SMOKEY AB#17-088

Meet Smokey. He is a handsome young setter with gorgeous golden eyes.

Gender: Male
Age : 4 years - Birthday 12/17/13
Weight : 60 pounds
Height : 25” at shoulder
Color : Tri-Chestnut Belton
Breed : Llewellyn Setter

Socialization: Smokey is a strong confident dog. He is friendly and gets on well with other dogs and people. He was very interested and got a bit too fixated on my bird at first but over time as gotten use to her and she can be out of the cage with him. He seems to have a pretty high prey drive. He especially likes to chase birds in flight. He is loyal to his person and goes where you go.  He loves affection.

Good with Children: Unknown.  The only children that I’ve seen him with are at the store. He has greeted them nicely and there haven’t been any issues.  He is rambunctious and might be best with older kids.

Good with Dogs: Yes. He loves to play but doesn’t push it with the mellower dogs. He doesn’t seem to like dogs with manic energy, and will growl at them. I think he would do best in a home with another dog, but with stale energy.

Good with Cats: Unknown. He got very fixated on a neighborhood cat and tried to catch it. Though I know that he can learn to accept cats and other small animals, unless they have a good cage, like my bird, until he adjusts to them, it might be best if he was in a home without them.

Leash Trained: He works best with a Gentle Leader, and still pulls a bit on his collar. He’s a work in progress. He is strong and can pull hard. Since his beginner training he has learned loose leash walking and in intermediate he is learning to heel. It’s all pretty new to him so keeping up on the training will be necessary. He learns fast, and is very praise oriented, but treats do help.

Crate Trained: Does not like crate.  Smokey goes into his crate nicely but once in will start barking and will continue to bark for some time after. He has torn up the bed, the tray, and bent the wires in the crate.

House Trained:  Yes, he learned the doggy door on his first day and will go out on his own. He went out in the rain and in a mild thunderstorm. If another dog in the home has an accident he might mark it. I don’t know how he would be in a home without a dog door.

Energy/Activity Level: Smokey has some energy! He will patrol the fence line, chase flying birds, and just keeps going. When he comes in he settles down nicely, but he is very smart and curious about everything. He plays rough, but when playing with his person he has a soft mouth. He loves tug-of-war. He tries to present the other end of his toy to my setter so they can tug-of-war together. He does sometimes play with toys by himself and amuses himself that way. He knows sit and we are working on focus, drop it, get your toy, and leave it and he is doing well.

Fence REQUIRED: He hasn’t tried to jump over my block wall.  He is very curious about what’s on the other side and puts his feet on the wall to try and see over it. I don’t know how he would react with an invisible fence. A fence will be necessary, and an area where he can run off some energy.

Behavior: Smokey had some separation anxiety when he first arrived. Over time he has followed the lead of my dogs, who are used to my schedule, and has settled right in.

Medical History:  He is neutered, up to date on vaccines, is micro chipped, and is otherwise a healthy boy.

At 50 lbs Smokey was thin when he got here, but has a good appetite and has gained weight. He is up to 60 lbs and has maintained that weight for some months. It seems to be a good weight for him. He had ear infections when he got here and got his ears flushed daily, and had daily drops. The ears have cleared up nicely and he is good with having his ears cleaned.

Foster Comments: Smokey is a loyal and affectionate dog.  He loves to be by your side, in your lap, and if allowed on your bed.  He isn’t a licker, he did learn “give us a kiss” in training where he puts his nose against your cheek. He will let me handle his ears, feet, and tail. He is easy to brush and tolerates his shower where he gets his teeth brushed and ears cleaned. He likes to be in the kiddie pool but isn’t a swimmer (yet). We took him out to see his reaction to gunfire. Both with a .22 pistol and a shotgun he was curious and alert.  We ended with him sitting next to the shooter during shooting. He did very well and showed no signs of fear just alertness and curiosity. He isn’t overly sensitive to corrections and is a bit hard headed.

He came to me well socialized but with no real training. He now has finished beginner training and is in intermediate now. He is doing so well but is still a work in progress.  He is smart and needs something to challenge him.  He would be good in a home with other dogs. He like to play with a dog pal.  He is a barker and has a voice. Smokey went to meet a horse. At first he was curious and unsure. He didn’t rush at them or bark. We walked him with a horse and after a while he relaxed and let the horse sniff him and even nuzzle his ear. He’s a work in progress and will need practice to keep up with his training.

A note from Smokey’s trainer:  Smokey has been a pleasure to have in PetSmart’s Beginner Training Course. During the six-week program, he has developed focus in the face of distractions. He is responsive to people and greets them from a sitting position very well. He has also learned basic skills such as drop it, leave it, lay down and come when called. Since week one, his leash walking skills have dramatically improved, although he should continue working. Smokey enjoys the company of calm dogs and is interested in watching his classmates from time to time. I believe Smokey would be an amazing addition to a household where he will get a ton of praise and positive attention. He loves being pet and even gives kisses! From what I have seen, Smokey is comfortable with children and sits for petting instead of jumping. I can’t wait for him to continue his education! Julee Rosales, Pet Trainer

Adoption fee: $300.00

Dog Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Volunteer transport can be arranged in the Continental US within a 1,000 mile distance between adopters & foster home.Typically, we are able to transport your adopted dog to within 2 hours of your home.*Dogs can be adopted outside the 1000 mile transport distance; however, adopters must be willing to either fly their adopted dog, drive to a location within the 1000 mile transport range, or make independent transport arrangements for their adopted dog.