Magnum

Updated 3/14/12

AVAILABLE

Update 6/2/11

Wow!  Can you believe that this is the same dog that came to us from a shelter less than 5 months ago?  He may still be somewhat fearful and skittish, but he’s improving daily.  He LOVES squeaky balls & will squeak them for 15 minutes at a time while playing on the patio, throwing the ball in the air & squeaking it.  As the months go by, he becomes more and more playful. 

Magnum is an outstanding retriever!  He flies through the air to catch tennis balls… he can leap 4 feet in the air.  He can catch a ball, even holding another ball in his mouth at the same time.  You may even think he’s crowing like a rooster when you hear the loud woo-woo-woo sound he makes when he holds the tennis balls in his mouth. 

Magnum is polite in the house, and completely trustworthy.  He doesn’t need to be crated and would probably be terrified if forced into a crate.  He’s afraid of houseguests, but has improved since he arrived.  Loud or unexpected noises still scare him… he'll take off running across the room at the sound of a dropped pot.  He also backs away when we carry unusual items...garbage bags, scissors, laundry, grocery bags.  Those are all scary things!

Magnum still loves his nightly drives, and rides loose in the car with his head out the window.  He hasn’t had much practice walking on a leash, so he pulls and swerves, like he’s not quite sure where he’s supposed to be going.  He sleeps in the bedroom on a dog bed, and doesn’t make a peep all night.

When Magnum gets a little stronger, both physically and mentally, he’ll still have to undergo heartworm treatment.  So far, he’s gained over 15 pounds, and he’s making great strides in building confidence.  It’s so heartwarming to see him relax and do something new that he couldn’t do before. 

Stay tuned as Magnum continues on his journey to wholeness.  He has so much potential, and he’s going to make someone an awesome companion sometime soon.  He’ll do best with calm and patient adoptive parents who will practice positive reinforcement to help him gain self confidence.  Does that sound like you?

Updated 4/22/11

Updated 3/16/11

Updated 2/09/11

Just call him Magnum, P.I. --- for Pretty Incredible, of course! What else can you say about a dog who has pared off nearly half his age over the course of less than one month? If you don’t believe us about that, just take a look at his before & after photos.

On January 13, we brought in an emaciated shelter senior: “Couldn’t get dog to stand, and he was trembling too much to get a good listen to his heart & lung sounds. Eyes crusted and draining. Broken teeth,” said the vet. “Assessment: Geriatric dog with conjunctivitis, severe muscle wasting esp. over his hind end, heavy load of heartworms. Est. age about 10 or older.”

Now check out the February Magnum: could this be the same dog? The healthier he gets, the more we’re realizing that he’s no senior! He’s perky, shiny-coated, proudly sniffing the frosty air.He’s added ten pounds (and still needs to gain ten more) and bags of confidence. The dog who was reluctant to stand up has become a retrieving champ who likes to tote 2 tennis balls at a time. He has an hiliarious “woo woo” bark (often produced when his mouth is stuffed with tennis balls, which creates an even funnier sound) and adores the 5 PM Dog Drive through the neighborhood.

Our prediction: getting rid of the heartworms is going to make this happy guy feel even younger. Stay tuned!