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Adopt

My name is Joe!

Posted over 8 years ago

My basic info

Breed
Cocker Spaniel
Color
Tan/Yellow/Fawn
Age
Senior
Size
Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg) (when grown)
Weight
Sex
Male
Pet ID
PDR265

My details

Alert icon Not good with kids
Checkmark in teal circle Good with dogs
Checkmark in teal circle Good with cats
Checkmark in teal circle Purebred
Checkmark in teal circle Shots current
Checkmark in teal circle Spayed / Neutered
Checkmark in teal circle Housetrained
Checkmark in teal circle Has special needs

My story

Here's what the humans have to say about me:

Hey everyone, here’s Joe, as in Joe Cocker! Joe is a beautiful, tan, 8 year old Cocker Spaniel. He weighs 40 lbs. and is medium sized. Joe came to us from a rural pound where he was left as an unclaimed stray. How anyone could abandon dear Joe is beyond our belief. Joe was in rough shape and needed a lot of TLC and some great vet care, but he has transformed in to the most beautiful older guy and he is now ready to find love and a wonderful forever home. Joe is a complete doll of a dog and has the most affectionate and loving personality. He will be a wonderful companion for someone looking for a devoted companion that has a lot of spunk but it past the crazy younger dog years.

Joe is a mature dog who is laid back and settled in the home but has plenty of energy to get out for a good walk. Joe is a very happy dog who loves to go for walks or sit beside you on the couch. He’ll come when he is called and also knows how to sit for a cookie. He’s very quiet and calm in the house. He sleeps in his crate at night with no problem. He snoozes in the crate during the day and gathers his treasures (toys) all around him. Joe is very affectionate and loves all attention given to him. He will be a snuggle buddy for those evenings of TV watching or reading.

Joe will need weekly brushing and to go to the groomer every few months to keep his Cocker trim tidy. He’s fully house trained and will sit or stare at the door to let you know he wants to go out. He has been trained to go to the door. Joe would enjoy 1 or 2 good walks per day. He absolutely loves his walks and will need a person/people to ensure he gets out daily for a good walk. When it’s time for a walk, Joe will stand in front of the door staring at it and wagging his little tail, all ready to go. A secure fenced in yard would be ideal for Joe for potty breaks, but he would also do well in an apartment with regular outings.

Joe loves all kinds of toys and will pick them up and take them back to his crate when he comes across them. He also enjoys a good game of tug of war with his foster brother Jester and holds his own quite well. Joe rides very well in a car. He prefers to sit in the front seat and look out the window. If it’s a long ride he’ll settle down on the seat. He would be a great travel companion and is a nice size to go along with you wherever you would like to go.

Joe is very friendly and likes everyone. He is very easy going and loves to be loved. Massage his back or armpit or stroke his neck or scratch his chest, he loves it all. Joe is being fostered with two other dogs and two cats and he gets along with everyone. He would be fine in a home with another calm, mature dog, or he would be equally happy being the only dog and getting all of the love to himself. If in a home with another dog his family will need to understand that he needs to hoard his toys in his crate, it’s his thing, and it brings him comfort. Should the other family dog approach while his is in his crate with his cache of treasures the other dog will get a warning snarl to go away. Joe is not aggressive; he just wants privacy from other dogs in his crate with his treasures.

Anyone considering Joe needs to be aware that he is nearly blind and will eventually be totally blind. Joe has obvious cataracts so we took him to an eye specialist for an exam hoping to be able to help him recover his sight. Ends up the specialist discovered he has retinal atrophy and the cataracts are secondary to that. There is nothing that can be done for him to help him regain sight. The good news is, Joe gets along wonderfully and for the most part you wouldn’t be aware that he doesn’t see. Joe is not in any pain and is a happy and outgoing dog that doesn’t know that he has a disability so he doesn’t let his lack of sight stop him. Living with a visually impaired dog is much easier than you would think and takes a few precautionary steps to ensure a safe living environment for Joe. We use scent marking to alert Joe to where the stairs and doors are. We do this by using vanilla scent and putting it on the door at Joe’s level, or hanging a tea towel with vanilla scent on the door handle. We also mark the stairs with scent as well to alert him. It is also advised with blind dogs to teach them words like “curb” and “stairs” and every time he comes upon one of these objects you say the word and the dog associates the word with the object and learns that he needs to step down or step up etc. It is truly amazing what dogs can learn and how adaptable they are. Anyone considering Joe needs to be willing to work with him to help him adjust to their home as a blind dog. Keeping the furniture layout consistent and blocking off long flights of stairs are important for safety. Also, never letting him out unattended or off leash in an unfenced area is crucial. Joe could easily wander off and get lost. Joe adapted to his foster home very quickly and we have no doubt that he will adapt just as quickly to an adoptive home. He won’t be suitable for a home that has a pool or pond in the rear yard that he would have access to unless monitored every time he goes out. And a home with many long flights of stairs wouldn’t be ideal either. He can do stairs but we just don’t want to risk him falling down a long flight, so a walk up apartment setting won’t be ideal. But other than that Joe could adapt to pretty much any home environment. He really is a remarkable dog. When you see him running around his foster home and playing you realize how little dogs rely on their sight and how well they do without it.

Because Joe has vision impairment he startles when things approach quickly or sneak up on him. His family will need to learn to call his name when approaching him to let him know that they are there, especially if he is sleeping. And if you need to take his dish or toys away from him you will need to let him know that you are there as well so that he isn’t startled by the sudden removal of his things. Talking to Joe and giving him plenty of auditory interaction lets him use his hearing to adjust to things, just like scent marking the home allows his to use his sense of smell. We will be looking for a home for Joe that is calm and quiet. He will get too confused by a busy or hectic home with lots of people coming and going or little kids running around. We will be looking for an adult home for Joe or one with teenage kids who can understand Joe’s needs. Joe is extremely friendly and will love to have children pet him out on walks, but he needs a controlled, calm home to flourish in and allow him to live his best life.

All Pound Dog Rescue dogs are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, heartworm tested, dewormed (if required), and microchipped prior to adoption. The adoption donation of $400 is applied to assist in the costs of veterinary care and the overall care of the dog. For more information and adoption applications please consult our website at www.pounddog.ca.

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