MAGGIE #18-129-3 – F, 8 Years

Gender:  Female

Age:  8 (estimated)

Color: Tri-color Llewellyn

Size: Medium height, a solid 57 lbs.

Breed: English Setter

Foster Comments: This is a sweet, good dog who has had a horrible first half of life.  She’s ready for some good years with you.  In a couple weeks, Maggie has changed so much!  She has gone from being afraid to come out of her crate and flinching whenever someone moved a hand to touch her to a tail-wagging, playful, happy dog!  It has been a remarkable transformation and whoever adopts Maggie is getting a sweet, lovely dog.  

She is very pretty; her coloring looks like a turtle sundae without the nuts.  No one took the time to train her to even sit, but she’s a smart dog, so you should be able to teach her some new tricks.  She likes soft toys and soft beds and has discovered the joy of being the dinner plate pre-washer.  We leash her up while she’s eating and she’s not had any reaction that shows food aggression.  She’s had her head in a bowl with two other dogs and didn’t have any issues.  

Good with Children: Yes!  Because she has undoubtedly been treated harshly in the past, her perfect home would have kids that are able to treat her gently.  

Good with Dogs: Yes!  She was accepted by the foster dogs quickly and lays down with them to nap.    

Good with Cats:  Probably not. The two resident cats at her foster home have moved downstairs for the duration.  Maggie goes on point when she sees them.  It doesn’t seem like she has been exposed to cats previously; she has a high prey drive and has not attended the “Cats are Friends, Not Food” meeting.  

House-trained:  Yes!  She picked this up in two weeks at the foster house.  Do remember that dogs often backtrack a little when adopted.  

Crate-trained: Yes.  She sleeps in a crate at night and goes in one when the people are gone; she settles down nicely at night, but understandably wants out when the people are home and around.  

Leash-trained: Yes.  She is a GREAT walker most of the time.  She sticks to your left side consistently.  That said, she is very birdy, so when a bird is near, hang on!  Maggie would be a good match for someone looking for a walking companion.  

Activity Level:  Medium to mellow.  She’s pretty relaxed in the house unless the cats make an appearance.  She will stay by a human just about all the time.  Now that’s she’s discovered not all two-leggers are jerks, she does not want to be left alone.  She’s found a spot next to the office chair on work-at-home days.  

Fence: A fence is always ideal with a bird dog. She could probably be trained on an electric fence.  She does not appear to be a jumper.  In her unfenced foster home, the leash was dropped and she stayed nearby, but a critter or bird might cause the typical temporary setter deafness if she gave chase.  She also did not know her name—a sign of how much past positive human contact she’s had—so she’s got a new name and is just starting to recognize it and to come when called.  

Medical History:  Maggie was part of a collection of dogs for breeding in KY.  We don’t know much about her past, but she was clearly not in a good situation.  The shelter and foster were expecting a male dog and when the breeder showed up with Maggie, he said take her or she’ll be put down when he gets her back home.  She’s got the typical sign of years of overbreeding:  sagging folds of skin on some mammary glands, though her pretty fur hides them nicely.  The vet estimates her age to be around eight.  She’s been kept in a kennel and has worn down some teeth chewing on the metal.  Since Maggie went into heat shortly after coming into rescue, she will have to be spayed after that is done.  Her vision in the dark seems to be slightly impaired though she can see birds from the deck a couple neighbors’ yards away.  Another dog coming from the same breeder was diagnosed with Progressive Retinal Atrophy, a genetic condition that initially causes night blindness and eventually progresses into total vision loss. We do not know if they were related or not.  

Besides her vision not being perfect and being successfully treated for an eye infection and fleas, she seems to otherwise be in good health.  She’s an average height but built like a tank—not overweight and strong.  That’s right ladies; she’s one of us.  She was thankfully heartworm negative and will be fully vetted and microchipped as soon as she can be spayed.

Adoption fee: $250.00

Foster Location: Madison, WI.