Melody's Profile

Foster Dog Name: Melody

Physical Appearance

Approximate Age: 15 Months

Sex: F/Spayed

Breed Type: Pointer/Lab Mix

Color: Black & White

Size: Medium

Weight: 44 lbs

Personality

High/Low Maintenance: High

Temperament: Sweet, energetic, loving, but still learning to be gentle

Energy Level: High
Lap/Velcro Dog or Independent/ Loner: Velcro dog to other dogs, so I don't know if she would hang around if it weren't for all my dogs being Velcro dogs.

Riding in Car: Excellent, but does get carsick (does very well when medicated).

Playful with toys?: Loves Kong Wubbas, rope toys, tennis balls, anything she can grab. Great playing by herself with toys.

Birdiness: Points, has caught a bird in the backyard before, never been trained.

Interactions

Adults (Males-Females) in home: Equally great with men and women

Little Kids: Loves kids, but doesn't understand how much it hurts to get whacked with her tail. Does have a tendency to knock them down if they are really little.

Meeting Visitors/Strangers: Outside she is more outgoing, approaches them, inside a little more reserved.

Other Dogs: Great with all dogs she has come across, but does get very nervous with any mounting.

Playfulness with other dogs: She adapts well to different types of play. Does wrestling, tug of war, chases, gets chased. She loves other dogs.

Behavior around Cats: She wants to play with the cat. Our cat does not enjoy it, but a more playful cat might like it.

Barking: Only when sees/hears something or other dogs bark, quiets when told to.

Behavior Inside House: Great overall, does jump gates and creates her own personal toy box in areas other dogs can't get to.

Behavior Outside in the Yard: Always on a lead, jumps fences, but still plays and loves it outside.

Behavior Away from Home (pet store, dog parks, etc): Always on a lead, she did start off at the dog park w/out a lead, but jumped the fence after the 15^th outing there. She did great before the jumping- came when called, pointed at all the birds, loved it. Approached both dogs and people.

Training

Commands: Sit, stay, down, recall

Tricks: high five

Potential as Hunting Companion: Pretty birdy, likes to work, athletic, very high potential

Agility: Very High potential- she can jump anything and is incredibly fast

Housebreaking: Good- does have excitement tinkling every once in a while

Crate Training: Great- she doesn't like it, but she does it.

Leash Walking: Great- she sits before crossing the street, very little pulling- unless she sees a bird.

Off-Leash/Recall: When in a controlled environment- excellent, but if she jumped the fence and was on the loose- forget it. She comes back eventually.

Health

Appetite: Okay- Eats about 3.5 cups of food a day, not once, but over the course of 24 hours

General Health: Great

Ongoing Medication/Maintenance needed: On interceptor and Frontline

Foster Parent Evaluation of the dog

Special Qualities: Active! She needs exercise daily. She loves attention too, but does her own thing when looking at a window or playing with her toys.

Type of Family/Home for best placement: She does squeeze out doors when opened and you don't pay attention, so maybe a house without kids that might do that.

Special Requirements/Needs: She requires daily exercise, at least 2 walks.

Fence Requirements: She jumps our 6 ft wood fence no problem. We don't know if an invisible fence would hold her. At this time she always needs to be on a lead.

Additional Comments: Mel's a great dog. I think she would be best fit for a couple of active people who could have older children, who would lavish her with attention and exercise. She has never been without another dog, so maybe another dog would be good, but not a must since she does LOVE attention.