Available - Ranger

My story

Requirements to Adopt: Ranger would need to have a 5’ physical fence at minimum, or a good exercise plan in place. We have been working with him on our invisible fenced yard and it is going well. Ranger would enjoy having another dog around to keep him company and be able to play with and show him the ropes, but it is not necessary.  Ranger does like a lot of attention and would like to have someone home most of the time. We haven’t had him around children at all, but I would caution to say that he shouldn’t be around young children. I don’t think that he realizes his size and doesn’t always remember his manners. He is easily excited and hasn’t quite learned to stay down. He is also pretty determined to be petted and up on your lap when he wants attention.   Socialization/training: Ranger knows sit, shake, and gentle (taking treats) and working with him stopping and sitting by my side. He also does quite well on a leash. Ranger rings a bell to go outside to go potty. He over uses this sometimes because he sees a bird and wants to go out. Somewhere along the way he must have learned to bring someone their shoes, because if he sees shoes sitting out, he will grab one and bring it into the room you are in. He doesn’t chew on it, just leaves it there. He has been great with all people and other animals. He loves walks specifically to watch the birds. We have four other dogs in the house and he gets along with them all. He doesn’t like loud noises out of the blue, thunder, lightning, fireworks, and anything that is an uncommon loud sound. He doesn’t like to be startled, especially while in a deep sleep. He reacts like he is frightened. Ranger has a lot of energy, but he also settles nicely in front of the fireplace, on our laps, etc. Ranger is a sociable guy.   Crate trained: Ranger is crate trained, although when he doesn’t want to go, he is enticed with a treat. We have a blink camera in the area where he sleeps and when we put him in the crate, we talk to him on the blink camera saying things like he is such a good boy, etc. for just a few seconds and he settles down and falls to sleep through the night. We would hope that he would not always have to be in a crate when we are gone for an hour or two. Currently, we have been leaving him in the house for 20-30 minutes without being in the crate with our dogs with him and he has done just fine. Leash trained: Ranger does quite well on a leash. Every time we take him out to go potty, he slowly sneaks while on leash looking for the birds or squirrels.  When he sees them, he just likes to sit, stand and point and watch them. He doesn’t drag you down the road when he sees them. The only time that he may resist you is when he has a different plan to go in another direction. He can be pretty persistent sometimes. Ranger does not react to other dogs as we pass by them. Activity Level: Ranger has a moderate activity level for a five-year-old setter. He loves to play with the dogs, and he also needs a lot of mental stimulation. He likes dog puzzles, watching birds and squirrels, and basking in the sun. He likes toys to play with, but doesn’t chew them up. He also likes to chew on bones. He has a mellow demeanor when he has had a fun filled day and sacks out on the couch or on our laps for the evening. Fence: Since Ranger has been with us, he has been on a leash unless he was in the outside kennel that has 6’ tall fencing. We have not attempted to take him to the dog park as of yet because when he is “hunting” his ears seem to not work. He is showing improvement when called in the house to come, so we may do this soon. We have never seen him try to climb the fence, but when he is in the outside kennel, he looks for any way to get out and goes around the whole fence line. We are also working on the invisible fence with him. He knows the perimeter as we have been practicing and he is doing pretty well. This is a work in progress.    Behavior: On day one Ranger was snuggling with both of us on the sofa. He had no problem eating and drinking either. We believe that he is that way because he has not had a forever home, so he knows he needs to trust early on. He is stubborn and persistent when he wants something, but not in an aggressive way, more like demanding. He loves to be by us and his dog and cat friends too. He is very sweet and has a gentle side to him as well. He loves affection and praises like  “good boy”. Besides his humans, watching the birds is his favorite thing to do. Medical History: Ranger is neutered, microchipped & UTD on all vaccinations. We noticed early on that he seemed to be drinking a lot of water and urinating excessively. so we had a full blood panel and urine culture done. All of the tests came back fine. We tracked his water intake for 5 days and then did a water deprivation test. This was to see if he had the ability to concentrate his urine. Because his urine concentration was low, we have started him on Desmopressin which will help with concentration of his urine and excessive drinking. Average cost would probably be around $40.00-$45.00 per month. The other thing that our vet recommended was to have electrolytes/small blood panels and visits with the vet 2-3 times per year. She also mentioned that his life span should not be affected from this diagnosis of Diabetes Insipidus with medication. We have seen great improvements since putting him on this.    Diabetes insipidus (DI) in dogs is a rare condition characterized by excessive thirst and urination due to the body's inability to produce or respond to the hormone vasopressin (ADH). This lack of ADH causes the kidneys to excrete excessive amounts of dilute urine, leading to dehydration if not managed.  Foster Comments: Ranger has been a sweet delight to have him in our home. We are the lucky ones to be able to foster this wonderful boy. You can see it in his eyes how grateful that he is to be loved too.  It is fun to see him looking for the birds and squirrels, and loving life. He deserves all the best in his life and his forever home!  Foster Location: Rosholt, WI Volunteer transport can be arranged in the Continental US within a 1,000-mile distance between adopters & foster home. If interstate transport is provided for your adopted dog, there will be an additional charge of $50.00 for the required Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (“Health Certificate”).  Typically, we are able to transport your adopted dog to within 2 hours of your home. *Dogs can be adopted outside the 1000-mile transport distance; however, adopters must be willing to either fly their adopted dog, drive to a location within the 1000-mile transport range, or make independent transport arrangements for their adopted dog. Transports to far Western states, from Eastern states, may have additional restrictions. ##2253858##

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Available - Ranger, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.