Winston 30

Updated 01/09/2023: “When he wants more food, his foster mom gives him a big carrot and he is happy chewing on that.”

Sweet, big boy Winston finally has his ears cleared from infection, but his ears will always need monitoring to keep them clean. He must know that regular maintenance helps him because he allows his foster mom to dig in with cleaner and paper towel inside those small ear canals. Now that his ear infection has cleared up, she is working on his eye infection.

Winston is a survivor and a little shadow. One cannot go anywhere without him following! He sleeps quite a bit during the day; if he wakes up and does not see his people, he runs around the house to find them. Winston is fine left alone in the house when his foster parents leave. He does not want to be crated.

Winston loves food and is fed approximately four cups of salmon and peas kibble throughout the day – morning, noon, dinner, and bedtime. When he wants more food, his foster mom gives him a big carrot and he is happy chewing on that. Previously he was overweight so it is important to keep his weight down. For an older boy, he can move pretty fast! Winston does not play with toys or fetch a ball. He sleeps on a dog bed or the floor in the same room as his people. He enjoys walks and is great off lead or on a leash. He will do his business every time he is taken outside.

His foster mom would recommend Winston to anyone who wants a lazy companion. He can be left alone for longer periods and is fine. He does not bark until he wants something; when he starts to bark, he demands attention…and it’s usually because he wants to eat!  As soon as he sees that his wants are being attended to, Winston is quiet. His foster mom’s go-to is a big old carrot. He finds them satisfying.

This senior boy is a sweetie; one cannot help but love and kiss him. Winston just wants a soft place to land in his golden years with someone to love him and keep him supplied in carrots! Does that sound like you?

Updated 11/29/2022: "If he cannot find his special person, he will look all over the house on a seek and find mission." 

Winston can walk on a leash, but his foster mom can have him off lead and he walks alongside the resident dog who is on a leash. He will not go outside by himself to do his business, requiring his foster mom to walk outside with him while he pees in the yard.

Winston has gained 15 pounds since he has been in foster care and eats about four cups of dog food a day. He is fed breakfast, lunch, dinner and a late-night snack…little amounts all day – lucky boy!  For a treat he gets a big carrot that keeps his teeth white. At one time he must have been a very heavy dog as skin rolls over his rear end are visible. He is kept at 65 pounds so his rear legs can carry him better. 

A big fan of food, Winston is still a trash diver and counter-surfer. He allows his people to take anything away from him and to touch him all over. Winston is easy to groom and to have his nails trimmed. He gets along with dogs and cats and is not aggressive. 

Winston needs someone to love so he can sleep at their feet. He will make a perfect companion for someone who works from home or needs company on car rides.

Winston was found as a stray wandering in southwestern Virginia with a Catahoula mix dog.  Taken to the local county humane society, he was bathed and groomed, had his teeth cleaned, made up to date on all of his vaccinations, and was wormed.   He tested positive for HW, Lyme, and Ehrlichia and began treatment for the latter two.  When no one came looking for him, the shelter reached out to MAESSR for help with this handsome senior.

Even though the shelter had done a great deal to bring Winston back to health, he still needs treatment for heartworm disease.  Winston will have the “slow kill” treatment.  This method involves giving the infected dog monthly Heartgard tabs over the course of a year.  (Doxyclycline therapy is sometimes done as part of the treatment as well.)  At the end of the year, the dog is re-tested for heartworms.  MAESSR will supply the medication to the dog’s adoptive family and will pay for the follow-up vet visit and heartworm test. Although most dogs are heartworm-free after one year, MAESSR will pay for another year of treatment if the dog is still heartworm positive.

This beautifully marked Springer is enjoying his life on his foster parents’ farm, but he does not stray far from his favorite person’s side.  Winston choses his person and bonds with just one -- his foster mom!  He sleeps on a rug or dog bed next to her as she works and by her bed at night.  He is not interested in other people or children.  Although he will greet others, he really just wants to be with his person.  Winston lives with the resident female Lab.  They co-exist but are not friends.  He is fine with the cattle on the farm and would probably be good with cats.

Winston is a barker.  He barked all the way in his crate on his transport.  He barks to tell his person he wants something.  He also whines to tell her his needs.  Since Winston is not housetrained, he signals his need to go out by barking or whining. While he was receiving antibiotics for Lyme and Ehrlichia, he would urinate inside if his person was unable to get to the door in time.  Now that he has completed this antibiotic course, this happens less frequently.  He does drink a lot of water and needs to go outside frequently as a result. 

Winston does not like to be by himself. One needs even to step outside with him so he will do his business!  He follows his foster mom everywhere and does not like her to be out of his sight. He will bark when she leaves the houses but settles down and sleeps for the day.  

This quirky gent loves riding in the front seat of the car.  Every time the car door is opened, he tries to get in. He has even tried to get into the front seat of a stranger’s car! 

His house manners are a work in progress.  Winston is a counter-surfer and a trash diver, so food and trash must be secured out of his reach.  Food and water are left out all day for him so he can eat when he wants.  This works better than feeding twice a day.  He is fed in the kitchen where the food is always out. He does not guard his resources.

This old boy sleeps much of the day; however, if his foster mom is working outside, he follows her all over!  He has shown no interest in playing with toys and he does NOT like to be crated.  When his foster parents stayed at a friend’ house, Winston was crated, but blankets had to be placed over the crate to settle him down.  As long as he could see his foster mom, he was fine in the crate.  He is settling in more and more each day.

Winston would love a family where his person works from home or works where one could bring a dog.  A homebody retiree would do just fine as his new owner, too, where Winston could be a co-pilot when going on errands in the car and join in on walks.  Winston just wants to be next to his person and to love him or her.