WILLOW

Gender:  Female

Age:  7-8 months

Color: Orange and White

Size:  32 lbs.  She is still growing, but doesn’t look like she’s going to be a big dog.  Would guess her to peak about 40 lbs.  

Breed: English Setter

Good with Children: Loves kids!  She is very playful and sometimes inadvertently scratches when playing and landing in her dive roll into a lap on the floor, so very little kids might not be the ideal match for a little while—though both will grow out of it.  There would be some natural competition for stuffed animals and toys left on the floor.  That said, she is currently playing in a blanket fort on a snow day with a grade school kid, so she’s definitely fun and affectionate with small people.  

Good with Dogs: Yes! She is submissive and the older foster dogs like her a lot.  

Good with Cats: Yes.  Willow is curious about the cats and backs off when they give her a warning shot.  So far, she has cautiously tried to play with cats resulting in one cat rubbing up against her and the other sending death-threats.  Willow fell asleep on a bed with the death-threat cat who stared at Willow for thirty minutes with laser beam eyes, but it didn’t wake Willow.    

House-trained:  Not quite.  She does well when taken out frequently. We had suspicions of a UTI with frequent accidents, so had a urinalysis done and it was indeed positive.  We’re not convinced the antibiotics did the job, so will retest her when she is spayed.  She does give cues when she has to go out; at our house, she runs down the stairs.  But, as she also runs down the stairs to follow the cats, it’s not always easy to know.   

Crate trained:  Yes.  She goes in quite well, especially for a treat.  She settles down when the people are going to bed, but when others are out and about, she wants to be also.  She has had one accident in her crate since arriving.  

Leash-trained:  Yes, she is a pretty good walker.  She will pull when following her nose!  She’s quite strong for her size.  She’s a little timid about new things—the garage door going up, when the flexi leash got dropped and “chased” her, she ran straight to the front door!  

Activity Level: Medium to high.  She is a very playful puppy, appropriately high-energy for her age.  She can really get going with a favorite toy, romping all over the house, and playing with her foster buddies.  But she also tires out well and takes a snooze next to the desk when foster mom is working at home.  She loves it when someone lays or sits on the floor; she rolls into them and soaks up the love.  When considering if Willow will be a good match for your household, know that the longer she is crated, the more hyper she becomes.  A work- or stay-at-home family member would be ideal for Willow.  Being crated for 8-9 hours a day would not be.  

Fence: A fence is always ideal with a bird dog. We have not tested her recall, but she is very birdy and would probably run off.  

Medical History: Willow is fully vetted for her puppy stage and microchipped. She is healthy and has pearly white teeth!  She will be spayed on February 13^th and not available for transport two weeks after post-op unless it is within a couple hours.  

Foster Comments:  Willow is sweet, affectionate, and playful.  She loves to be around people!  She was well-loved and cared for her in her first home in KY; a change in housing circumstances meant sadly that her family couldn’t keep her.  She arrived in WI during the polar vortex and snow up to her haunches.  We have made her a Midwesterner!  She loves to eat her food—and everyone else’s.  She’s working on learning that just because she can see something on the edge of the counter, does not make it hers.  She sits so well!  As soon as you start talking to her, she sits down.  Her fur is so soft and she is a seriously cuddly dog.  

A note from the foster family:  when we foster a young dog who also happens to be adorable, we are often overwhelmed with applicants, most of whom would make great home homes for a dog.  Our challenge is figuring out who we think would be the best match for the dog while also considering the environmental factor for transport.  Unfortunately, there is a nonstop flow of dogs into rescue, so please be patient waiting for the right match for you.  

Adoption fee: $395

Foster Location: Madison, WI. 

Volunteer transport can be arranged in the Continental US within a 1,000 mile distance between adopters & foster home. Typically, we are able to transport your adopted dog to within 2 hours of your home. *Dogs can be adopted outside the 1000 mile transport distance; however, adopters must be willing to either fly their adopted dog, drive to a location within the 1000 mile transport range, or make independent transport arrangements for their adopted dog. Transports to far West states, from Eastern states, may have additional restriction