FLIP

FLIP (aka Flipper)

Gender: Male

AGE: 2+ years

Size/Weight: 42 lbs. (still underweight but catching up)

Color: Black and Gray

Breed: English Setter

Good with Children: Flip has been living with our two children in his foster home (5 and 8 years old) and his sweet and gentle personality has extended to his interaction with them.  He responds to their attempts at training, takes treats in a very gentle manner, isn’t protective or aggressive with food or toys in any way and generally plays with the children in an appropriate manner.

Good with Dogs: Flip has not been living with other dogs at his foster home but has been an excellent playmate with both of the dogs he has spent most of his time with.  One of those dogs is a very sweet but determined, 6-month old Australian Shepherd, and the other is a miniature Goldendoodle. In both cases, Flip has been very appropriate in his play with each dog.  With the Australian Shepherd, they wrestle and chase each other to the point where we make them take a break to get a drink of water. And with the miniature Goldendoodle he chases her around the yard but is not as physical with her as he is with is Aussie playmate and has shown no signs of dominant behavior or aggressiveness.  With dogs at the park, on walks, and in other public places, Flip has shown more signs of indifference to those dogs rather than needing to meet and greet each passerby.

Good with Cats: Flip has been living with three adult cats and two foster kittens at his foster home and has been really great with them.  He likes to smell the cats and he loves to try to initiate play with the two adult cats that go outside with him, but they have generally not been very receptive to his overtures.  He will chase squirrels and chipmunks in the yard, so he is not entirely immune to chasing smaller creatures, but for the most part, he has been very respectful of our cats’ space when they let him know they don’t want to play.

House Trained: Work in progress.  As the weather has gotten warmer, he has spent more time in our fenced in backyard and we have begun to train him to poop in a certain area of the yard.

Crate Trained:  To our surprise, Flip has happily slept every night since arriving at our house in his crate.  He has also spent time in his crate during the day if we have something planned that we can’t take him to.  We have crated him while we are at home and if we stay in the house for a few minutes after crating him and before leaving, he will start to bark.  Otherwise we have been incredibly impressed by his willingness to go into the crate and spend time there happily.

Good on Leash: Considering how little time Flip spent on a leash before arriving at his foster home, he does very well.  He definitely pulls if you have him on a short leash, but he does respond to gentle suggestion and gets better the farther you go. He loves to go for walks and will walk as long as you are willing.  He has also gone on some short runs with us and again, for very little training, he did a fantastic job. I think with some more time; he will be both a great walking and perfect running companion.

Activity Level: Medium.  Like most English Setters, Flip likes to be with people and wants to do whatever they are doing.  We have been very active as a family since he has been with us, and Flip has been willing to do everything we are doing…as long as he has time to rest and take a nap afterward.  

Fence:  Strongly recommended.  Flip has a large fenced-in yard at his foster home and loves to roam and run.  The first day he arrived, he showed that he has the ability to climb a 3-foot fence, so a higher fence would be preferred, but as he has gotten more comfortable at his foster home, he has not tried to climb the fence to escape.  He will escape from an open gate and has the tendency to run if you are not right with him. I would expect that this will change with time after more trust is built between he and his adopted family, but for now you have to be very vigilant about not having him off-leash, in an unmonitored situation where he can get out.    

Training/Behavior:  Flip is an extremely sweet boy and likes to lean on his people and share a lap.  He is an extremely good-natured dog and has not shown any signs at all of aggressive/territorial/possessive behavior.  He loves people of all ages; has gotten along with all types of dogs he has met and has been respectful of and playful with the cats he shares his foster house with.

Flip is still learning to focus on his people for direction but needs more work on coming when he is called.  He has made very good progress on the basics of sit, stay and lie down in a very short period of time and has always been very good at not jumping up on strangers when he first meets someone.  He will jump up during active play and in the kitchen to see what is on countertops.

Medical History:  Flip is a happy and healthy boy and is up to date on his vaccinations.  When he first came to Above and Beyond, he was completely emaciated - he had been kenneled with another more dominant dog who was eating all the food. His owner was getting divorced and didn’t take care of him, so a local rescuer asked if we could take him.  He tested positive for heartworm when he was sheltered in Greece and completed his treatment in February of 2019 and has been on heartworm preventative medication since. Flip stayed at the kennel in Athens for months completing his heartworm treatment and getting strong enough to travel to the USA. He has been neutered and chipped and is on Advantix flea/tick prevention.  Since arriving in the USA Flip has put on a significant amount of weight, but still needs to put on 5 or more pounds.

Flip was rescued from the area of Schinias/Marathonas where Leishmaniasis is endemic.  He tested negative before coming to the U.S., but the parasite can remain dormant in the system for many years, so potential adoptive families must be willing to commit to annual testing for the next 7 years.  The test needs to be sent to a special lab, but any vet can draw the blood and send off to the lab. The cost of the test varies widely by vet and by area but averages around $150.

Foster Comments:  Flip is a gentle and good-natured dog that just wants to be hugged and loved.  He also happens to be a beautiful boy with a striking color combination and distinctive markings.  He is a big leaner and will nuzzle against you for endless hugs, pets and scrubs. He also loves to roll over to encourage belly and chest rubs.  At two years old, Flip still has some playful puppy in him. He loves to play with toys and his people and enjoys sprinting around the back yard in figure eights.  He seems to be up for any activity as long as he is with his family. He loves to go for long walks and has enjoyed some short runs, thus far up to 5k. Flip seems to really enjoy riding in the back of the car and has no problem settling in for a long drive or a quick trip around the neighborhood.

While his energy level is moderate and he likes to be active, Flip is also able to settle in and has been a willing and quiet office companion when I have taken him to work.  At times, Flip still exhibits a very submissive and hesitant nature that is a residual behavior from his difficult history in Greece. That gentle and submissive nature also makes him very compatible with other dogs, cats and children.

Flip will be happiest with a family that wants their dog to be an additional member of the family.  A family that wants to and is able to take Flip with them on as many of their adventures as possible will be getting an incredible family dog and companion.  While he does extremely well in his crate, and is happy to sleep in his crate at night, I don’t think he would do well if we were required to be in the crate for a significant part of every day.  And because he doesn’t do well off-leash at this point, a family with a fenced-in yard where he can get plenty of exercise is highly recommended.

Adoption Fee: $300

Foster Location: Louisville, KY