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Ryder
Entered: 07/14/2015 Status: Adopted Age: 2 Color: Liver/White Weight: 30.6 lbs. Gender: Altered Male Location: Fayetteville, WV Health: UTD, HW-, treatment for hookworms and UTI complete, recovery from leg amputation complete, excellent Health Cont.: health Temperament: Good with all adults, good with meeting children as young as toddlers, good with other dogs, Temp. Cont.: vacationed well with dog-savvy cats |
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Ryder's Story . . .
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Update
08/23/2015: “That I’m a tripod doesn’t bother me or
diminish my enjoyment of all things a young Springer loves….the out-of-doors,
people, cuddling in the evenings, travel…I LOVE it all and can do it all.“
Hi
all!! Ryder here…
…and
pleased to speak for myself this time. There’s
been a whirlwind of busyness since I became a MAESSR boy. At first I was really clueless about what I
was supposed to be doing; I was in overdrive for the first few weeks but I’m
getting the hang of it now. I adapted to
being a tripod and I’m adapting well in foster care. I understand now what it means to live in a
home as part of a family. I’ve chilled
out and LIKE my new life!
I’m
a fieldie through and through, so I’m always up for running huge circles in the
fenced yard here. I go like the wind; it
just feels soooo good! Eventually I slow
down and sit for a spell. A couple of
these outings a day are great and probably better than one marathon a day for
me. There’s great bunny and bird habitat
in the middle of the yard (that’s the un-mowed part!) to sniff through and there’s
shade any time of day. These ventures
keep me lean, svelte and a happy guy. On
sunny afternoons, I’m also learning to swim; I have my own life jacket which makes
me a little braver when my feet lift off the river gravel!
I’ve
learned house manners and am proud to say I now get to sleep on my own dog bed
in the same room as my foster family and the resident dogs…yeah!! Early on I crated every night…which is also fine
with me. You see, I love my crate. I eat there, nap there, and hang out there
when my family is away. If thunder rolls
through, I can be found in my crate too.
I’m a terrific rider, in my crate, and am always willing to run errands
or run across state lines…doesn’t matter how far to me! My local beat now includes the dog park, the
NPS visitor center, hiking trails, my local vet’s office, and a dog-friendly
pet store. I like all these places and the
people I meet there.
I
went star-gazing one night and liked that too.
I either sat and looked at the sky like everyone else or lay down on my
mat in the cool dark. Mainly, I listened
to the sounds of the nearby forest and people around me “ahhing” and “oooing”
at comets zipping by…a first for me!
I
got to vacation with another foster family while mine went traveling. That family had a captivating back yard. There had to be deer up there, though I
wasn’t allowed to go check that out.
What I did get to check out were the cats in that home. They were dog-friendly, dog-savvy, and made me
feel comfortable. In turn, I was respectful
of them; no chasing nonsense at all. They
even said I could come back…J).
Though
not an A+ student, I’m definitely a trainable guy. I started on leash walking first and am much
improved when wearing my Harness Lead. Don’t
let my small size fool you; I could circle and conquer whoever was on the other
end of the leash in a heartbeat. With
the training aid, I’m walking a straight line, not pulling, and make nice turns.
Of note is that I’m learning to walk on
my person’s right side; this serves me well when I need to “lift” that missing
leg for a potty stop. I know “sit,” “wait,” “outside,” “inside” and how to be
polite when meals and treats appear now. I’m learning “off” and understand “come” but
don’t always comply. I was doing pretty well with “wait” until the
day I faced an open gate and couldn’t resist.
That afternoon I did a self-guided tour through the neighborhood,
visiting at least 4-5 yards and some twice!
My foster mom trailed behind, looking quite worried, so I let her off
the hook after about 10 minutes by pausing so she could walk up to me and lead
me home. OK…me bad, but it was such
fun!
Something
else new for me…I’ve learned to stand on the grooming table, though I don’t
have to do that for long at a time; my coat is very light and quickly tidied
up, and, I only have 12 nails to trim!
More
things I love...red Kongs of every shape and antlers; these are great when I
really want something to chew. I also love being invited onto the
Grandmother’s chair in the evenings.
There’s room for me beside my foster mom or on her lap. She says I’m getting sweeter every day and have
the softest and most engaging expression in my eyes now. I think that means I’ve come a long way!
Well,
now you know what I’m all about. Special
needs? Not so much…not now. That I’m a tripod doesn’t bother me or
diminish my enjoyment of all things a young Springer loves….the out-of-doors,
people, cuddling in the evenings, travel…I LOVE it all and can do it all. Over a lifetime, I expect I could benefit
from people who will help pace my activities but I want people who will let me
be a “dog” and, of course, an integral part of their family. Please, be interested in meeting me. I’d love to show you “my stuff!”
