Rusty 13-017 [1]

We have the great pleasure of fostering Rusty. Rusty's family just didn't have enough time for him, so they decided it would be in his best interest to find a family that could give him more. I know it was a difficult decision for them. To his surrendering family, Rusty is doing just great!

Rusty is a precious, loving boy and quite the leaner. He loves to push his head into your legs ... even better if he can push his head between your legs. He will stand like that for as long as you let him. It was thought he wasn't very good with other male dogs; however, what we have found is that Rusty has a bear-like grumble. If you're not sure what is happening, it might seem like a growl. But, he does not raise his lip, he does not lunge or attack, he does not give a hard stare or stiff stance, and his ears are not laid back, which would all indicate an aggressive behavior. Instead, what we have found is that this is him talking. Having said all that, it is best to let him meet new dogs slowly and not in an "in your face" kind of way. It is not normally a good idea to introduce too many things to a new foster; however, we decided to test the waters and took Rusty to a RAGOM event. As expected, Rusty grumbled and we kept him at a distance from the rest of the dogs to allow him time to just watch and walk around. I should also say Rusty was not used to using a Gentle Leader and it's something we prefer. So, the poor boy had to get used to a Gentle Leader along with seeing several dogs. Why did we decide to do this?? Well, mainly because Foster Mom wanted to stop in and say hi to fellow volunteers, but, I was also curious how Rusty would handle seeing other dogs, especially since he would be living with two in our house. I was very happy with his behavior. Of course, there were a couple "NO" moments and Rusty didn't like the Gentle Leader; but, within 1 hour he was laying on the floor in the middle of the pack and walking up and down the aisles with Foster Dad with no pulling.

Introductions at home were a little less enjoyable. Our Pepper Anne and Rusty didn't immediately see eye to eye. This was very strange - (1) Pepper Anne is a female and we didn't expect an issue with her, and, (2) Pepper Anne has welcomed many other dogs into our home. We recently lost our more dominant female, so possibly Pepper Anne decided to play the part. Interestingly, we had no issues with our male. We normally take all dogs for a walk before having everyone come into the house; however, Foster Mom is on crutches so that could have also been a factor during introductions. Needless to say, within 20 minutes everyone was in the house and there were no other major issues. I am a firm believer that all toys be put away for the first several days, allowing the dogs to just settle in. Rusty did need several days to settle down, but he was used to being an only dog and now had to be part of a pack. I am happy to say all is going well.

I have even started to reintroduce toys and there have been no big problems. OK, well, maybe two ... Rusty is very strong and soft toys will not last long with this boy (I think we have 5 casualties so far) and Rusty isn't sure how to share, so we're working on that. All in all, I think he's doing great!

Now for the other stuff - Rusty is 3 years old with a birthday in May. At Rusty's vet appointment, he weighed 73 pounds but should be 65-68 pounds. Rusty is house trained, neutered, heartworm negative, up to date on all shots, negative on his fecal test, and overall in good health. Rusty has very dry, flaky skin, so we have switched him to Taste of Wild Salmon, a grain-free diet. We are hoping the extra omega fatty acids will improve his coat and skin. He lived with a small child and a cat with no problems. Rusty might need a fenced yard because he will wander off, but he is so smart he could probably be boundary trained. They said he will try to climb a chain link fence but we have not experienced that. Rusty does have one issue, he had a seizure in January 2012 and his previous vet put him on medication. He gets 2 pills per day, 1 AM and 1 PM, and the pills are very inexpensive. I know for a lot of people this will be scary and some people will even turn away from a dog with this condition. However, did you know, approximately 50% of all dogs will experience a seizure some time in their life. I have had two of my own go through a seizure. I can tell you that he has not had a seizure since January 2012 and he has not had one since being in our home. What I can tell you is he is just a cuddly teddy bear.

Rusty would defiantly enjoy being a lap dog, which has presented a problem for Foster Mom. Our boy, Brody, loves to lay on Mom's lap from 7:00 - 9:00 every night. Rusty decided last night it should be his turn and took over Brody's spot. There were no arguments between the boys, it's just Rusty is a bit heavier on my lap. Rusty also likes to rest his head on your legs when you're sitting in a chair .... so cute.

If you think you might be the right family, contact your Placement Advisor and we can talk.