PATCH AB#18-037-1

Patch #18-037 – M, 4 years (Special Needs)

Gender: Neutered Male 

Age: 4 years (DOB 2-13-14) 

Size/Weight: 44 lbs

Color: Black and White

Breed: Patch is a purebred DNA'd English Setter and is registered with  American Field Stud Dog.

Socialization/training: Patch and his sister were rescued from a hunter because they wouldn't point. He is extremely sweet and loves attention. The first few days in foster care were stressful for Patch as he had never been in a house before, but he came through with flying colors. He has gone from not being able to go up even one step to bounding up and down stair cases. He cringed when anyone came too near or waved their arms and now he hops right up on the couch next to you or leans real hard on you to have his ears rubbed. He would happily submit to being rubbed all day. All the household noises that we all take for granted were at first very scary to Patch and he is now loving being a family dog. Every day he is becoming happier and more confident and shows it with a non-stop tail wagging.

Patch is wonderful at night. With the command, "Load", he gets right into his crate and snuggles down for the night (of course, he would prefer to sleep on the bed!). The foster family has his crate in their room because he is very  timid and they want him to be reassured that people are near at all times. He also knows ,"Come", and, in usual setter style, will come right away unless there is a bird involved, then he pretend he can't hear. He loves his birds and wants to sit outside watching them. Right now we are working on adjusting to family life, commands to come and sit, and building trust. He was scared of his first bath ever, but then he realized that it felt pretty good and loved the towel rub after. He's had many since. He really is a great dog and is starting to show his true personality. He sits in his dog bed with his front legs crossed and talks to us with a little Setter "roo". He's developing a really funny personality and will steal things from your pocket if you aren't paying attention. He has a huge basket of toys and likes to spread them around the room and chew on each one.

 Good with Children: Unknown, we don’t have any. The foster family is recommending that Patch be placed in a home without young children. The first four years of his life were pretty awful and he can be timid with fast movements and loud noises. He is afraid when you chase him. Older, sympathetic children that understand what he has gone through would be fine, he's really very gentle. 

Good with Dogs: Yes, the foster family has two young dogs of their own that he absolutely loves. We would prefer him to be placed in a home with another dog to help build his confidence and show him the ropes. 

Good with Cats: Unknown.

House trained: He wasn't when he arrived. No accidents in quite a while, but you have to pick up on his clues to know when he needs to go out.

Crate trained: Very well crate trained. That said, he needs to have someone home with him so he doesn't have to go back to living in a crate all day. He needs  a lot of time interacting with his new family to bond with them and become better socialized. Leaving him alone all day would not good for him.

Leash trained: Walks nicely on a leash unless he's sees birds or chipmunks, then he pulls.

Activity Level: Playful. He’s a young dog with fairly high energy level. Just like a puppy, he is tasting a lot of household items that he's never seen before. His adoptive family should be able to give him regular short  walks and off leash play time every day.

Fence:  Patch needs a fenced in yard. He loves to be outside so he can watch the birds. He is a hunter so he cannot be let out off leash unless he is in a fenced in area.

Behavior:  Patch loves cookies, meals, fried eggs, ice cream, going to the beach to meet other dogs, and car rides. He loves to copy whatever his foster dog siblings are doing and wants to be a part of family activities. He follows his foster mom all day long. Patch is blooming and it's fun to see him learn new things. He didn't bark at all the first few weeks, but the more confident and comfortable he gets  the more he is barking to alert us to any strange noises outside.

Medical History:  Patch was recently neutered, has had all his vaccinations, and is heartworm negative. He is small and was emaciated when rescued, weighing in at 36 pounds. He now weighs almost 44 pounds. Some of his tail and leg fur was orange from urine burn caused by being left in a crate. The orange fur is shedding and he will be pure black and white in a few months.  With good nutrition, his coat is starting to come in and is starting to look very white and silky. 

Unfortunately, Patch may have lifelong issue with his left eye. Part of the eyelid on his left eye was missing and caused irritation and infection. He has recently had an operation to correct this, which was successful, but there is still a lot of redness and tearing and we are trying different meds to alleviate that. In light of this, his adopter should be comfortable with administering eye drops. Patch will be going in the week of July 16th to have his tear duct repaired, this may eliminate his need for eyedrops.

Patch has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia in the right hip from an accident. We are trying anti-inflammatory meds to alleviate his limp. At a later point, surgery may be necessary. His daily activities are normal but he will not be a dog that can go hiking or running. His weight will always have to be kept in check as to not irritate his hip. Patch's hip medications run roughly 100.00 per month.

Foster Comments: 
If you are looking for a new best buddy and you are kind and soft spoken, then Patch is your man! He loves to go anywhere with you, especially in the car. Unbelievably cute with a wonderful sweet, sweet setter personality, four year old Patch loves any attention he can get. Gentle, loving kindness is all Patch needs to become your best friend and best dog ever! Did we mention how cute he is?

Foster Location: Cape Neddick, Maine

Adoption Fee: $100.00 (special needs adoption)