Gender: Male
Age: approximately 2 years old
Size/Weight: tall, 55 lbs.
Color: orange and white with very light body spots
Breed: English Setter/Lab mix
Socialization/training: Orestis does not appear to have had any training; however, has surprisingly adjusted extremely well to living in a house. In the short time I have had him, I have really only been focusing on him becoming acclimated to living in the house but he shows promise and is very intelligent and willing to please. He would definitely benefit from consistent training with basic commands.
In regards to socialization, from what I understand he was previously living with a large group of other dogs and because of that he is very patient, friendly, and extremely playful with all my resident dogs, cats, and loves all people!
Good with Children: Yes - I wouldn’t question him around any age child in regards to aggression (he has absolutely none) but I would be hesitant for him to be around younger toddlers unsupervised because he’s a big boy, and he doesn’t quite yet understand his size. He does jump on me when I get home from work, very gently I may add, to give hugs and greet me. He also does this with my 11 year old son - so I would recommend ages 10+
Good with Dogs: Yes - he is currently in my home with two resident male labs, and my 1 year old 18 lb. Boston Terrier. He is amazing with all of them. He came into the home very laid back, never showed any signs of aggression behavior wise, with food, or with toys. Recently I did introduce another dog into the home for a playdate/visit. He was unsure for about 5 minutes, and then relaxed completely and went back to his normal playful self. I believe he has just become comfortable in the home and wanted to make sure the new dog was safe. He again, did not show any aggression - but became alert.
Good with Cats: Yes. I’ve never had an issue with my resident cat; but please note my kitty is very dog savvy. Orestis showed natural interest and a little fascination with kitty at first, but they became very relaxed around each other in a matter of days, and I will often find them snuggling or hugging.
House trained: 98% - Orestis has actually surprised me with how minimally I had to work in this area with him. He did mark a few times for the first few days, but taking into consideration his long trip here and introduction to other dogs in an unfamiliar environment - it’s to be expected. Every now and then he has an accident but again, I don’t even know if I can count on one hand how few times this has happened. He does go to the door now when he wants to go out.
Crate trained: No. Orestis does not like that crate and I did not force it on him because he has proven he’s able to be left alone unsupervised in the house when I go to work all day, and he roams free at night. He in this time, has never had an accident - I just make sure doors are shut and I put a baby gate up to the kitchen and he’s totally fine. I haven’t felt the need to push any more on crating.
Leash trained: Orestis needs some work in this area, but I’ve seen huge improvements. When he first came here he really just didn’t want to walk on the leash. He would sit, and not budge. I’m not sure what his issue is with it. He does not pull, tug, or jump - he just, parks himself sometimes and isn’t sure what to do. He does not respond to pulling, and just needs encouragement and a few kind words. Milk bones work wonders too 🙂 As he has become more comfortable he’s gotten much, much better. I have good luck with him on a retractable leash. It allows him enough room to not feel so shorted, and he responds much better.
Activity Level: Orestis is very laid back and also very playful. He is a wonderful balance of both. He does like to go outside and play with the dogs, but he burns off energy quick and then morphs into couch potato mode. He is not high energy or unmanageable in any way, and I believe will easily transition into a forever home without concerns in this area.
Fence: I tried Orestis on the invisible fence, and he just does not know how to deal with it. I don’t believe this is the best option for him and would prefer to see him go to a home with a fenced in yard, or active and committed owner that would dedicate walking and play time for him. I have a smaller fenced in area that he freely goes in, he does not jump the fence, and he does not dig. He is very well behaved. I also have a very large property of open yard which I tried the invisible fence on him and for now he does get a little preoccupied with sights and smells and will not come back. He doesn’t run off, he just chooses to ignore me - though he does stay in the area. I have tried him out on a nice long lead in the open yard as well to allow him to still be able to play with my dogs who are off leash and he does not like it.
Behavior: Orestis is a beautiful balance of independent and a cuddle bug. When he first came to me, he had a period of adjustment where he didn’t like to have me out of his sight. He would prefer to go where I went - but as he’s become comfortable he is now a master of his domain. Some nights he goes out on the couch in the living room and sleeps, and some nights he loves to come in bed and snuggle on the pillow right next to me all night long. Other times I catch him on the dog bed snoozing away. He makes use of all his options and shares all his space well with the other dogs.
When I come home from work Orestis loves to give me hugs. He does jump up gently, which I am working on - but it’s just his way of saying hello and loves the attention. He also loves to give lots of kisses when he’s happy or cuddling! He truly is a sweetheart and a love bug.
Medical History: Orestis is neutered, up-to-date on all his vaccines, micro chipped, and up-to-date on flea/tick preventative. He has a clean bill of health from the rescue, and a double check with my vet verified this.
*Orestis originates from Greece where Leishmaniasis is endemic. He has tested negative, but Leishmaniasis can remain dormant in the system for many years, so the potential adopter must be willing to commit to having him tested annually for the next 7 years.
Foster Comments: Orestis has been nothing less than an easy foster - if not the easiest I’ve had. His laid back attitude, and warm nature will make him a wonderful addition to any family/individual. I think he would do well with having a companion though as it seems he has always been with other fur siblings and he just loves to play.
I keep an abundance of toys for him in the house, because he does like to chew. I lost a few shoes as that seems to be his preference, so I make sure to keep all shoes in my closet, and doors closed. As long as I dog proof the home, shut doors, and put things away - again I leave him all day when I go to work and he does not chew anything. He loves sharing toys with my little Boston and plays nicely with them.
He does have an issue with counter/table surfing. I have been trying to work diligently on this with him. I can’t leave anything out on the counter or table - he just can’t help himself. He is tall and able to easily reach my counters and table but also will jump up to get things. If I make sure to have things off the counter and out of his reach I don’t have an issue, but it is something to keep in mind and probably the biggest thing he needs to work on. Other than that, food wise, he takes treats very gently and is a polite boy with sharing his space to eat with the other dogs.
Lastly, I’ll mention - he does bark at unknown sounds and this seems to be getting better with adjustment. He sees deer in my back field through the windows, and that is new to him so I do shut the curtains at night. He will also bark if he thinks someone is knocking on the door or if he hears a neighboring dog bark. I calm him and try to distract him, but he definitely improves as time goes on. Please keep in mind there’s always an adjustment period with new sounds in an unknown home.
I’ve had this lovely boy for just about a month. I am confident that he has so much more opportunity for growth and adjustment and I am just in amazement with how long his journey was to come into rescue, at his ability to adapt. I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing his personal growth and appreciation for being in the home. He’s a sweet soul, who loves ear rubs, and companionship. He will be an easy adoption.
Adoption fee: $300.00
Foster Location: Boonville, NY
In most cases volunteer transport is available for your adopted dog to within 2 hours of your home.
