Pup-Date  May 26, 2009 ~ from Foster Mom Carol L

I just wanted to let you both know how well Finn is doing.    

He is such a sweet boy!  He loves to be around his person.    Most of the time that's me. 
He tolerates ANYTHING and everything .....except my 13 year old and dry dog food.

I gave him a bath on Friday shortly after getting him home.  Then I spent a lot of the day combing and brushing all the matted fur.  He did not complain one bit as I worked through his coat.   He even  fell asleep!    Now he is so soft and pretty and smells a lot better.  I still have to work on the area at the  base of his tail, but other than that he is in good shape.

He seems to like canned food, so I am mixing that in with the dry to get him to eat.  He must have  been used to sharing a bowl with other dogs, since he will stick his nose into the other dogs bowls while they are eating.   

He rarely barks and is housebroken. He will walk on the leash just fine.   

And oh my goodness, those big brown eyes!   He  will sit and just stare at you with those puppy dog eyes.  He is very attentive and I think with some time and training could do well with agility work. 

Observations by visitor .... within a few days of Finn getting to his new foster home......


Carol mentioned to me that she thought he was a puppy mill dog, but later learned that he came from a "hoarder".  This makes sense because Finn seems so well-behaved and well-mannered.  He would follow people around just to be with them. 

When Finn came in, the other dogs made no notice of him.  Very unusual and I took as a sign that he is well balanced.    Finn has bared his teeth to Cheyenne, the husky, when Cheyenne kept following too closely.  He did not do more.  I take that as a well balanced sign, too. 

Finn does seem to be extremely obedient and tolerant.  Carol bathed him and after the initial scary moment of someone new just dumping him in water, he just sat to be washed.  She then brushed out his fur.  Her other dogs would have been complaining at that -- not Finn.  

He will look right at you.  That seems unusual [i.e., he's not afraid of people,  has confidence to meet your eyes].    Left to himself, he'll come and lay at your feet.  He will gladly join you on the couch & enjoys being petted. 

These all seem to be signs that he was well trained and has a nice, easy-going personality ~ without the issues one would expect in a dog that had been ill treated.