Teddy

Update 5/24/10

It’s a parade! 

Teddy follows his people everywhere, but he’s so sweet about it, you don’t mind.
 
In his younger days, he might have been a ”Rough Rider” like the former President Roosevelt—but our Teddy hasn’t been charging up San Juan Hill anytime recently.  What he has been doing is losing 13 pounds, trotting around his large fenced yard, playing with his foster siblings and loading into a car with a ramp… did we mention he loves car rides?  Just loves them. We load him from the back into my SUV.  He can ride back there or with a seat down, he has access to the backseat.  He is very good and very calm.

Teddy does have quite bad hips, but thanks to his weight loss, he’s now able to bunny-hop around the yard and he loves to do that. Of course he cannot run very fast, but he trots around a bit, does some head-bumps with the other dogs, and says “hi” to the neighbor’s dogs and, of course, to any errant squirrel that might get into the yard.  Due to those hips, Teddy’s not a candidate for long walks. Swimming would be an ideal alternative form of exercise.  And unlike that other Teddy, he’s afraid of loud artillery fire—well, that’s what we think, because he does NOT like thunderstorms! If a storm hits during the day, he hides under his foster Mom’s feet.  At night, he’s been invited into bed to slumber between his foster parents.

Update/02/14/10

Wow! It’s been too many months since we updated  Teddy’s story. He’s just as mellow as he ever was, and recently took a trip to the vet for a check-up. Nothing but good news:

Teddy got an excellent report/check-up  yesterday.  His blood work was great, normal values in every category.  AND, HE HAS LOST 13 LBS!!!!!  Isn't that just great—the Green Bean Diet works, along with Becky’s Veggie Soup - yeah!!!

The vet said he looked wonderful and maybe when spring gets here we could find a pool for him. She says swimming will really strengthen the muscles in his hips and hind legs and help him lose just a little more weight, maybe about 3 more pounds. She did call in a prescription to our pharmacy for Xanax for use during thunderstorms, since he does get awfully anxious.  So I think we are set for a while.  She wants to see him in 6 months just for a check-up.

Teddy is so easy-going and would fit into any similarly easy-going, quiet household looking for an affectionate older companion. You’d just need to be sure to keep up the gentle exercise & lean diet to keep this boy in trim!

Wonderful Teddy came to GRR when his family dropped him off at a local shelter. He was tubby and tired,  but as friendly and gentle as they come. In his foster home, he settled in amazingly quickly:

 He’s so gentle and laidback! He said hello to everyone and settled right down for a nap. Teddy is perfect in the house, with never an accident. He has a kind word for everyone, whether canine, feline, or human. He doesn’t do much countersurfing, but lower surfaces are rather tempting! He was caught once just before removing a dinner plate from the table. He is a trash thief, too. We have learned to take the trash sacks directly to the garbage can and put a lid on any trash basket he can get into.  This has  removed the temptation.

 A trip to the vet revealed that this dear grandpa has an old hip injury, but the specialist commented that surgery isn’t necessary, since Teddy's body has already built up a lot of muscle around the damaged joint—and at Teddy's age, the surgery might be more detrimental than beneficial. Teddy takes Deramaxx for the inflammation, and that helps him. He’s smart about what he can do and doesn’t try to run all out or do much leaping around. He loves car rides, and with the help of a ramp or a boost will happily climb in for an outing.

 Slow, sweet and steady are the words for Teddy! He likes to take plenty of naps on the cool floor, preferably in whatever room his family is in—he’s happiest when he can keep you company. He’d be perfect for a calm, quiet, peaceful household looking for a loving friend who mostly just wants to be near his family. Stairs and outside steps would likely be difficult for him, so a single-story home would be best. Like all dogs, even the oldies, he will flourish with gentle exercise—a slow, easy walk or two each day would be great as we continue to work on his weight and his mobility, and if the weather ever cools down we know he’ll enjoy that!

Adoption Procedures