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| MEET: CYRUS |
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| STATE: ME
AGE: 6 years DOB: April 2003 WEIGHT: 67 pounds SEX: Male NEUT/UTD: Yes/Yes COAT COLOR: White w/Fawn DOCKED TAIL: Yes CROPPED EARS: No CHILDREN UNDER 4: Maybe CHILDREN OVER 4: Yes SEPARATION ANXIETY: No OTHER DOGS: Yes CATS: No CRATE TRAINED: Yes HOUSE TRAINED: Yes LEASH TRAINED: Improving OBEDIENCE TRAINED: Learning MICROCHIPPED: No ADOPTION FEE: $300 |
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| UPDATE 7/19/09 - Cyrus pass his first training class and enjoying his new life. UPDATE 6/12/09 - Cyrus is making great progress in his training and his behavior issues. Being 6 years old clearly an old dog can learn new tricks and behaviors. He has lost a few pounds but still over 20 pounds over at tipping the scale at almost 90 pounds. He has had some health issues we are addressing with our vet but not affecting his sweet sweet nature and he is not having any pain. He truly loves his home and the 22 month Brutus which has done a complete turn around from when we adopted him back in March. 5/8/09 - Cyrus has been adopted! 4/20/09 - Cyrus came through his surgery with flying colors. One lump was taken off his shoulder that was only a fatty bump. The other tumor was taken off his chest and sent for a biopsy to confirm that it was a Mast Cell Tumor. (What's that? click here.) The vet says that he got it all and there are certainly no other health concerns about this strapping boy! He's due to have his stitches out in a couple weeks and then he's all ready for his new home! He's taken quite a shine to my mother, who is here helping me recover- well, helping us BOTH recover, I guess- from surgery. He'd rather cuddle up with her than anyone and will even lay at her feet (on a bed, of course- priss) rather than across the room on a couch! He immediately did the same to my dad, so my first assumption holds- he just loves men. Cy likes to play, but I think he's ok not playing as well. He picks and chooses when he wants to play with the puppy. He doesn't play with toys, although my mom got him playing tug with her and an old sock. I think he'd just love to move in with a family in a quiet home where he can just laze about in the boxer way and have plenty of laps to cuddle on. I think he wants, more than anything, to focus his devotion on one or two owners who will return the favor. He's mellow enough to take anywhere and just LOVES to ride in the car. Are you looking for this kind of super companion?? Well, he's right here, hogging my bed... c'mon and get him! 4/13/09 - Master Cy is all set for his surgery on Thursday. He just had a trip to the vet to have a check up. The vet was worried about his appetite being a little off and was reserving judgment on doing some bloodwork first until I reported that C-man ate 1/2 a loaf of bread and 3 english muffins out of the grocery bag on the way home. Ummm.... yeah.... we're not worried about the appetite anymore! 4/8/09 - Cyrus arrived on Saturday and has completely settled in like he's lived here forever. He knows all the tricks of the house already. It took him about 4 hours to figure out the dog door. (it usually takes fosters 2-3 days to figure you can get IN that way and another day to figure out it works both ways). He started his stay here by running and wrestling with the lab puppy, but has since become fast friends with Nyka the great dane. They spend their time competing for my attention or pretending they're teacup chihuahuas and trying to crawl in my lap. Cyrus was a "city dog" and now he's having a ball being in the country and barking at every little thing that flies across the back yard. He hasn't tried to test the fence and I've learned I can even trust him out of the crate while I'm gone. He's not a big fan of the crate. He goes in like a champ when I say the word "crate" and then looks at me strangely when I don't close the door. Cy is a chow hound! If he decides I'm too late with supper, he'll fend for himself and I'll hear the rustle of the food bags in the other room. I have to feed him in small doses because he forgets little things like chewing and its not pretty when he's had too much. He'll play in small doses, but would MUCH rather curl up on a lap! He DID go c-r-a-z-y for my friend's husband who came over to do some work today. I've not seen a reaction like that. He'd be a great "Guy's Dog", just hanging out in the truck or plunked by your side while you fish. He's not at all dominant or aggressive, so he'd be a complete gentleman to tag along with you wherever you go. Next week we start our work with the vet. He's got a pretty good sized lump near where his ribcage ends on the right side of his belly. He's got another funky lump on his shoulder. We're going to have those removed. Other than those, he's healthy as a horse!!! 