Ruthie

My story

For Adoption: Ruthie! Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process. To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/. Ruthie is a darling cocker spaniel who has a lot of love to share. At five years old, she has equal enthusiasm for lively zooming around the backyard and snuggling up on the couch. She often has adorable twirls of excitement whether she’s greeting a new friend or sees the treats coming out. Ruthie has beautiful colouring and is frequently complimented on her copper freckles and loving brown eyes. She’s also quite petite, weighing in at 8.5 kg (19lbs) at her last vet visit. She has a few more pounds to gain but not many. The name Ruth means ‘friend’ or ‘companion’ and her loyalty and affection make this name a perfect fit! Ruthie started her life as a breeder in a puppy mill and this has made her a bit timid and scared of noises; however, her curiosity and trusting nature has come through quickly. While at first Ruthie would tremble if there was a loud noise, now she shows interest in figuring out what made the noise! Ruthie will do best with a calm family who can be patient with her as she continues to open up to new people and surroundings. Ruthie loves to sit in the backyard and watch the world go by. Because of her start in life, she’s seeing things through fresh eyes every day. She would do best in a home with easy access to a yard or outdoor space as that’s where she wants to be as much as possible. She’s taken to setting herself up on the back steps of her foster home to survey the backyard and will do this for as long as someone is nearby. Ruthie has taken to walking on leash pretty well and has been enjoying neighbourhood walks twice a day. She may have little legs but she has no problem walking up to 5km. She will benefit from further leash practice as she continues to discover new sights and smells. Sweet Ruthie has been learning ‘sit’ and ‘shake a paw’ and has discovered a very healthy appetite for treats. She is eager to please and will often offer up both skills even without being asked and sometimes her ‘sit’ will turn into a very enthusiastic spin as she gets excited about the prospect of a reward. Ruthie is a true frolicker and her impish personality is starting to come through when she feels comfortable. As it’s the fall and Ruthie has an undercoat, she has been shedding moderately. She is very happy to be brushed and will tolerate the bath. She will require regular professional grooming to maintain her coat, including weekly brushing and consistent ear cleaning to prevent infections due to her floppy silky ears. Ruthie is working on her house and crate training as both are completely new to her. She is quite happy to spend time in her crate and barely makes a peep while in there. Ruthie is comfortable napping, eating and just hanging out in her crate but does often need a bit of encouragement (treats) to go in. Ruthie’s affectionate ways are truly on display when she’s let out of the crate; the first thing she wants to do is flop over a belly rub and snuggle. House training is coming along well, but Ruthie is still learning to live in a home and this means she has occasionally peed in the house. These incidents are becoming infrequent though and she is proving to be a fast learner. Ruthie is also learning to feel comfortable on car rides as she has had small peeing accidents in her crate on longer drives. She is practicing being in the crate in the car and she is getting calmer with every drive. Ruthie has been fostered in a quiet home with no other pets or kids, but as her confidence has grown, she is showing great interest in meeting both. There have been a few opportunities for Ruthie to meet other dogs and young kids and she has been getting braver and braver with every meeting. Despite receiving very little socialization for the first years of her life, she has shown great strides in this area. Ruthie would be fine as the only dog in the home but could also do well with a mature, calm dog who wont wish to rough house or play with her. She would be fine with cats as well. Ruthie would do best in an adult home or one with children over the age of 8 who can be gentle and patient with an enthusiastic new family member who is still learning her manners. On her walks she passes many people and her tail always seems to be up and wagging even if she does sometimes take a few attempts to say hello. Potential adopters will need to consider how they can support her in further socialization and learning proper etiquette for meeting new friends. She has been doing well on a long lead in the backyard and her curiosity has her exploring. She will always need to be on a leash when outside, or in a securely fenced yard as her instinct is to bolt if there is a startling noise. For the most part Ruthie is very quiet (apart from some gentle snoring), but she has recently found her bark a few times: once while trying to engage the robot vacuum in play and another time when she spotted some dogs on tv. She is learning how to play and has been caught trying to sneak a pair of socks or dryer ball into her bed for a chew. She reacts very well to having these taken away and she’s happy to have them replaced with a toy. Ruthie is up-to-date on all of her vaccinations and has been spayed; she handled her vet visits very well. She has been diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). This condition is well-managed for her currently with her diet, high in fat and protein, and low in carbohydrates, and a pancreatic supplement to help her digest her meals. She will require a pancreatic supplement such as Pan-tenex for life, and monitoring of her bloodwork and overall health with a dedicated veterinary team. The enzyme supplement can be ordered online from the company or through Amazon. Anyone interested in Ruthie needs to research the cost of her Pan-tenex (or similar supplement) and be comfortable with the cost of the top quality diet that she is on as these are must have’s for her and she cannot be switched food or go without the supplement. Please also research her condition. It is totally manageable and dogs live normal lives with it, but it has specific diet requirements as mentioned. Meal time is one of her favourite parts of the day and she is very food motivated, which has likely been partly driven by her EPI. Ruthie is a true gem and despite a tough start to her life, she is leaning into new experiences and meeting every day with genuine excitement. Her curiosity about the world around her plus her gentle and loving nature will make her an ideal companion to a family who can give her time and space to continue opening up. It’s clear that her soulful brown eyes have seen some challenges, but there is a twinkle and a spark in there that continues to shine! Name: Ruthie ID # PDR1423 Age: 5yrs Gender: female Spayed: yes UTD vaccines: yes Breed: Cocker Spaniel Colours: red and white Coat length: med House trained: yes Special needs: yes, see bio OK with kids: older OK with cats: yes Ok with dogs: yes Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: med Location: Kitchener Adoption fee: $700

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