Size
(when grown) Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg)
Details
Not good with cats,
Spayed or Neutered,
Story
Hi! I'm Crystal. I'm from Kentucky.
Crystal is a sweet, easy-going and happy girl! She has a beautiful gray, black and caramel-colored coat, and is a healthy, energetic pup. She is able to chill inside the house and hang out by me when I'm working. She loves to be outside, loves swimming, and playing fetch. She has ONE favorite pink squeaky ball that she keeps by her side. She loves our daily walks, and we are working on her leash skills. She pulls at the start of the walk due to her excitement, but as we hit our stride she settles in. She is curious and friendly, and wants to inspect any human we pass by. Her nose is incredible. It is constantly working, and I think she would excel at scent work as well as agility.
As for other dogs, Crystal shows interest, but if we're out on a walk, we keep moving along. If another dog runs up to us, she is cautious. If she perceives a threat, she will growl. If she perceives a friend, she will wag her tail. In both cases, she's not super interested in the dog, preferring to keep going. She is living with my resident dog who is a larger, submissive male. He is easily bossed around by her, and the two follow one another around and lie by one another. But neither initiates play with the other. They are both herders, and each one pays the most attention to me.
In her forever home, Crystal would do well as an only dog or paired with a submissive dog. She has had little exposure to kids. She tolerates them but does not engage with them, and prefers to stick close to you. She would do best with older, dog-savvy kids who will respect her space, and who will not be knocked over if she tries to herd them or block their path.
She recently started taking daily desmopressin eyedrops - one drop in the morning in one eye, and one drop in the evening in the other eye. The medication costs about $29/month. Its purpose is to help keep her urine concentrated. Her condition of diabetes insipidus causes her system to flush urine out of her bladder sooner than it should. (See below for the veterinarian's more technical explanation. Also, feel free to google "diabetes insipidus for more info.) The desmopressin makes up for the too-low or absent hormone that helps keep her urine from becoming too diluted. When she is not on the medication, she will *sometimes* urinate a small amount, usually when she's sleeping hard. She does not urinate in her kennel, or when she's just lounging around. The vet has dialed in the right eyedrop dose for Crystal, and she has come to like the whole routine around it. Of course it involves getting a treat afterward. And it gives us one more chance to do a little training - either sit, down, shake, wait, etc., which she also loves. She is skilled at getting over to the treat cupboard in record time, right after getting the eyedrop!
Crystal is a beautiful, fun and funny little dog who is excellent company! Please apply to meet her to see if she is a fit for you.
From the Vet:
Crystal has been diagnosed with diabetes insipidus. Crystal has been doing well on a trial of a medicated eye drop called Desmopressin. This medication runs roughly $29 per bottle. We recommend getting Crystal established with a primary care vet upon adoption so her future family can continue to work through this with her. Diabetes Insipidus does not necessarily require this treatment, but it may be helpful with her symptoms of frequent urination. She may require periodic urine rechecks in her new home, but this will depend on the treatment plan pursued by her future adopters.
