SPENCER- BOXER

STATE: near Hartford,CT
AGE: About 2 years
DOB: unsure
WEIGHT:  65 lbs
SEX: Male
NEUT/UTD: yes/yes
COAT COLOR: brindle & white
CHILDREN under 4: no 
CHILDREN OVER 4:  ages 10 or over
SEPARATION ANXIETY: No
OTHER DOGS yes with submissive/easy going dogs
CATS: yes with dog savvy cats
CRATE TRAINED: yes
HOUSE TRAINED: yes
OBEDIENCE TRAINED: learning
LEASH TRAINED: yes
MICROCHIPPED: no
ADOPTION FEE: $475

6/12/24-Spencer has turned into an amazing pup. Spencer just needed a little more time to settle into his new environment. I also think he was on high overdrive from being in the dog pound environment. Now he’s a typical boxer, plays, zoomies, eats  sleeps, repeat sleep, and sleep one more time haha. At this point he’s just going with the flow of the household. No issues with me going into the office and leaving him home alone. No separation anxiety whatsoever. The cat isn’t an issue now, both have been caught sleeping on the bed together and do wait in the kitchen for treats together. LOL Spencer will still chase him but it’s just playful so dog savvy cat would be fine.  Interactions with other dogs are also getting better. We had a family friend come over unannounced with her dog off leash. I was outside on the deck and didn’t know they were here until the other dog came around the corner. Needless to say, Spencer didn’t overreact, his nub was going 1000 mph. Spencer was not an issue. Probably 10+ on the kid scale since he’s still a face washer, which is also getting much better. All positive progress & this awesome boxer boy is ready to go home!
 

5/28/24-Update on Spencer aka Mr. Miyagi for his fly catching skills.  He catches them mid air with no effort whatsoever. You gotta see it in person to believe it. LOL Spencer has come far in the few weeks we’ve had him in foster. We take daily trips to Home Depot, Tractor Supply, or the local ice cream shop to keep Spencer socialized with people outside of the home. He is jumping much less than when he came into foster and greets EVERYONE he meets with a butt wiggle and kisses. Spencer just loves people and the attention he gets from them.  He’s learning to sit and wait to be invited for attention, much calmer. We had another training session yesterday and Spencer knocked it out of the park. He comes when told, sits, stays, downs, heels, and is staying in place longer than last week. Cats in the home are still a no, but meeting k9 friends has improved. Because Spencer is calmer and listens to commands more than before, we’re able to calmly approach other dogs. A submissive chill tolerant dog would be an ideal playmate for Spencer in time. This boy can be head strong at times. Someone who is confident in their skills to keep up with Spencer’s training would also be ideal. He does need consistency with correction or he’ll take a mile like most adolescents do! This boy is a sweetheart and really loves to be with his humans. There’s no separation anxiety that we’ve experienced. With that said,  I’ve left him uncrated while alone (under video surveillance) for 2 hours with no issues. He didn’t eat anything that wasn’t his and no messes in the home. I’ve made it a choice not to leave him longer than that but am confident he’d do well. We can’t believe this beautiful young boxer boy is still here!

5/21/24-Spencer has come a long way in two weeks. The training is helping at a slow, but steady pace. There have been no further dominance issues since I’ve last reported. In fact he’s been a very sweet loving boy. I think he needed more time to decompress and a bit more TLC. All positive progress to report.
Spencer has been practicing hard not to jump up with excitement and has come far over the weeks. He’ll need consistency with obedience training and a boxer savvy or dominant dog handler. This week we’re working on recalling and stay. He knows sit, down, paw, crate, leave it and heel”ish”. Although in typical boxer style, he forgets these things when he first meets new people. LOL The memory comes back with correction after a few moments. Like everything, practice makes perfect and that’s what we’ll continue to do until he finds his forever home.
This week we spent allot of time walking around home depot picking out spring flowers. Spencer quickly made friends with passersbys. We met two nice ladies vacationing from out of state that said they saw Spencer’s profile on the website and thought he was a handsome boy. Famous! They gave him pets and he gave them lots of kisses.
Spencer was able to approach and be introduced to another pup friend. We also walked around Petco to take in the sights and smells of other K9 friends.  Spencer is a rough player, it’ll take the right pup to tolerate the energy. With time and slow introduction, I do think a submissive laid back dog could do well with Spencer on play dates.
Spencer makes a great hiking partner! He LOVES to go for his morning and night walks. He’ll also sit outside on the deck by your feet for an afternoon snooze. Car rides have improved drastically! He’ll hold his head out the window and take in the sights. He is also able to get in and out of the cars with no problem.  Playing fetch and tug of war are also his  favorite outside pastimes. When inside he loves playing with puzzle toys or hard chewers, no stuffed toys. Most of the time he just wants to cuddle up with you. He does think he’s a lap dog, and try to sit on your lap. With correction, he’s able to be maneuvered to sit next to you on his doggy bed. To date, he has not chewed anything that isn’t his or had an accident in the home. He’s been left uncrated for a few hours without issue. Although, he does go into his crate very easily and seems to enjoy it. Spencer is now ready to find his new home!

