by Kirstan » Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:40 pm
Well, that's SO NICE!! Thank you to you all for well wishes to him. He is a lovely, lovely dog. We've had him listed for a long time. We've gotten some hits on him, though not as many as you'd think... but nothing of substance for THIS dog. Some of the people have been better fits for some other dogs in our program or other programs or for different breeds and we've steered them in that direction. It's been our great pleasure to have Chaney with us even though it's been a long time.
He's been intro'd to different cats both outside and inside (same cat, different places) and other cats at friends houses, he's wonderful with other appropriately behaved dogs, small OR large (so far) and is amazing with kids. His challenge is learning to walk without pulling but that's it! Oh, he can't swim in rivers worth a damn. Lifejacket with a long line required for a river with Chaney.
His innumerable strengths outnumber most I run across - he's completely wonderful... there is nothing more I can say. He's been a love with everyone though this last meet and greet he did not want to be away from his foster mom at all. He couldn't figure out why his foster dog sister wasn't with him on his walk so he was distracted - they weren't the people I'd pick for a pitbull anyway and had no idea pitbulls were 'so muscular with such big heads' though they said they had a pit mix (didn't from what I could tell) and had breed experience through volunteer work done at a local humane society. It could be that people who look at him see a dog bonded with someone else and think that he won't bond that tightly with them, I'm not sure. He bonds easily and quickly. It's not his style to be 'in your face' all the time. He has been taught not to maul people with his body or tongue since we have all had the therapy dog title or the Reading with Rover title in our sights for him and they are not supposed to cover people in saliva or knock into people. We have worked so hard on getting him to learn to not jump on people but that seems to be what people are looking for right now... confusing. He's well behaved, is housetrained, is great with kids and animals (so far on the animals), great about respectfully going about his business in the house and not begging at dinner, great when sleeping (no super loud snoring and no bedhogging), great hiking, camping, going to other people's houses, riding in cars, good with his nail trims, baths, eager to learn, smart, and has potential oozing from every hair follicle. We've been picky, believe that, but not hard. We want him to go to someone who understands and believes in his potential - you run across dogs like him so rarely anymore. He's got it all but some people don't. They want a housepet and he can do so much more - I feel we owe it to him to home him somewhere where those traits will be recognized. He's a 'total dog' in the making. He'll be an agility whiz, obedience darling, therapy dog, CGC... seriously, he's just that great. I have hopes for him this weekend, we'll see.
Wish him luck - his foster home will have a hell of a time letting him go.
).
<---for Chaney. I wish dogs like him would make the evening news...
