AMSTEL

Foster dog name:  AMSTEL  (yes, like the beer)

Gender:  Male (Neutered May 2015)

Age:  7 years young (DOB: Oct. 7^th 2011)

Size/Weight:   57 pounds 

Color:  Peppered – mostly white with black speckles (and caramel speckles on mouth and legs)

Breed:  English Setter

Socialization/training:  He loves humans…all ages, all sizes, male or female!  He approaches them very excitedly when on a walk, but does not jump up on them.  He knows:  Sit, Come, Cookie, Kiss.  He needs work on:  Stay, Heel, Back-up.  

Good with Children:  Super!  Loves Children!  Before Amstel came to live with me, his foster mom, he spent a short time at another home.  The picture with the little boy, and it’s title, says it all!

Good with Dogs:  YES!  Amstel is non-confrontational.  He does not get in the other dogs’ face.  He is more reserved and cautious.  Currently he is living with 10 other dogs of various sizes and breeds … has no “issues” with any of them … very easy going.  Amstel has been invited to “play” on several occasions by different members, but has not taken anyone up on the offer.  When his owner passed away, Amstel was brought in with another dog, a female setter.  But it appeared they were not bonded and thus went their separate ways. 
I believe Amstel would do fine living with one other dog…or two.  Here’s the PERFECT thing:  Amstel is super with all of my dogs and foster dogs.  But it is at night, after I have put everyone else in their kennels, and Amstel and I head off to my room for bed (BTW Amstel is a great sleeping buddy).  Once I shut the door the true “puppy Amstel” comes out!  We play with toys!  We wrestles!  He fetches!  We have “What’s under the covers?” playtime (you know, I put my hands under the covers and then he trys to “get’em.”)  He is such a love bug when he is with humans only.  [FYI:  It takes 7 dogs of my own to fill my heart … with Amstel, I could do it with just him alone!]  He would thrive with a family … especially one with kids!  He is the perfect family dog.  Loves his humans!!

Good with Cats:  Yes/Unknown.  He shows absolutely no interest in my “cat-dog” ( you know, a cat that thinks it’s a dog.)  Morgan lives in a three level cage in the dining room – right in the middle of all of the action – and Amstel could care less.    

House trained:  YES!  But even perfect dogs can have an accident.  He has been with me two months and had one accident - - - because I got home 2 hours later than normal.  I do not blame that accident on him!

Crate trained:  YES!  He goes in on command.  He prefers a soft cushy bed under him rather than the hard plastic floor.  And he stays quiet unless he has to pee.  Then all you hear is a soft whining.

Leash trained:  Ok…so he is not “PERFECT.”  He does pull when on leash and needs some training.  I am 52 yrs young and live where the sidewalks are icy … so I have had to use a rounded tip pinch collar when we go walking.  With that I can walk both him and myself safely.  But, for his own good and for bonding purposes, I would highly recommend an obedience class.

Activity Level:  He is an English setter … what more needs to be said?  Note:  He does not run around the backyard like some of my other setters do.  But take him for a walk and his energy shines!  He will need/want a healthy walk or two every day.

Fence:  “Personally,” I think for the safety of any dog there should at least be a chain link fence.  But I would not call Amstel a flight risk.  He could easily be trained to respect an invisible fence.  I have a privacy fence.  OK….again, he is not “PERFECT”.  I don’t know why, but Amstel loves to bark if left alone in the backyard.  And I mean a constant bark … so when I leave the house for a few hours he gets to hang out in the bedroom.  If I lived in the country I wouldn’t care … but I have neighbors, so we adjust.

Behavior:  Loyal.  Loving.  Obedient.  Playful when he is the only dog around.  He likes to “talk” to you … grumble, rumble when I trim his nails, or wash his feet, or clean his ears, or wipe his eyes … I just grumble, rumble right back at him --- his tail just wags!  OH, and once he gets comfortable with you, after a few weeks, he might start to be a bit bossy around dinner time … especially if you are running late!  He starts whoo, whooing, at me!  So I asked him, “You got a problem with me?” Whooooo, whoooo!  I love it!

Medical History:  Up to date!

Foster Comments:  He is the closest thing to perfect I have seen in my life.  Like I wrote, I could live quite happily with him and him alone!  (That says a lot to me.)  No, he is not “PERFECT”, but he is sweet…gentle…a constant shadow…a loving companion…a great furry body for a child to hug after a hard day at school…a great furry body for an adult to hug after a hard day at living!!...a snuggler for when you are catching up on TV…a perfect furry body of love!!  And, if you want, he gives nice kisses!

Adoption Fee: $250.00