Winston 19

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Update 10/09/08:

Winston has had his dental surgery and his recovery is complete. He is feeling really good with much more energy now that he can eat with no pain. He is going for walks every day on a loose leash and only pulls occasionally.

At night and when his foster mom is gone, Winston has the run of three rooms in the house. He continues to be as good as he can be, not getting into anything or making any messes. He enjoys riding in the car and jumps in and out willingly. He especially likes to go when he knows where he is going, like to work with his mom. Winston is collecting a few toys now that he has become attached to. He takes them into the yard when he goes out and brings them back inside when he returns to the house. One is a tennis ball which he will play fetch with outside, returning it to you until he gets tired. Then he lays on it to let you know he is done – pretty cute!

Winston continues to be a joy. His personality continues to come out as the days go by and it’s all good. This is an absolutely wonderful companion who is definitely ready for a forever home. In a household with more people and more activity, he would continue to blossom. Won’t you give this Springer the chance to bloom in your yard?????

Update 10/02/08:

Although Winston has only been in his foster home for two weeks, he is doing great. He now has a stuffed toy he loves and will play fetch for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. He will bring his toy to you and drop it without being told, making the game fun for every one! When outside, he will play fetch with a ball but not for long – too many other distractions. His family has had several occasions to take things from Winston. He gives items up willingly and at once – good boy!

His family is giving Winston the run of the den and kitchen at night and when they are gone during the day. There have been no accidents and he is beginning to go to the door when he needs to do his business. When alone, Winston has never bothered anything on the counters, tables or trash. His foster mom is taking him to work with her for a few hours at a time. He lays by her desk and is very patient. He is more than ready to get into the car now and seems to enjoy himself when riding.

Winston tries very hard to please, knows what no means and doesn’t need to be told but once. This guy is very smart and extremely willing to do things your way. He doesn’t care about the vacuum, lawnmower, blowers, motorcycles….or anything that makes a lot of noise. He just looks at things and goes about his business. His favorite treat is BREAD!!

Now that he is feeling better, Winston is pulling a little on his walks, but his family is working on that. He is very friendly with everyone he meets, dogs and people, and especially children. This is one sweet boy. He wants to please and all he expects is a pat and a kind word – a real love and soon to be ready to a new family to make happy.

Original:

Winston and his kennel mate Maggie 21 were relinquished by their Pennsylvania owner who could no longer afford the pair because of a sick child in the family. Kept outside in a kennel his entire life and used for a small, backyard breeding program, Winston’s first experience inside a house was when he was brought into foster care.

Due to the fact Winston came down with kennel cough a few days after his arrival, he has not been able to get his vaccines and he will need dental surgery as soon as he is well. At this time he is on medication for the kennel cough and is doing better.

Needless to say going from a kennel to living in a house is a big change, but Winston is beginning to think the air conditioning isn’t so bad a deal. He is adjusting to living in the house, but still wants to go outside frequently just to smell the air and see if anything is happening. He doesn’t want to stay out too long and is always ready to go back inside. Winston waits patiently until his foster mom tells him he can go out the door. He has become very attached to the pad inside his crate and will get it out and bring into the den, straighten it out and lay on it! He understands nice, comfortable things, obviously! A very quiet boy, Winston doesn’t bark at noises in the neighborhood or when people come to the door. 

Winston’s housetraining is going well with no accidents to date. He will stay in a crate, but it does stress him. Since Winston is much better when confined to a small area in the den with a baby gate, he stays there at bedtime. During the day with his foster mom at home, he has full run of the house. He hasn’t chewed on anything inappropriate nor has he attempted to get on the furniture. In the kitchen, he does not counter-surf or get into the trash. He likes to be on the go, but is not a high energy dog who is always running and jumping. Winston is just learning about toys; he doesn’t know how to play at this point

Winston gets along great with other dogs and with the resident cats. He is not food possessive and will even allow the cats to take food from his bowl. There is no problem with his foster family removing anything from his mouth either. When it comes to being bathed and groomed, Winston is a real gentleman and doesn’t mind being touched. He walks well on leash without pulling and he takes correction well, although he doesn’t need much. He does not know any commands except lay down so a basic obedience course would be a good – initial, shared activity for Winston and his forever family. He’s a good boy and when meeting new people, he is very respectful of them. His relinquishing family had young children and since he has been in foster care, he has been around two children aged six and seven. Winston has been good with them all. His foster family confines their dogs in the back of their car and Winston has adapted well to this. He is a good, quiet passenger. 

As he get more comfortable and feeling better sure he will show more of his personality, but at this time think he is still a little unsure about what he is supposed to do. His foster mom thinks he would like a household where there is more activity and people as he likes to be involved in everything happening. He is really a good boy.