately for Willie, he landed with one such family and now is showing solid progress after months of heart invested.

Nighttime incontinence had been a stubborn issue for Willie.  The good news is that while he remains on meds for that, with the current medication, he doesn’t leak at all.  To celebrate equally is that Willie is off all anxiety medication…yeah!  While many dogs benefit from medication for support through stressful times and transitions, anxiety meds don’t affect all dogs equally.  For Willie, one made him feel like he was hallucinating; to be free of need for such help is surely something he’s thankful for.

Looking forward, Willie will likely need his incontinence med for life.  With love, consistent leadership, and a steady home life, he may never need meds for behavioral support again.  He’s a great dog but is one who struggles with dominance issues with other dogs.  He successfully shares his foster home with other dogs but, at last report, he enjoyed having his own room.  Willie’s foster mom feels he could live in an adopting home that includes submissive dogs but also feels he would be content in a single-pet household and one without kitties.

Woohoo to Willie and his family for coming so far together…and, please keep handsome Willie in mind if his story touches your heart and you might be the one he needs to journey on…

Update 08/28/2016: “On the new medication, his personality is coming through.  He has become a real love bug and a big snuggler!“

Six weeks has brought heartening turnaround in Mr. Willie.  As happens with certain human medications, it took Willie almost two weeks to wean off the meds he was on and to begin ones that were better for him.  The new regimen is helping tremendously.  It may need to be tweaked as he further adjusts to it, but he is on the right track.  Yeah for Willie!

In response to these recent changes, Willie is doing great.  On the new medication, his personality is coming through.  He has become a real love bug and a big snuggler!  Willie loves long walks and is very good on a leash.   He is trustworthy off the leash now and excellent with verbal commands. Training classes have really paid off too.  Thank you MAESSR!

Love…vigilant attention to health issues…love…training…love…ample exercise…love…much time and heart invested by a foster family…more love.  All combine to make Willie’s future bright. Give him another month and check back.  His best is yet to come.

Update 07/13/2016:  “Fortunately, it doesn’t happen often but, as with humans, adverse reactions to medications can occur in dogs.“

Fortunately, it doesn’t happen often but, as with humans, adverse reactions to medications can occur in dogs.  When this infrequent situation does emerge in a foster home, the foster family continues to work closely with its veterinarian to safely discontinue the offending med and to determine an appropriate alternative that will be effective and well-tolerated by the foster.  Such is what Willie and his family are working through right now. 

Please keep Willie and his family in your best thoughts with the hope that all will be back on track very soon…….

Update 05/21/2016:  “He now loves going to class and graces himself with dignity.”

Now weeks into his obedience class, handsome Willie’s gains are measurable.  His 4-minute stay is huge!  When asked to do a “sit-stay”, his foster mom can back off 15 feet in a 50-foot ring and Willie manages that well.  The best part of his progress, though, is his improved socialization, for that’s what Willie needed help with the most.  He needed to build self-confidence and to respect reasonable boundaries.

When he first began going to class, Willie was a handful at the end of his leash…and he was typically at the end of his leash…growling and snarling, peeing and pooping…quite a challenging gent.  He now loves going to class and graces himself with dignity.  He goes up to people, looking for cookies.  When a tall lady abruptly approached him recently, his eyes got wide and he took back a step.  Then he licked her hand and gave her the benefit of the doubt that he offers everyone these days.  Yeah for Willie!!

At home Willie is doing better with the 8 resident dogs he shares space with.  He’s more trusting of them.  He has the benefit of a separate room of his own; it serves as his safe space when he’s overstimulated.  These days Willie may nip at the bottoms of his canine buddies’ feet when he’s trending toward over-the-top excitement but he’s learned that “what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is yours,” this being determined by who has possession at the time.  He’s learning that there will be no fighting over “stuff” and takes his cue from his foster mom who is the “top” dog in the home.  He’s learning boundaries that all good Springers need to know and respect to be the good companions their people so need.