.
Little
Ryder
Original: “Ryder needs neither one’s pity nor coddling. He needs daily outdoor exercise, as one would
expect with a young Springer, and some basic training.”
With a shattered
leg and no owner found, it would have been easy to release young Ryder to the
Bridge with a merciful injection.
Instead, a veterinary group in western Virginia committed to save him. Initially, an attempt was made to save the
leg too but, as treatment progressed, it became clear that the better choice
was amputation. Ryder’s Good Samaritans
not only performed the surgery and complete medical follow-up but fully
rehabbed him over months. When he was
back in top condition, MAESSR was asked to find him a home.
Ryder needs neither
one’s pity nor coddling. He needs daily
outdoor exercise, as one would expect with a young Springer, and some basic
training. Though his gait is modified,
he covers all surfaces with good control and impressive stamina. He’s walking on leash about 30 minutes a day
on a level gravel road, sets the pace, and achieves almost 3 mph. He hit the woods recently for his first
woodland hike, out about an hour. The trail
difficulty was moderate with expected unevenness, roots, and uphill and downhill
stretches. He handled all without a
stumble. Of course, his nose never
missed a beat either! He’s cleared for swimming and stepped into the river, up
to his chest, after the hike. Then he
sank down for a soak. Boy, did that feel
good! He didn’t swim but that may come. It would be another excellent form of exercise
for him.
At home he’s
spending several hours most days in a ½ acre meadow. Off leash there, he covers the space well and
navigates the tall grass and bunny thicket with ease. When he’s out with the resident dogs, Ryder
is usually the last one to sit for a rest.
Indoors, he’s steady on wood and vinyl floors. It took several days to master both
stairwells but he’s zipping up and down now.
He visited a dog park one day and trotted around on the nice level, wood
chip surface; when watched from his left side, it was not particularly
noticeable that he is a tripod. He’s
simply amazing.
This boy’s a
sweetie too. When out in public, he
meets every one of all ages with confidence and their dogs too. If people choose to pass him by, he will keep
on moving but, if they so much as glance his way, he calmly steps forward to
say “hi.” At home Ryder is just
beginning to cuddle. He has accepted all
touch and handling since he arrived but to sit on a lap for an evening seems
new to him. He comes when invited now,
but rarely asks for attention.
He’s living well
with 2 Springers. The younger resident
grump has made Ryder aware that not all dogs share well. The message was duly noted, so Ryder simply
skirts him a little wide. Ryder’s
neither fearful of him nor intimidated. The
senior ESS has offered play bows but, so far, Ryder’s passed on those
invitations. He seems to be a dog that
doesn’t need a canine playmate but could share a home with and provide
companionship to another soft-hearted dog.
There’s also a kitten visiting in his foster home that has her own
room. Ryder certainly is aware she’s
there and has met her nose to nose briefly.
He was curious but not overly so, and doesn’t hang at her door. He’s
had no chance to chase the little feline and simply walks away from her when
she’s in her foster mom’s hands…thank you, Ryder!!
Ryder’s settling
into the routine of a small home. He’s
crate trained and quietly spends his time there when his foster family is away
and also at night. He’s a proven
traveler and eagerly hops in a crate for any road trip, whether 5 minutes or 2
hours. Since he travels in a pickup
these days, he needs a lift onto the tailgate, but he would use a ramp if one
was offered. He seems basically
house-trained but is still having a few accidents, so he’s limited by dog gates
to whatever room his person is in. He’s
great on a grooming table and is patient for short sessions to clip his coat
and clean his ears.
Ryder will continue
to be a work in progress on house manners, leash walking, and basic obedience skills. There
was so much change for him during his first week in foster care that he went
from day to day in emotional overload.
He wouldn’t even touch a treat.
With settling, his second week has gone much better for him. He’s relaxing, sits for treats and is
beginning to look to his foster mom for guidance. He’s a
small, wiry guy with a terrific temperament.
His only “special need,” long-term, will be weight maintenance. He’s a dog
who should always, always, always, be lean. Treats for training, yes; blueberries,
carrots, and apples for snacks!
If you’re looking
for a young fieldie and enjoy investing some time in training, follow Mr.
Ryder. He may be a good prospect for
someone who enjoys hunting for an hour or two at a time. He certainly has the instincts and might
develop nicely in capable hands. As a
companion, he’s already a winner.
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