4/1/09 - Cyrus will me making the journey up to Maine this weekend so he can get medical treatment for a mast cell tumor that we found. It should just be a simple removal and he'll be ready to go off with the forever family that must be out there somewhere just waiting for him. As for the little things about him, he is such a great dog, there's only little stuff to talk about. He crates reluctantly and may drool and pant while he adjusts. He sits and mostly stays for everything now and he walks nicely on the leash, although he does pull if there is someone in his path he wants to greet. He is strong... He jumps up very little and knows "off" and "down" and "paw". He doesn't like to sit on the hardwoods because he slides and prefers to lay on something soft like a couch, bed or blanket when hanging out in the living room. He sleeps on my bed at night. And he knows "go" for when he's not supposed to be where he is and his destination doesn't matter at that minute. He doesn't play fetch or tug but he loves to run and play rough with other dogs. He does get fixated on little dogs though and he's too big for them. He seems to like to groom (lick) other animals, mostly their faces and heads. He eats too fast, then vomits it and then eats it again if given the whole amount at once. I measure it into a plastic container and ration his servings. It doesn't need to be too long in between each serving though. He has tried to hump, read that: dominate other dogs and he did snap at Cherokee when he was searching for and finding spilled dog food. She stuck her head in and he didn't like it. But she can walk by him when he's eating and there is no problem- so long as she didn't try to share. They share a water bowl and are good about taking turns. 3/5/09 - How would you like to have a 75lb bunny in your home? Trust me it’s funny. We call him a bunny because he’s just as soft as one. Cyrus is almost not the same dog he was almost 5 weeks ago. I no longer have to brace myself to get out a door or through the gate. And he isn’t stepping on Cherokee as much. He sits and stays for everything now. Sometimes without being told, especially when there is food involved. We are continuing to work on how long he’ll stay though. He walks well on the leash until he sees someone he wants to meet. He will still jump on them but not as much as before, we’re working on that too. Let me tell ya, this handsome, sweet boy has made significant strides on the things he was lacking when we got him back. We took him to the dog park but couldn’t let him off leash. He’s so big and has such a fixation on little animals I was afraid he would unintentionally hurt the Puggles that came to play with him. In his defense they kept coming back for more. He still should not go to a home with cats. We have segregated ours to keep the peace. He is crate trained, but he doesn’t like it. My other foster had bent her crate door so we can’t lock the bottom. I switched them thinking he wouldn’t continue the destruction. Nope, he pulled the wire bars in where she had pushed them out. A heavy duty crate is necessary. 2/2/09 - Everyone please welcome Cyrus back into our midst. Due to changing family dynamics (a new baby) he has returned to us after almost 5 years. I picked him up on Sat. with a tearful goodbye from his Skin Mom. We had to separate him from his fur brother Chief. But Chief is with a great Foster Mom (FM) and Fur Foster Brother. Cyrus seems to be a little unsure of what’s going on but is staying distracted by our cat. I have to say he stunned me almost the minute we brought him in the house. He found the cat sitting in the sun on a chair. He sniffed her, she let him, and then before we could blink he licked her whole head, from her eyebrows down her neck. And she let him, more than once. We even saw her leaning into it like cats do when you pet them. That went fine until he stuck his tongue in her ear, now she wants nothing to do with him. Cyrus gave the cat a WET WILLEY! ROFLOL. But he is convinced he should be allowed under her hideout. He is relentless, so for his safety you can understand why he still has his leash on. I don’t believe he’ll hurt her. But for now he should not go to a home with cats. We are working on his manners. Getting through a doorway or the gate is like being in a roller derby with him and Cherokee. He has overstepped his bounds with her a few times and she let him know. I was surprised he backed off. He’s just so big you expect him to be a bully. He’s really a good boy but needs work on some things. He is now waiting for everything he gets with a sit/stay command. He does ok on the leash, it’s not so much pulling but he does like to lead. His owner used a prong collar on him because she had the 2 big boys but I haven't had to use it. I’ll write more and get pictures for you soon. Keep him in mind though, he’ll be a great walking companion and watch dog. He lets out a loud BOOF BOOF to let us know something’s going on outside. |
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