OSCAR

Gender: Male
Age: ~ 2 years old (Approx date of birth 28 October 2016)
Size/Weight: ~42 lbs

Color: TriColor

Breed: English Setter Mix

Good with Children: I think Oscar would be amazing with children. He is very tolerable of the handling of his paws, tail, etc and has all of the love in the world to give. Due to his tentative and shy nature I would say children 5 years and older would maybe be best, but as long as the children are taught how to pet him without startling him I think he will be fine. 

Good with Dogs: Oscar gets along great with our two dogs, whom have an easy-going demeanor with other dogs. Oscar has encountered a dog that was not a fan of his for some reason and would place himself in another room away from that dog. He would be best in a home with easy-going dogs. He would also be fine as an only dog.

Good with Cats: Unknown, however our vet had a cat and said the manner in which he reacted to it would suggest he would probably be fine with cats. There is, of course, no way to know for sure since we don’t own one of our own. He does chase things outside like cars that drive by and birds that fly past him.

House trained: Oscar used to be a stray so potty-training is something we are working on. He does scratch at the door when he wants to go out and appears back at the door to come in. The accidents have been fewer and we just use a belly band when he is in an area that may have “other dog” scent from our dogs’ accidents that may encourage some marking. He seems to have picked up what “Go outside” means and will happily dance around with our dogs when we walk to the door. We have had no #2 accidents at all with him.

Crate trained: In his short time with us Oscar has learned what “Kennel” means. We give him a Kong toy with some frozen peanut butter as an incentive and he will place himself in the crate now for his treat and gets excited about it. When he was learning about the crate he was not thrilled with it but he would still go in if gently coaxed and does not have melt downs when in it. We recommend the treat incentive because he then goes in with no problem. He is very calm in the crate and does not exhibit any anxiety about it.

Leash trained: I would say compared to our setters walking Oscar is a dream! Although not trained on the command “heel”, Oscar walks nicely on leash with only a few tugs here and there when he is exploring. He does have an urge to bark at cars when they go by, which is also probably from being stray. Once the car is past or if you call him to you and direct him to sit and watch you, then he will stop barking. 

Activity Level: Low to average. Oscar only wants love when he is in the house and will cuddle with you on the couch as long as you will let him! He loves to lay in your lap and look at you while he gets belly rubs, or lean on you with his body while you give him scratches. On the other hand he enjoys being outside and also learning new commands (he learned sit and down with us). He is a totally chill little guy that would be fine going for a walk but OK with just staying in for most of the day too. In fact, we think the more laid back the environment the better it may be for him. The adoring gaze he gives you will melt your heart!

Fence: Physical fence with secure bottom required. Although Oscar is low energy he does really wish he were on the “other side” of those fences! He will skim the perimeter of our fence and has squeaked out twice by finding areas he could push back with his nose! He is not a “bolter” that sprints off for the hills, more a dog that just wants to mosey around and explore what there is to sniff out there! Please ensure that there are no weak areas of your fence (the bottom part) where Oscar will try to sneak out. He has not tried to climb over fences from what we have seen. 

Training/Behavior: Oscar came to us knowing his name but not much else in English. In the few weeks he has been with us he has learned sit and down. He will put himself into sit for a treat now! He is very food motivated and we feel he would be a great dog to put through some basic obedience training to learn more. 

This dog is one of the sweetest dogs we have ever met. He completely loves anyone he meets. That being said, he is a shy little boy, and sometimes needs encouragement to do even small things (such as come in from outside or going down a large set of stairs). Once his people tell him it is “safe and OK” he will then follow through. And once he does what he should just shower him with praise and he will feel so special and like such a good boy. We have learned that the longer he has stayed with us the more comfortable he has gotten and he has started taking more interest in things he initially didn’t such as playing with toys. He just needs gentle encouragement and the more he knows he is in his forever home the better he will be. 

Medical History: Oscar is healthy, UTD on all vaccinations, and is on flea/tick and heartworm prevention. He was treated for ehrlichia while in Greece, however it has been fully treated with antibiotics. He will be re-tested to make sure he no longer has this on the 22^nd of December. He could afford to put on a few pounds, but not too much more weight. He does what a small little pebble-sized pellet lodged in the inner thigh of one of his legs, which our vet believes is buckshot from shots being taken at the ground near him. It does not seem to hinder his quality of life in any way. Oscar tested negative for Leishmaniasis and like all of our rescues from Greece should be tested each year. The parasite can remain dormant in the system for many years, so potential adopters must be willing to commit to annual testing for the next 7 years.  Typically, the test needs to be sent to a special lab, but any regular vet can draw the blood and send it to the lab.  The test typically costs $120-150.

Foster Comments:
This boy is going to steal your heart! We hope you take the time to visit his adoption page on facebook (Oscar the Adoptable Dog): https://www.facebook.com/groups/2315411261802882/ . The pictures and videos in the page will really let his personality shine! He has little quirks that steal your heart, like the way he crawls across the floor to get your attention, or sometimes he will give your hand little “love nibbles” if you stopped scratching his belly. He is a complete lovebug and is just waiting for that special someone who will love him back like that. Oscar was abandoned on the streets of Greece when his owner moved, we hope he is able to find a home that will show him they will never leave his side.  

The only things we would caution is when you initially adopt Oscar keep a close eye on him in the fenced yard, even after a few weeks. He has shown some interest in counter surfing, however takes re-direction well. He also LOVES playing with clothes (he grabs my hat when I try to put it on, will nibble on socks when they are still on your feet, etc), however just a gentle “ouch!” or some redirection and he is fine with that too! They smell like you and he LOVES you!

Whoever adopts Oscar is in for a lifetime of love and companionship.

Adoption Fee: $300.00

Foster Location: Sauk City, WI