Check back again for updates on Mr. Willie.  He’s a work-in-progress and on the way to becoming all that he can be.

Update 04/05/2016:  “Regardless of what Willie might be challenged with, he is verbally controllable and will always listen to a stern command.“

With a full month to settle in his current foster home, Willie hasn’t missed a beat when it comes to progress.  His nighttime urine leakage issue now seems to have been a combination of being off his medication during the transport to his new foster home, the stress of the transport and then being in an unfamiliar place.  That problem is resolved and he has no new health issues.

While earlier reported that Willie was good with cats, it now seems he may not be destined for a home with kitties.  They seem to overstimulate him and cause him to be unpredictable; to be continued though, as his foster family is still working on this behavior with him.  Regardless of what Willie might be challenged with, he is verbally controllable and will always listen to a stern command. Good job, Willie; always respect your person’s leadership!  And, toward furthering his socialization, Willie will be starting a group obedience class.  The class is held with approximately 25-30 owners and their dogs.  Best of luck with that, Willie!!

With such promise, Willie’s already looking ahead.  His dream home would be a calm household with other dogs his size or smaller, as he appears to feel threatened by larger more confident dogs.  Willie loves to cuddle with his foster mom and will need someone in his adopting home who’s eager to share his lovins as she is now.  Check back for news as this handsome young Springer prepares for his new beginning…

Update 02/29/2016:  “Willie adjusted immediately to the dogs in his new house and is learning how to co-exist with cats…always a good thing!” 

Yes…..Willie has arrived at his new foster home and gave his mom a run for her money coming off transport!

Willie adjusted immediately to the dogs in his new house and is learning how to co-exist with cats…always a good thing! He is extremely cuddly with his foster mom and is beginning to appreciate the new people that he meets. 

Urine leakage at night is still a problem for this guy, remaining a problem to be solved.  Because they did not know him before, Willie’s new foster family is not sure if his anxiety has lessened, but they are learning more about him every day and will share more as they become better acquainted.

In the meantime, good dog Willie has canine and feline friends to chase and get to know.  And spring is coming; life will continue to be good for this handsome fellow.  Keep an eye out for updates as he continues to settle in.

Update 01/25/2016:  “Additionally, having other dogs around seems to help him to be less anxious, so MAESSR will require there to be another dog in his new home.”

Willie returned to MAESSR because he was just not the right fit for the family that adopted him. They went above and beyond trying to make it work, but finally realized it was in everyone’s best interest if he came back to MAESSR for more evaluation. The adoptive family had changed his name to Parker and his foster family continues to use that name to try to confuse him less.  The following is a statement from the family:  “He is absolutely terrified of strangers and barks whenever anyone new enters the house. He is not mean-spirited or aggressive… just very skittish and nervous. This was extremely scary for friends of the teenagers when they came to visit.”  Parker also was experiencing bladder leakage at night while he was sleeping.

Parker has been placed in a foster home with experience in working with dogs that have anxiety. He was started on an inexpensive anxiety medication that seems to be helping him cope with the scary things in the world. Additionally, having other dogs around seems to help him be less anxious, so MAESSR will require there to be another dog in his new home. Parker absolutely LOVES playing and wrestling with all of the dogs in his foster home. They will play chase for hours!

Parker has several lovable qualities. He’s a typical, very high-energy, Velcro Springer who loves cuddling and chasing squirrels. This boy is incredibly loyal, as well.

His foster mom believes that Parker will be a houseguest for a while in order to properly address his anxiety and urine leakage issues.  Keep posted on the progress of this sweet boy.

Original:  “Seemingly without a mean bone in his body, Will occasionally barks when being growled at by the resident terrier; but, even then, he’s doing a Springer bow trying to get the other dog to play.” 