5/7/24-Spencer is on hold right now while his foster mom works with a dog trainer over the next couple of weeks to help Spencer learn to be a better behaved boy. His evaluation with the trainer tonight was that he is basically a young adult boxer “knuclehead”.  Spencer tries to push his boundaries & show dominance to his “person” that is correcting his inappropriate behaviors.  He is not aggressive at all but does need some work before we feel he is able to be placed in a new home. More updates in the next couple weeks as we see how he progresses.  

5/6/24-As Spencer has settled in we have determined he needs to go to a home without other dogs. He can walk in neighborhoods with other dogs, but interacting with other dogs seems to end in a scuffle. Thankfully, none have been hurt.  Cats are also a hard no. The prey drive is very high, even with correction from us & our cat. Spencer also started trying a little dominance with people so a home without kids, or one with teens or up that understand setting boundaries with a big dog, would be better.  His foster home is working with him to learn what is acceptable in a home. Spencer is a high energy young boxer that definitely needs an active home that will work out his energy. Hiking, walking, jogging, etc would be perfect for him. A tired dog is a good dog! 
5/4/24-Spencer was found as a stray & taken to a shelter. Sadly, no one came forward to claim this handsome boy. After his 7-day hold, another volunteer picked him up to ensure his future would be bright. Spencer is a sweet energetic ball of all things boxer. He enjoys playing catch with a ball and is an excellent tug of war player! He rides well in a car and doesn’t complain when I have to run errands. After errands he looks forward to his pup cup (shhh we won’t tell his foster dad we’re giving him extra treats or eating in the car). Want a hiking or walking partner? He’s your boy!! This boy has enough energy to keep you motivated!
Wanna sit by the fire and listen to music or just relax, he’ll be right at your feet snoozing away and snoring like a boxer does! Ohh did I mention he is a professional zoomie marathon runner? Lol To date Spencer hasn’t chewed anything that isn’t his or had an accident in the home. He’s fully crate trained, knows sit, down, paw leave it, and stay”ishhh”. Upon meeting new people he’ll welcome you with the boxer butt wiggle and snorts. Then he’ll be sure to give you a face wash if you let him. He is a kisser! We’re working on jumping up when excited. Every day is better and he is quickly learning he gets more pets when he stays grounded. No to cats as Spencer is too easily excited/rough. This great boy is ready to go home!
 

5/2/24-Spencer was neutered yesterday and doing well today! Even surgery can’t keep this boy’s spirit down. We went for a short walk near the river earlier and played catch in the yard. Now he’s back to being his sweetheart self cuddling for a nap. Spencer was left in the house uncrated today with tests in place. I purposely left out in his reach, chicken, socks, and shoes. This was all in an effort to see how he’d react to being left home alone. He did fantastic! The chicken and shoes were safe after an hour alone unattended. This boy has made great progress over the days. All he needed was to feel comfortable and get some attention with positive reassurance. Looking forward to seeing what the next few days bring out in this sweet boys personality.

4/28/24-Today Spencer was exposed to new scenarios and sounds.  A family of squirrels took up residency in our home causing some early morning mischief. Contractors in and out, power tools, and lots of chaos!  Spencer handled it all well! He watched on and supervised with curiosity, with his little nub tail wiggling the entire time. This boy wasn’t bothered by any of the chaos going on around him. I was truly impressed by his ability to adapt and go with the flow.

4/27/24-Spencer came into foster care yesterday. He is a sweet, playful, goofy, affectionate, energetic bundle of fun.  This big boy loves to climb up onto laps and give face kisses. He craves your affection and attention. 
This  sweet boy has allot of energy and will need daily exercise as well as mental stimulation.  Treat puzzle toys have been of intrest and stimulate him on a short term basis. Squeaky balls seem to be his favorite toy so far! He’ll run after the ball retrieve it and bring it back to you to throw again. He is also and excellent tug of war player!  The crate was no problem at all. He settled in quick without whining or barking.  Spencer walks well on the leash with or without a harness. While out walking, he greeted other people with the famous boxer wiggle and kisses. He did jump up a few times in excitement, but settled down with correction after a few moments.  There was  a  group of younger kids (5 -10yrs) we came across that asked to pet him. The kids were loud and rowdy when approaching, but Spencer embraced the moment with face kisses and showing off his boxer wiggle. He does jump, so although he is a lover, I think kids 4+ years or older is best at this time. 
Thus far socks, shoes, items left around the house have been safe. Car rides are a work in progress, but practice makes perfect!  He is back and forth and takes some time to settle down. 
I used the safety harness and belt which helps keep him  in place, but he does try to run from window to window. With more frequent rides, I think he’ll acclimate well. Spencer signals to go outside when needed.  No accidents!!! With that said, I have him on a 4 hour rotation which he does go pee every time I bring him out. Night time, he made it from bedtime to sun up without issues. Stay tuned for more updates as I get to know this sweetie.

04/26/24-Spencer is a handsome about 2 yr old very active, friendly brindle & white boxer boy. He was found as a stray & no one came for him at the shelter.  He arrived into rescue thanks to our volunteer. Spencer is being neutered on Wednesday 5/1 & will be ready to go home soon after.