Spike
Age: 20 months
Weight: 51 lbs
State: Maine
Small Children Under 4?: Unsure
Children Over 4?: Yes
Separation Anxiety?: No
Neutered/UTD?: Yes /Yes
Microchipped?: No
Other Dogs?: Yes
Cats?: Yes
Crate Trained?: Yes
House Trained?: Yes
Obedience Trained?: No
Leash Trained?: No
Attending Obedience At Foster Home?: No
Adoption Donation?: $270
UPDATE 12/1/04 - It doesn’t seem that a year has gone by. We were just talking
about taking him to buy the Christmas tree last year. He had so much fun running around
the tree farm that he refused to get back in the car! He has certainly come along way.
He is not the happiest of boys lately. At his last vet visit he was deemed perfect in every
way, except about 25 pounds over weight. Spike’s big three are belly rubs, playing,
and food of any sort and not necessarily in that order. So he has been on a diet lately. And
as he is a bit melodramatic he acts as if he is being starved. The vet said to give him a
carrot when he wants a snack. I don’t think Spike would eat a carrot if he were really
starving and not just trying to make you think he is. This is a dog who knows if someone is
eating M & M’s in another room. He will eat just about anything if he see’s us
eating it, and is partial to fatting things like peanut butter and ice cream.
This spring I went back to work and although he always has run of the house when home
alone I felt bad that he was left alone. He is a very social fellow. So I made arrangements
with a neighbor who is Mom to a big Newfoundland girl to spend a few hours a day with
him. They pick him up and go for a nice walk, then they go to her house and Spike and
Molly play and watch the animal channel and then he come’s home around the same
time his boy gets off the school bus.
An although I’ve stopped working due to health problems he enjoyed it so much he
still goes over two days a week. He still always try’s to get the cat’s to play with
him. And they still want no part of it. There is one in particular he always chases. He can be
dozing and if she walks in the room he is up and running. It happens more often now that
the weather is changing as the cat is in more. Spike also is not a fan of inclement weather.
He has to be dragged out when it is raining. He will hold it till the last possible minute rather
than go out and get wet. And when it snows he won’t even leave the porch to pee.
He is a big fan of the squeaky toy. If they are a stuffed animal he will rip the toy apart to get
to the squeeker.He prefers interactive play to playing alone. Sometimes he gets all excited
and runs roughshod over you if you let him. He is very jealous if someone besides him is
getting my attention, especially if it is one of the kitties. He has a slew of nyla bones and
Kongs that he couldn’t be less interested in. He likes real marrow bones, pig’s
ears, and lately I have been buying Sow ears which are different than the pig ear and take
him a few days to chew. He won’t bother with a bone or the sow ear unless every one
is home at night and in the living room watching TV.
He is happiest when with his people. He still thinks it is his divine right to go in the car at all
times. And he is only happy when he is in the front seat. He always tries to climb in the
front even if someone else is sitting there. And he doesn’t mind a long ride; provided
he is in the front he is happy.
He plays well with other dogs. I have only once seen him be snippy and that was when we
took him to the pound to meet another boxer we were thinking of getting. I think had the
meeting been at the house it would have gone better. And as much as he loves to play with
others because he is so jealous of others getting his attention I think he is better as the only
dog. He thinks everyone wants to be his friend. When we are out on a walk he has to run
up to people and animal to wiggle his butt and say hello. He gets very upset if they arenâ
€™t happy to see him. He still jumps when excited and as he is on the chubby side it can
be a bit overwhelming for those on the receiving end.
He always gives a big wonderful welcome when someone comes home. It doesn’t
matter if he has been home with people all day when one of us walks in the door he is
overjoyed! Shaking his butt, giving kisses, wanting pats. He is quite a character and I canâ
€™t imagine the house with out him in it. Although I’m sure the cats can
UPDATED 6/25/04 - Spike has turned into a big strapping boy! He has gotten taller and
yes wider. He just can not resist people food. He is a big Mama's boy, unless of course my
son is home. He thinks Alex is one of his toys and one of the few he has not destroyed! He
LOVES toys that squeek, but he rips them apart to get to the squeeker.Most toys don't
last two days before he trashes them. We recently split a cow with someone and got all the
bones and Spike is in heaven. Of course he only chews his bone at night in the living room
when we are all gathered around watching TV.
The crate was a waste of money. I know he was crated in his foster home but he never
really took to it here. I had to go to work part time and he has run of the house while I am
gone and he is wonderful. No accidents, he doesn't get in to things. He likes an audience
when he misbehaves. He makes sure you are watching.
With the nice weather he likes to be outside even if it is just lying in the sun. He has always
been very good about staying in the yard but we have developed an issue with the neighbor
in the only house that is near us. It was just a summer/weekend house so they were not
usually there so I think it started because Spike was protecting the house. But he would
bark and growl at them if he saw them in their yard. I think that the man must have done
something to Spike like yell or throw something at him because now Spike HATES him.