When Will’s owner in North Carolina began to develop dementia, his concerned groomer persuaded him to turn Will over to MAESSR to find him a great home.  This outgoing pup showed up at his new foster home ready to see what lies ahead for him.

This sweet dog is doing great in his foster home, learning “sit” his first day; he’s also working on his leash manners.  He and his foster sister, a 15 month old Afghan, just love playing chase, tug-o-war, keep away, etc.  During the workday, he’s more than willing to kick back in his open crate and wait for the next exciting thing to happen. Initially Will wanted to put his feet up on the counter to explore, but he soon learned “off.”  Like a circus dog, he occasionally will stand on his hind legs to see what’s going on up there but is learning that “sit” is the appropriate stance if he’s in the kitchen.  Mostly housetrained, Will doesn’t yet know how to signal that he needs to go out in the midst of playtime, so his foster mom just tries to remember to give him ample opportunity to go out whenever there’s a lull in serious play.

Initially fussing in his crate, Will has learned that it’s a good place to be and that there are rewards for going in, especially while the humans eat.  This sometimes leads to both Will and the 45 pound resident female trying to wedge into the same small crate simultaneously; they’ve both learned that laughing people give better treats!  He and his pal both get crated when the folks are out or go up to bed, just to avoid any issues. 

Will doesn’t appear to chew anything inappropriate, isn’t mouthy, and stays out of the trash.  What good manners!  His leash manners are fairly good, and he already knows that sitting to have his leash put on means that he gets to go out of the fenced yard on an adventure.  With his standard Springer sniffing pattern, Will sometimes has to be urged to keep forward motion. This little guy is already learning that cars are a good thing (more adventures!) and he tethers easily in the back seat. When left at home, he’s quiet in his crate; although, he does join the residents in letting the humans know that they’re welcome back.  Once his crate door is open, Will dances around with the others, goes out to do his business, and then returns when called from the yard.  Why not, since these foster folks are always able to make him smile.

Seemingly without a mean bone in his body, Will occasionally barks when being growled at by the resident terrier; but, even then, he’s doing a Springer bow trying to get the other dog to play.  He’s very food oriented, so his foster mom dug up the doggie bowl with lumps in it to slow him down.  He doesn’t guard food or toys, but with his quick eating he’s separated from the residents at feeding time.  Otherwise, he’d finish off everything before they had time to blink.  His favorite toys are soft stuffed animals, preferring those that still make noise, but happy enough to fetch anything the humans throw.  Larger ones are better for the tug-o-war games!  His foster folks aren’t sure if he’s ever been swimming; but he loves snow, burrowing or eating it while romping around the yard. 

At the vet, Willie was fine with meeting new people, ignoring crated cats, and happily troted away with the man who was taking him off to be neutered.  Grooming is interesting, because he doesn’t seem to be sure what’s going on with that brush thing.  He’s leaning towards thinking it’s a new way of being petted.  Regardless, he doesn’t mind being restrained or touched anywhere.  

Other than being a tripping hazard, since he always likes to be near his humans while inside, he’d fit into many a household. Younger children might be bumped into because he’s not really aware of the concept of personal space. Older dogs might not be thrilled with Will’s “I love you” attitude about canine companionship, but he does seem to understand the resident senior’s “keep-away” grumble, although it took several days. 

In his new home, little Mr. Will would do well with more training to help direct his energy.  It’s all positive energy, but this bright boy needs to be occupied with activities to be happiest.  Prospective adopters should know that MAESSR only places puppies in homes that are committed to training and bonding with the pup in obedience classes. Puppies require a lot of care, attention, and patience, and they do chew on things! The decision to get a puppy and raise it to be a healthy, happy, and well-adjusted dog is a serious commitment. To reinforce this commitment, MAESSR requires all adopters of dogs under one year old to enroll their puppy in obedience classes within 60 days of adoption.

Willie’s a sweet pup and a total love bug that is guaranteed to become a devoted member of a family.  Could that lucky family be yours?