Zara

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Entered: 09/28/2014

Status: Adopted

Age: 12

Color: Liver/White

Weight: 57 lbs.

Gender: Altered Female

Location: Audubon, PA

Health: UTD, HW-, Lyme-, recovery from a cyst removal complete, dental complete, overall good health

Temperament: Good with adults, reportedly good with children as young as one,

Temp. Cont.: good with other dogs, NOT good with cats

Zara's Story . . .

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Update 11/11/2014: “With the approach of Thanksgiving, Zara will be seeking one more thing for which to be thankful.....a forever home all her own and someone interested in giving lots of hugs and getting sweet gentle kisses in return.”

Despite two weeks of antibiotics, the cyst on Zara's back would not heal. She was continually biting at it so it was decided to have it removed. Along with that procedure, she had a cleaning and polishing of her teeth. She came through surgery with flying colors and with many new fans, including the vet and her staff who were amazed at how calm, gentle, and cooperative Zara was as an overnight guest and after such a long surgery. This was no surprise to her foster mom, of course, because this is the way Zara is all the time .....loving, sweet, and so well behaved. She still insists on staking out her favorite spot on the couch, however, and has even been caught sneaking up there when her foster dad left the room during a commercial break. Every girl has to have one bad habit! When told "off" she readily relinquishes her extra comfy spot for the dog bed nearby………good girl!

Zara will be very thankful to have her e-collar off once the stitches come out since it gets in the way of toad hunting and bird flushing. She is so funny when she plops that cone down on the sidewalk near a leaf, just daring it to be a toad and hop away. She doesn't even seem to mind crashing into the undergrowth and low shrubbery in search of little sparrows which can't help but be alerted to her presence. Do they make camouflage e-collars….:))?

Zara is also very thankful to MAESSR. Sometimes folks consider a dog too old to undergo anesthesia for an elective surgery, but MAESSR wanted Zara to look and feel her best. Her foster mom and the vet agreed that she was healthy and in wonderful shape, despite the calendar saying she is a senior. Zara certainly proved them right, bouncing out of the vet’s office and up into the car like nothing happened.

With the approach of Thanksgiving, Zara will be seeking one more thing for which to be thankful.....a forever home all her own and someone interested in giving lots of hugs and getting sweet gentle kisses in return. Could Zara be the sweet topping to your pumpkin pie?

Original: “Zara would make a great companion to just about anyone looking for a loving, wonderfully behaved, undemanding friend who is always up for a walk or happy to cuddle but is well beyond those mischievous puppy years.”

Zara was originally adopted from a Pennsylvania shelter around age 2 but at age 10 her owners divorced and abandoned her at a boarding facility. A Good Samaritan adopted her and she enjoyed that home for 2 years until a change in living arrangements forced them to find her a home with MAESSR.

Zara arrived at her foster home obviously well cared for and much loved. Although there are no young children in her foster home, she reportedly was good with children as young as 1 who visited her previous home and was gentle with their young autistic son. She is good with the resident Springers but reportedly is very bad with cats. Her foster mom is pretty certain that Zara would hunt and catch an outdoor cat,

This big girl is tall and just about the right weight. She had been a hunting dog and hunted birds with the resident Brittany at her previous home. She also cleared the pesky squirrels from their yard. In foster care she has tried to catch toads that she and her foster mom pass on their walks. Hopefully, she will learn after a few more attempts that toads taste bad and are best left alone.

Generally a wonderful house guest, Zara only has one small bad habit - getting up on the couch when no one is home. If caught, she easily takes correction and gets down. She is housetrained, and does not resource guard, counter-surf or trash pick although she does have an extra cute face that she puts on for begging. Zara has free run of the downstairs with the two resident Springers and at night she sleeps on a dog bed next to her foster parents' bed. There is no need for a crate for this calm girl who enjoys an occasional plush toy or chew bone but is not up to mischief when the family is at work.

Zara has met several new dogs and was appropriate with them. She loves car rides and walks well on the leash, out in front but not pulling. Good girl! The sight of birds or squirrels excites her but she is easily encouraged to keep walking. Zara is good in responding to the commands “sit” and “wait.”

At the vet’s office, she accepted all the poking and blood draws with ease and was fine with having her ears cleaned, feet trimmed, and nails clipped by her foster mom. When she came to foster care, Zara started on a natural supplement for joint problems in dogs and now she can more easily hop into the car. The vet started her on antibiotics for a ruptured cyst on her back. Hopefully, that will dry up and not require surgery. Otherwise, she is in good health for a senior. Her former owners reported an episode of neurological symptoms in June that were likely the result of "vestibular syndrome," a common inflammatory process affecting older dogs. The fact that she is now fully recovered is a great sign and the vet feels this will very likely not recur.

Zara would make a great companion to just about anyone looking for a loving, wonderfully behaved, undemanding friend who is always up for a walk or happy to cuddle but is well beyond those mischievous puppy years.