We have to let him out on a leash or else he runs right over there barking and growling, itâ
€™s worse if he happens to catch him in his yard. So we are going to fence in half the yard
so he can go out untied. He is fine if we are with him. It’s funny to because he is really
a big baby. He loves everyone and gets along with people and animal alike. It is just our
luck that the one person he can't stand lives next door. And moved up on a full time basis.
He still tries to engage the cats in play when he especially bored. They still hate him.
He as a little routine at night, he goes in everyone’s room to check on them before he
goes to his couch for the night. With the warm weather my son takes his bike to the bus
stop and Spike doesn't like being deprived of his ride. But on the plus side now he runs
along with the bike in the afternoon and he just loves that. He goes out with my son and the
other neighborhood kids in the afternoon. He was terribly afraid of the water but now when
we take him to the lake he will wade around in the water.
He still loves to go anywhere in the car. He has a hard time with the concept of people
going off with out him; he thinks he is missing something. He loves stopping for ice cream
when out in the car.
It seems like he has always been here. We took him to the humane society to meet another
boxer, we thought that perhaps he'd like a playmate because he loves to play with other
dogs but it didn't work out to well. So I think he'll be an only dog, for now anyway.
UPDATED - Spike has been adopted!
11/22/03 - Spike was neutered & microchipped yesterday & stayed overnight at the vet
office until I could pick him up today. They said he was such a GREAT boy & so sweet!
I just told them of course he is, Spike is a great dog. He really was happy to see me &
wanted a hug.
The whole ride home he sat in the front passenger seat & kept snuggling my hand with his
muzzle, like a cat would. He loves to have his muzzle rubbed gently & if you stop, he will
be sure to find your hand & rub against it as if to say "hey, don't stop!". Spike rides great
in the car & loves going for rides. He doesn't mind sitting in the back seat or as a co-pilot
in the passenger seat either, he let's you tell him what works & just obliges happily.
Spike likes everyone he meets & would be fine with older kids. He is too jumpy right now
for toddlers & babies & would knock them down too easily in his excitement. I have not
seen a mean bone in Spike so he wouldn't mean to hurt them, just things happen when you
are a big bouncing boy boxer on a mission!
Spike is now ready to ride on home as your co-pilot & is hoping to have a spot in his new
home for the holidays. Better hurry, this guy is a real catch & will not be here much longer!
11/19/03 - Spike is doing very well in his foster home. He met the 3 kitties with only some
natural curiosity & tried to play with them until he got the dreaded "fists of claws" maneuver
pulled on him. Spike backs off & doesn't go after them though & I don't see any issues
with him & cats. He also has met my female boxer a few times & did try to be dominant
with her. Tonight I really let them be together for awhile to play. Spike learned that my
little girl was really "bigger" than him in her own mind & could flatten him! Spike's
dominant behavior is very puppy-like still--he tries to be the big boy, but once put in his
place he submits pretty quickly. He really liked playing with my girl & she actually thought
he was fun too (she's not an easy girl to please either!). Spike shows not nastiness either
with his behavior, just mounting & posturing--in a very goofy way though! LOL
Spike is doing great with his crating when I'm at work & only takes a little direction to let
him know it's kennel time. He sleeps the night right now in his crate (sorry, bed is too full!),
but I know he is looking for a cozy dog bed to snooze away on(or a corner of a bed if he
can coax someone into that!). He is a jumpy boy & pulls on the leash right now, but he is
very smart so obedience classes will do him a lot of good. Spike is going in on Friday for
his neutering so he can make it home in time for the holidays. He is a sweet boy that is just
waiting for him new home to come along. Is that you?
11/16/03 - Spike has arrived from one of our favorite shelters in NJ.
He is
a really cute 20 month old dark brindle boy with natural ears & docked
tail.
Spike was an owner surrender to the shelter, but we do not have any
details
as to why or about his last home. He spent a few days at another
foster
home until he could be moved today & they said he was a nice boy.
Spike is
not neutered yet, so he was challenging the old male boxer in their
home a
lot, but loved the 2 female boxers in the house. They said he would
run
the girls ragged outside in the fenced yard & had a blast. We are
going to
try to get him into the vet this week for his neutering & that should
help
with some of his dominance.
Spike seems like a sweet boy so far & rode well in the car. He also
really
loved everyone on the transport team that helped get him up to Maine.
He is
in need of some obedience training as right now he is just a wild boy
without any direction. Spike has a very nice personality though &
doesn't
challenge you if you tell him to do something(he just needs told a few
times
before he "gets it", like any teenager!). Watch for more updates on
this
great boy soon!